Prism of Equilibrium

Chapter 4: Running

Can you imagine what am I seeing right know? A black, hairy leg of a spider is just a metre above me! It's even bigger than my own leg. A small spider won't be a problem to me...

But this!

This is not logical.

I stood still as I looked at the thing above me. I am totally paralyzed. I never thought hallucination looked this real. Maybe I'm just way too tired that I made this all up. Yeah, it's just me, and my weird, scary imagination.

And suddenly, the ceiling broke. A big piece of it fell off after the spider jerked its leg with such force. All I did is screamed with my eyes shutted tightly.

What?! That isn't my imagination?

Seconds later, I was crashed by a heavy thing that sent my body flying. However, I know whatever this thing on top of me is, it's not the ceiling. This thing on me felt warm, and somehow, I could feel its breath on my face. This thing on me is... alive.

Oh. My.

Is this..

Is this the spider?!

I screamed once more, with a super high volume, and punched that thing on top of me with all my energy that's left. My fist was blocked. So I punched again, and again, and again.

"Hey! Selena! Open your eyes!" I heard someone shouted.

W-what? Spiders talk!? I opened my eyes and spotted 'the thing on top of me'. Guess what?

It's actually Branson. He is above me, raising an eyebrow. My heart let go of thousands of tons weighing it when I saw him, thinking that all of it was really an imagination afterall; the spider, the broken ceiling.
But then I spotted a big hole on the ceiling, and my heart pounded, again. The thing that had just happened, was NOT an illusion. I did not make it up.

"W-where's the spider?" I asked, completely ignoring the fact that I've just punched him.

Branson got up. "I don't know." he said. "Probably gaining forces. Come on. We have to leave, NOW."

Somehow, I agree with him, after the thing that happened earlier. We have to leave. I don't want to be eaten by a 'stupid imaginary spider'. I don't want to die young!

"Yes. God! What is that thing?!" Even my voice came out like a frog. I can imagine perfectly what I would look like on the mirror now. Pale face, red nose, swollen eyes, not to mention my hair. I must've looked like a girl version of Tarzan right now.

"I'll go pack my stuff." I said again, with the same froggy voice.

"I've packed it all up." Dad handled me a heavy backpack.

"Thanks. Now let's go." That's weird. How could he know that we are leaving? I pulled his hand but he wouldn't move an inch.

"No. You go." Dad said.

"What?"

"I'll stay."

"No you can't, Dad. It's not safe!" Now we switched roles; I asked for him to leave and he rejected.

But he has been forcing me to leave, and now he is the one who doesn't want to leave. Even after the thing that happened earlier?!

"Dad!" I shouted. And simultaneously, someone covered my mouth with his palm.

"Shh. They're here."

Shit. What is this again? What are they? I clenched and unclenched my sweaty palm. This time, the thuds sounded like a bunch of horses tiptoe-ing on the roof. The hand finally let go. It is Branson's.