Talon Academy

Chapter Two

I shot up, my disoriented mind racing through what was happening. It took me a second to realise that it had just been a dream; or more accurately a nightmare. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table; 05:30. That was an hour later than usual. Well what became the usual for me since my 16th birthday about two week ago.

I let my head fall back onto my stuffed pillow, letting it absorb my head and my fear. Beads of sweat trailed down my forehead as I tried to slow down my racing heart. I could still feel the crisp midnight air shooting past me, stinging my face and whistling in my ear. I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths. Images of the exquisite Erza, the terrifying red dragon and the eerie rider filled my head. They were so vivid that it was hard to believe that it had just been a dream. I try so hard to forget these dreams and it works normally, but this time things were different in many ways.

I have never before had such a clear dream which is something that scares me. Truthfully scared was a big understatement, even petrified didn't match what I felt.

Also this dream lasted much longer. I always woke up at half four; just when darkness fell upon me as something blocked my view of the moon. This time I saw what came next - the beauty and the horror.

I slid out of bed and walked into my bathroom. A hot shower sounded like the best thing right now.

Later, I was walking down the pale brown carpeted stairs. My thoughts were still consumed by my dream. My curly hair was in a ponytail and my dusky blue bag slung over my right shoulder. Walking into the kitchen I place my bag beside my chair.

"Good morning dad." I said, making him look up from the morning newspaper.

Gary wasn't my biological dad; he and May were my foster parents. I've been an orphan since I was six and knew that I was really lucky to have found them. I had had a foster family before them but I'm still not sure if they had taken me in to love me like a real family or just for the money. Then my social worker, Brenda, found Gary and May, who already had a daughter and knew how to look after one.

"Good morning, Liz. Did you sleep well?" he said with worried eyes.

"Yes, perfectly. Where's mum?" I hated lying but this time I had to. The relief on his face was so obvious. I had woken up everyone in the house by screaming on the night of my birthday; the night of my first dream.

"She's not feeling well, I think it's the flu. All she needs is a few day of rest and she'll be as good as new."

I nodded while taking out the cereal box and placing it onto the table. Then I started hunting for my bowl.

"I'm guessing that Rachel is still going through her too long morning routine." I said with small smile as I walked back to the table with bowl in hand.

Even though Rachel and I didn't have much in common we still got on pretty well. I guess it must be after living with her for eight years, I found a way to get along with her and her with me. In the end I cared for her because to me she's a real sister. The same is for Gary and May, we have no blood relation but to me they are my parents.

Placing the bowl on the table I started putting cereal in.

Gary placed down the newspaper, "There is something I need to tell you." He said the line carefully as if he had been practising it for a while.

I looked up, already able to tell by his facial expression that I wasn't going to like this.

He sighed, "We're moving."

"What?! No this can't be happening, we are not moving!" I shouted, I didn't mean to shout but I couldn't help it. My heart swirled with shook and sadness. Moving? We couldn't move! I absolutely loved Luton and leaving was the last thing I had thought about.