The Prophecy: Chapter 1 - The Nightmares

To begin, I got into the classroom late. Again. I skipped lunch and decided to go outside instead with nothing but an apple in hand and a head full of thoughts. It was probably the only free time I was ever going to have so I decided to spend it wisely. Then again, I only had 2 more classes before work. That was a privilege of being a senior, leaving school early to go to work. Unfortunately, the last two classes I had were German and Math.

German? Why would I need to take German? As I stood there leaning against the wall and biting into the sour granny smith, I was brought back to a pair of German customers in my coffee shop. They didn't speak deep German, just a bit of broken English. Some words flew from their mouths that I couldn't understand, so I guess German class would help.

The lunch bell rang and I didn't hear that one either. I was still engrossed with the picture of the eye that I drew on the desk. The familiarity of it was scary, like I had seen it before. I shoved the last bite of apple into my mouth before tossing the core into the trash bin, which I barely made. With a heavy sigh, I walked off into my next class. To my surprise, the door was closed. Damn. Late again. I already knew everyone would stare when I walked in so I prepared myself by deeply breathing. Seconds later, I pulled the handle and walked briskly into the room and into my seat. I tried keeping my head down as much as possible, not taking into account who was next to me.
 
I waited the entire crossing period time for Syl to arrive. Those five minutes felt like hours, and once I saw her walk through the door, I let out a long sigh of relief. Yet my heart was still pounding. I hadn't really thought of anything to say to her yet. Better yet...the guy was here today, so it would just make this a little harder to talk about.

"Don't worry about it." I said as I took out my art stuff. I know I had plenty of time to get them out before, but I guess I was just so worried Syl may not show up that I forgot about it. I glanced over at her when she asked me her usual question. Then I heard the guy speak up, and I answered his question first, since it felt easier than Syl's. "We're drawing our hands. Everyone's supposed to do that today. It says it up on the board." I said. I didn't mean to sound bitchy, but it just came out that way. I didn't even bother to apologize to the guy, and just turned my head back to look at Syl.

"I've been feeling fi--" I cut myself off. No. I thought. I need to finally tell her something. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly a few times before answering her. "I've...been having some..." I paused and glanced over at the guy. Saying to Syl was embarrassing enough...But to have someone you hardly know hear this? That would probably, literally, make me die of embarrassment. I looked at Syl again, taking in another deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I've been having some nightmares that keep me up..." I whispered to her, praying to God that only Syl heard me.
 
I looked at the other kid that was sitting with us and blinked a few times. "We are su--" I started to say but Jo had already answered him. It was strange. Normally he didn't speak to us at all, much less be on time. I smiled and showed him an example of what we were supposed to be doing while Jo explained--a rather poor rendition of my hand that I had worked on drawing a few weeks ago when a similar assignment was asked for. "I'm not very good, so don't take this as A material." I put in before Jo finally spoke of what had been bothering her.

Nightmares?

"What kind of nightmares?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. What kind of spy would I be if I never asked outright, direct questions. Jo, as far as I had known had never mentioned nightmares ever bothering her before.
 
"It's..." I sighed. "I'd rather talk about it somewhere else..." I said, then turned my attention to my drawing. There was no way I'd risk having the guy over hear what my nightmares were about... Who knows what he'd think. After a few minutes of drawing in silence, I looked back over to Syl, my heart beating fast again. "Can you...come over after school? I'll talk about them there..." I said, trailing off then looking back at my drawing.

I knew Syl got curious about many things, and I hoped that her desire to learn of the things she was curious about would get her to come over today. It would a lot easier to tell her there, and I would know that only she would hear it.
 
I stood up, taking a deep breath. i repeated to myself that i only have one more year as i looked in the mirror. i was a freak. i had strange hair. strange clothes. strange personality. while i waited for the time to pass, i counted the seconds. i hoped that i could actually make it to the next class without running into the teacher from the last class. i couldn't lie to myself that i wasn't worried about the consequences. i had to pass, or... i just had to. i made a promise to myself.

making sure i didn't look crazy walking out of the bathroom, i waited for the next bell to quietly slip into the merging crowd. time for the next class. remember, do not speak. i bumped into plenty of people, most just turning their nose up at me when i apologized. i got to my class, only to realize im late.. again. i lightly knocked on the door of the art room and was greeted by an annoyed teacher. sighing, i rushed to my desk, wondering when im going to learn to get places on time.
 
I was definitely hooked. Something that Jo would not speak about at school? What other bait could one use on a little spy like me? Not able to help myself I grinned a little and turned to my own notebook and nodded. "I'm free all afternoon Jo, you just had to ask." I was itching with energy though I hid it behind a carefully created mask of indifference. Only someone that knew me well enough could notice the small glow in my eyes that showed I was more than just a little curious. "Uncle just got a promotion and so he and Auntie have been spending a lot of time together. If you don't mind do you think I could stay over a bit late this evening? Give me a bit of time away from the nauseousness that threatens any time that I hear them cooing over each other?"

