The evening was lit with a darkened shade, woven into a veil of beaming stars. Alone, and half nude, Shaw Anders raced through an undisclosed patch of woods. His chest heaved with exhaustion, and his legs buckled into near falter with each rush further. The limbs of trees whipped at his face with vicious regard, though his pace never let up. He was running from something, or rather, something was chasing him. Frenzied with a nervous demeanor, the young teen clumsily tripped over his own feet, throwing himself into a rough roll through a thick brush of bushes. He hit nighest hillside with a bounce, his body tossed and slammed against the ground like the cycle of a clothes dryer.
Browning leaves flew about in the air, scattered out by his descending momentum until the ride finally came to an abrupt halt within a small creek bed. Shaw splashed loudly upon impact, sinking into a shallow pool of water waiting to catch him. Quickly, he absorbed its chilling touch, and hacked out cough after cough, having gagged on the water he'd accidentally swallowed. The wet locks of his black hair stuck tightly to his forehead, soaking his eyes with running drips. Half blind, he dug his fingers deep within the moist dirt next to the creek and stopped for a second. Part of him wanted nothing more than to just lay there in defeat, to gain the rest he so badly needed. But now was not the time to stay still.
Mustering up his resolve, the boy climbed to his knees and forced his legs to stand. For a moment, he wobbled in daze, extending his hands as feelers to search out a safe path. Instantly, he could perceive the dry, willowed trunk of a tree before him…as well as something else. Its feel was smooth and shapely, like a well developed chest. Shaw's jaw began to vibrantly tremble with fear. Only now did his sight begin to refocus and give the lad view of who was standing over him.
Though his face remained blurred, the Stranger's presence was acknowledged by the pair of burning yellow eyes piercing Shaw's soul. Before he could mount any offensive, the Stranger clasped hold of the boy's throat and effortlessly elevated him into mid-air. Shaw grunted out pleas for help, but they would fall deafened, masked by the seclusion of the area. Staring at his victim with malicious intent, the Stranger grinned a set of grotesque, sharpened teeth, as he spoke four words aloud. "The power is mine!"
Shaw blustered out a screeching scream that echoed for miles. He didn't want this--HE DIDN'T WANT THIS! A violent surge of light then blasted forth in all directions, engulfing any and everything nearby in its luminescent shine. Giant pillars of energy flooded the pitch black sky before fading to complete and utter darkness.
Shaw awoke in a cold sweat. His skin leaked perspiration from head to toe, so much so that a single wipe of his hand wasn't enough to smear it all away. He had had the dream again, no, the nightmare. It was the same nightmare that had haunted him for weeks now. Every scene played out the exact same way as before, like a broken record that never seemed to be repaired. Softly, Shaw allowed his feet to fall off the bed, bringing him upright. Drifting his head towards the floor, he grasped each side and squeezed hard. The pain of it was the only thing that could distract his mind from the surmounting anxiety.
A bird's call could be heard chirping from outside the small trailer. Morning was here now. Shaw thought it funny how he failed to even notice it, though he didn't laugh. After a moment or two of inhaling and exhaling deepened breaths, the young teen left his bed for the bathroom. He spun the rusted knobs and released a gentle flow of warm water into his palms, then pitched it into his face. Returning from the belly of the sink, Shaw fixed his sight on the reflection staring back at him from the cabinet mirror. He barely recognized his own face anymore. A patch of whiskers riddled his cheeks, cloaked under a pale complexion. It was as if his spirit was slowly being drained out of him.
Shaw shrugged in disapproval and continued back into his room. The alarm clock read 9:30. He had to be at work soon. Most kids his age would already be in school at this time, earning a proper education. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option for Shaw. He never had the chance to know his father, but he always imagine him as a drunkard who engaged in a one night stand with his mother some 18 years ago.
His mother…there was sad story all to itself. It had been nearly nine months since Shaw last saw her. It was pretty obvious after the first month that she wasn't coming back. Not that it was a big change from the norm, though.
Despite being the parental figure in his life, Shaw's mother had a nasty habit of arriving home intoxicated, or stoned off the newest pills she purchased with their welfare check. Having her gone might actually be a blessing in disguise, but in some ways, Shaw still missed her.
So now he was alone, forced to work for a lousy seven bucks an hour at Lou's CD Shop just to keep the electricity and water going. A terrible fate to befall an 18 year old, but what choice did he really have? Shaw slipped on a pair of ripped jeans and a black 'Ramones' tank-top in no time at all. On his way out the front door, he pocketed his keys and wallet, and then slammed the door shut with good measure. His sluggish pickup truck greeted him immediately, to which Shaw entered inside through the passenger door and scooted over to the driver's seat. From there, he plugged the key in the ignition slot and pressed on the gas pedal.
Unbeknownst to the boy speeding off to work, his every action was being watched from afar. A wooden staff stuck rooted in the ground, embedded next to a mysterious figure. His gloved, free hand held a picture in it, yet the image could not be seen. Erecting a single finger, the Figure collapsed the activation button of a com-link wrapped around his earlobe. "Ruckus, the target is heading into town. Continue observation until we have verified his identity." He ordered soullessly.
"Yes sir. Slab and I will keep a close eye on him. What are we to do if this kid turns out to be the one?" A reply echoed back.
The Figure again observed the photo in his embrace, at last revealing it to be one of Shaw Anders before crushing it into a wad. "Then take him."
"Yes sir." Ruckus answered back to his leader, then cut the transmission.
As the Figure deactivated his com-link, he took one final glare at Shaw's truck as it disappeared behind a bend in the road. Whoever this man was, and whatever it is he wants, one thing was for sure. Trouble was not coming to meet the Anders boy...it was already here.