FAMILIES ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK

CHAPTER TWO

I WAKE UP, gasping for air. Once I calmed down, I spin my head around to check my surroundings. It was dark and scary, eerie quiet. The only light that shown is the moon but is hidden behind some tree branches. Somehow, I'd ended up in the woods. Now how on Earth did I get here?!
I slowly stand up, confused and disoriented. I couldn't see anything. That's when I hear his scream.
It was my younger brother, Sam. He was calling for me. On instinct, I sprint through the woods, calling for him. The tree branches crunching underneath my feet.
"TOM!" Sam screams. I sprint faster.
"SAMMY?!"
"TOM!"
I squeeze my eyes harder. This has to be a dream! It couldn't be real! But then again it felt real! Sam continues to scream until I stop when I see my older brother, Harry, lying in front of me, not moving.
I crouch down and begin to panic. "Harry? Harry?! Harry wake up!"
Nothing.
"Harry, please! Wake up!" I went to check his pulse. None.
Tears slide down my cheeks as I hop over his motionless body and ran toward Sam. Sam screams in pain and wince.
I finally approach an opening in the middle of the woods. It was still dark out. Sam's voice was gone. It was quite again. I cautiously spun around. It felt like I am being watched.
A voice, a deep voice, booms around me and tsked. "Tom, Tom, Tom. You beautiful boy. Oh, I'd hate it to watch you suffer a slow and painful death."
"W-Who are you...where is Sam...?" I croaked.
The voice laughed. "Sam? As in your brother? Oh...well he's no longer available."
Suddenly, Sam's body, which was oh so graphic, appears in front of me. More tears streamed down my cheeks when I realize he was dead.
"How could you?!" I shout.
"To make you suffer. This is what happens when you don't take my offer Tom Holland." The voice is gone and Sam's body is gone.
I collapse to my knees, sobbing my heart out and screaming in frustration. What offer?! Who was that voice?! Why would the voice want me to suffer?!
That's when my father's dead body pops up. I cried and cried, punching the ground with my fists. I just wanted this to be over!

+ + +

I wake up, gasping and panting, swaying my arms around me; as if bats or bees were swarming over my head. I felt sweat and tears dripping down my face and hands on my arms.
"NO! GET OFF OF ME!" I scream.
"Tom! Shhh, calm down! It's okay! You're okay! Relax! Breathe! It's me! Haz!" A fimilar voice says.
My eyes flutter open and I smile when I see my best friend, Harrison Osterfield. Along with Zendaya and Jacob who had concerned looks. I calm down a bit.
"Haz..." I whisper, loud enough for the three of them to hear.
Harrison has always been my best friend. We've been friends since kindergarten. He has short blonde hair, a grin I always love, and dark blue eyes. He wears a blue denim jacket with a black shirt, along blue jeans. God, was he handsome!
"Yeah, it's me Tom. You're okay," Harrison soothes.
"What happened, Tom?" Zendaya asks as she pulls a chair next to my bed and sits in it.
"Nightmare," I confess. "I...I really don't want to talk about..."
They nod in understanding. The door slams open and I wince. My father was apparently drunk, with his sunken eyes and limpy body.
"Tom Holland! Get your butt out of bed and get ready for school!" my father commands. I nod.
"Erm...guys? Could you like...you know...lend me some privacy as I get dressed...?" I ask shyly. They nod again and walk out of the room.
After I got dressed and ready for school, I hoist my book bag on one shoulder and head on into the kitchen where I have breakfast. My locket dangling as I walk down the steps.
"Well, well, well. Morning sleeping beauty!" Harry says, eyes still staring at the book he has. I chuckle a bit.
"Morning, dumbbag," I reply. I set my book bag next to my chair and ate my bowl of Frosted Flakes.
"So...heard you screaming my name..." Harry mentions. I freeze and felt everyone's eyes on me.
"And mine..." Sam says.
"Well, he did say he had a nightmare," Jacob announces.
"A nightmare eh," my drunk father says. "You wanna talk about kid...?"
"Erm...no...no I'm fine really..." I answer. Though my father doesn't look convinced.
I check my wristwatch. 8:30 am. Time for school.
"Welp, guess I'll see you all later! Love you, Dad!" I say. I grab my friends wrists and drag them outside and we wait by the bus stop.
Once I arrive at school, I instantly went to my locker and put the unnecessary items in there. Jacob, Zendaya, and Harrison stood next to me.
A girl's scream enters the halls. I turn around to see the crowd backing up, letting space to whom ever is entering.
It seems as if the whole world was in slow motion when he comes in. The guy was extremely handsome and tall and muscular. He wears black sunglasses, a black leather jacket, black pants and shoes. He's just like Harry, who wears all black. But the thing is I've never seen him before.
"Who's he?" I ask.
"He's the hottest guy in the entire school~" Zendaya says, dreamily, resting her chin in her palm. "Ryan Reynolds~"
Ryan turns to face me and I blush deeply. I look down, clutching my books to my chest as he comes closer. I could hear Ryan placing his hand on my locker, leaning into my personal space.
"Hey there, beautiful," Ryan says to me. My eyes widen. Did he just call me "beautiful"?!