The Beast of My Dreams

Chapter 1

*THREE YEARS EARLIER*

As I slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep, I thought of my first day of Junior High tomorrow. I had the perfect outfit laid out, I straightened my wavy hair, and I was going to get plenty of sleep. I imagined it, I would make a bunch of friends, I would get better grades, and maybe even meet the guy of my dreams. I had no idea I would meet him before I even went to school. I slowly start falling asleep.

Sleeping is my escape. My alternate universe where I go to forget all of my problems in my life. It's my happy place, that is, until tonight. I awoke, but not in my room. In a dark abyss of nothingness. I spun around in hope I would find something, anything, really. I know I'm dreaming, but it feels real, like I am actually here, physically. I am scared. What's happening? I sit on the dark floor, and put my head in my hands. I hear footsteps approaching me. I lift my head and see a dark figure in the shadows. At first, I'm frightened, but relieved at the same time that I'm not alone.

"Hello? Who's there?" I question, my voice shaking. There is no answer. The figure continues to step toward me, slowly.

"Hello?" I say again. Still no answer.

I turn around. I am so confused. I see the figure again.

"WHO ARE YOU?" I question, obvious horror in my tone.

I just want to wake from my dream. I need to get out of this, like now. I start to run through the dark vast area. I run, but no matter how far I go, it never seems to end. The sound of a deep devilish cackle echoing from the distant sends shivers through my spine. I look back, just to see how far the figure actually is, apparently he isn't that far because a second after I run into something similar to a brick wall. I start to fall backwards, but before I fall something catches me. I look up and the only thing that comes to view two glowing blue eyes. I stare into them. They terrify me, but also comfort me in a demented, twisted kind of way. The person who possesses the luminescent irises is hidden in the shadows along with everything else.

"W-who are you?" I stutter.

"There's a possibility, I'm your worst nightmare," a baritone voice replies. The voice makes goosebumps arise on my skin.

"Possibility?"

"That's for you decide whether I am or not."

I back away slowly, and finally mutter out, "I..I'm not afraid of you.."

Lying's one of the many qualities I've obtained over the years, and right now I'm hoping it's useful.

He lets out a chuckle and says, "Don't lie to me, babe."

"Babe?" I scrunch up my nose in disgust, and scoff, " in your dreams."

"More like your dreams," there was a spark of mischief glinting in the man's eyes.

I laugh and say, "You're not real!" I try to run, but there is no escape. I look back to where I was running to see the man was gone. I run into him again. I'm scared of him. I want him gone. I did the only thing I could think of. I scream and shut my eyes. I scream so loud.

I wake up to my world shaking. Why am I shaking? I hear mother saying, "Its the first day of school darling."

"I had a bad dream, mom. It was this man..He was.. he was...I can't even describe him," I say as I stared blankly into her concerned eyes.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry," she whispered, as she gently put her hands around my neck. She always knew the right thing to say, and I was always happy around her.

I was terrified that I would see him. I didn't want to go to sleep, which was unusual. Why didn't he hurt me? Why was he so comfortable around me? A million questions boggled my mind, But I knew this was just the start.

I put on my dark jeans with small rips and my dark purple tang top. And combed out my short brown hair. I brushed my teeth, ate a pancake, and walked to the bus stop. I hated the bus, but my mom worked all the time. My dad left my mother and I when I was five for Caroline, a lady he claimed to be in love with. When my mom and dad were together they fought a lot, and that's mostly what I remember from my childhood, yelling. Now, my dad and Caroline have two children, a four year old and a two year old.

Their were three people at the bus stop: Jennifer, Craig, and Johnathon. I never talked to any of them, but they have been in my classes since kindergarten. I am socially awkward, I guess you could say. That's why I like when I sleep. It's a place where I was happy. I never expected that I would now hate sleeping because of dreaming. I don't know where I belong now.

As the big, yellow bus rolled in, I saw something behind it. It kinda looked like the man I dreamed about. I am literally going insane, but I was still scared. I cut in front of the people in line for the bus and ran up the steep steps of the bus. I slid to the first seat behind the driver because everyone likes the back, and I don't want to talk to anyone. What would I say?

When I got to school I examined the large school. It had two floors, a million more classrooms, and about a billion lockers. How many students were in this school? We all lined up in a line do they could show tell us our locker number and combination. This school was very disorganized. Usually you get your class scheldule, meet the teachers, and find your locker and practice opening it. This school didn't do any of that.

From my lack of sleep, I was tired. I stood in line with my hand on my hip, and closed my eyes. I was about to fall asleep until I pictured the man I saw in my dreams. I opened my eyes wide, and heard "NEXT." I was next in line.

I said my name, "Delia Osterfield."

"We don't have any Delia Osterfield."

"Odelia Osterfield, Odelia."

"What an unusual name. Oh, here you are." She handed me a packet with my schedule and my locker combination.

"Thank you."

It took to long for all the students to get their packets, so today was basically a tour day we never had. I quickly stopped in all my classes and walked to my locker, which was on the opposite side of all my classes. It took me a half an hour. I sat a table in the loud cafeteria with my head on the table. I started drifting off. I was so tired I fell asleep.

I started walking, no running toward something, but it was pitch black. I stopped running, and looked around me. I knew he was there. I was panting. I started running again. My long legs running for dear life tripped. As I looked behind me I saw a a large stick. I think it's a stick. I reached over and picked it up. It was heavy, no stick could be this large... and hairy? I examined the unknown object, and looked down it. I then saw a face with a creepy smile on it.

"Hello love"

I started to scream. Continuing to scream I ran away, not losing tone in my scream. I started to slow down and fell. Rolling over I put my knees to my chest. A rough finger tapped my arm. I looked up and saw him again.

"You can't hide from me."

I started to scream again. And I was shaking. Shaking? Someone was shaking me.. Who was shaking me?