The quite literal man of my dreams stood in front of me, surrounded by the white haze of my mindscape. I couldn't help but let out a gasp, only for nothing to come out. This man-He looked like me. Like every kid who didn't have a dad, they wondered what the hell happened to their father who had just disappeared on you and your mom.
I am serious though, here he was, the exact male duplicate of me. His long black hair reached his waist, and his eyes...I always thought that if magic were real that's what it would look like. A mixture of purple and blue. He just stared at me and raised his hand. The same skin tone. I was as pale as an albino. He was too.
I could feel my black hair swishing at my waist as I uncontrollably walked forward to greet him...no, kneel to him. He said things to me, but I couldn't hear him. It was like trying to listen to someone underwater, their words all faded and mixed.
He touched me with his palm, his very smooth palm. A soft tingle traveled up my cheek. It was like the needle like sensation when your leg falls asleep and you try to move it.
His grip got stronger against my cheek and soon enough I could feel the bruise forming. A silent scream fell from my lips. My vision turned purple...The color of magic. I then heard something very clearly.
"My child I wish you luck."
Everything went away.
For the first time in three years, round eyes opened, however instead of their normal blue..They were a piercing indigo color, except different. Ethereal. Much like the man in Cerra's dream. Cerra stared at the pure white room, surprise within them. She was in the hospital. Wilted flowers in brightly colored vases stood to the side of her, deflated balloons lied on the ground. She picked up one of the envelopes that must have fallen, the paper was starting to yellow.
She opened it.
Dear Cerra,
I dearly wish you well. Please wake up, so much is changing without you. Life seems so dull without your cynicism.
Love Amy.
P.S. You better wake up in 2012.
Amy, Cerra wracked her brain for the answers. None came. She didn't remember anyone. She knew simple math, English, and History. As well as an absurd amount fictional stories for some reason. She hesitantly got up, she knew that if she rushed herself, she'd collapse. Cerra didn't know how she knew, she just did.
Her steps were extremely wobbly, even while being careful she collapsed to her knees. Pain flared up at them, it dulled, but it was still there. Everything was new to her again. She didn't know shit about socializing, even though there was some information in her head about it. She could already hear the awkward conversations.
The hospital room door was cracked. The IV in her arm had been ripped from when Cerra had stumbled. Blood dripped from her arm. A nurse passed in the hallway, but then walked back only to gasp in shock.
"Miss Hillemy, you're awake!" The nurse shrieked, before automatically lowering her voice. She had a walkie talkie clipped to her shirt, as well as a beeper. She pressed a button on it and smiled, "Patient number 245 is awake."
"Excuse me, but why am I here?" Cerra lurched back at the sound of her own voice, it was raspy to a very extreme degree. As if she hadn't talked in a while. Her eyes drifted towards the innocent calendar on the wall. "Please be awake at 2012" The letter's words echoed in her mind. Printed on the calender was a big phat 2015.
{First Person}
"I've been asleep for three years." How many people went to bed missing me, because my body refused to wake up?
The nurse shuffled awkwardly around, "We thought you would never awake, Mrs. Brown was going to pull the plug tomorrow. You've been asleep for three and a half years, it's nearing September." The nurse, whose nametag read Lola, locked hold onto my eyes, her dull brown ones filled with a shock. "Miss Hillemy, your eyes, they're beautiful."
Lola just stood there, entranced by my eyes. "Nurse Lola, when am I getting out of here."
"Well we need to give you a check up and some physical therapy." Her eyes drifted towards my legs, which no longer shook. They stood as if they had been standing for years, without any sitting down. "Maybe you won't need it after all." She seemed slightly intimidated.
I didn't need it after all. The Physical teacher just stood there, astonished as if pigs had started to fly. "Bu-She was asleep for three and half years. How is this possible?" The examiner looked over me once more, his eyes lingering on my-urchhem- assets. "She might need to stay one extra night." His smile was leery and it made me nervous. This man gave me bad vibes.
"I think I'm good Doc." The examiner put his hand roughly on my shoulder. He gave me a false smile, yep bad vibes. He better get his hands off of me. "Can you please get your hands off of me." Maybe he happened to be overly-affectionate to his patients. I doubted it.
He didn't let go and instead gripped my shoulders tighter. "Lola, I think she needs to stay the night. Inform the head nurse please." Lola looked reluctantly at me. As if they were natural instincts, I grabbed the man by the arm and dug my nails into them. Tearing at the flesh. I could hear Lola scream as the old man dropped to the floor holding his shredded arm. Lola had opened the window to let the fresh air in, out of some sort of animalistic guidance I crouched and jumped on all fours.
The wind seemed to caress me, hold me as I fell to the city ground. I held my position as I came to the ground. I landed on my hands and feet, with only a slight tingle in them to show the pressure the ground had placed on them.
As people started to gather and video tape her, as well as take a million pictures. She ran, and she didn't stop running. Apparently she could run pretty fast. She was out near a pretty nice looking neighborhood, the sign read "Spruce Lake".
