Chapter 3: Enter Sandman

The boy had been sitting in the calm atmosphere of the pickup for almost 10 minutes now. The peace of mind involved with being in an area safer than the now pitch black woods almost made him forget about the big scary wolf monster among the trees. Almost. One doesn't simply forget a sight like that in their lifetime. He wasn't afraid of much but that...that thing, made him sick to his stomach.

The wind had picked up, causing the pickup to rock lightly back and forth with each gust. The night sky was starless with the only light being that of which streamed from the broken moon. Broken moon!? This place is weird.

After another few minutes of rest, he sat his seat up with a tinge of reluctance in his movements. I guess inventory is the first thing I should do, that's what they do on all those survivor shows anyway.

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans and pulled out all the contents and set them on his lap, then, picking first out of the bunch his phone, he turned it on yielding the familiar startup sound. As suspected, no service.

Using the phone's screen as a flashlight, he then began to investigate the rest of his pocket's contents. Wallet. Keys. Pocket change. After shoving the mostly useless items back in his pockets he began rummaging through the glove box and center console yielding a swiss army knife and a tin of mints.

He threw a handful of mints in his mouth before turning his body around so he could rummage through the backseat of the vehicle. Black leather coat. Opened bag of beef jerky. Acoustic guitar. His sea bag.

Settling back into his seat, the boy was not overly happy with his findings but satisfied, it would make survival just a little bit easier than it was before no matter how marginally of a difference it was. Oh wait! Looking in his rearview mirror he confirmed that his tool box was still suspended between the walls of his pickup bed along with a gas welding cart his dad stuck in his pickup to use in the field.

Letting out a yawn, the boy opted to simply check it in the morning. Besides, it was better to be spotted by a wolf monster in broad daylight where it could be visible rather than at night where he could be, I don't know, mauled to death and not even see it coming. Forgetting his worries about his current situation, he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The boy awoke to the soundscape of the loud beeping of the alarm clock on his phone, shouts to "wake the hell up" from his mom, and the loud slam of his home's front door.

Rubbing his eyes with one hand, he reached over with his other to grab his phone. After silencing the wretched thing that woke him from such beautiful slumber, he glanced at the time. 7:15.

"Ah fuck, Imma be late for that Pre-Algebra study session," he stated matter of factly. It wasn't that he didn't give a shit about school and good grades. It was that he didn't give MUCH of a shit about school and good grades.

Climbing out of bed, he decided to at least make it look like he was trying to be on time. Throwing on some socks, boxers, jeans, and a black band t-shirt with a green button up over top, He was almost ready to face the world.

Shoving his phone in his pocket and dashing to the bathroom, he took care of his morning hygiene ritual before grabbing a pop tart and bolting out the door.

Once outside he hopped the railing on the deck and jogged to his pickup as he pet the top of his two dogs heads. As soon as he was inside, the engine roared to life and his phone was connected to the auxiliary cord post haste. The song "Into The Sun" by Parlor Mob began to blare over the speakers.

All my life I've been chasing something
I feel fate breathing down my neck
If the road I'm on somehow leads me nowhere
No retreats men no regrets

'Cause I'm not going to break
and there ain't no mistakes
and there ain't no turning back

Out of the darkness
And into the light of love
Though for now it seems this struggle has only begun

I'm still believing
Our day is going to come
When we step out of the shadows and into the sun
Into the sun

Say a prayer for a generation
Hope is frail in this modern times
In a cold world of complication
I refuse to be left behind

And I'm not going to break
Nobody can take
This feeling from my soul

Out of the darkness
And into the light of love
Though for now it seems this struggle has only begun

I'm still believing
Our day is going to come
When we step out of the shadows and into the sun
Into the suuuuuuuuuuuuuuun
Into the suuuuuuuuuuuuuuun

Out of the darkness
And into the light of love
Though for now it seems this struggle has only begun

I'm still believing
Our day is going to come
When we step out of the shadows and into the sun
Into the sun

The song came to a close minutes later as he began to round a curve in the road, flying 75 in a 65 zone. At that moment a black blur appeared in his peripheral vision just before slamming into the side of his truck as his eyes screwed shut only to open to...a broken moon and the darkness of night!?