To Fear Is To Love

New Year, New Fear

CHAPTER 1: New Year, New Fear

I woke up with a start. The dream--more like nightmare--that had haunted me since I was twelve years old was faint in my mind. I didn't know why I kept having that nightmare or when it was going to stop. It was like a fuzzy memory when I woke up after dreaming the same thing. I don't exactly remember what happens in the dream but somehow whenever I wake up, I can just tell it was that dream. The dream that left me shivering. I looked over to my alarm clock.

8:20. I had exactly thirty minutes until the start of the school day. Ugh I thought as I remembered the fact that today was the start of my senior year.

Throwing off the covers, I jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom. Quickly brushing my teeth, I hurried into the shower. After a short amount of time lathering, rinsing and repeating, I exited the bathroom and walked into my closet. Simple white tank, grey vest and skinny jeans: my primary outfit. It was nothing special but still pretty fashionable. I ran a hand through my tangled, black locks as I searched for my socks. It took a couple of moments of useless looking to decide to just wear no socks. Grabbing the closest pair of anything but my sneakers, converse or running shoes--my white heels--I ran out of my room, not bothering to close the door and scrambled downstairs into the kitchen.

"And just where have you been?" My mother appeared right in front of me, blonde hair perfect as though she didn't just run across the room.

 "Umm... Upstairs?" I replied but I made it sound like a question. I mentally facepalmed; now she was going to be suspicious like always.

 Mom raised an eyebrow but didn't say anymore. Though she stayed silent, her thoughts were as loud as shouts. She obviously didn't believe me. Sigh, no one ever does.

I grabbed a peice of bread and jammed it into the toaster. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. I shifted my weight on each foot every time the little, red second hand ticked on the clock as I waited for the toast to pop up. It felt like hours before I heard the ding that signaled the end of the slice of bread's torture in a cage of fire. Now, it was to be encased in a cage that would be greater know as my stomach.

Stuffing the bread in my mouth, I waved my mom bye as I zipped my sweater up and walked out the front door, closing and locking it behind me. It was pretty chilly for a September day. The wind blew the golden leaves off the branches, all except one. Around the oak tree that me and Ethan call--called--'Mr. Big'. (Yeah, I know. Childish and pretty wrong name but we were six so it's pretty undersrtandable) were golden, brown and crimson leaves. All fallen from the branches, leaving them bare, all except one. There was a single green leaf that clung to a bare branch. It gave off an eerie feel.

My bike was latched onto the wooden bikerack that we had built on Mr. Big when I had gotten my first bike. Turning in my combination, I pulled the lock off and pushed my bike onto the dirt path that lead out of the Manor's east gate. When the trail started to lead downhill, I quickly climbed on. As I passed the gate, I noticed something I had never noticed before. The gate appeared to be wrapped in iron branches, bare, iron branches. Only a single leaf clinging to a bare branch.

***

The bell faintly rang from inside the school, signaling the end of lunch. I jammed my book mark back into my book and stood up from the grass. Wiping peices of grass and leaves off my butt, I grabbed my things and ran to the school building.

"You're late." Was what I heard right when I walked, (what I thought was supposedly) swiftly into the classroom.

I closed my eyes tight. Maybe if I close my eyes and open them again, he'll dissapear. Yeah, that might work. I opened my eyes only to be greeted by a very angry-looking English teacher. Uh, oh. "You see, sir. I was having my lunch outside in the courtyard and--"