Dread

The school bell rang ominously as the clock stroke 5 pm. The sky was bathed in orange sunset glow, enveloping every building in sight from the school's corridor window. Midgar High students leave immediately for home, beach trips and mall visits carefully planned for the vacation of their lives. Everyone was happy.

Everyone, except for her.

Long chestnut brown hair danced with the wind seeping through the wide open window, her pink trademark ribbon tangling with every silky strand. For Aerith Gainsborough, vacation wasn't a holiday.

She fingered the dark purple lump that formed on her upper arm, unconsciously massaging it to ease the pain even for just a little bit.

She winced. Yesterday was even worse than the few other days before.

She eyed the spiky blonde hair among the dispersing crowd, and smiled a little. She forgot about the fear for a little while. She hoped he liked the lunch she made him. This time, she made it extra special. After all, it wasn't every day that she made him something more. There was nothing wrong with making the person you love happy, was there?

A hand landed on her shoulder, surprise causing her to look that way to eye the mysterious person. The known raven hair and blue eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm greeted her anxious expression.

He squeezed her gently, knowing what lies beneath her fearful eyes.

Her tears fell uncontrollably as she clutched his dark blue blazer, a part of the infamous school's uniform. No one could save her from these times… absolutely no one; not even Zack Fair himself, who promised to protect her from any harm... but she couldn't blame him. Itwas too much of a horrid nightmare for even him to stand; for anyoneto stand.

The fear was taking over her, slowly but surely. Not even the smile of Cloud Strife could tear her away from her dreadful train of thought. But things had to happen; it was how her cycle of life. She could survive the rest of the day, and maybe the more days to come, with a mind set on the bright future she's been shaping all these fourteen years.

Yes, she could.

And as she tightened her bag strap around her shoulder at 5:36 pm, walking through the thin blanket of trees, a prayer escaped her pail lips, attempting to be heard."…keep me from evil. Amen."