I'm back with the fourth chapter of Nightmares battling that foul disease we writers shalt call writer's block!! Uh, yeah... No life here... But! Anyways, I'm glad everybody likes this story so far as well as those of you who read What If? and like that. To be honest, I didn't expect either of these to be quite popular. And, I have sad news: This is only going to be about two more chapters. How? Read the chapter and find out.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Secret Saturdays
Chapter 4
The next thing Zak, knew he was floating in a dark abyss again.
"Natalie?" He called out, hoping to reach the blonde, but received no response. What was going on? Was it possible, that… that that hadn't actually been real? That this had all been just fake? But how? And why?
This was really weird, and Zak didn't get it. Why was it happening to him? This didn't make sense.
Zak desperately tried to think of what the last thing he actually remembered was. He couldn't remember a thing. The first thing he remembered was that weird old man beckoning him of and him fighting the phoenix.
But that couldn't be right, could it? Zak didn't get any of this! It was like nothing here was supposed to make sense. Like it was some big messed up dream.
Um, that's the point. Zak jumped at the voice. Was it Natalie? No, this voice seemed older than the eight year old.
"W-what?" Zak was confused.
This is a dream. The voice reiterated. Nothing is supposed to make sense. What are you, blonde?
Zak furrowed his brow, confused.
"I'm not blonde!" Zak protested. "My hair's black and white, thank you very much!"
Blonde's a state of mind not a hair color. The voice told him. When Zak still didn't get it, the voice sighed.
I'm calling you an IDIOT! The voice practically screeched at him. IS THAT SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND?!?!?!?! I-DI-OT! Zak cringed a little.
"You didn't have to be so mean…" Zak whined, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and the voice scoffed.
You deserved it. Zak looked up (or was it down? Really, if this was a dream, was any of this supposed to make sense?)
"Who are you, anyways?" He asked, and the voice shut up.
I am not obliged to tell. The voice clammed up, refusing to speak. Zak pressed.
"Come on!" He pleaded. "I need something to do!"
Fine. The voice said. I'll just summon up some Amaroks for you to play with. Zak shook his head and took a step back.
"Uh, no thank you," He replied. "Besides, isn't this my dream? Doesn't that mean I can do anything I want?" The voice laughed.
So, I can still change things if I want to. Zak gave a confused look towards the ground (or was it the sky? I guess we'll never know.)
"Wait- how?" Zak was confused. "Just who are you?" The voice sighed.
You aren't going to give up, are you? The voice asked, and Zak shook his head in response. Fine. This is going against everything I've been told and breaking all the rules, but I suppose you're worth it.
Before Zak could question what the voice was talking about, the sound of fingers snapping echoed through his mindscape (or was it dreamscape?) and the scene started swirling sickeningly, adding color amidst the black.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In front of Zak now stood a girl, his age. The girl had shoulder length tan hair, and her eyes were a hazel color. She wore a black shirt with a blue pleated skirt with a light brown coat thrown haphazardly over her shoulders. Her feet were bare.
Their current background was a grassy hill with green grass and a tree at the top of the hill. The sky was blue, with huge fluffy clouds in the sky as if they were painted there. The sun was shining brightly up in the corner of the picture, making it seem like it was around lunch time in this strange dream world.
"Hello Zak Saturday," The girl said, her head tilting to the side as a serene smile placed itself onto her face. "My name is Apollo." She held out her hand, and Zak, not knowing what else to do, took her hand and shook it.
"Hi… Apollo." The name sounded strange on his tongue. Apollo just didn't seem like a girls' name. To him, it was more like a guys'. The girl, Apollo, though just seemed to smile even more wide, if that was possible.
"Yes," she smiled, her demeanor way different than before when the background was black. "I am Apollo and you are Zak." She giggled, but immediately stopped after a few seconds and scratched the back of her head.
"S-sorry," She apologized, blush creeping onto her face. "It's not often that I meet someone new, let alone someone my age." Zak just laughed a bit nervously.
"It's alright?" He replied, his statement more of a question. Apollo just gave another laugh that sounded like bells.
"I digress," She said. "You wanted answers, yes?" Zak nodded, and Apollo smiled.
"I am what you humans would call a mythical creature- a Cryptid so to speak," Apollo told Zak, and paused, analyzing his reaction. Zak looked at Apollo for a second with a blank look, before smiling.
"That's cool," Zak smiled. "I've never seen a Cryptid as…" He paused trying to find the right word. "Humane? As you." Apollo smiled and laughed.
"What about Fiskerton?" She asked Zak simply. "Surely you would have hurt his feelings had he heard you say that. Is he not just as humane as I am?" Zak laughed nervously.
"Well," Zak said. "I mean, Fisk doesn't look like a human, like you." Apollo laughed.
"Oh right," Apollo said. "You're probably wondering what type of Cryptid I am, right?" When Zak nodded again, she smiled.
"I am what the Indians call a Dream Walker." Apollo told Zak. "That's why they have Dream Catchers. The Dream Catchers catch us Dream Walkers as we are wandering to and fro from one person's dreams to the next. We have often been said to be the cause of Nightmares."
"So, wait a minute," Zak said. "You mean you are the one causing all of this?" Apollo hung her head down in shame and nodded her head.
"Yes, I am." Apollo answered, tears flowing into her eyes. "I caused all of this deception, all of it!" Zak took a step away from Apollo as thunder cracked in the dreamscape and lightning flickered warningly.
"W-why?" He asked. "Why Apollo?" Apollo looked up, tears running freely down her face as she looked up at Zak with a hurt look on her face. Rain started falling from the sky, but it didn't soak either eleven year old.
"I had no choice." Apollo spat, and the wind picked up. "I had no choice at all. It was either this, or my parents would die." Zak looked at Apollo, confused.
"Why would your parents die?" He asked, and Apollo shook her head.
"No. I can't tell you anything more," Apollo stated, frightened. "If I tell you anymore, I shall be in trouble. Please Zak Saturday, trust me. Wake up, and don't go back to sleep. Don't come find me. Please, this is for your own good. It'd be better if this happened."
"Wait!" Zak said, taking a step towards the brunette that was quickly followed by another. "I don't understand!" Apollo shook her head sadly and took a step away from the boy.
"Please trust me Zak Saturday." Apollo said. "If you come after me, bad things will happen to you." Apollo raised her hand to the black sky, and pointed her index finger up to it. She yanked her finger down, pointing it straight down at Zak's feet, a bolt of lightning striking Zak.
The lightning disappeared, and Zak was gone, waking up.
As Zak sat up in his bed screaming, his parents rushed over to his room to find out what had their boy so distraught.
And that last thing Apollo told him would not leave his head.
"If you die in your mind, you will die in your body. Death isn't something to play around with in your mind."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
So, that was the fourth chapter, and we're about 2/3 the way through this story. Now you see how this is going to be over in about two chapters? Yeah, I'm sorry... But, at least we're having fun, right?
Please Read and Review and tell me what you think!!!
~~Paw-Chan Signing Out~~
