Banished

I don't do mornings!

Before I knew it, the moon had risen,casting a faint silvery glow.

We finished the last of our work and headed off to sleep.

As soon as I hit the pillows, I had a dream. I was running through a lush forest as something was chasing me, crashing through piles of leaves and ploughing down trees. Then I stopped and a scream built up in my throat.
I couldn't move, my legs stuck fast. The creature chasing me came up close and the last I saw were it's sharp fangs.

I awoke with a jolt. Today was the day to move, but I didn't move, I just lay there shivering in bed. Apparently, I don't do mornings.

Theres a rap at my door.

'Midnight, hurry up!' Jason calls.

I groan and sit up in bed, and slowly make my way to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Then I get dressed into jeans and a shirt that says ' I'm not a morning person' and a black hoodie. It suits my mood.

When I reach the dining room, Jason's tapping his foot on the floor and glancing at his watch.

Here it comes, the Midnight-Carson-what-were-you-thinking-a-bunch-of-elephants-would-be-faster-than-you, part.

He glares.'Eat your food and let's get out of here'

I gobble up some cereal,grab a backpack and give a salute.

'At your service' I mock.

Jason sneers and gets out the door, seemingly to be immune to my humour. Or at least I call it humour.

I follow him out the door, down the stairs and out the building, towards the forest.

'So where are we going?' I ask.

He points towards the forest, his nose buried in some map. 'Nerd!' I tease. He turns around to face me very slowly.

'What did you just call me?' He growls.

I gulp. Bad idea. Very bad idea.

I bite my tongue.'Uhh.... that slipped out of my tongue....sorry.'

He fixes his eyes on me for a moment before shaking his head and laughing.

'Don't worry, I've been called that before.'

I breathe in relief. 'So who was that person that called you a nerd before me?'

His eyes seize panic. 'Oh, you know...umm...'

He doesn't get to finish. A deep growl echoes behind us. I slowly turn around to face a tiger, but it's different.

It's eyes glow a violent red, and it's much larger, about the size of a car. It bares it's teeth and charges.

'Run!' I shout at the top of my lungs.

Me and Jason make a run for it, Jason leading and me following in his tracks. Yes, I admit, I'm slow.

The tiger doesn't hesitate,it chases us like a lion with its prey.

'Plans?' I ask, panting.

'Run to the forest, it won't chase us there because it isn't part of its territory.'

I nod and run faster, the tiger gaining distance.

We reach the forest and don't hesitate to run in.

The tiger halts and growls the edge of the forest, saliva dripping from it hungry mouth.

I sit down and rest against a tree, Jason doing the same.

'What was that thing?'

Jason looks up.'you don't know?'

I shake my head.

'That was once a normal tiger, but it was altered. Those are sent to people who escape from serious crimes.'

'Great, another enemy' I mumble.

Jason shrugs and leans his head against the tree.

' We'd better get going, it'll be dark soon' .

I groan, but we walk further into the forest, aching all over.

Then I see it. A pair of rusty gates, as large as the trees themselves. I stare at the things in disbelief.

Jason laughs nervously and gulps.' Come on' I say.

'Wait', says Jason, and I see his face scrunched up.

'Midnight,I'm so sorry'.

I stare at him, my mind processing what's going on, and then the floor under me falls away and I'm enveloped in darkness