I haven't felt up for writing anything recently - I've been weighed down by a lot of depressing things, so it's hard to think of funny ideas for my other two stories.
Recently, I read a plotbunny where a character was forced to dream his (or her) worst nightmare. At the moment I had FF7's "The Nightmare's Beginning (Vincent's Theme)" on my MP3 player and Hawk on my mind...
Hawk entered a dark room, one that even his superior night vision couldn't see in. He spun around as the door suddenly shut, closing off the weak bar of light that had shone in upon his entrance.
Hawk began to pant in fear, not liking this. Calm down! his mind yelled, trying to rationalize the situation. You're a thief! Just pick the lock and get out! Don't panic!
The teenager stumbled, trying to get his body to obey the commands. He staggered towards the door, hands groping like a blinded man, until they met a wooden wall covered in a sticky substance.
What...
Hawk paused, then lifted a shaking hand to his face and sniffed.
Blood...
Panic surged through the teenager; he staggered away and sat down hard on the floor, suddenly unable to stand. The smell of warm blood was filling the room and Hawk was growing dizzy and nauseous from it. He leaned forward, holding his head and resting it on drawn knees.
Hawk was blind and trapped in a room coated with blood, and he knew that the nightmare was only beginning.
Stop...please...
Somewhere in the room Hawk heard footsteps. They padded along the floor, the steps sticking slightly. Hawk hesitantly put a hand to the floor and felt the familiar stickiness; he suppressed a groan and the urge to be violently sick. The room was getting warm - not hot, but enough so the air felt stuffy and oppressive - as the footsteps slowly approached Hawk.
Hawk jerked himself backwards, on his hands and knees as he felt the figure get closer. S...Stay away! Hawk tried to yell, but it came out as a strangled squeak.
"Hawk!"
Light glowed, soft at first and slowly growing brighter, which allowed the thief's eyes time to adjust. It solidified to form the faerie, who flew to Hawk with a look of deep concern on her face.
"Hawk! Hawk, what's wrong?" the faerie asked, confused by Hawk's look of true terror.
"F...Faerie?"
"Yes, Hawk, it's me. What's wrong, Hawk?" Faerie asked.
Hawk could only stare in mute horror at the faerie as she babbled reassurances. The faerie was covered in dried blood, from the sticky strands of her blonde hair to the stains in her blue dress and streaks down her tiny legs. Her light wasn't strong enough to illuminate the rest of the room, thankfully, but Hawk was able to see that his clothes, the parts that had come in contact with the walls and floor, had blood stuck to them. He spasmed in fear.
"Hawk?" The faerie began to drift backwards, not understanding what was wrong and taking the light with her. "Hawk, why won't you tell me..."
A bloodied hand suddenly appeared behind the faerie. Before Hawk could cry out it grabbed the faerie and crushed her without a second thought.
The sight of Faerie suddenly turned into a broken doll jolted something inside of Hawk. "Y...You bastard! Faerie!" he yelled, suddenly surging to his feet, knives at the ready.
"Faerie..." sighed a voice. It was dry and weary, but was all too familiar to Hawk.
The light from Faerie's body spread, slowly illuminating the space between the two characters. It expanded, slowly revealing an arm, a torso, legs, a head...
Eagle stared back at Hawk, his dead eyes accusing. The older boy showed fresh burn marks, with some parts of his skin completely charred and melted. He was covered in blood, which mixed with the heat he was giving off to create that sickening smell Hawk couldn't get rid of.
Hawk's knuckles went white as he involuntarily gripped his knives tighter. Elation, horror, sadness, revulsion, regret, confusion...a dozen emotions flooded and emptied out of him. He wanted to run to Eagle in joy and kill this monster at the same time. The sudden wave of emotion left Hawk feeling dazed and stunned, unable to decide on what to do.
"Hawk...why is Isabella still alive?" Eagle asked, the dry voice sounding whispery. Hawk could smell burnt flesh from Eagle's breath and it made him sick. "Why haven't you killed her yet?"
"Stay away," Hawk gasped out. He held up his knives defensively. "Stay away from me!"
"Why is she alive?" Eagle asked again. He dropped the faerie's body to the floor and took a step forward, reaching for Hawk with an arm. "Why won't you let me sleep in peace..."
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Hawk screamed. Terrified, he staggered backwards until he hit a wall - by the smell and feel of it, he knew that it too was covered in blood.
"Hawk..." Eagle rasped. He still walked forward, his feet shuffling along the floor. His arm continued to reach out Hawk, almost imploringly. "Hawk..."
Faerie's body disappeared into the background as Eagle and the light around him grew closer. The smell was overwhelming; he was so close...
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
Hawk shot straight up from the inn bed, lungs heaving for air. His sweat-soaked body was tangled in the sheets; Hawk frantically kicked them off, too panicked to think straight. Still shaking from memory of the nightmare, Hawk drew up his knees and wrapped his arms around them. His eyes focused on an oil lamp glowing dimly in the corner of the room; they took on a blank look as Hawk mentally willed the light to stay alive.
How long would these nightmares continue to plague him...
Saturday, November 12, 2005