everything so far

his is everything ive got so far, Note: I haven't checked for errors so there's likely a couple. ************************************************************************************ On the first day, the sky was on fire. Huge columns of flame stretched above the earth, twisting and turning in unrelenting patterns. Thick billows of smoke blocked out the sun, blending day with night. A constant sickly orange glow lighting up the whole sky. On the second day, it was very hot. A rain began early in the morning. Though it was not a normal rain, it was black and ran slowly like molasses. It hit the ground with a force akin to hail, each bit containing tiny pebbles that cut the skin. The rain coated the ground in a thick sticky mud that dried fast. When it dried, little salt crystals formed and shimmered with the orange glow of the sky. On the third day, it was still. The earth was sick looking. The fire had stopped, but the sky was brighter than ever before. It blazed yellow at noon time, the horizon shimmering like a mirage. In the late evening the earth was broken and cracked, parched of all water. Deep crevices shattered through the crystalline surface, making shards of salt rain down like glass. On the fourth day, it was very cold. The sky was dark all day, turning day into a nightmarishly dark night. Late in the evening, a wind started up, making the dusty landscape drift like an endless sea. An entire mountain was blown down into a valley, burying it until it was indistinguishable from the surrounding world. On the fifth day, it snowed. A heavy snow that felt cold but looked gray, not white. The sky had turned a deep purple. Huge clouds billowed and swirled, dumping foot upon foot of gray snow. At noon, angry lighting exploded across the sky. Every time it flashed, the earth lit up enough for one to make out the never ending ocean of frozen waste. When the snow stopped, the earth was completely still. No noise, not even the drone of a howling wind was left to welcome more ice. For many weeks the earth was still. And then, at the end of the fifth month, there was a bare patch of sky. The bare patch revealed a full moon, its face a welcome companion to the barren landscape. The night sky looked somehow wrong though. The stars were different. They were smudged and sickeningly bright, as if somebody had wiped grease on the sky. And the patch was gone. But the clouds that followed were not low and menacing, they were high and thin. They were normal clouds. Untainted by fire. When the snow melted, a sea was made. It began with tiny blue tributaries, each thin line leading to tiny ponds within the mountains of ice. As the sun warmed the earth, great torrents of water rushed down valleys and into great lakes that formed out of the melting hills. Each lake making massive craters out of the thin mountain peaks. Within a week, a great sea spanned out where the fires had burned so long ago. The sea rolled and swelled with the soft cool wind. The sky burned blue with the light of day. Forever and ever was the sea, and forever and ever was the sky. The only sound was the rhythm of crashing waves, the sea alive with the churning of endless waters. For the first time in an extremely long while, the earth was still and unchanging. Although each storm has its qualm, not had the assurance that all was over. But the ocean, and its friendly companionship with sky, seemed to assure for now that it was all over. As more time passed, The Ocean found it’s way across the entire world. It moved aside to reveal what had once been mountain ranges, now tiny islands that dotted the ocean. Each island grew with receding waters until they were proper sized, as an island of good standing should be. Over the coming months, each rocky island became slippery with algae and moss. And then tall grasses sprouted from the thick mud, brought by some foreign wind. Soon, shrubs and bushes found there way between rocky outcrops and sprouted bright pink flowers. And them after a long time had passed, the islands were built of thick forests and rolling meadows. Weeks passed…. Months…. Years…. Centuries Mileniums… In the early days, there was no life apart from the bugs. But one day, this changed. The day began with a red sky, warning of coming rain. A thin fog had settled in over the calm waters. At first, all was silent. But then, the water was disturbed as a large creature began to thrash about on the shore. As the creature slid onto the sand, it inhaled a lungful of air, and proceeded to exhale as if fearing suffocation. The creature repeated the routine as it crawled unto a rocky outcrop to rest its aching legs. Soon another creature came thrashing unto the shoreline, and then another, and another. Soon, these creatures plagued the shore, each one crawling through the sand, taking in a lungful of air. As these creatures lay upon beach, gasping for air and clutching their aching bodies, one of them stood up. It was humanoid in form, around 6 feet tall and a slim build. Although its skin was different than that of a man. It was a sky blue color and shimmered in the morning sun. It was hairless and had long fin like protrusions on its legs and arms. The creature, presumably a man, walked to the edge of the water and stared out at the open ocean. The other creatures quieted their moaning and incomprehensible chatter to look up. The man creature leaned down to pick up a small stone. He then proceeded to throw the stone across the water. It hit the surface and sunk. For a while he just stared, watching the ripples spread across the calm surface. He then turned from the shore and made his way into the forest, disappearing among the foliage. Another creature ran to catch up with him, but was stopped as their companion grabbed their arm and shook their head. ****************** And thus… Our story begins…. Zacknue sat in the meadow. His feet sat still in a cool pond as the water coiled between his toes. The sun had just begun to rise, tipping the treetops with a shimmering gold light. Dew clung to the grass that rose high in the empty meadow. The meadow was ring shaped. It was surrounded by trees, and in the very middle where Zacknue sat was a small blue pond. The morning seemed to focus itself on him, the whole world spinning around the point where he sat. All was at peace. And yet… Zacknue was not. He had heard the calling, the voices singing to him. He had dreamt of tall trees and mountains that scraped the sky with their sharp peaks. He had dreamt of flowers and animals that galloped across grassy meadows. The beauty of it all had overwhelmed him with a feeling of loneliness, with an empty hole that could not be filled. He had taken his visions and he had told the people. He spoke to his brothers and sisters of the blue-skinned tribe, and talked of the beautiful land that called him. They listened in awe, for they too were overcome with these visions of beauty. They too heard the summoning, they too were chosen. But, the brothers of the green-skinned tribe had not seen the visions. They were angry with them. So the king banished the blue skins from the kingdom, they were driven from the ocean and were forced to find the land that called them. Forever they were to be cast out from the ocean and doomed to die in the unknown lands of the above world. So there Zacknue sat, contemplating, wondering, and then finally dreaming. They found him there in the late afternoon. They were his friends that were the first to hear the calling apart from himself, their names were Ara and Gaus. These two people whom had grown up with Zacknue and had been his companions since the dawn of their life and who shall continue to be so until the end of their days. They carried Zacknue back to beach, where they placed him under a tree to sleep. Zacknue dreamt… A wall of eyes rose before him. A thick fleshy wall that bled and pulsated with anger. From beyond the wall there were angry cries and fists that smacked the flesh, sending torrents of blood out of the eyes that popped and split open. And then the wall was a sphere, closing in on the masses of angry people within. And then the anger became fear, and fear became panic, the hands that clawed became frantic. And then it was silent, each body lay down limp inside the fleshy sphere. Then he was in a vast forest, although the trees were not wood, they were glass and metal. And there were no branches, the trees were like tall cubes, perfectly symmetrical. And then he saw people, thousands of people all walking, all calm. And then a gigantic bird streaked across the sky. The bird made no flapping of its wings yet it moved with lightning speed. In its feet the bird held a nut, although the nut was in perspective to the bird so it was also very large. And then, the bird dropped the nut. The nut hurtled to the ground and people began to scatter and panic, each of them running different ways, some changing direction constantly. And then there was only white. The white was so blinding that Zacknue had to shield his eyes, yet it still made them burn with pain. The light faded until it was a glowing sphere that rose into the sky. The sphere was surrounded by large clouds that stretched up into the sky like a giant tree. The metal cubes melted in the intense heat, though Zacknue felt no pain. The people burned and burned, their skin peeling away to reveal smooth white bone that crumbed and turned to dust. In the distance he could see many mirrors, each mirror reflecting a similar fate. ************************************************** Zacknue awoke, sweat beaded all over his body and soaked the ground he lay on. In was early dawn. The sun had barely peaked behind the tall mountains that lay so far away. He stood up and turned around to face the sea. A few stars still hung in the twilight, and a cool mist was beginning to settle over the still waters. The new day awoke something deep within Zacknue. He felt a strange kind of nostalgia about this place, like this was where he truly belonged. And so, with a new outlook, he set out at a brisk pace to meet the rising sun. When the sun had reached its peak, Zacknue had made his way to the mountains. He had climbed the tallest one and trudged through the deep snow towards the peak. His legs ached and stung with the freezing cold, yet he kept walking. The air was thin and cold, but the sun warmed his back and made the climbing easy. When he reached the top, he found an area of bare rock. Zacknue walked over to a large smooth stone and sat. At the top of the mountain, the whole world surrounded him. The shoreline stretched on forever and ever, as did the woods beneath the mountain. From up here, he could see other islands far away on the horizon. Other mountains, that cut through the sea like rocky outcrops in a sandy desert. Zacknue wished he could fly like a bird. He wished he could dive down the mountain, spread his wings, and soar up. He would soar across the meadows, across the sea, across great mountain ranges. He would soar forever. Forever he would be at peace. And yet, as it does, time passed on. Pretty soon the blue sky became a deep crimson as the sun had begun its long trek to dawn. Zacknue got up from his rock and made his way down the icy slope. By the time he reached the shore, it was night. “Where have you been Zacknue?” Asked Ara as he walked back to the others. She