Nightmares
,,Happy birthday Nuka."
Nuka grinned when he saw his mother just coming out of the kitchen carrying a big cake in front of her.
Oh how he was looking forward to this day!
,,Here. You can make a wish," his mother whispered softly at that moment, while she put down the cake and lovingly waved it through his hair.
Nuka didn't need to be told twice.
He took a deep breath and blew out all 12 candles at once.
I wish, he thought longingly as he looked at the small plumes of smoke that were now coming out of the candles, that I would finally find a friend who is as alone as I am. So that together we would no longer be alone.
,,Very good," said his mother, as she took a knife and carefully cut the cake, "Now you can have a piece too."
Nuka licked his lips as he looked at the piece.
It was chocolate cake, his very favorite!
Immediately after his mother put the piece on a plate, he took it in his hand and bit into it, while his mother disappeared again in the kitchen and came back with a small gift.
,,I hope you like it," she said and put it on the table.
Nuka, who until then had been enjoying his piece of cake, immediately put it aside at the sight of the gift and turned his attention to the package.
Impatiently he tore the paper apart and joy flared up in him when he discovered a book underneath.
It looked very plain with its simple red and black cover and was not very thick, but Nuka was still happy as a snow king about it.
Great! He thought happily This is the third part of Thunder and Shadow! The best book series of all time!
,,Thank you! Thanks you so much mom!" he shouted with joy before jumping up and giving her a big hug.
His mother laughed softly when she heard this.
,,I`m glad you like it," she said affectionately, before returning his hug, again running her hand lovingly through his hair, "I also have another a present for you.
Nuka looked up in surprise when he heard that.
"Another gift?" he repeated excitedly, to which she nodded.
,,That's right," she replied with a smile, "But I can't give it to you until tonight after work, okay?"
,,Okay," Nuka replied with a surrendering sigh, to which his mother smiled.
"I promise you'll like it," she replied before standing up and Nuka once again wuzzed his hair, "If you want, you can go outside and read your book while I'm gone, okay?"
"Alright!" Nuka replied with an enthusiastic nod before standing up and running to the hallway, grabbing his black cardigan from the coat rack as he passed.
But before he went out the door, he ran back, grabbed his book that was still on the table and hugged his mother tightly.
,,I love you, Mom," he whispered, and his mother smiled.
,,I love you too, sweetheart," she replied and kissed him gently on the forehead, "Be careful when you're out there, okay?"
"I will," Nuka promised before turning away and leaving the house.
The sun was shining when Nuka stepped out of the house and it seemed that this day couldn`t get any better.
He immediately took the path towards the forest, which was not too far from his house, and shortly after disappeared into it.
Actually, they were not allowed to go into the forest yet, but for Nuka this was the only place, apart from home, where he felt safe and secure and where he could test his powers in peace.
In the city he was not welcome, because people knew that something was wrong with him.
And in a way they were right.
Because Nuka had special abilities.
Abilities that a normal Minecrafter should not have and of which were really powerful as well.
Nuka knew that there were hybrids who also had such special abilities like him, but they were hunted, which is why his mother had forbidden him to use his abilities outside the house, because she was afarid that he would cought and getting arrested as well.
But Nuka already tried them outside, but only at night and when he was really sure that no one else was around, when he found out that the monsters unlike were not interested in him like they would be by normal Minecrafters.
Therefore, he had often spent nights outside, but only when his mother was not at home.
His mother.
She was a normal Minecrafter and Nuka loved her more than anything.
He also liked that he had inherited her sea-green eyes and black hair.
However, he didn't like to be left alone so often, especially at night, but he knew that she had to do this so they had money.
Even if Nuka knew that it was still barely enough.
And his father?
Nuka knew nothing about him except that he had left him and his mother alone and his mother refused to tell him more before he got 18.
Maybe it was because of him that he had these special abilities, because Nuka could not explain with the best will in the world where else they should come from.
Altough Nuka liked his abilities and was proud to have them, he didn`t liked have to hide them all the time and that his father, if he really had these powers from him, had helped him to use them better and to understand how they work.
But it doesn't matter! he thought bitterly as he strolled between the big trees, I don't need him! I can figure this out on my own!
