xXGoody Not-So-Great MeXx

The Challenger

Chapter Eleven: The Storm

The fire burnt at her skin. The smoke chocked her lungs. She was drowning in it and there was no escape. She heard people around her. They were crying, screaming. "Make it go away!" The flames engulfed their bodies.

They rolled around on the floor trying to make it stop. "Make it go away!" they screamed. She felt their hands grabbing her wrists she felt their fear.

"Am I going to die?" she heard a little boys voice. He held his hands out in front of him. "What's wrong with me?" His eyes were wide with fear. "What's wrong with me!" he repeated tears falling down his checks.

He tried to move toward her but his body wouldn't budge. "Where's mother?" he asked franticly "Mum where are you!?" he yelled but the screaming peoples voice just made his own die away. "Mum!" he repeated.

A body lie on the ground, still and unmoving. "Mother?" he reached out to the body but his hands began falling away like dust. "Mum what's wrong with me? Mum wake up! Please wake up!" his voice called out to her.

Then the flames engulfed him and the body. The screaming began to die down. She felt the heat of the flames the smoke stung her throat.

She looked into the fire only to see two familiar faces be engulfed by it. "Mum, dad!" she screamed. Their screams filled her ears. She fell to the ground covering her ears, her eyes tightly closed. "Make it stop! Make it stop!" She opened her eyes and through the flames and tears saw the two figures fade away.

Replacing them was a boy, a boy with white hair. Her parents walked up to him and placed their hands on his shoulders, he smiled.

She closed her eyes again. "Make it stop! Please someone make it go away!" Her scream echoed through the hallways of Wammy's, cutting through the silent night like a sword through air. Four figures burst through her door.

"Shadow! Shadow!" yelled the first figure running to her bedside. Another figure turned on the light. The other two figures joined the first beside her. "Shadow it's just a dream! It's alright!" yelled the first figure.

Shadows eyes were open they were filled with tears her breathing was heavy. Sweat drenched her brow and made her bangs stick to her forehead. She recognized the voice it was the same voice she had heard only a night ago.

Roger. She looked at him still panting. "Make it go away," she whispered, "Make it go away!" she screamed clutching her ears. She pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Shadow it's over now," said Roger he clutched her head in his hands "It's wasn't real, it was a dream," he repeated sternly. Shadow's breathing calmed. She let her hands slid down off of her ears they fell onto her bed.

Roger took a step back "Good girl," he crooned. One of the people he had come in with was the orphanages nurse. She handed Shadow a pill and a glass of water. "It'll help," she encouraged when Shadow looked at her.

She took the pill and leaned against the top of the bed. The other two people were also women. Miss. Coley (Shadow's dance teacher and one of her favorite teachers) was one of them. The other was Mrs. Heather. Mrs. Heather gestured for Roger to join them.

"What is it Elisa? Can't you see I am trying to calm her down," Roger muttered impatiently. "This is the third time this week Roger!" Mrs. Heather said sternly.

"Face it this girl needs professional help. Those tablets aren't working". Roger sighed, "I have tried to get her to speak to someone but she refuses to talk.

She won't open up to those she is not familiar with. Besides we already know what the nightmares are about". Mrs. Heather looked at him questioningly. He lowered his voice "They are to do with her parents death".

Mrs. Heather nodded "As expected but what does she mean when we come in here finding her saying 'make it stop'?" "Well," replied Roger "we aren't too sure as she won't discuss them, but I know it's due to her parents death as I have been told by the boys next door that she screams their names sometimes".

Both women looked at him surprised. It had been over three weeks since Shadow, Matt and Mello had stopped talking or making any contact at all. The orphanage knew that the three no longer regarded one another as 'friends'.

Roger had insisted on not getting involved in any of it. He knew that by involving himself in the kid's disputes that he would only make matters worse. So he never got involved. After all not everyone was meant to get along.

So to the two it was surprising that they had reported it, but then again it might not be that they were concerned for Shadow but merely that they were sick of being woken up at 2 A.M. every morning.

"She needs help Roger. Why did this only start now? She has been at the orphanage for over five months and we had no problems with it before," added Miss. Coley. "Ok, ok we will discuss this in the morning," he said.

The other two teachers left the room. Roger and the orphanages nurse were the only ones left. "If I am no longer needed then I'll be going," she said. "Yes thank you, you have been very helpful," replied Roger.

Shadow was lying in her bed again one of her ipod headphones were in. They had tried different ways of making her go back to sleep after she awoke form a nightmare, they found this the most successful. "I'll stay until your asleep," said Roger sitting on a chair besides her bed.

Shadow nodded and closed her eyes. She felt safe with Roger there, with anyone there she felt safe.

"Mello you awake?" Matt's voice called through the quiet room. "Mmmh," came Mello's muffled reply. "She is having another nightmare," mumbled Matt. "She's crying again". Mello sighed, "I know. I heard her talking again telling them to make it stop," he replied.

"Mello I don't like hearing her," Mumbled Matt "I don't like hearing her in pain…and not doing anything!" "Then go and wake her up!" yelled Mello.