was not nervous, or angry, she was sad. “I have been at the mountain, I wanted to see the world as it is.” “And have you?” “Yes, from up above one can see the soul of the earth come together. And I was right in the center Ara, I was the point at which all time revolved around.” “Tommorow we will walk, Zacknue. But you must eat, and you must rest. The body can only take so much.” “That it does.” Zacknue smiled and sat down. He ate the fruit that had been gathered and the fish that had been caught, and then he dreamed.” ************************************************** The next morning was overcast, yet the clouds were high and promised no rain. Ara was the first to wake up. For a while she just sat and looked at Zacknue. He has not been himself since they had reached the island. He seemed confused, like he was searching for something and had gone someplace that Ara could not see. She concentrated on these thoughts, praying for answers. None came, so Ara made up her mind and woke him up. “Zacknue.” Zacknue grumbled and covered his eyes, “What?” He said as he rose and let out a yawn/ “We should go walk, we need to find a place to settle down. Maybe then you’ll find what you’re looking for.” Zacknue rose from his bed of leaves and walked along side Ara. They walked out into the woods. For a while they were completely silent, only stopping to observe a strange fruit or climb over an obstacle. By midday they had come to a large clearing, a meadow of sorts. “Stop.” Said Zackue. “Look”. “What I don’t see…” Suddenly Ara saw what he had pointed at. In the middle of the field was an object that lay half buried in the ground. IT was very large, about 10 feet high. “What is it?” “ I don’t know.” The object was a dingy yellowish color. The sides were metal that had decayed far beyond rust. The rest was glass, but not the strange bottles that they used to find on the ocean floor, this was far different. The glass was stretched across a frame, so that it made up the entire objects surface. The overall shape of the object was the strangest part. It was like two arches that attached in the middle, making the shape of an M. “What do you suppose it means,” Said Ara, who stroked the smooth surface. “I…I don’t know. But I think we should keep moving. ***INSERT CHAPTERS***** The meadow ended at a large river that rushed like great torrents. Great currents of white foam billowed up in sprays of mist. Ara took his hand and together they waded into the rushing rapids. The rapids tore at them with angry intent. It swirled up in great pillers that threatened to wash them away. Zacknue made his way slowly clutching the rocky outcrops one after another. After a good ten minutes, they climbed out of the torrents and onto the sandy shoreline. On the other side of the river, thick pine woods sourrounded a flat grassy meadow. On the far side of the meadow, the land rose up into a rocky cliff as the water fell down into a deep canyon. "I like it here.". Said zacknue, sitting down on a mossy rock, sopping wet. "me too, there's plenty of room for all of us and it's a nice place for children to grow up.". "I bet you further down there's a lagoon. It would make nice fishing." "zacknue, we should go back and fetch the others." "no need, they'll know. But you and me have buisness elsewhere." " and where is that?" " the other side, we need to reach the west by noon tommirow. If we start now, we could be there by sunset." Without another word, they set off into the woods at a brisk pace. The woods were very thick and dark. With each step they bounced upon the spongy layer of pine needles that had piled upon the ground. The woods were very quiet, no birds sung and no squirrels nested in the branches. "zacknue. I feel very uneasy. We should not be here." "something is following us, I can here see it moving in the treeline up ahead. As long as we keep moving, we'll be fine." The woods came to a strange clearing. The trees grew out across the area so that the branches intertwined, no sunlight was let through. Zacknue walked into the tall grass and then stopped, smelling the air. "ara, when I say so, duck." "ok, but...". Just then, a large shadowy form lept from behind them. "duck!". The beast leaped over ara, grazing her back and slicing through the skin. It smacked into his side, throwing him onto the ground. Zacnue rolled over and mounted the creature. It swung it's head around and around, threatening to throw him off. The creature spun around, rearing onto it's hind legs. It's stood A good nine feet tall on it's hind legs. It's form was undefined in the dim light. The only features that could be seen were the horns that shimmered s if metallic. Zacknue steared the creauture out of the way as it attempted to to ram into ara. As it began turn away, it slipped on the grass and collided into the ground. With a deafening howl, it struggled to stand back up. Before it could, zacknue twisted it's head quickly. It's neck snapped, the creature went limp. Zacknue got up and wiped the blood off his hands. "are you ok?". He asked ara, still wiping his hands "I'm fine, just a couple scratches where it's claws grazed me.". "that thing was not a beast of this earth. I could smell it, it gave off a musty air, an evil sort of air. The beast was sent to kill us." " but why?" "I don't know. But I can smell the air. The west coast is not far, but there is something evil on the breeze." After a long night of walking, they came to a great ridge that sliced through earth. In the middle of the ridge was a large gash that seperated the ridge into two. The sun had just begun to rise, outlining the treeline behind them. They set out into the chasm at a slow jog, keeping a wary eye out. The canyon shimmered with the golden light of the morning. In the west a few stars remained suspended in the blackness of night. A warm ocean breeze howled through the gorge. The canyon was slanted so that the rocky path became steep. The path was mostly lit by sunlight, but some areas were dark with the shadows that were cast by the steep mountains. Eventually, they came to the end. The rocky gruound was now blanketed in a thin layer of grass. The ridge slid smoothly down a hill and into a grassy meadow. The grassy meadow came to a stop at another tall rocky ridge that was also divided by a split. After the ridge was the ocean, wide and tempered as it was. The sun had fully risen so that the sky was a sharp pale blue. "there," said zacknue pointing to the ocean. Without further information, they briskly made there way down the ridge. At the shore, the ridge cast a long shadow onto the beach. This beach was rather small. The shoreline was cut off on both side by thick rocky pillers that slid down into the reef. On the horizon, there was a second island. It was very far away, but one could still make out the mountains that rose up into the sky. *****CONTINUATION****** Sleep came fast, and soon the two found themselves in a suspended state of thought. At first the peaceful serenity of deep sleep had overtaken them, but they were soon awoken. The awakening was not however of this reality, they awoke to find themselves in a vision. They both stood in an empty plane of grass, perfectly flat and infinite in all directions. The sky was in a sort of permanent twilight. The center of the sky was like night, however on all sides its seemed as if the sun had just barely slipped below the horizon. With no way to pinpoint direction, they soon found they were dreaming. “What is this Zacknue?” Asked Ara, not scared but curious. Zacknue did not respond, instead he began walking. Ara ran up beside him, looking in the direction he was walking. He then stopped and pointed. On the horizon was a shimmering line that stretched across the plain. Within moments, it seemed as if the line was growing. “It’s the sea Ara, its moving closer.” Ara clutched his arm, the ground below them begame soggy and gelatinous. Soon they found the ground sinking beneath them into the water that surged forth from underneath. By the time it had reached there waists, the orange glow on every horizon had thickened and brightened. Then it stopped, the waters remained motionless. Like glass the strange sea stretched on forever over the horizon. And they saw something, a reddish glow coming up from the water just feet from them. Ara backed away, but zacknue assured her, “We are safe, it is merely a vision.” She loosened up and leaned towards the glow. It became brighter, small bubbles surfacing. And then, as the glow reached its peak, a figure surged out of the water. It rose higher and higher until it was suspended above the water. The thing was nothing they had ever seen. On its head was a large glowing orb that shimmered and pulsated. The glowing made them feel uneasy, as if there was great evil hidden behind the pulsating red light. The rest of the being was relatively humanoid in form, but it was made up of strange composition. Its skin was like roots from a tree, vines that wrapped its frame in a twisted formation. The things hands were like claws. Its fingers were knobby and malformed, but they ended in thin needle-like points. Below the creature was a dark mist that hung above the water. At a closer look, one could see tiny faces that twisted and turned with the wind. And the creature made an awful noise. Not coming from the being itself, but echoing from the distant horizon. At this moment, the black mist began to swirl and spin like a tornado. It reached up like fingers and wrapped itself against the figure, each face moaning in everlasting torture. The mist wove itself tightly onto the creatures flesh until it was like a dark shadow had been cast down on the being. Its face was now completely dark except for two slits that seemed to be eyes, yet they glowed and pulsated like the orb. And then the creature made another noise, like a gurgling cough. With that, the waters retreated and the creature touched down on solid ground. Then it vomited, a thick black substance that spread on the earth and killed the grass that it touched. It then spoke, a deep rumble that chilled through to Zacknue’s very soul. “The world has changed much I see. The soil sings a joyful tune of rebirth. But at what cost one might ask? The world should have been cleaned of this long ago. We must have made an error my friends, but fear not, we can sweep away the dust and take back what is rightfully ours. We who are born of the glorious machine shall wipe away the mud to reveal a stainless metal surface, the wonderful age of iron that man so strongly began.” With this he disappeared. The next day Ara awoke with a start, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked beside her only to find the sand was deserted. She stood up and frantically called for Zacknue. To her relief she saw him emerging from the water, but there was something slightly different about him, his misty gaze was gone and he seemed to walk more confidently, no longer gazing about him like the whole world was a mystery to him. “Good morning,” she said wearily sifting the sand around with her feet. He gazed up at her, giving a tremendous grin that made her smile. “Good morning to you, is something troubling you?” “That vision Zackue, who was that.” “I don’t rightly know, but I have a vague understanding.” “And what is this understanding?” “Well, it was not a creature of this world. Meaning, it was not made by the hand of god. And the mist I believe are the souls of an extinct race. However, they are not good souls, they are what I would describe as being pure evil. In short, it was the collective hate a million lost souls. I do sense where it is as of now, but I do see it causing a tremendous amount of trouble in the near future, which is why we must do our best to prepare.” Ara said nothing. For a while, both of them just stared out at the waves. Crashing and getting sucked back out to sea. They are a peculiar thing waves, they seem to come in patterns yet each one never truly meets timing with the one previous. Ara then noticed the island far out to the distance, she had forgotten it was there. “What about that?” She said, pointing out to the distant mountains. “I swam there this morning, I did not stay long but I caught a glimpse of the terrain. It is rocky and treacherous. There are numerous shrubs and grasses, but no trees. It seemed quite habitable, if you like we could visit.” “I think it would be a good idea, I feel it may be where the being lies.” “I agree, it would not be totally out of the question. It was here we saw the vision.’’ So they waded into the water, and one after another, they dove in. Speeding down and down, they flapped their fins to propel them. The water was deep and dark below them, but above the sun shone through the surface making patterns on their backs. Zacknue had never liked the deep waters, there tribe had always lived in shallow areas. The dark water beings were angry and cruel, their faces were not beautiful like theirs, their faces were twisted and looked more fishlike than anything. They were also very sharp, everything on their body was either barbed or pointed like little needles. He had been the only one that was respected by them, but all that ended after the visions started. They drove them out with sharp spears and iron blades that would cut through their scales like butter. Unlike the deep water beings that called themselves the Vorlocks, his tribe could breath out of the water, a gift that he believed the Vorlocks were jealous of. Zacknue was surprised to see the ocean floor suddenly surge towards them as they approached the island. The swam faster, eventually reaching an area where the rocky bottom turned to a flat sandy area that was covered in tiny black pebbles, each the same size and shape but scattered randomly about. (*********** Zacknue stood up in the shallow waters, gazing up at the land that rose almost in perfect symmetry. A slow incline that looked almost manmade. As he reached the shore and began to climb he found it was a stone of some sort. The Incline rose higher and higher until it just dropped off in a straight surface that plummeted down into rocky valley full of shrubs and patches of moss. “How will we get down there?” asked Ara “We will find a way.” He said, scratching his head and looking around. “There,” He said, pointing to a ladder not to far from where they stood. They walked over and took a step down the ladder. Zacknue went first, testing the ancient metal that had become dingy and almost hollow in some places. “Watch out,” he said as he made his way down into the thick woods below them. Ara followed behind him and they were soon making their way through the thick green woods. Vines swollen with nutrients grew like parasites upon the trees. The ground was lined with large overgrown roots that entirely blocked out the bare earth. Each branch had also grown so thick that they had become twisted together, not allowing any sun to pass through. The lack of sun made the earth entirely barren of any other plant besides the trees that grew so thickly among the forest. After a time, they came upon a strange area where the forest simply ended. Instead of a gradual decline in trees, the trees simply ceased to continue growing. Even the branches seemed to grow upwards at this point in order to avoid crossing the imaginary line. The woods opened up onto a vast sandy landscape. The ground was entirely flat in all directions, devoid of any life. There was an eerie hushed quiet that lay over the land. “Something is very wrong Zacknue,” said Ara as she clutched his shoulder. “We must continue if we wish to discover the truth, we both know that.” With that, they stepped upon the dry earth. All was fine until they went to take another step, only to find that they were paralyzed upon the spot. The sky began to darken, the two of them stood rooted to the spot as a strong wind began to pick up. Suddenly, the ground gave way to utter blackness. The two of them were consumed by the darkness of the abyss. For an incomprehensible amount of time, the two of them were frozen within a terrible deathlike state. All of the sudden, a red glow began to fill their field of vision, lighting up the void. “Scum!” Came a dark voice that seemed to echo from someplace very far away. “You were shat from the earth like the worms that choke down the decayed carcass of a fox. You are the gnats that nibble on the flesh of my eye in the summer heat, you must be squashed.” The two of them just looked on, paralyzed In horror. “I will send you through the void into a world once was. A world where you will suffer in tedious routine until your fiery end where you will undergo eternal pain and torment. You seek truth? You shall see it. But like the fish that sees a shark’s mouth, you shall not return.” There was a bright flash……. All was quiet…… A memory... A land that once was… A love that was broken… A secret left behind… Zack awoke in terror. His hands gripped out in the blackness of eternal night. He tried to catch her as she fell, but he was speeding away at a rapid pace. And then all was quiet. Then light, so bright it burned his eyes. “Zack what’s going on?” His mother stood in the doorway, her hand on the switch. “Nothing, I’m Fine.” “Is it the night terrors again?’ “Yah.” “We’ll schedule you another visit with Dr.Nora.” “Okay mom, what time is it?” “Time for school bud. I can’t drive you because I’ve got a meeting, but I’m sure you could bike if you wanted.” “Sounds good, see you this afternoon.” “Goodbye hon.” Zack sat for a while staring at the ceiling. Visions sped through his mind, blue skinned beings that walked passed him in single file. Each of them followed the next over a cliff where they fell and were incinerated by flames that licked the sky. Then reality sprang back. The sun had begun to peak over the horizon, making a sharp white glow pierce through his windows and blind his eyes. Zack rose from his soft green mattress and opened the curtains to reveal the new day. The risen sun was being smothered by a thick blanket of clouds that choked the light like an anaconda. The sky hung dark and low across the suburban landscape, threatening rain. Zack turned from the depressing scene and fed his own thoughts. He slipped into his clothes and stepped out into the dining room. He made himself a bowl of cereal and then sat on the antique chairs to face the window. The world was dark and empty, the early birds had already left for work and the late sleepers still lay huddled beneath the sheets. The only sound was the rare drone of a car that whizzed past the house. After finishing his meal, Zack was left with nothing to do. After arguing with himself briefly, he finally picked up his bag and left through the front door. The air outside was chill, definitely not seasonal weather for April. The dreary landscape stretched out before him, each house he saw was just like the next, stretching on forever in endless and tedious repetition. His school lay a few blocks north, around a 10 minute walk from where he now stood. With an hour to spare, he playfully meandered his way down the hilly street and onto the main road. From the main road, he could see the opposite side where the land rose up into a steep hill. The light turned red, he walked across and began to make the long trek up the tortuous hill. He had run this hill many times in cross country, but somehow it got him every time. With blind ignorance, he continued up the mountain of asphalt that rose up steeply with every step. Nobody lived on this road, the ground was too steep for houses. Large cars were not allowed to drive up the slope and most other cars rarely did. The road was more of a walking route than anything, a shortcut to get to the football field, from which you can cross over to the school. This was much easier than having to go all the way around the hill for an extra 20 minutes. The building committee had talked about leveling the hill in favor of a quicker bus route, but the issue of where the millions of tons of rock would go was brought to question and ultimately ended the suggestion. From the very top of the hill, Zack could see the whole city. He looked upon the vast landscape with the same dreary thoughts that consumed his mind every day. The web of suburbs eventually grew into tall buildings that dwarfed the rest of everything. And then the buildings ended abruptly as it reached the ocean. Turning around, Zack gazed upon the other side of the city. The other side of the town was entirely undeveloped. A thick forest stretched on forever, broken only by vast mountains that rose high up into the sky. The school was officially the last building located within the city limits. Beyond the school were miles and miles of unexplored wilderness that shrunk each year, as the trees were cut, the land leveled, and the grass drowned by concrete. After a good long look, Zack slid down the other side of the hill. From here, he could see where the main road once again crossed with the hill. Across the main road stood the battered metal fence, tipped over from increased use by other teens. Zack made his way down to said fence, and hopped the twisted metal chains that still clung onto the metal poles that stood sunken down into the earth. He made his way across the football field and onto the track that surrounded it. The track was painted red for their school colors, a brownish red that looked drab and boring against the fake turf of the football field. He crossed the track, avoiding a walker that swung their arms crazily with every step. As he made his way up the stairs and into the building, he took note of bird that had just landed on the roof. It looked down upon him with an assured expression of self-importance, seeing him a strange anomaly in his usual routine. The inside of the school was decorated with drab educational propaganda and dull murals depicting boring events that took place in the city. The school was completely devoid of students. It was a good 45 minutes until the start of school, so Zack decided he would walk aimlessly around the school. He begin in the front hallway and ambled slowly through the cold lifeless halls and up wide red staircases that led to each different level. After a long walk through the whole school, Zack came across the front hallway once again. Students had already begun to arrive one by one, each different clique grouped in close proximity to each other. The rain had already begun to fall, each student came in drenched with water. Some had had the forethought to bring umbrellas that now dripped puddles of water onto the already soaked front carpet. With distaste for the chaotic scene, he quickly turned away and headed to first period. First period