But he didn't want to think about that anymore.
Today was his birthday and therefore it should be one of the best days of his life!
In the meantime he had arrived at his secret clearing which had a small lake in the middle surrounded by flowers of all kinds.
The water glistened beautifully in the sun and for morning it was already unusually warm.
Nuka settled down under a tree and began to read his book.
It was a trilogy about an octopus hybrid who meets other huybrids on his journey through the overworld, befriends them and together they face various dangers.
This was the final part and Nuka had been waiting for it for so long!
He eagerly began to read the first pages and soon became so lost in the story that he forgot everything around him.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting there reading when suddenly he heard footsteps and shortly after a shadow blotted out the sun.
,,Well, who do we have here?"
Nuka froze when he heard the familiar voice, before looking up and staring at four children, all standing in front of him with nasty grins on their faces, their bodies blocking out the sinking evening sun.
Nuka swallowed hard as he looked at them.
He knew all too well who they were.
They were in the same class with him and Nuka knew no one who hated him more than they did.
Other kids were just scared and stayed away from him, or went after him behind his back, but these four seemed determined to make Nuka's life a living hell.
They were sure he was a Hybrid and therefore wanted to find proof of his supernatural powers and it seems they would try anything to get that, but Nuka didn't do them that favor!
Even though sometimes it was really hard not to use them when they hit him again or insulted him, so he tried to avoid them but they always seemed to know where he was hiding from them.
Damn, how could they find me here?! he thought nervously as he hastily stood up and tried to push past the four of them without a word, but of course they only blocked him more in the way.
,,Where are you going?" one of the boys wanted to know shortly after with an evil grin on his face.
He had black hair and seemed to be the tallest of the four.
He also towered over Nuka, which was not difficult since Nuka was always very small, but Nuka did not know his name.
The other three were a red-haired girl who was barely taller than Nuka.
The second girl had brown hair as well as the other boy, they were also a little taller than Nuka but not much.
"Let me through!" Nuka demanded of them, but he knew only too well that these words would not be enough.
As if in confirmation of this fears, the boy grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him back, causing Nuka to stumble and crash into the tree behind him.
Nuka swallowed hard as he looked at the four of them.
He knew that there was no escape now.
Whatever the four was going to do to him now, he would have to endure it willy-nilly.
And a terrible fear spread in him.
The brown-haired girl had meanwhile discovered Nuka's book, which he still held in his hand, whereupon she rushed forward in a flash and snatched it out of his hand.
"Look what he has here!" she exclaimed, while holding the book in the air and waving it around triumphantly, "He actually still reads Thunder and Shadows! Aren't you a little big for that already?"
Her friends just laughed spitefully while Nuka stared at her and he could feel his fear quickly turning into anger!
"Give it back!" he hissed before he tried to take it from her, but before he could do that, the two boys grabbed his arms and held him back, and no matter how hard Nuka struggled, they didn't let him go.
On the contrary!
They only laughed spitefully and grabbed only tighter.
The two girls also grinned nastily as they watched Nuka desperately trying to free himself.
,,Oh, is that yours?" said the brown-haired girl playfully and innocently, "Well, go get it!"
With these words, she turned and threw the book high into the air, whereupon it fell into the lake and sank shortly thereafter.
Startled and shocked, Nuka stood there staring at the place where his book had disappeared.
He would have liked to jump in, but even if he could swim, he knew it would not end well for him, because unlike normal Minecrafters who did not mind water, he was in terrible pain every time he came into contact with even a little amound of it.
Nuka had once read that Enderman hybrids had a similar problem and for a short time he had thought that he was also an Enderman hybrid, but he had quickly found out that he possessed far more abilities than a normal Enderman hybrid should have, so unfortunately he could not be.
But that the reason he couldn`t jump after it, even if as valuable as the book was to ihm.
,,Oops," he heard the red-haired girl say in a scornful tone at that moment, "that was clearly not my intention. But now we can see how good your swimming skills are!"
Nuka stared at her in schock when he heard that.
She couldn't be serious, could she?
,,I think you need some help," one of the boys suddenly replied, before grabbing Nuka tighter and dragging him towards the lake.
