Chapter 2: Nightmare
Zac continued his slow trek down the road, trying his best to avoid the various pieces of trash scattered alongside it. What was worse than traipsing down the highway at night? Traipsing down the highway with bleeding feet.
Or, you know, getting abducted by a shadowy mass and put on said highway.
Luckily, the moon was full, giving him at least a tiny bit of light, along with a car passing by now and then. He wrapped his arms around himself to shield himself from the cold. With only his pajamas, he had no escape from the icy winds.
Well, at least if I get robbed and murdered, they won't be able to get much.
Over the past hour, he had been steadily making his way towards Brockton Bay, and the city was now in view. Like its name suggests, a small city bordering the sea. The lights of which pierced the sky, washing away the darkness.
Headlights washed over him as another car crested the hill behind him. With arm still wrapped around himself for warmth, he outstretched his hand with his thumb upright, hoping the driver would give him a lift.
He could see the car steadily decelerate. Not committing to picking him up, but slowing down just in case. As the car steadily passed him, he momentarily locked eyes with said driver, doing his best to give him the puppy dog eyes. Thankfully, the car continued to decelerate and pulled over to the side of the road just ahead of him.
Hehehehe, works every time!
Zac jogged up to the car with haste, not wanting the driver to leave him behind out of impatience. He could see the window was rolled down, and made his way over.
"You want a ride?" the driver asked.
Zac was about to respond, only for his words to catch in his throat as he finally got a good look at the driver.
"Oi, do you want a ride or not?" the driver asked again, his irritation rising.
"Uhm-uh," Zac stuttered, before adding, "You know what? It's not far from the city."
The driver eyed him, seemingly not believing his words.
"Just out for a morning jog, and I could use the exercise. My girl says I've put on weight, haha," Zac added with a smile while rubbing his abdomen.
"At 2 in the morning?"
"I, uh, work nights?"
"Are you asking me or telling me?"
"Uh, telling. Yes. I definitely work nights."
Zac wanted nothing more than a lift until he saw the driver. He had unnaturally smooth, white skin and hair. That wasn't too crazy in itself, but his eyes were that same white, lacking pupils, iris, and blood vessels. Dang, can this guy even see? How's he driving?
"Oh, I see," the driver responded. "Not a fan of supers, ay?"
"Pffff, no. I love me some supers?" Zac replied with a chuckle, all the while trying to hide his nervousness. What the hell are supers?
"Think I might blow us up or something? Maybe rob a bank on the way into town?"
"What? No, you look like a swell guy."
"See, now I know you're lying, kid," the driver replied. "Lucky for you, I have somewhere to be. You have fun with your exercise now. I hope it don't rain on you."
With that, the driver was peeling off onto the road again and leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. The world returned to darkness as Zac's eyes adjusted to the absence of light once more.
Where the fuck did you send me?!
Receiving no answer from the shadowy god monster, Zac released a long sigh.
The name of the city still went around and around in his head, but he still had yet to place it. Judging by the guy's accent, I'm at least still in America.
…
What about the weirdo in the car, though?
Zac began walking again, the frustration beginning to build. Maybe I should have just got in the damn car!
Looking to the moon above, he froze once again. Another person, this one floating in the night sky. The man was wearing a bluish-green skin tight suit, with a hood covering his head. He wore a mask, which was the same bluish green, which hid his features, but Zac could see the two glowing eyes looking in his direction.
You've got to be kidding me! Another, what was the word he used? Cape?
All at once, the name of the city clicked, memories aligned. Brockton Bay? Like in the book? What was it again? Beetle? Beetlejuice? No, not that. Worm!
He hadn't connected the dots earlier, because who the hell would guess that they had been transported inside a book?
Then that's… Eidolon?
Zac erupted into laughter, his mad cackles echoing throughout the night. Another beam of light crested the hill, slightly blinding him. It was another car traveling in the dead of night, but he couldn't focus on anything besides the flying man.
I really am in a nightmare! Yes! Haha! Yes!
He could hear the car drawing closer, the lights beginning to blind him.
I'm going to wake up in my bed, and this will all have been a dream! I just gotta wake up!
Giddy with excitement, he turned his head to the oncoming car. All a dream! A massive smile adorned his face as he stepped into the road. The car was traveling too fast to stop in time, but that didn't seem to deter the driver from trying.
The driver had seen him, a crazy person standing in the road, and slammed his foot on the brakes. He could hear the high-pitched whine of the brakes trying to stop the metal mass from mowing him down, but it was too little, too late.
Gotta wake up!
Zac looked up, still with a smile on his face, at the floating figure who was now flying straight towards him with speed that outmatched the car. He saw the man's hands aglow with balls of light, reaching out to him.
"Don't worry!" Zac spoke softly to the figure. "It's just a bad dream!"
Author's note - Following chapters should be longer. I just wanted to end this chapter here.