was calculus with Ms.Thompson. She was an angry woman who was not very bright at all. Her kids had all left her and her husband divorced her, so she was alone and bitter. Any time you made a mistake or spoke out of turn she would lash out at you. It was obvious she did not want to be there because every time the bell rung she would stop the lesson mid sentence and hurry outside for a smoke break. The rest of the day droned on as usual. Chemistry was interesting. History wasn’t too hard. English was usually pretty fun. French five was close to impossible. Art was a bright part of the day, the teacher seemed happy and relaxed and really enjoyed having kids who like art I the class. The last class of the say was Gym. Zack was an athletic kid, but Gym was never fun. The teacher was a complete imbecile who graded unfairly. The teacher made a really big deal about Gym, failing to realize that it was just Gym. At the very end of the day, when the bell made its final toll, he picked up his bag and left the school. After school the kids all went to a mall that stood in the metropolitan area of town. Zack had been there before, but he found it boring, the clothes they sold were stupid and overpriced. Every once and a while he would find a cool band t-shirt store, only to find it closed the next day, run out by a more main brand store. So Zack didn’t do anything with other kids after school. Instead, he headed home to take a run on the treadmill. After the cross-country season, he does runs by himself to stay in shape. Running usually calmed him down and made life not so bad. He could have a terrible day, but going home and running always made him feel better about himself. Back at his house he noticed a moving truck at the neighboring house. The previous owner had been an old lady who died late one night, he had remembered waking up and seeing the ambulance in the driveway and paramedics loading a stretcher onto the back. The house had been up for sale for the longest time. He had almost forgotten it was still selling. Zack shrugged it off without another thought, he had other things to worry about. The door was unlocked which indicated his mom was already home. “Mom! I’m back!” He yelled as he slammed the door behind him “Hey honey, how was school?” She asked, walking in from the living room, television blaring loudly. “Not bad.” He said “A family just moved in next door, did you see?” She said, eyebrows risen in question. “Yah, I did.” He exclaimed, halfway to his room. “They’re coming over for dinner tonight, put on some nice clothes.” Zack missed the very last part, he was already unloading his backpack onto his bed. Zack ruffled through school papers and notebooks until he found what he was looking for. A small key attached by a ring. Resting on his bedside table was a small metal box. With his key, he opened the box. Inside the box was a sketchbook. He kept this away from his mother, because inside it was where he drew his dreams and nightmares. If his mother saw the book, he would be sent away. He couldn’t blame her. By law, any signs of mental instability were to be immediately treated by vigorous medication and therapy. On the next blank page of the book, he began to draw. Images of dreams flowed through his fingers and onto the pages. Strange humanoid creatures, dark shadowy figures, and all that haunted his deepest dreams were spilled upon the pages before him. He continued for long time, the dreams vomited upon the pages in great heaps of graphite. There was a knock at his bedroom door. “Zack, come out for dinner, the neighbors are here!” His mom exclaimed, making a fuss out of the doorknob. Zack quickly shut the book away, leaped off his bed and out of the room. The dining room was brightly lit and smelled of freshly cooked pork. It was obvious his mom was trying to impress, Zack appreciated that, so he smiled and sat down at the table. “Zack, this is Mr.Johnson, This is Mrs.Johnson, this is their son Joe and their daughter Lara.” His mom said, gesturing to each person seated at the table. Mr.Johnson was an extremely large man, not fat, but large. His shoulders were so broad that they threatened to tear through his pink polo. He shook Zack’s hand with an attempt to crush it, failing as Zack delivered an equally powerful grip. Mrs.Johnson was a small blond woman. She was incredibly skinny and had cheekbones that nearly tore through the thin flesh on her face. She merely nodded, expressionless. Joe was about his age, an exact copy of his father, but much shorter. He gave Zack a suspicious look but shook his hand anyway. Zack did not like Joe at all. Lara was a lot different than the rest of her family, she had long blond hair and was about his age. She seemed uninterested in the exchanges going on, Zack gave her a knowing glance, she smiled. After the greetings, dinner went on without much else. Twice his mother and Mrs.Johnson got into a heated argument about the new episode of a soap opera, ultimately ending in laughter and agreement. At the end of the meal, they said their goodbyes and departed. Zack went back into his room and went to sleep. That night, while Zack was asleep, a dark figure roamed outside of his house. It gazed up at his window from the street, walking to and fro. The figure seemed very concerned about something. It then stepped into the streetlight. The figure was revealed to be a man, his hair was long and curly covering most of his face. A pipe was barely visible between the tall man’s teeth, smoke bellowed from his mouth. And then, the figure was gone, disappearing into the night with a flash of blue light. Zack awoke; the day was dark yet again. Condensation clung to the outside of his window, making it hard to see outside. Zack slid from bed and got dressed in the cold light of the morning sun. Today felt different than yesterday, his mom had not greeted him that morning; he looked outside to find that her car had already left the garage. Zack stepped out into the dining room to find a breakfast already prepared for him. Not his usual bland meal of cereal, but a colorful presentation of eggs, bacon, toast, and potatoes. Zack smiled slightly, but something about the change in routine unnerved him slightly. Zack pulled out a chair and began eating. The breakfast was good, great time had been put aside to make it. Zack spread the egg yolk on his toast, like he used to do when he was a kid. His mom would put a soft-boiled egg in a special ice cream glass. He would crack the top with a spoon and dribble the yolk over his browned toast. After breakfast, Zack slid his backpack over his shoulder and headed out of the door. Although the day was dark, it was not as cold as yesterday. Zack even debated replacing his sweatshirt with his blue nylon track jacket. It was extremely humid outside, almost muggy. Zack could tell it had rained the previous night. A thick mud had pooled at the edge of the sidewalk where he stepped out onto the road, dirtying the side of his shoe. As he crossed the road, Zack noticed a second figure in the corner of his eye. At first Zack was surprised by the stranger behind him, then he realized who it was. It was Aron from the house next door. She must walk to school as well. Zack turned to greet her. “Hey,” he said, grinning widely. “Hi,” she said, returning the grin. “I didn’t really get to talk to you much last night. Where did you guys move from?” “Oh, we’re from up north in Hagersville. It’s about 4 hours away, not much of a change in scenery I must say.” Zack laughed at this. And replied, “Yah the remodeled neighborhood are all identical, I guess it’s a way of saving money on construction.” “Must be,” she said, laughing in reply. Lara’s eyes were such a striking blue that they were almost the color of the sky itself. The way she smiled reminded Zack about a distant memory that he couldn’t quite grasp. They walked together, making idle conversation and joking around. They soon found themselves at the overused fence. “I usually take this way.” He said, climbing the remaining bits of chain link that hung around the trees. “It’s a lot faster than going around the school, this way goes straight through the football field and up to the front entrance.” “I see,” she replied, making her own way over the broken fence. A sparkling dew clung to the fake plastic turf, making sharp shimmers of light twinkle like stars in a green sky. The school hung drearily above the bleachers. It was an old building, built of dark red bricks and painted with peeling red paint. The flag on the pole was old and sun bleached and the pole itself was beginning to rust in some areas. The building committee had promised a brand new building, but after careful inspection of the school, they found it was resting on an old abandoned mine. They said that if they were to shake up the ground, they could be at risk of loosing 50 acres of land to a sink hole. So the school was to remain this way until they could clear out land for a new one. That was ten years ago, the building committee has long since forgotten its promise to fix up the school. The school was already bustling with life; the buses were driving through the drop-off area and unloading thousands of teens unto the sidewalk. Zack and Lara made their way through the tightly packed crowds of noisy students, all different yet all one together. Amongst the confusion, Zack and Lara did not notice that they were being watched. Beside the glass entrance stood a figure dressed in black. It stood unnoticed by anybody else as it turned its head to watch the two enter the school. It then sunk into the sea of students and faded away in the rainbow rapids of bodies. Inside the school it was dark, fluorescent lights provided a dim lighting that flickered incessantly over the crowd of students. The river split into small tributaries as the students filed into their respective classes. Zack and Lara parted ways and thus the day began. Zack sat in class with his pen on his paper, sketching figures on the yellow lined paper. The teacher droned on in monotone, each student taking notes and sucking up every last little bit of information. They were robots, mindless, emotionless, thoughtless robots. Each of them was drugged up on medication that helped you focus. It was made mandatory by the school system that you take it daily to ensure against disciplinary issues. Zack had avoided such rules by convincing his mother that he didn’t need the pills, he told her that he concentrated fine enough. His mother had gone along with it and never questioned the matter again. This had made it very hard for him to find friends. The students refused to talk to him, he couldn’t understand it. Whenever he attempted conversation they would ignore him, it’s almost like they spoke a different language. Zack looked up from his drawing and made eye contact with the teacher. She shot him an angry glare and then turned back to the classroom. Zack looked back down and continued drawing. Suddenly there was a loud slam! Zack nearly jumped out of his seat. “Are you paying attention Zack!?” Yelled the teacher, eyes on boring into his skull. Her breath smelt rotten. “I’m Sorry, I was distracted,” He said, folding up his drawing and slipping it into his binder. “Let me see that!” She yelled, pointing a gnarled little finger at him. “No, I mean it’s nothing, I’m sorry I’ll get back to