Panic spread through Nuka as he realized what they were up to and he immediately tried to break free and run away, but the two boys just laughed spitefully and before Nuka could say anything they pushed him into the water to the cheering shouts of the girls.
Pain shot through Nuka's whole body as he fell into the water and sank into the depths.
It felt like he was burning alive and the pain was indescribable!
Nuka may have been in contact with water a few times, but that was nothing compared to being completely surrounded by water at once!
He cried out and writhed in pain, but the scream was not heard underwater.
The only thing Nuka intended with that, was that he was running out of air more faster!
He had to get out of here, quickly, otherwise he would die down here!
All instincts fought to teleport away but Nuka knew that he should not do that.
If he would they would have thier proof!
But his instincts and his panicand pains was to bing, so he had no chioce…
He closed his Eyes and a Moment later Nuka felt the water around him disappear and he was again lying on the hard earth next to the lake.
However, he barely had time to catch his breath before someone grabbed him, yanked him up and pushed him against the nearest tree, whereupon Nuka caught sight of the black-haired boy with a grim expression on his face.
,,I knew it!" he growled softly, while he grabbed Nuka by the throat and cut off his air, "Dirty hybrid! I knew from the beginning that you were one of them. We all knew it! From the moment your mother came here!"
He grinned nastily before driving forward.
,,We just couldn't prove it until now! But now we can! We all saw you teleport out of the lake!"
Fear gripped Nuka when he heard that.
,,Let go of me!" he croaked, but the boy only tightened his grip.
,,Forget it!" he hissed contemptuously, "You've been able to hide from the law long enough, and in a moment the guards will take you away and we'll never have to see your miserable face again!
With these words he turned and looked at the brown-haired girl standing a few steps behind him, looking more shocked than pleased at her findings, "Le! Run quickly to the village and tell the guards that we found a hybrid!"
Now Nuka was really panicking!
He desperately tried to break free from the boy's clinging grip, while his heart hammered against his chest and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he thought of what would happen if he didn't break free from the boy's grip in time.
"LET ME GO!" he finally shrieked as the fear and panic reached its peak and before Nuka knew what was happening, the boy was suddenly yanked away from him with such force that he could no longer hold Nuka, then flung at least 20 blocks through the air, before finally crashing into a stone wall and falling to the ground where he now lay motionless.
A thin trail of blood flowed from his mouth and he was also bleeding profusely from the back of his head, where he had hit the wall with full force.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" the red-haired girl screamed in horror, while the other boy had run to his friend and the brown-haired girl, who was supposed to run to the village, had also turned around, cried out and ran back when she saw what had happened.
Now both knelt next to their friend and tried to wake him up again and stop the bleeding, while Nuka stood there shocked and horrified at himself and his powers, unable to move.
He had not wanted that!
He… he really didn`t...
What had just happened?
He just wanted...wanted to let him go...
Shocked and dismayed, he stood there and watched the other two desperately trying to wake their friend up.
,,John? John! Please wake up. You have to wake up!" the brown-haired girl whimpered, tears streaming down her face as she still tried to stop the bleeding on the boy's head.
Meanwhile, the brown-haired boy had put his ear to the chest of the black-haired boy, but after a short time he straightened up again with a sad look.
,,I'm sorry, Lea," he whispered softly, before also wiping away a few tears, "he's dead. His... his heart is no longer beating..."
,,No!" the brown-haired girl screamed and now really started to cry, while the brown-haired boy continued to sit next to her and tried to comfort her.
Meanwhile, the red-haired girl turned to Nuka, who had been watching the scene along with him the whole time, who had also tears in her eyes.
But she stared at Nuka with such hatred that Nuka was sure that if she had had a sword with her now, she would have stabbed him immediately.
,,Look what you've done!" she snapped at him, causing Nuka to flinch before turning his gaze back to the group, unable to process what the boy had just said.
He's dead...he's dead...his heart stopped beating...and it's my fault...I murdered someone!
The words of the boys sounded repeatedly ihn his head, while he still stood there, before shooking his head in disbelief and tears came to his eyes as well, as the realisation set in.
No! he thought in horror...I didn't mean to! I didn't want to kill anyone! I`m...I`m so sorry...
