Chapter 13: Why Arden Must Leave

That night, Basil offered Julian and Emily the guest room. Arden and Olivia slept at Olivia's house. Arden was delighted. That night, Arden and Olivia stayed up. Arden told old Japanese tales Emily used to tell her, which Olivia thought was interesting. Arden even sang a Japanese song. Olivia loved every minute of it.

Olivia really liked the sound. Arden looked at the sky. The white moon was high in the sky.
"Olivia, I think we should go to sleep." said Arden. Olivia nodded. Both of them were happy that Olivia's bed was big enough for two. Olivia slept on the left and Arden slept on the right. While Olivia slept peacefully, Arden started twitching in her sleep. Her teeth gritted. She started sweating. She was having a big, deadly nightmare. She started stammering in her sleep. Olivia didn't hear a thing. The nightmare lasted for hours:

NIGHTMARE:

Arden was sitting on the ground. Her outfit was ripped. Blood scars on her arms and legs. The wind blew in her face. She felt pain. She was sitting in a little hut she made. She was singing to herself. She was trying to fall into slumber. Arden was crying. Fire was blazing around the hut. Se didn't have her locket. Beside her were two bodies. Julian and Emily were dead.
"Why must he do this?" asked Arden. "Why did I let him take my locket? How foolish of me!"

She cried, not knowing what to do at the time.

She saw people screaming running away. Arden covered her eyes. Trying to keep a straight face. She felt so blind. She just knew this was going to happen. Ratigan threatened her, Arden fell for his trick, and now Ratigan has brought everyone to their knees. Arden heard nothing but Ratigan's lies. Everyone's faith was shattered. Basil was sitting with her. He was hurt. His pain was still there. Arden and Basil heard nothing but screams. The two then heard a familiar scream. Arden ran right out of the hut and saw Olivia running. Arden saw she was running from evil that was unleashed from the locket. Arden ran to her trying to get her attention. The evil was burning. Arden felt angry because Ratigan was letting this happen.

Arden caught up to her. When she put her hand on her shoulder, Arden's hand just went right her. Arden didn't believe this.

"What is this?" asked Arden. "This is impossible!" she said.

Arden saw many people passing by. But no one recognized her.

"What's going on!" asked Arden. "Not only is no one is noticing me. But I can't touch any one. How peculiar." said Arden. "But you know what, I don't care and I'm sure no one else cares either." she said. She sang the Japanese song.

Olivia didn't feel Arden's presence. Arden turned and ran. She saw mouse families in rags. They were quickly walking through the street. Arden tried to get their attention. But no one could hear her. No one saw her either.
"Oh my goodness. No one can see me, hear me, or feel me. What is Ratigan turning this place into? Hell on Earth?" asked Arden knowing no one could hear her. Basil didn't even see, feel, of hear her. He was just there with her. She walked until she saw a burning building. It had the name "Ratigan" on it. Arden gasped.

"Oh no! Please don't tell me!" exclaimed Arden. She ran into the burning building. Arden's anger rose. She didn't know what happened to Dawson, Olivia, or Flaversham. She just knew that something was going on! Everything in the building was burning down. As the fire burned, Arden's anger rose even more. She kept hearing screams for help.

Arden passed by innocent mice. A thin white mouse cried for help. She was one of the mice that were screaming. Arden couldn't help her. There was a door in front of Arden. Opening it was hard to do. When she did, she saw the most horrible thing ever.
"Dawson. Flaversham." whispered Arden. They were lying on the ground bleeding. They were twitching. The twitching stopped. Arden ran to them. The two adult mice…were dead. They were burning. Arden's hand became dirty with their blood.
"No. This can't be the future." whispered Arden.
"This is the future." replied a dark voice. Arden turned to see Professor Ratigan. Arden started stressing.
"Ratigan, please. I beg of you! Please don't make things this way. Don't you realize how many lives you're destroying?" asked Arden.
"I don't care about them." replied Ratigan.
"Then how come you're the only one who can see me, hear me, and feel me?" asked Arden.
"I made it that way." replied Ratigan. Arden was shocked.
"I made it as though I was the only one who can see you, hear you, and feel you." he said.

"Why?" asked Arden. Ratigan took out the arrow.
"I killed you with that. How could you still be alive?" asked Arden.
"One arrow can't stop the Greatest Criminal Mind." replied Ratigan. "But it can kill you." he hissed. He put the arrow in some fire. The arrow started burning. Arden gazed at the burning arrow.

Ratigan threw the arrow. Arden was shot with the burning arrow. Arden fell to the ground. She started moving.
"You." she whispered. "Why do you do these things? Is it because you were raised by a scoundrel in his lair? Or was it because you were just a normal creature who saw something bad happen and you decided to become who you are today? Either way, you're making the wrong decision. You don't have to be this. Please don't." replied Arden. Ratigan ignored everything she said. Arden's heart was beating faster. She felt like fading away. Her screams echoed in Ratigan's ears. Her screams were his music.

Arden's eyes were wide opened. She raised herself up. She tried walking. She banged into the wall. She was on her knees. Her front side leaned on it. Her life was ending. It would take a miracle to save her. Her back was burning. Burning in to crimson darkness. Her dark eyes' were losing their eyesight.

Ratigan just waited for her to die. But when she was about to die, the locket that was on Ratigan's neck started rattling. Arden looked and saw a angel. Arden looked at the angel. It looked like Olivia. Arden closed her eyes tight.
"Angel. KILL ME NOW!" yelled Arden.

END NIGHTMARE

Arden woke up sweating. She finally understood.
"The future…that's what it's going to be!" she said. She had to leave! Now…