work.” He was attempting to fit the thick binder into his flimsy cloth backpack. “Give me your binder!” She yelled, snatching at the backpack. She got hold of the binder, but only slightly, making papers fly every which way. She took a step back and pursed her broken dry lips. “Now I’m getting pretty sick of this, you’re wasting my time and the time of the whole class. You are disrupting my lesson and I think it’s time this stopped. “Please, I’m sorry…” Zack was cut off as she picked up the drawing and retorted, “What is this? Is this somehow more important than class?” She came right up to his face and gave him a cold stare, “Who do you think you are? Do you think you can just do whatever you want? Do you think the rules don’t apply to you?” She began collecting his papers together in a disorganized stack, “I don’t want to see again until you learn to cooperate with my rules. I’m going to write you up, you’ll be spending the rest of my class in detention.” He puckered dry hands scribbled a fancy signature unto a note card. Zack buried his face in his hands, it was all he could do to keep from killing this woman. She finished the pass and looked up at him, grinning malevolently. “I’ll see you and your mother in here tomorrow after school, we will discuss a suspension if this behavior continues.” She flicked the note card at him; he snatched it and gathered up his bags. Zack gave her no mind, he began moving towards the doorway and out into the hallway. In the detention room, Zack continued his drawing. Since she had taken his drawing away, Zack started from scratch. He was drawing one of the creatures from his dreams. He drew the fins that protruded from the sides of the arms and the webbed toes. He drew the strikingly blue eyes that were made entirely of the iris. He then drew the tendrils that extended from the temple and hung down by the collarbone. His dreams were strange visions of these creatures. These visions terrorized him, in them he saw great beings of shadow that marched under a black rain. He saw vast seas dotted with mountainous archipelagos. He saw great forests and canyons that painted the earth in a beautiful array of contrasting colors. The bell rang, catching Zack off-guard. It was lunch next period. He stepped out of the room and into the hallway. He followed the sea of students into a crowded cafeteria. However, inside the tightly packed cafeteria, he could just barely see Lara among the numerous faces. Lara noticed him as well, giving him a wide smile. He returned the expression. Zack pushed through the jungle of bodies to meet her. “Would you like to eat outside? It’s too crowded in here.” He said, yelling above the noise. “Sure,” she said following him through the strong rapids. Outside it was brisk, definitely not April weather. Nevertheless, they sat down on a rocky outcrop and ate their lunch in silence. A lone crow was flying high up in the sky, battling the strong winds. It dove down towards the ground, heading for the tree that Zack and Lara sat beneath. It landed briskly on a twig, cocking its head as it peered down. The crow then hopped off from its perch and fell down beside Zack. At first Zack paid no mind, then he turned his head slightly and noticed the bird. Zack jumped back, the bird seemed uncaring and even stepped a bit closer. Zack and Lara both stared surprised at the crow that as now cleaning its feathers. For a while there was silence, both the teens and the crow stared curiously at each other. Zack and Lara exchanged nervous glances. Then the bird gave a loud, “CAW!” making Zack and Lara jump back in fright. It stood silent another moment and then flew away, off into the clouds that consumed its black-feathered body. Zack and Lara were both very surprised. They each stood, mouth agape at what had just occurred. Then Zack spoke up, “Strange,” he said, Lara nodded in agreement. The two of them spent awhile thinking about the occurrence before returning to their interrupted conversation. The day continued much the same after lunch, Zack spent his time detention daydreaming of a better life. “Sure,” she said following him through the strong rapids. Outside it was brisk, definitely not April weather. Nevertheless, they sat down on a rocky outcrop and ate their lunch in silence. A lone crow was flying high up in the sky, battling the strong winds. It dove down towards the ground, heading for the tree that Zack and Lara sat beneath. It landed briskly on a twig, cocking its head as it peered down. The crow then hopped off from its perch and fell down beside Zack. At first Zack paid no mind, then he turned his head slightly and noticed the bird. Zack jumped back, the bird seemed uncaring and even stepped a bit closer. Zack and Lara both stared surprised at the crow that as now cleaning its feathers. For a while there was silence, both the teens and the crow stared curiously at each other. Zack and Lara exchanged nervous glances. Then the bird gave a loud, “CAW!” making Zack and Lara jump back in fright. It stood silent another moment and then flew away, off into the clouds that consumed its black-feathered body. Zack and Lara were both very surprised. They each stood, mouth agape at what had just occurred. Then Zack spoke up, “Strange,” he said, Lara nodded in agreement. The two of them spent awhile thinking about the occurrence before returning to their interrupted conversation. The day continued much the same after lunch, Zack spent his time detention daydreaming of a better life. From out of the window, Zack could see the sky. It was swollen and menacing, threatening to let loose the rain. Zack tapped his pencil on the desk and gazed hopefully at the clock. Only a minute left until school let out, Zack began to pack his stuff away. He momentarily gazed up from his backpack to look out the window. Outside he could see the football field, surrounded by dark trees that loomed ominously beneath a steadily darkening sky. The dark clouds hung low and threatened rain. A single crow flew in long circular patterns just beyond the tree line. Beyond that, one could make out the skyscrapers that stretched up and into the clouds themselves. As the bell made its repetitive drone, Zack dragged his bag onto his back and slipped out of the door. The hallway was once again bustling with the endless seas of students that all filed neatly towards the entrance. The noise was incredible, so many sounds that they all blended together into their own singular vibration. He looked, but Lara was nowhere to be seen, so Zack went on without her. Outside it was warm. A thick atmosphere hung over the school, a humid prediction of stormy weather. Zack slid past the crowd that spilled onto the sidewalk and made his way to the football field where he planned to cross. The field was beaten up from where the football players had dug their cleats into the Astroturf, kicking up the mud that lay inches below. Crossing made for treacherous walking, twice Zack nearly slipped on the slick plastic grass. He caught himself, just barely dirtying the side of his pantleg. As he reached the fence, he saw Lara on the other side. “Hey wait up!” He yelled, speeding up into a quick jog. She turned her head, smiling as she noticed him. “Hey Zack! Sorry I didn’t meet up with you earlier, I wasn’t sure if you had to stay after for detention.” “No problem,” He said, catching his breath as he reached her. They began walking across the road and up the tall hill. They soon became preoccupied with conversation. In fact, they became so preoccupied that they failed to notice the man that approached them head on. The man was very dark, he wore black rags that hid his face and rendered him featureless. The curious feature that stood out was his feet. He did not have the feet of a human, but talon’s, not unlike a bird’s. Zack and Lara had stopped to talk on the sidewalk, facing each other. They did not notice as the gaunt figure began to hobble quickly down the sidewalk. Zack heard a faint clacking sound coming from somewhere up the sidewalk, he turned his head just in time to see the strange being that approached them. Both Zack and Lara became understandably paralyzed by fear, the creature walked towards them with a horrific limping hobble of a walk. The two teenagers turned to run. The creature gave a terrible shudder as great black wings tore free of the dark rags that bound it. It gave terrible cry, like a cow being slaughtered, it reared up and began sprinting towards Zack and Lara. Zack was a very good runner; he did cross-country in the fall, and had built up a lot of muscle in his legs. The creature, however, greatly outmatched him and in seconds it overtook him. The creature leapt onto him back, smashing him to the ground. Zack regained composure within just enough time to avoid the sharp beak that nearly penetrated his head. The creature cried out in pain as its beak nearly broke from collision with the hard cement. This gave Zack enough time to make a move, he jumped forth and kicked the thing upside the head. It’s neck gave a cracking sound as feathers flew off of the damaged area. The creature spit blood, letting out an enraged growl. Zack stood idly, trying to decipher what to do next. The creature responded first, it turned its head and in one swift motion, it drove its beak into Zack’s arm. He gasped in pain, shocked as the muscle tore free of the bone, letting blood spray across the creatures beak. Zack fell to the ground, applying pressure to the gash in his shoulder. The creature clicked its beak and went in for another attack, this time Zack dodged. The creature missed by inches, but quickly turned to face him again. Zack stood up and raced over to a wooded area. “watch out Zack!” Yelled Lara, the creature heard this. It turned its head and hobbled over to her. Then with a crushing blow, a thick branch collided with the side of the creature’s head. Its skull shattered under the impact, sending blood spewing across the sidewalk. Zack dropped the branch and knelt down on the ground. “My god,” Said Lara, “Are you ok?” “Yeah,” He said, wincing as she touched his wound. “We’ve got to get you to a doctor, how bad is it?” Lara moved his hand aside to reveal the torn skin.” “Not too bad, except I’m sure I’ll need stitches.” He winced in pain, gazing away from the gauged out hole in his shoulder. The hospital was 4 miles south from where they currently stood. “You sit down, I’m calling you an ambulance.” Zack sat on the curb, wincing as his arm moved. Zack could hear Lara talking to the police, she told them that he had fallen and hit his arm on a pole. Zack smiled, the police would never believe them. He looked at lara who smiled back at him. His shoulder throbbed in pain , the bleeding had stopped but the pain had not. "I called the ambulance, they'll be here shortly. How's the wound?". Zack moved his hand away, "still hurts, but the bleeding stopped." Lara winced in seeing it, the gash was deep and red. His torn muscles were exposed and shook with every movement. “What was that thing Zack?” Gasped Lara, visibly shaken by the event. Zack swallowed hard and in a trembling voice he said, “I don’t know.” After this both of them were silent. The first droplets of rain began to fall onto the sidewalk, making little dark marks on the concrete. Soon the rain was an endless drizzle that soaked the two teens to the bone, making