Climb to Showbiz (Muse)

Sick and Tired of Trying to Please You (could be heroes)

Shadows fell everywhere along the roads and town. If it weren't for the street lamps illuminating Teignmouth with an almost eerie glow, it would only be a matter of time before everything was practically completely dark. But, luckily, there was still a bit of sun and many lights from houses remained lit and contributed to lighting the town. Just like he had the day before, Matthew ran to the arcade area after a series of cruel and ear-splitting shrieks and cries.

He came to a sight that filled him with aghast. Lying next to the metallic ATM machine was a beaten up and crying boy. The way the machine stood over the shivering body almost seemed like it was mocking the boy and had enjoyed watching him being abused and beaten. Blood splattered randomly on the ground and Matt slowly approached the whimpering kid. He stared at Matt with big puppy eyes, one surrounded by black from a cruel punch, as if he was begging for Matthew to kill him. Still, he resisted when Matt tried to hoist him up or aid to a particulary nasty cut in his arm or any of his other injuries. The blonde boy pushed Matt away with scratched hands.

"Run, Matthew, before they get you." he croaked.

He was too confused to heed this warning and in moments time a few long shadows fell over the boys.

"I told you, Matthew! I told you! It's too late!" He began to screech and blubber with intense fear.

Matt looked up at the guys, each tall and overlooking them. But the other two were a blur and he seemed to find himself tramatized by the man who's eyes were incredibly bloodshot, like he was a madman. He was slightly chubby and smelled exceedingly like alchohol. His grey tank top was stained with varies of colours and grease. Those vibrant and red eyes glared at Matthew, the way they had when they passed him the other day as the cops arrived. But here there weren't any officers to save them.

"Leave him alone." Matt commanded, as sternly as he could.

The three men laughed at such a tiny thing's attempt of being intimadting. Obviously, it hadn't worked and they spat upon him, the saliva full of tobacco, which explained the state of their rotten teeth. After this, they picked him up and flung him. He awaited for the pain of concrete or hitting one of the machines, but nothing happened. Instead, it seemed he began to hover and shake where he was as the criminals started singing "Bacon and eggs. Bacon and eggs. Grammy has made bacon and eggs!" It seemed a very odd turn in the dream, and the violent shaking woke him up.

Matt's eyes snapped open with a start and he could still feel his heart beating with terror. He woke up to see his older brother, Paul, peering at him with his brown eyes. His fuzz of light brownish hair was accentuated by the morning sun that filtered through the blue curtains. It was short and neat, unlike his brother's longer, shaggier, and messy hair.

He was so grateful that he hadn't had to see more of that dream, the dream that could've easily been reality. He was beyond glad that Paul was sent looking for him and went to dial the emergency number when he heard the other boy's screams, before Matt had even gotten there. Dom, Matt told himself. The blonde boy was named Dominic Howard, he reminded himself.

But if Paul hadn't called and done what was right, they both would've been beaten more severly. If Dom had recieved anymore pain, he may have been hospitalized. He was glad neither of them had had the nasty fate. He had been so foolish the day before, not trusting the cops and helping Dom personally as if he could actually have done anything to help. He should've set his own paranoia aside for the sake of the situation. Thank goodness the family had been looking out for him that particular day.

"Mmmm...." Matt grumbled and rubbed his eyes, not very well rested with all of last night's commotion and several nightmares relating to the beating, many of them having to do with the criminal that glared at him. The way he had seethed with hatred and bored his disgusting eye balls into Matt's face the other day made it seem like he had been trying to memorize him and would come back to find the boy, who was a witness. He was more of a threat because he hadn't been terrified and nearly unconcious like Dom. He secretly feared they would come back for him, but hoped it wasn't true, hoped that the police won the pursuit and arrested them. But even if it had been so, there was no way to prove it was these same men that were responsible for all the other beatings and he wasn't exactly sure how much time in jail they'd actually have if they were caught.