Dream Chaser (Preview)

Chapter 4

The night felt like it would never end as I laid there. Wide awake while unable to get the horrific scene out of my head. I reimagined Celia's shrill scream as it filled the silent abyss in my mind. I didn't know how to make it stop, but to my avail, my alarm beside me began blaring out. The sound alone brought noise back to the room while cutting the nightmare away from my mind, only to replace it with another. My body was stiff, and my arm was still stinging from my fall in the blizzard. Forcing myself out of bed, I winced in pain while putting pressure on my arm. From what I could tell, it wasn't broken, but even I knew that that might not be the case in reality. Still, I didn't give myself much time to think about it as I waited to leave the house. Knowing I would soon find myself walking through the doors of the prison on the hill. Going about my morning routine, I couldn't help but do everything a little bit slower. I hoped I could bide myself enough time, so Zack would lose interest and not wait for me when I got into the school's foyer. It would be an inevitable end to my life if I saw him, so I wanted to savour the lasting freedom that I still had. Finally, it was time for me to go. Grabbing my outdoor gear, I threw my backpack over my shoulder and gave the house one last goodbye. Closing the door behind me, I turned my luck to fate so that it could decide my destiny.

In only a few minutes, I arrived at the school. The extreme chill in the air was more comforting than the reality that I'd soon be walking into. Taking a deep breath as I arrived, I pushed open the door and entered the central gathering space. Closing my eyes, I immediately thought I would hear my name get called out, but it wasn't. Instead, when I opened my eyes, the goons that assisted Zack were sitting on a row of chairs while looking at all of Zack's fresh battle scars. His arm was in a cast; he had a crutch, and it seemed he couldn't see out of his left eye. The sight stopped my legs in their tracks as his two goons looked up and saw me. Following their gazes, Zack did the same.

"You!" Zack growled.

Zack's goons were doing double takes, looking at their fearless yet broken leader and then at my defenceless self. It was only a matter of seconds till the iconic morning chase happened. The blister on my hand started to throb as the attack from the day before flashed in my mind. Without even thinking, I made a run for it.

"After him!" Zack commanded his underlings as the day resumed its normal pace.

Although today, Zack was practically useless in his current condition, as he pointed at me while his two associates got up. After a few steps, they went into a full sprint. At the same time, I was already running while looking over my shoulder. I watched the two kids chase after me, throwing the people in their way to the sides. If it hadn't been for a group of three that stretched from one side of the hallway to the other, I would have gotten away. The roadblock they created brought me to a complete stop as the rapid footsteps behind me only grew louder. With no choice, I fought my instincts and turned around, ready to fight back. Only there was no point as I was immediately speared by one of them and taken down to the linoleum floor.

The one boy's grotesque smile met my face as I looked up at the dumber-than-a-rock goon. I had lost and knew that I'd yet again be paying the price for running from my problems. In the meantime, the boy kept me in a headlock while the other assisted him in dragging me out of the hallway and back into the foyer. Zack waited patiently for me as I tried to fight my way out. Yet my legs were straight out, and my upper back was aching from being dragged.

"It's about time you caught him." Zack hissed at the others.

"Sorry, he was a slippery one today." One of the boys replied as Zack rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't matter." He growled.

Grabbing his crutch, Zack put it under his arm, then stood up as the other two boys held me down again, forcing me to kneel in front of their leader. I could only grit my teeth at the monster in front of me. I was down and out, while my only hope was to find Zack's weakness. Trying my best to think fast, I watched as Zack put the bottom of the crutch beside me and then sadistically looked into my eyes. As if some higher power had heard my desperate prayer, the gym teacher walked out from the hallway and looked at us. Mr. Arnold was the lead physical education teacher and was built like a brick shithouse. He made even some powerlifters look weak. Except he did have a shady past that all of us students made fun of by saying he had probably killed someone.