them shiver uncontrollably. The ambulance sirens sounded far off, slowly getting louder and then altogether ceasing as it drove up the rode to where Zack now sat. The paramedics opened up the back of the ambulance and helped Zack onto the stretcher. The lighting was dim and cold inside, the sharp sound of the sirens were muffled by the padded interior. Lara sat next to Zack on the stretcher; they were quiet for the entire ride, making not a bit of conversation. The ambulance sped through traffic and onwards towards the hospital. The rest went on in repetitive succession. Zack was wheeled into the operating room where they cleaned his wound and stitched it back together. The doctor gave him medication to prevent infection and reduce pain, “I don’t know how you got that wound,” Said the doctor, examining the stitches and squinting in the dim lighting. “It barely missed a major artery so your lucky, but it’s going to take a heck of a long time to heal up so be careful with it.” “I will doc, thanks again.” Said Zack as the doctor began bandaging the wound. The cut, although stitched up, ached relentlessly. It throbbed with pain, the pills dulled the sensation but would not end it. Lara had already returned home for dinner, so it was up to Zack to get a ride home. He spent a few moments outside in the rain pondering, his mom would not get home until about 11, and he didn’t want to wait 4 hours for her. So Zack decided his only option was to walk. He could take a cab, but he had no money. In the pouring rain, Zack jogged briskly through the city to find the road home. The city was bright at night, large billboards lit up the town square. Groups of people shuffled along the sidewalk, stopping to look at a store window or to comment on an interesting flyer. Zack ran past them, he was forced to run on the road every once in a while to avoid the oncoming crowds. People looked annoyed by him, as if he was somehow ruining their experience of the city. Zack shook off these feelings and kept up his pace. The groups became thinner and the lights became dimmer, soon Zack was but less than a mile from home. The rain had begun to let up slightly, allowing for greater visibility. Zack squinted in the blackness, he could barely make out his house in the dim lighting. A thin mist hung ominously across the black asphalt, a fog forming as moisture evaporated from the road. The house stood dark and empty, indicating that nobody was home. Zack ran to the back where he knew the door would be unlocked. Dripping wet, Zack stepped unto the carpet. He undressed, and successfully made his way to the bathroom where he could get a towel. Zack ate some left over pasta and started watching a movie. He looked at the clock and saw it was almost 10. He debated for a moment before deciding it would be best just to get some sleep. He put on his pajamas and slid under the covers contentedly. Sleep found him fast, he drifted slowly off into a peaceful world of welcoming darkness. For a long time he was deep in sleep, an endless ebbing tide in which no thought occurred. He was alone in the darkness without even the knowledge of existence. He was a fetus in the womb, trapped in eternal sleep, unknowing of the reality beyond. And, he awoke within this darkness. At first, all was abstract, Zack struggled for comprehension of the situation. And then, as if someone had flipped a switch, he was lucid. He was standing in a beautiful meadow. The grass swayed with a soft wind the swam through his hair. The sun shone warm and kind onto his back, birds chirping in the distance. Far away, Zack could hear the ocean. And then, pain shot through his arm, then the pain became itching. Zack looked down and remembered his cut. He removed the bandages only to find that his stitched up wound was split wide open. It itched worse than any rash or bug bite he had ever gotten. Zack scratched and scratched at the gaping wound. Suddenly, a large flap of skin became loose. Strange though, it did not hurt. Zack pulled the flap further and wiped the blood aside. He saw, beneath his skin, a second skin. Only this skin was blue, with a hint of green that shimmered ever so slightly. He pulled his skin, it came off like cloth, revealing more and more of this unfamiliar body he now stood in. Soon, he had removed every last bit of his previous self. The new body was much different that the old one. It was blue for one thing, with a slight greenish hue here and there. But also, from his arms jutted long fins, much like a the spines of a lionfish. And where his hair once stood was a completely bald head, save for four squid-like tendrils that hung down past his shoulders. His feet were also webbed, like a frog’s. His body was toned with muscle, and power coursed through his veins. Without another thought, Zack sprinted across the grassy meadow. His long legs took him far, he sped with ease across the plains and on towards a forest. In the forest, sunlight shone brightly through the branches thick with leaves. He glided across the ground, bouncing slightly on the layers on decayed pine needes. After a long time, he came across a village. Zack stopped, something was wrong. The village was a mere skeleton. Charred remains of houses decorated the hot charcoal ground. Zack stepped warily forward, keeping an eye out for danger. There! Up ahead in the distance was a group of people. Zack could barely make them out, but they appeared to be looking through the debris for something. The group was dressed in identical orange cloaks. Their hoods were down so that he could only barely see their faces. They all looked identical to him, each one had very pale skin that was dotted in a splotchy red rash. Their heads were completely bald, and their eyes seemed to be completely lifeless, as if they were blind. Zack tried to get closer, but took a bad step on the uneven ground. He caught himself, but made a scene of himself in the process. “Hey!” One of them yelled, seemingly gliding over to him. There was a very shrill buzzing noise, Zack awoke. His alarm clock was going off. Zack’s heart was racing, his arm ached in pain where his wound was. Blood had soaked the bandages, staining the sheets he slept upon. Zack stumbled out of bed blindly, trying to catch his breath. The world was spinning around him, vertigo overtaking his mind. As he stumbled into the bathroom, he noticed something quite strange, the sky was green. Zack quickly washed his face off and staggered outside. The sky was an eerie shamrock green. Zack blinked hard, trying to erase the vision. He opened his eyes and found the sky unchanged, The clouds were unmistakably discolored. In all directions it was the same, green clouds for miles and miles around. Except, Zack noticed, A reddish glow coming from the south. It took him a while to come to grips with himself, in his nearly dream-like state, things took a while to register. Zack stepped back inside and headed to the living room to watch TV. The green sky lit up the house quite eerily, transforming shadows into demons. Zack clicked on the TV, nothing, just static. Zack flipped through the channels until he finally came to something. However, his hopes were ripped apart when he noticed it was just a test screen. At this point, Zack became nervous. His mom was nowhere to be seen, things were becoming very strange. Zack put on his clothes and ran outside once more. While out there he noticed something else, no cars passed his house. Zack listened, the constant drone of city life had ceased, replaced by an eerie silence. The strangest part was the absence of any birdsong; everything was silenced in eerie anticipation. Zack made up his mind; he was going to find out what this was all about. So he got on his bike and began peddling south towards the city. The town was completely abandoned, storefronts stood empty and desolate. The green sky made everything look sick and twisted. As Zack neared the ocean, he saw something that blew him away. The beach was completely crowded; millions of people dotted the sand like pebbles. But they were not swimming, nor were they doing anything for that matter. Everybody stood mesmerized, staring out the ocean. Zack looked at the horizon and quickly saw was mesmerized them so. Monstrous fingers of flame stretched high in the sky, making dark green smoke. Zack dismounted his bike and wandered through mesmerized crowds. They took no notice of him; their vision was affixed on the horizon. Zack neared the shoreline; there were no waves, the ocean stood flat like glass. Zack saw Lara standing further up the shoreline, she stood next to her parents who had been joined by his mother. They all did the same thing, stared at the horizon. Zack walked over to Lara and took her hand, she gave him a solemn smile. “What happened?” Asked Zack, glancing at the great fire, his arm began throbbing in pain. “We…we’re not sure, they think it’s a bomb of some sort.” Just then, the crowd began moving aside. A group of men were pushing through the clusters of people. Zack could barely make out whom they were; they were mainly dressed in biohazard gear, except for two men who were dressed in suits. The group dressed in biohazard gear were carrying objects. One of them had what appeared to be a Geiger counter, others carried swabs and Petri dishes. The men began examining the water of the ocean, taking reading with their various instruments. The suited men stood up on a rocky outcrop. “Excuse me!” They yelled, everybody turned in synchronized fashion. “Something very bad had happened, we aren’t quite sure as to specific details, but from what we have heard it is a regularly scheduled missile test has gone awry. However, until we have more information, we would like to ask you to return to your homes in an orderly fashion.” Just then, a great noise cracked through the sky like thunder. The clouds were parted as a small black object streaked towards the fire. Then there the earth shook with anger, the horizon exploded in blinding light. The ocean started shivering as if in pain. And then the light exploded in smoke, it curled and rose up in the shape of a mushroom. People began to scatter like ants, some screaming. Zack looked around, Lara stood with him, mesmerized by the mushroom cloud. Zack looked past Lara and saw something at the far end of the shore. It was a figure, dressed in a black cloak, in looked straight at him, grinning cruelly. Pain shot up Zack’s arm, he cried out. Lara turned and screamed, Zack’s arm was bleeding, badly. And then somebody grabbed them both, it was one of the men in the suits. “Get out of here,” he said! “Go back home!” They did as told, running back towards the city. When they were far enough away, Zack looked back, the sea looked like it was boiling, far in the distance he could see great waves beginning to form. Zack saw the suited man helping people who had fainted out of shock, the black figure was walking up to the man. He put his hand on the man’s shoulder and started talking to him. “Zack, let’s go!” Yelled Lara, already 10 feet ahead of him. Zack turned and ran, he and Lara sped hurriedly off through the city. They ran among hundreds of people, all set on one goal, getting as far away from the shore as possible. In the collage of faces and bodies, Zack swore he saw a cloaked figure gliding as they ran, before disappearing amongst the crowd.

