𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ; ᴄᴏɴғᴜsᴇᴅ ᴀs ʜᴇʟʟ

"I've traveled the world."

She was falling, falling, falling. She couldn't stop herself. Tempest's mouth was open in a silent scream of terror and shock, how had she fallen? It was then that she realised; she hadn't had complete control of her body. She'd felt pins and needles numb her limbs and her mind go blank. But now everything was coming back in that one rushing moment. Tempest's stomach began to flatten out, causing her eyes to widen with fear.

The rush of cool, night air against Tempest's face made her shiver as she neared the ground. The suspense was sickening. I don't want to die, she thought, growling as she fought back a scream. And it all suddenly stopped. Just like that. But Tempest wasn't flat on the concrete. She was hovering in mind-air. Confusion filled Tempest's heart as she was pulled back toward the roof of the building. It was like she was a magnet, fighting to attach herself to the other half.

And then she was suddenly flung onto her back, safely atop the roof. Tempest pulled herself up, her breath echoing in her head. This was crazy! Tempest took a last gulp of air before scooting herself down the ladder as swiftly as possible. She couldn't handle it. Things were getting out of control. Her toes touched the ground and she was off and runnning, sweating in her jumper. This wasn't happening. It was just another dream. It wasn't a Black Vision, it wasn't reality. It couldn't be.

Tempest stumbled to the ground, her foot catching on a loose pavement. A small shot of pain splashed through Tempest, making her scream aloud. No, dreams don't hurt! She regained her balance and continued running, bounding, racing, back toward her home at the edge of the town. She turned down a street and saw her grey house, standing stationary. Tempest flung the door open and stepped inside, slamming it shut so she could sink down to the ground with her back against it.

Panic flared in her chest. Her whole body ached, her limbs trembled and her head throbbed. A few voices mixed with one another, causing Tempest to block her ears and screw her eyes tightly shut, she could hardly take it. The pounding of footsteps alerted her of Kayla. Her hands gripped Tempest's shoulders tightly as she bent down.

"What happened?" Kayla asked slowly, green eyes glittering. Tempest sobbed silently, tears running down her cheeks.

"I-I don't know," she cried, eyes on her pale hands that rested on her knees. 

"Tempest, c'mon, baby girl, let's get you to-"

"I'm not a little girl!" Tempest suddenly snapped, staring into the eyes of her mother, who stood beside Kayla. "I'm older and I've never been your little girl! You said it yourself. You said I was so much mature than everyone else."

"You're obviously tired." Her mum gazed down upon her, her lightly tanned skin looking nothing like her daugher's. "Tempest, I know that you seem older than your age. But right now, you should rest and we can discuss this in the morning. And I'm not allowing you to wander off into a Black Vision tonight." She paused. "It's too dangerous."

This response stunned Tempest. She forced herself to her feet, narrowing her eyes in a questionable way at her mum. What the hell was she talking about? Before Tempest could speak, Kayla pushed her through the house and into her dark grey room, forcing her down onto the bed flat on her back. Tempest pulled down the sleeves on her grey jumper, breathing deeply. Kayla fixed up her red denim jacket, clearing her throat. Tempest's mother suddenly crept through the door and sat at the chair at her daughter's desk on the right side of the room.

Tempest wanted to scream and shout. She wanted to know what was going on. She didn't want to fall asleep and not have a Black Vision, they helped her see into another world, another world were there was no feeling whatsoever. Where there was no pain. Tempest let her head slam against her pillow, her eyes screwing shut.

"Alright, if you're bursting to tell us what happened, just speak," Kayla snapped, leaning against the door. 

"Fine. I just climbed on top of an apartment, and then... my body just went numb and I couldn't feel myself. I wasn't aware of anything I was doing like when you sleepwalk." Tempest sat up in bed, her eyes cast down. "And then I was just falling... off the building."

"Woah, woah, woah. What?" Kayla crossed her arms, eyes narrowed in an emotion Tempest couldn't pinpoint at all.

At first, Tempest didn't know how Kayla didn't get it. She just feel, there was no other way to possibly explain the situation. Then it hit her right in the side of her head. She hadn't said anything about falling, so...

"Well, I fell, okay... but then... it was almost like a magnet pulled me back... I don't understand it! Argh!" She rolled onto her stomach and put her hands over the back of her head, screaming, the pillow muffling the horrific sounds. Someone's cold hand suddenly shot out and snatched her hand, pulling her out of bed.

"Jesus, it's happening already..." her mother said, dragging her toward the door with Kayla in the lead. "Goddam it! Kayla, just hurry up!"

"I'm trying!" came Kayla's voice angirly, leaping around the house swiftly. Tempest's arm felt as if it was about to fall off. 

Her mum suddenly stopped at a black door, Tempest's head spinning, her eyes darting around. She felt like she was about to be sick with all the action that had just befallen her. Her eyes quickly adjusted but she only turned out to be more confused than before. She had never been allowed through the back door... her mum had said it was forbidden, like so many other things. 

"Get in!" Tempest's mum hissed, shoving her forward.

"You said I was never allowed in there!" Tempest shot back hotly.

"Well now I'm telling you to get in so get in!" Tempest nodded, grabbing Kayla's hand to drag her through and into the room. 

It was dark... blackness surrounding her vision. Neither of the two teenagers could see a thing. Kayla swallowed, seeming nervous, her hand shaking in her her friend's grasp. Did she know what lay before them? A hand pushed Tempest's back  further into the room. The same hand tugged on a light hanging from the roof, slightly illuminating the room. Now Tempest could see. There were two chairs facing one another in the middle of the room, at least six feet or so apart. The walls were painted black.

Confusion fogged Tempest's mind as she looked around, her hand trailing away from Kayla. She spun around, inspecting the room carefully. The light was coming from a small light hanging from the roof in the centre of the room. Tempest was shoved down into one of the chairs, her mum seating herself in the other one.

"Okay, what in the name of Hades is going on?" Tempest growled. 

"Alright, alright. Jesus, I know you're as confused as hell, but just... bare with me. When you were born you were tested for any... unnatural things. The tests came back positive, meaning that you weren't normal, of course. Especially when your skin went from olive to the skin of a vampire. What I'm trying to say is the unnatural part of your being... it's festering on your mind. If anything like this happens again - and I mean ever again - you need to tell me. Alright?"

"What the hell? This is crazy."

"You. Need. To. Tell. Me. Understood?" The hard tone in her mother's voice forced her into a little state of fear, making her feel as small as she'd ever been. Unnatural being? Part of her? Nothing made sense. Festering?

"Fine, then. Understood. Ma'am."