Only Hope

Chapter 2 - Nightmares.

Edinburgh, August 20, 2018.

Sweat dripped down my back as I ran. I gasped for air and my sides were in agony, but I would not stop. I could hear the thundering sound of the explosions behind me, I could feel them cracking the ground into a thousand pieces. I wiped the beads of sweat off my forehead with my wrist, but when I looked at my hand, it was covered in not sweat, but thick red blood. I flinched as a burning sensation ran up my arm. I heard a voice behind me, first one, then two, then more. "Embrace the fire," they said, eerily. "Embrace the fire," they shouted, "Embrace the fire," The voices surrounded me, deafening me. I kept running, but as flames ran up my arm and across my chest, I slowed to a halt and collapsed.

I was awoken from the nightmare by Jay. My first instinct was to reach out and hug him, and he seemed a little surprised, jumping back slightly.

"Chris told me you were feeling sad," he said, "So I made you... This!" Grinning from ear to ear, he revealed a plate of cookies he had been hiding behind his back. They were all decorated with smiley faces.

"Wow! I exclaimed. Well Jay, I don't think I'm going to be feeling sad any longer!" I hugged him, lifting him into the air.

He left the room, and as he closed the door behind him I slumped back into my bed and sighed. I was sick of acting. I was stressed, terrified, and the nightmares and flashbacks were getting worse. I wanted to lie down and forget everything, but sleep stopped being peaceful for me long ago. Sliding the plate towards myself, I sat up, flicked on my iPod and began to nibble slowly at one of the cookies.

I was called downstairs a couple of hours later. Chris, Jay and my mother were all sitting round the dining table. I glanced over to the empty space on the wall where the TV once was, and shuddered. I felt like punching myself. I couldn't continue being this weak. I sat down at the table, turning to Chris. He had his laptop open. Turning it in my direction, he showed me the government announcement broadcast.

The video explained that, for several years, the Government had been building a shelter underground, designed to safely hold the population of Edinburgh for generations if the need arised. We were to all move to the shelter, carrying minimal posessions, within the next two days.

I bit my lip. The whole room had an eerie, awkwardly silent atmosphere. No-one really knew what to say. I looked over at Chris, who muttered, "Well... We'd better get packing, right?"

Before I knew it, tears were welling up in my eyes again. I held them back. "I have to think about it", I said, before making a quick exit.

Late that night, I knocked on the door of Chris's room. No answer. I opened the door and found him lying, exhausted, on his chair, surrounded by the entire contents of every shelf and drawer, which had been emptied out onto his bedroom floor. I picked up a sock and threw it at him. He opened his eyes with a girly scream. I smiled, and for the first time in days, it felt real.

"Chris..." I started.

"Wait." he interrupted. "I know exactly what you're about to say, and I have an idea. We're not going anywhere."