Dream Nightmare

Chapter 4

Chapter Four – Envy’s Dream

          Fifteen year old Envy was all alone, deep out in the woods of some unknown place, with just faintly enough light to travel by. It was midnight with the moon shining high in the sky so that that vines and moss hanging from the trees silhouetted the ground around him. He was looking for survivors, and his mom was supposed to be here helping him, but where was she?

          He walked with his bow raised in front of him, just as a precaution. The arrow was pulled back and ready to be set free. He had to be careful or he would end up like the others. The others, who were all long gone.

          “Mom!” he shouted out. She just left without any explanation, and Envy refused to believe the worst had happened to her. No, she had to be a survivor still.

          “Mom! Can you hear me?” he yelled as loud as he could for the thirteenth time. Expecting a response this time, hopeful there would be one, he stopped to listen. He was not greeted by any sound, however. Even the sound of the crickets had gone away, so that it was dead silent all around him. It was quiet. Too quiet. Those crickets had been trying out for the orchestra less than five minutes ago.

          SNAP!

          What was that? It wasn’t his mom because she would’ve yelled back.  It sounded like a branch lying on the forest floor had snapped due to the force of a footstep. Envy raised his bow and listened for a while, crouched low to the ground. Nothing. It was nothing. Whatever made that noise must’ve left.

          Staying low to the ground with his bow constantly raised, Envy continued the trek he was on looking for survivors. He moved very slowly as the ground was covered with fallen leaves, sticks, and branches and he didn’t want to make a sound. He already yelled enough for his mom and finally decided she wasn’t near him. But he would not give up hope that she was still alive.

          Out of the corner of his eye, Envy saw a black figure dart between two trees. He turned and set the arrow free, listening as it stuck into a tree farther off in the distance. Nothing. Nothing was there. His eyes were probably playing tricks on him. He reached back to his quiver and grabbed another arrow, placing it into his bow, ready to be fired.

          SNAP!

          Directly behind him another branch snapped. There was something literally three feet behind him. In the blink of an eye, he pivoted on his foot, and released the arrow into his attacker’s chest. That was too close, he had to pay more attention next time.

          His attacker was a pointy eared humanoid. It looked like a demon elf. Everything about it was blacked out, except its glowing red eyes, which were now permanently closed. Like Envy, it also had a bow and a quiver strapped behind him. This demon elf thing looked like it was made to kill.

          After taking the arrows from his attacker and placing them within his own quiver, Envy heard something. It got louder and louder as it got closer. It sounded like a bunch of footsteps. His best option was to run, since it sounded like there was more footsteps then he had arrows.

          Envy ran like the wind, jumping over branches, careening around trees, and plowing through vines that had his arms and legs all cut up.  He ran for some time, until the forest seemed to open up into a small circle. Outside the circle was nothing but more trees, while inside it was what appeared to be ancient ruins like something the Mayans had built.

          It was a tall tower made completely of stones. The entire structure had vines growing all over it. At the top of the tower was an open entrance that connected a room to the ground via a bunch of stone steps. The room at the top only had that one entrance and nothing inside it.