#10

The next day Ara awoke with a start, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked beside her only to find the sand was deserted. She stood up and frantically called for Zacknue. To her relief she saw him emerging from the water, but there was something slightly different about him, his misty gaze was gone and he seemed to walk more confidently, no longer gazing about him like the whole world was a mystery to him.

“Good morning,” she said wearily sifting the sand around with her feet. He gazed up at her, giving a tremendous grin that made her smile.

“Good morning to you, is something troubling you?”

“That vision Zackue, who was that.”

“I don’t rightly know, but I have a vague understanding.”

“And what is this understanding?”

“Well, it was not a creature of this world. Meaning, it was not made by the hand of god. And the mist I believe are the souls of an extinct race. However, they are not good souls, they are what I would describe as being pure evil. In short, it was the collective hate a million lost souls. I do sense where it is as of now, but I do see it causing a tremendous amount of trouble in the near future, which is why we must do our best to prepare.”

Ara said nothing. For a while, both of them just stared out at the waves. Crashing and getting sucked back out to sea. They are a peculiar thing waves, they seem to come in patterns yet each one never truly meets timing with the one previous. Ara then noticed the island far out to the distance, she had forgotten it was there.

“What about that?” She said, pointing out to the distant mountains.

“I swam there this morning, I did not stay long but I caught a glimpse of the terrain. It is rocky and treacherous. There are numerous shrubs and grasses, but no trees. It seemed quite habitable, if you like we could visit.”

“I think it would be a good idea, I feel it may be where the being lies.”

“I agree, it would not be totally out of the question. It was here we saw the vision.’’

So they waded into the water, and one after another, they dove in. Speeding down and down, they flapped their fins to propel them. The water was deep and dark below them, but above the sun shone through the surface making patterns on their backs. Zacknue had never liked the deep waters, there tribe had always lived in shallow areas. The dark water beings were angry and cruel, their faces were not beautiful like theirs, their faces were twisted and looked more fishlike than anything. They were also very sharp, everything on their body was either barbed or pointed like little needles. He had been the only one that was respected by them, but all that ended after the visions started. They drove them out with sharp spears and iron blades that would cut through their scales like butter. Unlike the deep water beings that called themselves the Vorlocks, his tribe could breath out of the water, a gift that he believed the Vorlocks were jealous of.

Zacknue was surprised to see the ocean floor suddenly surge towards them as they approached the island. The swam faster, eventually reaching an area where the rocky bottom turned to a flat sandy area that was covered in tiny black pebbles, each the same size and shape but scattered randomly about.

#9

Sleep came fast, and soon the two found themselves in a suspended state of thought. At first the peaceful serenity of deep sleep had overtaken them, but they were soon awoken. The awakening was not however of this reality, they awoke to find themselves in a vision. They both stood in an empty plane of grass, perfectly flat and infinite in all directions. The sky was in a sort of permanent twilight. The center of the sky was like night, however on all sides its seemed as if the sun had just barely slipped below the horizon. With no way to pinpoint direction, they soon found they were dreaming.

“What is this Zacknue?” Asked Ara, not scared but curious. Zacknue did not respond, instead he began walking. Ara ran up beside him, looking in the direction he was walking. He then stopped and pointed. On the horizon was a shimmering line that stretched across the plain. Within moments, it seemed as if the line was growing.

“It’s the sea Ara, its moving closer.” Ara clutched his arm, the ground below them begame soggy and gelatinous. Soon they found the ground sinking beneath them into the water that surged forth from underneath. By the time it had reached there waists, the orange glow on every horizon had thickened and brightened. Then it stopped, the waters remained motionless. Like glass the strange sea stretched on forever over the horizon. And they saw something, a reddish glow coming up from the water just feet from them. Ara backed away, but zacknue assured her, “We are safe, it is merely a vision.” She loosened up and leaned towards the glow. It became brighter, small bubbles surfacing. And then, as the glow reached its peak, a figure surged out of the water. It rose higher and higher until it was suspended above the water. The thing was nothing they had ever seen. On its head was a large glowing orb that shimmered and pulsated. The glowing made them feel uneasy, as if there was great evil hidden behind the pulsating red light. The rest of the being was relatively humanoid in form, but it was made up of strange composition. Its skin was like roots from a tree, vines that wrapped its frame in a twisted formation. The things hands were like claws. Its fingers were knobby and malformed, but they ended in thin needle-like points. Below the creature was a dark mist that hung above the water. At a closer look, one could see tiny faces that twisted and turned with the wind.

And the creature made an awful noise. Not coming from the being itself, but echoing from the distant horizon. At this moment, the black mist began to swirl and spin like a tornado. It reached up like fingers and wrapped itself against the figure, each face moaning in everlasting torture. The mist wove itself tightly onto the creatures flesh until it was like a dark shadow had been cast down on the being. Its face was now completely dark except for two slits that seemed to be eyes, yet they glowed and pulsated like the orb. And then the creature made another noise, like a gurgling cough. With that, the waters retreated and the creature touched down on solid ground. Then it vomited, a thick black substance that spread on the earth and killed the grass that it touched. It then spoke, a deep rumble that chilled through to Zacknue’s very soul.

“The world has changed much I see. The soil sings a joyful tune of rebirth. But at what cost one might ask? The world should have been cleaned of this long ago. We must have made an error my friends, but fear not, we can sweep away the dust and take back what is rightfully ours. We who are born of the glorious machine shall wipe away the mud to reveal a stainless metal surface, the wonderful age of iron that man so strongly began.” With this he disappeared.

#8

After a long night of walking, they came to a great ridge that sliced through earth. In the middle of the ridge was a large gash that seperated the ridge into two. The sun had just begun to rise, outlining the treeline behind them.

They set out into the chasm at a slow jog, keeping a wary eye out. The canyon shimmered with the golden light of the morning. In the west a few stars remained suspended in the blackness of night. A warm ocean breeze howled through the gorge. The canyon was slanted so that the rocky path became steep. The path was mostly lit by sunlight, but some areas were dark with the shadows that were cast by the steep mountains.

Eventually, they came to the end. The rocky gruound was now blanketed in a thin layer of grass. The ridge slid smoothly down a hill and into a grassy meadow. The grassy meadow came to a stop at another tall rocky ridge that was also divided by a split. After the ridge was the ocean, wide and tempered as it was. The sun had fully risen so that the sky was a sharp pale blue.

"there," said zacknue pointing to the ocean. Without further information, they briskly made there way down the ridge.

At the shore, the ridge cast a long shadow onto the beach. This beach was rather small. The shoreline was cut off on both side by thick rocky pillers that slid down into the reef. On the horizon, there was a second island. It was very far away, but one could still make out the mountains that rose up into the sky.

#7

The next morning was overcast, yet the clouds were high and promised no rain. Ara was the first to wake up. For a while she just sat and looked at Zacknue. He has not been himself since they had reached the island. He seemed confused, like he was searching for something and had gone someplace that Ara could not see. She concentrated on these thoughts, praying for answers. None came, so Ara made up her mind and woke him up.