{1st Person}
She darted down the road and into the woodland area and into a house that appeared to have no one living in it. The side window was the only window unlocked. She climbed in using her absolutely amazing agility. She hopped in the empty house and took note in the many picture frames, filled with smiling grandchildren. Their cherubic features tugging at her heartstrings.
"What is this feeling?" Cerra held a hand up to her heart, a strange feeling pounding within it. Whatever it was, she didn't like it. Cerra smelled food in the fridge, her barefeet leading her to the small homely kitchen. She could still feel the dried blood crusting up under her nails. Ninety percent of her felt like he deserved it, but a minuscule feeling...The same feeling that burrowed it's way into her heart a few minutes ago...Guilt?
Her hand grasped the fridge's arm and she looked at it's contents. There were a few oranges. She gathered them up in her hand, already starting to peel one with her claws. She had to get rid of this 'guilt'. She didn't like the feeling of it.
The sweet citrus juice relished her tongue, tingling against her tastebuds, as if they hadn't tasted food in years. That's right, they haven't, Cerra bitterly reminded herself.
The orange juice dripped down her chin and onto her hospital gown. She didn't care, she was suddenly very hungry. The oranges disappeared one by one into the pit of her never-ending stomach, never expanding the flat skin that laid above.
Her ears picked up the low rumble of a small car pulled up into the driveway. Her eyes widened in horror. She would be caught and sent to jail. Cerra knew she couldn't be caught, she couldn't be found. She knew that the regular people, like that physical therapist, would try and harm her. This woman, because she could sense her gender, wouldn't be any different.
Cerra hesitantly prepared her claws, ready to spill another's blood. "I am sorry", Cerra muttered under her breath, she had no clue why she was apologizing though. It confused her.
Sharon Brooks wouldn't call herself a passive person, she had a temper that was for sure. She messed with her grey ends, which had gotten stuck to her keys again. She was only fifty-seven, which she wouldn't call old, more like, middle aged.
She scratched at an itch on her cheek, turning the keys in the doorknob only slightly. Her granddaughter, Lexie, would be turning eleven today. She couldn't attend the birthday, her head hurt simply too much to deal with anyone younger than the age of thirty.
As she pushed open the door, she couldn't help but want a snack. She had been out for quite a while and she could feel the distinct rumble coursing through her stomach. "I think I want some oranges."
She died a painless death...Her neck had been swiped cleanly through, her head falling to the ground with a dull thud as emotionless...Beautiful eyes stared down at her. In them were only a twinge of regret, but mostly apathy filled them.
Cerra started to wash her hands in the sink, while the blood came off easily, in her eyes, it was still there and it would forever be there. The murder wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It was a lot less emotional that what she had originally thought. She stepped back from the sink and looked at the hallway. She bet the woman probably had purses, large purses. Cerra basically skipped into the room, almost immediately finding what she was looking for. A large leather purse dangled from her arms as she stuffed all the cash she could find, as well as food and jewelry. She found three water bottles in the fridge.
She made sure to clean up her mess, and wiped the blood stains from the wood. She buried the woman in the backyard, in an eight foot deep hole. She started on her journey, running from house to house, killing their inhabitants and stealing their money/valuables.
The fear of being found out dulled in the span of three weeks. Cerra officially thought the guilt would fade. It turns out "Spruce Lake" was a neighborhood meant for older couples. At least she had convinced herself that. Cerra stepped onto the doormat which claimed a bright white welcome. She knocked three times...Hearing nothing on the inside, she broke in through one of the top windows. She found a child sitting there, right outside, staring there at her with a strange look in her eyes.
The girl had a strange look in her eye, a look of awe. "Are you the angel I see at night."
This girl had somehow spotted Cerra committing the murders. She had little dark blonde pigtails curled into little ringlets, her lime green eyes were wide and excited. "I packed for this moment!"
"Woah, kid. Hey, why are you so calm? I've killed people." Cerra wasn't really worried. Like she said, she had killed people. This kid wouldn't be a problem.
The girl, called Hannah, simple smiled and whispered, "You're satan's angel, I heard him you know, speaking to me...Telling me you would come for me." Hannah stared at the open window behind Cerra...Doing something completely unexpected and running forward and jumping out of the window.
Cerra, out of some sort of instinct, jumped after the girl. Using her weight she was able to grab the girl and still land on all fours.
Something unusually strange happened. The bird that had been tweeting only moments ago, became a glowing light that slowly faded away into Hannah. Black marks appeared on her neck and shoulders. In the form of wings, it looked like a really cool tattoo, but seemed so strange on a small child, who couldn't be any older than ten.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" Cerra shouted, surprised at the worry in her voice, for a kid she had just met!
Hannah smiled and latched onto Cerra, "Cerra-Sama! He told me you would catch me before I died!"
"Who!" Cerra shook the little girl's shoulders.
"Satan." Hannah stated bluntly.
"Satan." Cerra was always stuck with the crazy people.
Hannah snuggled into Cerra's side, it was twelve P.M and Cerra was wide awake. The two had gotten into a routine of sleeping in the day and staying up all night. They had built their own little shack out deep into the woods. Somehow the police never made it to them...Somehow. Hannah had gotten light baby blue wings, it was absolutely amazing. She could fly, even Cerra acknowledged that it was special. After stating her appreciation for them, Hannah had started to cry from happiness.