If I didn't stay over at a friends I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut and so I'd been finding myself walking late into the night when they were both home. I just hoped that Jo would understand.
 
I heard the girls low mumblings then something about nightmares. I've always thought that was something that was supposed to stay in the past when someone was a child but apparently nightmares followed this girl. Soon or later my own curiosity got the best of me and I continued eavesdropping. Nothing came of it because Jo wanted it to be more private. I guess that was the only information I will get out of this conversation. With that I went back to the pathetic drawing of my hand.

(( I'm so sorry guys... I'll do better to keep up. I promise. ))
 
"Yeah, I don't mind if you stay over a little late this evening." I answered. The rest of the class period went by pretty fast for me after that. When the final bell of the day rang, I nearly jumped out of my seat with my backpack on my arm. I was just ready to get these strange dreams off my chest.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked Syl as I looked down at her.
 
I rose from my seat at a calmer pace, pushing my glasses up on my nose a tad bit for they had fallen down while I was focusing on the hand I was attempting to draw. "Far more than ready my friend," I said, though my demeaner I knew didn't suggest it. I noticed that I never seemed to be outward as happy as I was on the inside--maybe that was a good thing after all. "I just have to stop by my locker and grab my bag." Being intent on finding out why my friend had decided to be late had convinced me to leave both my bag and my book in my locker and thus, I had to go back and get them if I was to survive the night without having to pay attention to someone unnecessary (say my uncle and aunt if I went home).

"I'll meet you out front," I said, walking calmly from the room, knowing that to rush would only find me in a jam at the door with nowhere to go. But once I was free of the classroom and I quickened my pace to reach my locker and grab my stuff. Less than ten minutes later I found myself outside, breathing a breathe of cold air.
 
Jumping up from my seat was something I used to do a lot. I didn't feel embarrassed from doing it at all. Nodding at Syl, I said "I'll meet you outside then." and proceeded to walk out. I hardly ever used my locker. I always carried my bag with me that had everything I need in it. Even wore my jacket all day long.

I made it passed the crowd of people and sat outside on the stone railing of the stairs. Once I saw Syl, I smiled a little. Knowing I could finally tell someone about the nightmares made me feel a little more like myself again. I got up and walked to her. "Come on. Let's get going." I said. "I want to get inside my heated apartment before the snow starts falling heavier."
 
"Lead the way Jo," I said as I pulled my heavy jacket tighter around me as I neared her. I was used to there being conversation from Jo, but lately she had been so quiet that I wasn't sure what I was going to do if there was silence all the way to my friends house. I ran through a mental list of all the rumors I knew and sighed softly. None would interest my friend at all, if I knew her as well as I claimed.

"So these nightmares, are they bad?" I asked softly as I stepped towards the exit of the school. It was so noisy around us with the end of day chatter that no one was going to hear unless they were meant to.
 
I didn't know how to answer that question. The one that started it all was... But the chase dreams didn't seem bad. They just kept me awake. "One was... the others are the ones that keep me awake." I answered softly. "Come on, let's go." I said a little louder with a small sigh.

As we walked to my apartment, I was getting second thoughts. The chase dreams weren't bad, but just kept me awake sometimes. It wasn't a good excuse for being late to school everyday. Then there was the dream that started it all... The only way I'd talk about that was in complete privacy with Syl.
 
I, of course, followed my friends in hope of thinking up something more to say. When I couldn't think of anything, I simply followed my friend to her home, wishing I would not have packed my book away in my backpack. It wasn't as if I couldn't close it if jo came up with something to say. Normally I was the one that listened and one that commented, but recently I'd been forced to bring up topics of conversation with Jo's silent spells. Shrugging off the uncomfortable nature of the thing, I smiled and stretched a little.

"So how did the test go during lunch?" I asked as we neared her home. I was normally comfortable with silences, but for some reason today I was uncomfortable with them. They had a bite to them that I normally didn't feel--as if if there were a silence then there might be other strange things happening at the same time.
 
The silence was uncomfortable. I wasn't used to it at all, but that's what has been happening lately. Normally I would talk, and Syl would listen and comment on it. I was glad when she brought up something to say, since I couldn't think of anything myself.

"The test during lunch..." I said thinking on it. I wasn't in the mood to remember something like that. All I wanted to do was get help with my strange dreams...and the unusual things that happen at night. Once I remembered what I did, I said, "Well, I didn't do all that good..." I started, then sighed. We were at the gate of my apartment building now, and I led her inside and towards my apartment on the third floor. "I had to guess on basically everything. Missing so much school in the mornings really puts me at a disadvantage on tests, huh?" I joked nervously.
 
"Well, give it time and I'll help you catch up," I told my friend with a small smile as we got nearer her apartment's door, "That is if you want Jo after I help you with this nightmare problem I suppose." Help here? How awas I going to help her with a problem I hardly understood myself. I decided then and there that no matter what was going to happen I'd try my best to help her out. She'd been my friend for ages and I wouldn't let her down now. Even if I was only the spy of the school, I could attempt to be supportive though it wasn't my strong suit at all.
 
