Galerians: Ron
Visions
Ron slowly walked down the street towards Kim's house. He met her there most mornings so they could walk to school together. More times than not he was late. He wouldn't be today though, despite how slowly he was moving.
Sleep hadn't come back to him last night. For the first time writing down his dream had not helped. He tried working out to try and wear himself down, but that didn't work either. So now he was exhausted from lack of sleep and sore from hours of pushing his limits physically. What a way to start the day. On the plus side he would be on time for a change.
As Ron arrived at Kim's and knocked on the door he could only hope that he didn't look as beat as he felt. Of course that was too much to ask for.
"Ron! You're early… you look awful!" Mrs. Dr. Possible exclaimed as she answered the door.
"Gee, way to make a guy feel welcome Dr. P." Ron stifled a yawn as she let him inside. Seeing the look she gave him he cut the wise cracks. "I'm fine, really. Just didn't sleep well."
"Well, we're just sitting down to breakfast so you're going to join us and get a decent meal in you at least." Her tone would have brooked no argument had Ron actually been someone who would turn down a free meal. As it was he quickened his pace a step for the kitchen.
The rest of the Possible family was already well into their breakfast when the two entered the room. Everyone stopped mid-motion when the saw Ron.
"Ron!" One of the twins exclaimed. Tim, Jim, who really knew which was which anymore?
"You're early!" The other twin added.
"That's just unheard of!"
Ron just smiled and gave a slight chuckle at their outburst, too tired to think of a witty remark. He took the plate of bacon and eggs Mrs. Possible handed him and sat down across from Kim. As he ate he could feel Kim's eyes on him and knew she noticed his current state, so he decided to answer her question before she asked it.
"I'm fine KP. Just couldn't sleep last night. To borrow your phrase, no big."
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Breakfast had definitely done him good, Ron thought as he and Kim exited her house. Not as energizing as a good nap would be right now, but good enough in a pinch.
As soon as the front door closed Kim turned and stared at him again. He'd expected this though. She didn't seem to buy his explanation during the meal. Probably just let it drop because her parents were there.
"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked, a hint of worry in her voice. "It's not just the tiredness thing. I saw you wince when you reached for the salt at breakfast."
"I'm good. Just pulled something working out to try and tire myself to sleep last night."
She looked at him for a moment longer before accepting it and breaking out in a smile. She proudly held up a set of keys. "Alright. But you'll be glad to know we're not walking today. Dad lent me the car!"
At Ron's pointed look she added. "Alright, so Mom had to puppy dog pout him into it! The point is I have the car!"
The two friends laughed as they turned and headed for the garage, Ron a few steps behind Kim.
Rion!
Ron spun around looking for the source of the voice that seemed to echo from all around him. Finding nothing he looked to Kim who had stopped when she noticed he had. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Nothing I guess." He told her as they started again for the garage. He cast one look back over his shoulder as they went.
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"Could I have a volunteer to read the next passage?" Ms. Gibson asked the class. As these things tend to go no one raised their hand. Prepared for this the teacher looked around for a student to 'volunteer'. Her eyes stopped on a blonde haired boy currently slumped over his desk drooling on his open textbook.
"Mr. Stoppable." No response.
"Mr. Stoppable!" Still no response.
"MR. STOPPABLE!" Again, no response from the sleeping boy.
Seeing the English teacher getting more and more worked up a nearby student kicked Ron's chair. His head was tossed up slightly from the impact and came smashing back down on the desk. Finally he awoke, groaning as he wiped his mouth and brought his hand to his suddenly sore head.
"Now Mr. Stoppable, if you would read the passage on page forty two?" The obviously frustrated teacher said through clenched teeth.
Ron was oblivious to this as he replied. "Sure, all you had to do was ask."
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"Maybe you should have stayed home today Ron." Kim told him as they were gathering books for their next class from their lockers. "You're sleeping heavier than usual in class."
Ron banged his fist against his locker, still working on getting it open. His locked was stuck again. "I'm here now, I might as well stick it out."
The locker door finally gave in and opened just as the bell rang. "I'll meet you in class Kim. Just got to get my books."
"Alright." She said as she started walking down he hall. "But try not to fall asleep in this one. I think that jock got a perverse thrill from kicking your chair."
The halls quickly emptied as he placed last class's books in the locker and took the ones he needed. As he closed the locker and slung his backpack over one shoulder, Ron caught sight of something in his peripheral vision.
Quickly turning he saw a girl with light brown, almost reddish, hair disappear around the corner. He knew logically that he had never seen her before but at the same time she seemed so familiar. Class forgotten he decided to follow the mystery girl.
As he round the corner he found himself in a hall that dead-ended at the empty gym. The girl was nowhere to be found.
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Ron went home as soon as school ended that day. Usually he would end up at Buenos Nachos for some after school snackage, but not today. He was too beat to bother. Rufus was disappointed, but understood. Kim was more than a little surprised and worried when he told her no snackage today.
He managed to reassure her with a goofy smile and equally goofy joke. It was scary how often that would work.
As he made it home he went straight to his room and collapsed on his bed. He was out like a light before he even hit the mattress.
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He stood in darkness. It was above him, below him, all around him. He wasn't even sure what he was standing on. If he was indeed standing on anything at all.
"Rion!" A voice called out behind him.
Turning around he saw a person standing out among the darkness. It was the same girl he had seen in the hall earlier that day. He was able to get a better look at her now that she wasn't running the other way. She was around his age and just a little bit shorter than him. She wore a pair of black pants and a white sweater. Her hair came to her shoulders and her brown eyes bore into him with relief, anxiety, and fear.
"I'm sorry." He told her. "I don't know who that is. My name is Ron."
She continued on as if he had never spoken. Her voice was panicked. "You have to help me Rion! They're after me! I don't know how long I can hide!"
"Who's after you? What's going on?"
The girl reached out for him as she seemed to be pulled backwards by an unseen force. "Help me Rion!"
Ron ran after the girl as those words echoed through the darkness. The more he ran the further away she seemed to get.
"Wait!" He called out. "Who is after you? How can I help you? What's your name?"
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Ron sat bolt upright in bed for the second night in a row. Wiping the sweat from his brow, one word came from his lips.
"Lilia."