Which brought him to the next thought.
What will my mother say to this?
In the meantime, the red-haired girl continued to insult him and her voice almost rolled over.
,,You are a murderer Nuka!" Yes you are! But you won't get away with it so easily, I will tell the guards and then they will kill you!"
At these words, movement returned to Nuka's frozen body, whereupon he stumbled to the side and finally ran away without turning around again.
He heard her yelling something after him, but Nuka was already too far away to understand her.
He ran as fast as he could through the forest, while more and more tears ran down his face and clouded his vision, causing him to stumble several times over roots and even to hit his knee in the end, but Nuka didn't care.
He had committed one of the worst crimes in all of Minecraftia and Nuka knew all too well what the punishment for such a crime was.
He sobbed and fell again as he imagined what would happen to him.
Certainly he had not done it on purpose, but Nuka highly doubted that anyone out there would believe him, except perhaps his mother.
Especially since he was a hybrid and his word was against that of the three children, who would surely be believed more no matter what nonsense they told.
The only thing Nuka could do was to try to convince his mother somehow that he had not done it on purpose and then...
Nuka did not know.
The only thing he knew was that the guards were not allowed to find him, because otherwise he would almost certainly be dead.
There he came to his house.
Meanwhile, it had become almost and Nuka was about to step out of the protective shadow of the forest when he noticed the guards!
Startled, he hid behind the nearest tree while anxiously watching the guards, who seemed to be discussing with someone, before he pushed someone aside and a short scream filled the silence.
Nuka's hands dug into the wood as he heard the scream.
That had been his mother!
A short moment later, she was dragged into Nuka's field of vision by two soldiers, protesting loudly, while the rest of them apparently searched her house for him.
Nuka swallowed hard as he looked at his mother.
Oh how he wanted to go to her for comfort and to protect her from the anger of the people in the village, but he was frozen with fear.
A short time later, one of the guards came out of the house again and approached his mother, who was still being held by the other guards and staring at them with an indignant look.
,,Where is he?" one of them asked sharply and the anger in his voice made Nuka flinch.
,,What do you mean, where is he?" his mother answered outraged, while she tried again to break away from the soldiers, "Can you explain what is going on here before I-,"
At that moment, the guard who had just spoken to him raised his hand, whereupon Nuka quickly averted his gaze and screwed up his face when he heard the slam and another scream from his mother.
,,Don't act dumber than you are!" he heard him say a moment later, whereupon Nuka cautiously peeked out from behind the tree again and caught sight of his mother, who was now sitting on the ground with one hand covering her face while the man scowled at her ,,Where is your Sohn?!"
,,I don't know...",
His mother's voice was now much quieter than before and now he could also hear the fear in her voice, "He...he hasn't returned yet. Why...why do you want to know?"
The Man snorted contemptuously.
,,Why?" he asked while clenching his hands into fists and looking at her with a furious look, "Because he's a fucking murderer Veronika!"
Nukas closed his eyes and whimpered softly when he heard that.
Now his mother knew...
He and wasn't even the one who had told her.…
Oh, what would she think of him now…?
"No, no...it can't be..." he heard his mother sink a moment later in a shocked, disbelieving voice, while he sank to the ground and pressed his trembling hand over his mouth to suppress a gulp, "Nuka...Nuka would never..."
,,Never kill anyone?!" he heard the guard hiss in an angry voice a moment later, whereupon he winced again and tears ran down his face once more , "But he did! He did it and now my son is dead and he will pay for it and di..."
At that moment there was a crack!
Nuka froze and looked frightened at the broken branch to which he had clung until just now without knowing it!
He immediately straightened up and his heart leapt when he saw the guard and his mother staring in his direction.
His mother's face was smeared with tears and shock and disbelief were clearly visible, while the man's face became hateful.
"There he is!" he shouted a second later, while raising his hand and pointing at the startled Nuka, "Grab him! Go!"
,,Nuka run! Go! Run, Run as far as you can!" his mother shouted a moment later in a firm loud voice that snapped Nuka out of his stupor and brought movement back into him.
Panicked and terrified, he turned and stormed back into the forest while loud shouts echoed behind him and tears once again blurred his vision.
What had he done?