I just opened the door to my apartment when we arrived in front of it, not bothering to answer to her offer just yet. "Just, make yourself at home." I said, allowing her to go in first. After she walked in, I followed, closing the door behind me. "You can hang up your bag and coat here, Syl." I said as I hung up my own bag and coat on one of the few hooks I had on my wall.

All of a sudden it was like I didn't want to tell her. How would I even begin? I was walking around the large living room. My couch in the center with two recliners on either side. A rug in between my flat screen TV and the couch, and a glass coffee table in the center of that area. I sat down on the couch, putting my head in my hands. This was going to be difficult and I knew it. If not difficult to say, then difficult for Syl to believe.
 
I did as i was told about the bag and coat before following Jo into her living room. While I had seen it before, it seemed different some how. Maybe it was the down expression on Jo's face, or the dark atmosphere I felt around me, but somehow it all seemed so strange and different. I took a seat on the couch before kicking off my shoes and curling up on it, watching Jo. She would speak when she felt like it I guessed, and so I didn't push her. I was perfectly happy with just relaxing back and waiting. That was how a spy like me worked best wasn't it? Waiting for information to trickle to me.
 
I sighed and rubbed my temples. It was time to tell my best friend the secret I've been keeping for a long time now. I needed to know her reaction, and what she would do to try and help. "I...I think I killed a man, Syl." I started, my voice low and shaky. "It was about a month ago. I was just walking home from the library. There was a history project due the next day, remember? I was just finishing up some research." I continued, my voice growing slightly more shaky.

"Well...On my way home, I suddenly lost control of my body. No matter what I did, I couldn't control myself. It was like my body had a mind of it's own. I knew what I was doing but I was powerless to stop it! Before I knew it, I was in the park...a large shard of glass in my hand." Syl knew I was left handed, so I didn't clarify what hand it was. "A jogger... A jogger was coming towards me, to the gate behind me. He didn't see that I had the glass in my hand, and when he got closer... I .... I thrust the shard into his stomach." My voice started to rise, my voice clearly showing my fear from reliving the memory, and my grip on my head tightened. I stared at the floor and continued on.

"I pushed him down to the ground and straddled his waist, because he was stunned from the first attack. I repeatedly stabbed him in the chest until he stopped moving..." I said, my voice breaking down and sounding like I wanted to cry now. "I wanted to stop...I really did! I just couldn't control my actions, Syl. The next thing I knew I was in my room, sitting up on my bed...panting and sweating. My boots and coat were tossed off to the side of the room, covered in snow...with red mixed in. My hand burned and I found that I had a glass shard in my hand. The same one that I thought was only in my dream. It was covered in blood, but not just the man's...but mine as well. The glass tore up my skin on my hand, and the blood covered an area on the left side of my bed. I knew then that it couldn't of been a dream. Yet...I just couldn't believe it." My voice cracked up even more, and tears stung my eyes, threatening to fall.

"I just...just cleaned my wound and wrapped it up, then went to bed. The next morning I saw on the news the same guy...with the same wounds...in the same place from my dream. Do you remember that day Syl? I didn't go to school for the next few days. And when I did I was constantly wearing gloves, just so I could hide my bandages."

I gripped onto my head tightly, bending over so my head was close to my knees now. I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling, and waited to hear what Syl had to say about all this. "Do you think it was just a dream, Syl? Do you think I...I killed him?" I asked, my voice making it obvious that I was going to break down and cry at any moment. I haven't talked about the event ever since it happened, not even to myself. It was very emotional for me...
 
I was speechless. For all that I had prepared myself for, I hadn't thought it would be that bad--bad dreams weren't things that couldn't be handled--this was something that couldn't be fixed just with some kind words. I stared at the girl that I had called my best friend before I got up from my seat and moved closer to her. I didn't really think she had done it. Not really. How could the sweet girl have killed a man she didn't even know? I wrapped my arms around my best friend and started to make shushing noises, like I was calming a frightened child.

"No, no, you couldn't have Jo," I told my friend with an effort to keep my voice down. "You aren't that kind of person. I'm sure you just fell and sliced your hand open on the way home and were so busy on trying to keep from bleeding out your arm that you just don't remember getting home. That this other guy got killed probably had nothing to do with you." It scared me though. I remembered the crime scene photos they had shown on the news. I was remembering the details that I had researched online out of curiosity. No, I thought in denial, It couldn't have been Jo. It wouldn't make sense for her to kill some random fellow that was just jogging.
 
It was hard for me to hold back the tears. I leaned into my best friend, tears flowing down my face and onto Syl's lap. I sobbed quietly, not wanting to cry too loudly. The possibility of me actually killing a random stranger frightened me to no end. "Do you really think so?" I asked between sobs. "Why would I have glass in my hand if I just tripped?" I let go of my head, wrapping my right arm around my best friend as my left rested on her lap in a fist. My head was leaned up against her stomach, close to touching her legs. I knew I still had to tell her about the chase dreams, but I didn't think I had it in me to do so.
 
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