They had been traveling together for three months, killing and stealing. They had gotten on the news you know. They called Cerra, "Ninja" for short. A woman had seen Cerra one time, barely. She had been frightened nearly to death and she had started recording from her phone. The only thing the police knew about Cerra was that she had a small accomplice and she moved quicker than most cats.
They had easily put one and two together and realized that Cerra was the ethreal like girl who had jumped from the hospital building. The jumps from the video and the one leap off the hospital were too similar to not belong to Cerra.
"Cerra, why can't we just kill everyone?" Hannah asked, her voice light and innocent. She laid down against Cerra's chest, listening to the alluring heartbeat. Cerra frowned, "Because it's rude to kill with nothing to gain. At least give their death meaning." Cerra thumped Hannah in the head. Hannah yelped in slight pain, but continued to snuggle with Cerra.
"Oh, okay." As Hannah drifted back to sleep, Cerra grabbed a pair of the stolen sunglasses and placed them on her eyes. They were pretty noticeable. She grabbed a twenty dollar bill and started to run into town.
She reached town within ten minutes. She ignored the townie's looks of shock. She reached the Walmart and walked in. People chattered about, laughing and smiling with friends. Something tugged at her heart. She ignored it. Cerra didn't need emotions. Almost immediately she remembered Hannah and her high-pitched giggles. Maybe a little emotion wouldn't hurt.
Cerra grabbed a few packs of poptarts and giant thing of water, she got some gummies and put them in her cart. She was out of Walmart in eleven minutes and back at home in twelve (from walking).
Hannah was awake and eating a few of the peanut butter crackers. "One day we'll be able to afford nice things." Hannah began to whine and complain. Eating made her grouchy.
"I'm trying to build more." Cerra replied, already chewing on one of the strawberry poptarts.
"My birthday is in a week." Hannah muttered, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "I don't like staying up this late." She referred to the early beams of sunshine floating through the cracks of the shack.
Cerra frowned, "I can't remember what my birthday is? Happy early birthday then." Cerra got up off the ground and wiped her jeans, she walked outside into the woodland gazing at the beat-up tree. She looked down at her bandaged hands, they were covered in dried blood...Cuts and bruises practically shaded her hand in. She had been "training" in an attempt to resist pain. It was starting to work somewhat.
"Can I try punching the tree?" Hannah spoke, her smile wide and clung to Cerra's arm. Cerra frowned, something in her telling that she shouldn't allow Hannah to injure herself for the sake of being like her.
Cerra mentally nodded, "Maybe when you're older Hannah-Chan."
"But I waant to staart now!" Hannah, being the ten year old she is, began to cry. Tears started to spill from her eyes. Cerra grimaced, she knew Hannah was probably manipulating her, but she couldn't help it.
Cerra gave up, "Fine", She muttered. Hannah began punching one of the smaller oak trees, you could hardly call it a tree because it was so small. Cerra watched after Hannah carefully, correcting the way she held her fist. The thumb would get injured more, tucked into the fist.
Her fist continued to hit the tree with dull thumps. The pain had faded away long ago. Suddenly a shriek interrupted her routine, Cerra looked over where Hannah was. The younger girl had knelt to the ground, holding her fist in pain.
"Let me see it!" Cerra ran from her spot and knelt down next to Hannah. Hannah's eyes were red from tears, snot pouring down her face from the pain. Hannah shakily brought up her hand into Cerra's vision. The hand was already swollen and she had a few scrapes from it. "We need to get you to a doctor."
"No! I'm Cerra! See I can move it just fine! Don't take me there!" Hannah started to shout hysterically, waving her fist around as if it wasn't obviously broken. Cerra could see the pain in Hannah's eyes, how much it hurt.
"Okay." She was such a liar. Such a big fat liar. Cerra pulled Hannah into a hug, relishing the human contact.
Her pale fingers covered a certain spot on Hannah's neck and she it roughly. Hannah became limp in her arms. "I'm sorry, but I have realized it's much too dangerous for you to be with me."
This wasn't the first time Hannah had gotten hurt because she wanted to do something Cerra was doing. She couldn't walk for two weeks because she tripped while trying to run with Cerra. She had come to realize that Hannah wasn't ready. She would remember the blue wings that came off the younger girl's back.
Hannah awoke in a hospital bed. She looked around herself frantically. "Cerra!" She screamed loudly, the hospital doors opened revealing a nurse who went by the name of Lola.
"Hello there! If you could please tell me your name?" The nurse seemed nice and caring. Hannah hated nice and caring.
Hannah frowned childishly, "How did I get here!"
"Aww. Sweetie, you were found in the parking lot. We fixed you all right up."
Hannah's mind echoed the words...'Found. Parking Lot.' Cerra had abandoned her. An anger surged through her, she gripped her white hospital dress and looked down, attempting to calm her anger.
Cerra would pay.
Poor Cerra. I feel so bad for doing this to her. Well this is complete. The sequel will be out shortly.