A scream cut through their conversation and both boys sat up eyes wide. Both of them then slid out of their bed and ran for the door.

Roger and three other adults were running up the hall. Roger opened Shadow's bedroom door. "Mello, Matt! Go back to bed now!" ordered Mrs. Heather. The rest of the teachers went into the room.

Mello and Matt walked toward the door. They peered in. Shadow sat upright tears falling down her cheeks.

She was panting and frightened. Roger was there trying to calm her down. Mello tore his head away from the door. "Matt hurry up and go back to bed, if you get caught you'll be in trouble," warned Mello as he disappeared back into the boys room. Matt turned away from the door. "If I could…I would be there with you Shadow," he mumbled "I'm sorry".

Knock, knock Near turned his head towards the sound coming from his door. "Come in," he called. Roger opened the door and came into the boy's room. Cars and other toys lay on the floor. "Hello Roger what may I help you with?" he asked as he reached up to curly a piece of his hair.

"I need to speak wit you about Shadow," Roger replied. He sat on Nears bed (or what part of it wasn't covered in toys. Roger held a file in his hand he signaled for Near to have a seat besides him. Near did so. "When I first went to pick her up I went and saw L beforehand. He gave me this file on her.

It's got biases information like allergies, likes, dislikes, history etcetera". Near nodded. "L mentioned she had a few 'behavioral problems' some of which I have been lucky enough to witness," Roger added with sarcasm.

"It mentioned that she had chronic nightmares and a sleep disorder. Her last foster parents also mentioned it to me.

They said she had at least one every two weeks. However when I brought her to Wammy's she hadn't had one for the first two months or so". He paused and opened up the file giving it to Near. Near looked over what the past foster parents had said about her sleeping disorder.

"Did she have them when she was younger Near? When you two lived together?" asked Roger. Near looked up at him.

"Her nightmares were not common like this, but she did have a problem with them. Also with sleeping she didn't like to sleep. Our parents thought that was why she was always so unresponsive at school because of her lack of sleep".

"Hmm," Roger thought over what Near had said. "We need to know what her dreams are about, I am convinced it is to do with your parents death but why are they so horrific?"

"Do you think professional help would be good for her?" he asked. Near shook his head "I may not have spent a lot of time with Shadow but I know her well enough to know she won't tell some stranger all her problems".

"Yes I thought the same thing," agreed Roger. "If you like I can try and ask her about them. She might talk to me…maybe," suggested Near. "Yes see if that works," agreed Roger. He stood up and left the room.

Near sighed and finished off another Column of his card tower. He heard another knock at his door. "Come in," he called. Shadow walked in "Roger said you wanted to see me," She said walking over to his bed. She had a black hoodie on, the same one she had worn the day she arrived at Wammy's.

Her hair was tied back except for two bangs, which hang down at the sides of her face. Near looked up at her and examined her. She was pale (more pale then usual) she also had dark circles under her eyes, indicating her lack of sleep.

"Roger told me you haven't been sleeping correctly," he said as he continued to make his tower. Shadow stood up "Oh I see Roger is expecting you to integrate me so he can find out all the horrible things which are going on in my head. Well you can tell Roger to piss off!" she yelled and then started walking through Near's mess towards the door.

"Shadow wait!" yelled Near. "We don't have to talk about your dreams I just wanted to have a nice talk with you". Shadow glared at him "You make me sick, like hell would I want to talk with you," she growled.

"No need to be like that I haven't had a good conversation with you since we parted ways ten years ago," replied Near.

"You know it's common curtsy to look at a person when you speak to them," she said. Near looked up at her "fine then how have you been? What have you been doing in the past ten years? How are you going with your dancing?"

He then looked back down at his tower. Shadow sighed and slid down the wall till she was sitting. "Well not much ever since we parted I've been living with foster parents, and I quite dancing," she replied not looking at him.

Near paused he turned his head so her could see her out the corner of his eye. "That's too bad you were pretty good at it," he replied and then returned to his castle. Shadow looked at him "how would you know you never saw me dance!" she argued.

"I did," he replied "once". The room was quiet "When?" asked Shadow. "The month before they died, the last time you danced on a stage. When you reached state competitions. They made me come along," he paused.

"I never realized how good you were at it until that day". Shadow stood up and walked over to his window, she opened it and a cool breeze filled the room. Shadow took in a deep breath

"It's going to rain can't you smell it?".

"How long has it been since they died?" asked Near. Shadow's hand tightly gripped the windowsill. "I don't want to talk about this," she replied. "Around 8 or nine years now," he said paying no attention to her.

"Wow that's a long time to have been dead". "Shut up Near!" Shadow slammed her fist against the windowsill. "You've been spending way too much time around Mello your acting just like him," commented Near. "Uh," Shadow's eyes widened "Mello and I are completely different. The only thing we have in common is," Shadow clenched her fists.

"Is that we both hate you!" she yelled pointing at him.

Near brushed her comment off. "No you both are stubborn and let your emotions cloud the truth," he mumbled. "What?!" she yelled. "On the day our parents died you didn't know what to do, you were confused so the only real reason you could think of was to blame me," he replied his voice emotionless.

