Prism Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter Eight: Area 51

I'm in a strange place. An old city that I somehow know has been evacuated. I know I'm vulnerable as I walk the empty streets. A weird, orange tint covers my vision, making the ground a deep rust color, and the sky an eerie red. I wander around, searching for something, but I don't know what it is. An object? A person? It seems to be both.

The clamoring and stomping of some large unseen creature rattles my eardrum. No, creatures. They are coming for me. They are going to kill me.

I take off in a full on sprint, breathing hard. My eyes dart around for a safe place. I spot a large window to my right and jump through head first, tumbling onto the floor. I turn around and peek out from the window as horrible sounds come from outside. The sound of droves of monsters screeching and bumping into one another, and the ground vibrates as they approach. A dark green tail swings back and forth from the top of the window. The tail is completely made of the same scales I saw in the lab--diamond shaped splotches with black and green. The creature screeches as his head enters through the window, and I scream, matching the same pitch as the creature. The creature squeals my name. I shrink away, cornered in the dark, dusty building as it slowly crawls through. The sound is so demented and disturbing that I cover my ears, but I can still clearly hear it calling my name as it approaches.

"Iris!" It cries. "Iris!"

I wake up in a cold sweat. My heart is racing wildly. The echoes of its screeching still ring out in my mind upon waking.

"Iris, hey! Are you okay?" Gladden says, from my bedside.

My eyes dart around, searching for the creature. It's in the room, I heard it.

"Iris it's okay,"Gladden says. "You were having a nightmare. Are you okay?"

I take a deep breath to calm myself and move my eyes to his. "Yeah--yes." I say sitting up. "Sorry, did I wake you up?" I ask him breathlessly.

"Yeah, but it's okay, I can go back to sleep easily." He leans forward, looking between both my eyes. "Does this happen often?"

I take in a deep breath, and release it shakily. "No, it doesn't," I tell him, baffled. "That was terrifying."

"Do you want me to stay over here until you fall asleep?" he asks me.

I take another breath and nod, "Okay."

"Okay," he says. "Lie down." I sink back into my sheets, still shaking with nervousness and turn towards him as he pulls me close, wrapping an arm around me. I tuck my hands under my chin, in the nook between his chest and neck. His head rests an inch from mine. When I get a chill, and shake briefly, he pulls me in even tighter, making me relax. I sigh and let myself go back to sleep, hoping I don't go back to that dream. I don't, and sleep soundly until morning.

When I wake, Gladden's arm is still around me and he is soundlessly sleeping. I smile, happy to wake with him beside me. I take in his features one by one. His hair, misshapen by the pillow. The shape of his eyes, outlined by his light eyelashes. His straight nose and pink lips. I tuck in closer to fold into his form so the back of my knuckle rests against his chest. I doze back off again, I don't know how long for. I am awakened with a touch on my head that trails through my hair. It's soft and lingers for a few moments. Then it's over. I open my eyes and see Gladden watching me. He smiles as I blink to see him clearly.

"Good morning," he says. He does not take his eyes off me.

"Morning," I echo back. I close my eyes again as he strokes my hair, savoring his caring touch. I open my eyes and laugh briefly, unsure if this is real life.

"What?" He is laughing too. I keep laughing and roll onto my back. He laughs beside me.

Several knocks thud against my door. "Iris! Wake up!" Crystal yells as she knocks.