“Zacknue.” Zacknue grumbled and covered his eyes,

“What?” He said as he rose and let out a yawn/

“We should go walk, we need to find a place to settle down. Maybe then you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

Zacknue rose from his bed of leaves and walked along side Ara. They walked out into the woods. For a while they were completely silent, only stopping to observe a strange fruit or climb over an obstacle. By midday they had come to a large clearing, a meadow of sorts.

“Stop.” Said Zackue. “Look”.

“What I don’t see…” Suddenly Ara saw what he had pointed at. In the middle of the field was an object that lay half buried in the ground. IT was very large, about 10 feet high. “What is it?”

“ I don’t know.” The object was a dingy yellowish color. The sides were metal that had decayed far beyond rust. The rest was glass, but not the strange bottles that they used to find on the ocean floor, this was far different. The glass was stretched across a frame, so that it made up the entire objects surface. The overall shape of the object was the strangest part. It was like two arches that attached in the middle, making the shape of an M.

“What do you suppose it means,” Said Ara, who stroked the smooth surface.

“I…I don’t know. But I think we should keep moving.

***INSERT CHAPTERS*****

The meadow ended at a large river that rushed like great torrents. Great currents of white foam billowed up in sprays of mist. Ara took his hand and together they waded into the rushing rapids. The rapids tore at them with angry intent. It swirled up in great pillers that threatened to wash them away. Zacknue made his way slowly clutching the rocky outcrops one after another. After a good ten minutes, they climbed out of the torrents and onto the sandy shoreline. On the other side of the river, thick pine woods sourrounded a flat grassy meadow. On the far side of the meadow, the land rose up into a rocky cliff as the water fell down into a deep canyon.

"I like it here.". Said zacknue, sitting down on a mossy rock, sopping wet.

"me too, there's plenty of room for all of us and it's a nice place for children to grow up.".

"I bet you further down there's a lagoon. It would make nice fishing."

"zacknue, we should go back and fetch the others."

"no need, they'll know. But you and me have buisness elsewhere."

" and where is that?"

" the other side, we need to reach the west by noon tommirow. If we start now, we could be there by sunset."

Without another word, they set off into the woods at a brisk pace.

The woods were very thick and dark. With each step they bounced upon the spongy layer of pine needles that had piled upon the ground. The woods were very quiet, no birds sung and no squirrels nested in the branches.

"zacknue. I feel very uneasy. We should not be here."

"something is following us, I can here see it moving in the treeline up ahead. As long as we keep moving, we'll be fine."

The woods came to a strange clearing. The trees grew out across the area so that the branches intertwined, no sunlight was let through. Zacknue walked into the tall grass and then stopped, smelling the air.

"ara, when I say so, duck."

"ok, but...". Just then, a large shadowy form lept from behind them.

"duck!". The beast leaped over ara, grazing her back and slicing through the skin. It smacked into his side, throwing him onto the ground. Zacnue rolled over and mounted the creature. It swung it's head around and around, threatening to throw him off. The creature spun around, rearing onto it's hind legs. It's stood A good nine feet tall on it's hind legs. It's form was undefined in the dim light. The only features that could be seen were the horns that shimmered s if metallic. Zacknue steared the creauture out of the way as it attempted to to ram into ara. As it began turn away, it slipped on the grass and collided into the ground. With a deafening howl, it struggled to stand back up. Before it could, zacknue twisted it's head quickly. It's neck snapped, the creature went limp. Zacknue got up and wiped the blood off his hands.

"are you ok?". He asked ara, still wiping his hands

"I'm fine, just a couple scratches where it's claws grazed me.".

"that thing was not a beast of this earth. I could smell it, it gave off a musty air, an evil sort of air. The beast was sent to kill us."

" but why?"

"I don't know. But I can smell the air. The west coast is not far, but there is something evil on the breeze."

Test

#5

Zacknue awoke, sweat beaded all over his body and soaked the ground he lay on. In was early dawn. The sun had barely peaked behind the tall mountains that lay so far away. He stood up and turned around to face the sea. A few stars still hung in the twilight, and a cool mist was beginning to settle over the still waters. The new day awoke something deep within Zacknue. He felt a strange kind of nostalgia about this place, like this was where he truly belonged. And so, with a new outlook, he set out at a brisk pace to meet the rising sun.

When the sun had reached its peak, Zacknue had made his way to the mountains. He had climbed the tallest one and trudged through the deep snow towards the peak. His legs ached and stung with the freezing cold, yet he kept walking. The air was thin and cold, but the sun warmed his back and made the climbing easy. When he reached the top, he found an area of bare rock. Zacknue walked over to a large smooth stone and sat. At the top of the mountain, the whole world surrounded him. The shoreline stretched on forever and ever, as did the woods beneath the mountain. From up here, he could see other islands far away on the horizon. Other mountains, that cut through the sea like rocky outcrops in a sandy desert. Zacknue wished he could fly like a bird. He wished he could dive down the mountain, spread his wings, and soar up. He would soar across the meadows, across the sea, across great mountain ranges. He would soar forever. Forever he would be at peace.

And yet, as it does, time passed on. Pretty soon the blue sky became a deep crimson as the sun had begun its long trek to dawn. Zacknue got up from his rock and made his way down the icy slope. By the time he reached the shore, it was night.

“Where have you been Zacknue?” Asked Ara as he walked back to the others. She was not nervous, or angry, she was sad.

“I have been at the mountain, I wanted to see the world as it is.”

“And have you?”

“Yes, from up above one can see the soul of the earth come together. And I was right in the center Ara, I was the point at which all time revolved around.”

“Tommorow we will walk, Zacknue. But you must eat, and you must rest. The body can only take so much.”

“That it does.” Zacknue smiled and sat down. He ate the fruit that had been gathered and the fish that had been caught, and then he dreamed.”

#4

And thus…

Our story begins….

Zacknue sat in the meadow. His feet floated still in a cool pond as the water coiled between his toes. The sun had just begun to rise, tipping the treetops with a shimmering gold light. Dew clung to the grass that rose high in the empty meadow. The meadow was ring shaped. It was surrounded by trees, and in the very middle where Zacknue sat was a small blue pond. The morning seemed to focus itself on him, the whole world spinning around the point where he sat. All was at peace. And yet… Zacknue was not. He had heard the calling, the voices singing to him. He had dreamt of tall trees and mountains that scraped the sky with their sharp peaks. He had dreamt of flowers and animals that galloped across grassy meadows. The beauty of it all had overwhelmed him with a feeling of loneliness, with an empty hole that could not be filled.

He had taken his visions and he had told the people. He spoke to his brothers and sisters of the blue-skinned tribe, and talked of the beautiful land that called him. They listened in awe, for they too were overcome with these visions of beauty. They too heard the summoning, they too were chosen. But, the brothers of the green-skinned tribe had not seen the visions. They were angry with them. So the king banished the blue skins from the kingdom, they were driven from the ocean and were forced to find the land that called them. Forever they were to be cast out from the ocean and doomed to die in the unknown lands of the above world.

So there Zacknue sat, contemplating, wondering, and then finally dreaming. They found him there in the late afternoon. They were his friends that were the first to hear the calling apart from himself, their names were Ara and Gaus. These two people whom had grown up with Zacknue and had been his companions since the dawn of their life and who shall continue to be so until the end of their days. They carried Zacknue back to beach, where they placed him under a tree to sleep.

Zacknue dreamt… A wall of eyes rose before him. A thick fleshy wall that bled and pulsated with anger. From beyond the wall there were angry cries and fists that smacked the flesh, sending torrents of blood out of the eyes that popped and split open. And then the wall was a sphere, closing in on the masses of angry people within. And then the anger became fear, and fear became panic, the hands that clawed became frantic. And then it was silent, each body lay down limp inside the fleshy sphere. Then he was in a vast forest, although the trees were not wood, they were glass and metal. And there were no branches, the trees were like tall cubes, perfectly symmetrical. And then he saw people, thousands of people all walking, all calm. And then a gigantic bird streaked across the sky. The bird made no flapping of its wings yet it moved with lightning speed. In its feet the bird held a nut, although the nut was in perspective to the bird so it was also very large. And then, the bird dropped the nut. The nut hurtled to the ground and people began to scatter and panic, each of them running different ways, some changing direction constantly. And then there was only white. The white was so blinding that Zacknue had to shield his eyes, yet it still made them burn with pain. The light faded until it was a glowing sphere that rose into the sky. The sphere was surrounded by large clouds that stretched up into the sky like a giant tree. The metal cubes melted in the intense heat, though Zacknue felt no pain. The people burned and burned, their skin peeling away to reveal smooth white bone that crumbed and turned to dust. In the distance he could see many mirrors, each mirror reflecting a similar fate.