"You lie! Near it's your fault they are dead. They flew over to Japan for your stupid meeting, for you!" she screamed. Thunder sounded off in the distance. "You still haven't figured it out yet have you?" asked Near.

"Figured what out?" growled Shadow.

"That big meeting," he smiled "was with L".Shadow's eyes widened.

"If you want someone to blame for their death. Blame the very place you have been staying at for the past six months."

Shadow's mouth hung open. "I didn't just lose my parents on that day," she mumbled "I lost my brother too".

"It's Funny how everything ties in together. The very orphanage which requested a meeting with our parents in regards to my future, is the same orphanage who gave you two new brothers," said Near.

Thunder sounded again this time much louder the storm was coming. "But from what I hear you guys are no longer friends," he mumbled "that's a shame. You always seemed so happy with them".

The thunder sounded once again louder. It was here the storm right on top of them. "Shut up!" she screamed "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Don't play your stupid mind games with me Near! Make it stop!" her yelling was loud it could be heard from the hall.

Rain began pouring down, the thunder strikes were loud. "Because of you I have lost everything! I hate you! It's like the dream you took them away!" She screamed. Shadow turned and ran out of his room.

She bolted down the halls and towards her own room. Slamming the door she leaned against it panting. She clutched her sides heaving trying to catch her breath. The thunder sounded again. This time much, much louder.

Then through the gap in her curtains Shadow saw a lighting strike. It was bright and lit up her room. There was a crash and then a boom.

Shadow ran to her window and pulled the curtains back, just in time to see a tree branch fall on an electricity box out the front of the orphanage. Sparks flew everywhere some landed on dry leaves from the hot day they had before.

Shadow saw a spark and then a large flame. Fire! Shadows eyes widened at the fire. It was spreading fast and had already attached itself to the orphanage.

She spun on her heel and ran for the door. She raced out into the hallway, as she turned the corner she skidded to a stop. The fire had already spread to this part of the orphanage. She turned again and franticly ran in the opposite direction.

"I'll have to go the long way!" she yelled. She could feel the heat of the fire on her back. "It's spreading so quickly!" she thought to herself.

"Why?" She then remembered that only a few days ago the cleaners had done the floors. "Of course! The chemicals" Shadow dare not look back. She could feel the fire advancing on her. "My only chance of getting out is this way," she said to herself.

"I need to hurry, because," she panted her lungs were begging to ache from running and the smoke. "Because if the fire cuts of this hallway then," she took another breath she could hear herself wheezing. "Then I am done for!"

Meanwhile Roger ordered kids to get into lines out the front of the orphanage. "The fire department has been called!" yelled one of the teachers "they will be here in a matter of seconds!" "Good!" he yelled back.

Teachers were racing up and down of lines marking students off. Mello and Matt stood together "Oh great all my games were in my room!" Matt cried.

Mello shook his head "Not true you were playing your gameboy when we were told to evacuate". "Oh yeah that's great Mello, Wammy's house is going to be burnt down and the one game I get out of it is my crappiests one!" yelled Matt.

"Be grateful you got out!" Mello yelled back. "Boys! Stop bickering" yelled Mrs. Heather. "Now have either of you seen Shadow?" she asked.

"What you mean you can't find her?" asked Matt franticly. "No none of the other teachers have seen her so I thought you two might have been with her," replied Mrs. Heather.

"What so she isn't here? But everyone was suppose to be in the library for Roger's lecture," he pointed out. At that moment Near walked past the three and overheard a bit of the conversation.

"Shadow's missing?" he asked. "Yeah professor Einstein have you seen her?" Near blinked "I was talking to her just before the fire but she ran off. I though she would have gone to you two," he replied.

"Wait so if she wasn't with any of us and no teachers can find her there is only one answer," said Mello. "She's still inside".

The three looked at each other all at once panic in their eyes. Mrs. Heather looked away at the orphanage "impossible the fire alarms". She turned and grabbed Rogers arm as he walked past "Shadow is still in the building!" she yelled panicked.

Roger's eyes widened. "She must have been on the east side that's where it started!" he replied franticly. "That's where our rooms are!" yelled Matt. "You have to get her out!" yelled Mello.

"She'll be burnt to death!" Near looked at his hands "Shadow's scared of fire," he whispered. All of them looked at him at once.

"She is probably petrified". The sirens of the fire trucks echoed down the street. Roger and Mrs. Heather raced off towards them. "Near," Mello put his hand on the boys shoulder.

"She will be okay". Near closed his eyes "this is all my fault Mello, I'm suppose to be her brother but instead I treat her like my enemy. If she dies I will never forgive myself," he sobbed. "She isn't going to die!" yelled Mello "She will be okay, I know it!"

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Ahhhh the suspense and a little cliffy for you guys I am so mean! Omg what's going to happened I don't know but where're going to find out soon for sure =D Anyways I want FIVE or more reviews before the update. The more reviews the quicker I update. Thankyou to EVERYONE who has reviewed and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Ps. xXGoody Not-So-Great MeXx likes updates like this?? =P