Burned Out [Completed]

Visiting the Hellscape

Deep red light pulsed in front of my closed eyes. My head ached and my throat felt like I hadn't had water in years. I forced my eyes open and immediately scrambled to my feet.

The landscape around me was completely alien. It seemed like I was still in the birch woods, but everything was dark and red. The sky was a deep maroon that filled in the gaps between the branches of the skeletal trees.

An empty wind rattled the branches, producing an eerie moan. I brushed gravel off of my knees and tried to see anything recognizable.

"Hello?" I called nervously. Wow, I really gave into horror movie stereotypes, calling out in a scary place, but cut me some slack. I just woke up in some kind of nightmare.

Of course there was no response, only the wind. Then, I noticed a slight change. The wind was slowly developing a higher pitch. The moan turned into a wail, then a whine, then an ear splitting shriek. I dropped on my knees and cradled my head. Too much. It was too much!

Then it stopped.

It didn't wind down like a tornado siren, it just dropped off completely and left me in utter silence. I stood back up, my legs trembling slightly. What the hell was this place?

Snap.

I whirled around to see Nick scowling down at the snapped twig under his shoe.

"Nick," I snarled. I was so freaking sick of this whole charade. I marched toward him, not stopping until we were nose to nose.

"Who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to toy with my life over and over? Where are we?"

Nick had taken a couple steps back during my verbal onslaught, but I followed him, accentuating each question with a jab to his chest.

"Calm down, Oli," he said smoothly.

"Do NOT call me that!" I clenched my fists, digging little crescents into my palms.

"Why?" He asked, grinning. "Because that's what he calls you?"

I jerked back like he slapped me. "Leave Martin out of this."

"That was the plan." Nick shrugged. "But then you had to bring him along and attack me, so that clearly didn't work out." He cast his eyes downward. "You're smoking."

I looked down to see the gravel below my shoes smouldering and smoke curling from between my fingers.

"What did you do to me? Why are we here?" I demanded, gritting my teeth.

Nick looked around as if noticing our surroundings for the first time. "Ah yes, do you like it? I think it's rather... cozy."

I didn't answer.

"Fine," he sighed. "Straight to business then? I didn't actually make this place. It's where your fire comes from."

"How did I get here?"

"Well," Nick drawled, "you aren't exactly here, per se. This is just a dream, which is why I can be here too."

"Now you're haunting my dreams?" I said exasperatedly. "Give me a break!"

"Why we're here or what this place is doesn't matter. You have declined every offer I gave to help you. You used the power I awakened in you against me. I am not playing nice anymore." Nick's eyes grew dark. "You have started a war, Oliver, one you will not win."

"You wanna bet?" I smiled grimly, opening my hands and thrusting them against his chest.

As Nick stumbled backwards, pinwheeling his arms for balance, the ground opened up behind me. The crevice was dark for a split second, then it erupted in a wave of fire that rushed towards Nick, parting around me like the Red Sea.