Haunting Dream

I had the same dream again. They know that I’m here. They’re trying to “cure” me. To make me who I truly am, a vampire.
I’ve gone back to my hometown. I don’t know how but I’m back to being a teenager again. It’s senior year at the high school I never graduate from. I walk around the hallway and see the faces of the people I’ve known for years. I decide if I’m going to be here I might as well become part of the theatre department again. But first I must find the band because I want to rejoin, sort of. I crack open the door and peek into the classroom. It’s different from what I remember. There are computers in there and everyone sits in front of them, following along with the band director. I think I’m in the wrong classroom and as I’m about to leave a woman notices me and asks what I’m here for. I tell her that I’m looking for the band department. She says that I have the right class and then very rudely tells me to sit down. I see my old and close friend Nisha. I smile and take a seat next to her. As the band director continues to speak, I find myself getting increasingly bored. With his acute senses, the director looks up at me and asks what I’m doing here. I tell him how I kind of what to join the band. He says that I want to perform in recitals. I say no. He says that I want to accompany a singer while they perform. I say no. He looks at me with great frustration and asks what is that I want to do? I try to explain to him in the most confusing words that I can muster. I want to perform with a singer but not in a recital or as an accompanist only. I don’t want to be part of the band as a whole and I don’t want to do any marching. Actually I don’t tell him about the marching part but I was thinking it anyway. With every passing word the director becomes more and more confused until my friend Nisha speaks up for me and explains in simple words what I want. The band director agrees and I feel I should let him know that I am not a flute player but a saxophone player. HE looks very disappointed by that revelation.
As class continues I start to see more and more faces of people I know; Ashley, Kim, Shannon, Dave. All these people I haven’t seen since I left. Once class is finished I walk over to them and say hello. They are all happy to see me and ask how I have been. Even though we are all back to being seventeen again, it is like they know I have been gone for years. Everyone is more conscious and aware of the past. We slowly trickle out of the classroom and I walk with Nisha down the hallway. I see more people that I use to know and they all wave at me. They either take the time to stop and talk, or shout to me that they will meet up with me later. Nisha and I make our way over to her locker. As we arrive someone strange comes out of the corner. It’s a man who looks old, dirty, and dangerous. I tell Nisha to get back. I know what he is. He jumps up to attack us. I grab him by the arms and throw him down to the ground. I search the surrounding area for something wooden. A student walks by with a piece of wood in her hand from shop class. I take the wood and shove it into the man’s heart. He laughs as he tries to remove the wood. I jump on top of him and shove the wood deeper inside his chest. Suddenly a woman out of nowhere jumps on top of me, knocking me off the man. She flashes a deadly grin and lunges towards me. I dodge her attack. I run over to the man and break off a piece of wood that protrudes from his chest. I run back to the woman and we wrestle on the ground. I feel her chest close to mine and shove the wood right into her heart. As I lift my head up to see if Nisha is all right, I notice the man has tried and succeeded in removing the wood from his heart. I’m lost in a cloud of confusion. What is happening? The woman near me starts to laugh as she tries to remove the wood from her chest. I quickly get off the ground and way from the woman and push past the man who tries to get up from the floor. I see Nisha and grab her by the arm. I tell her we have to run now. Suddenly a student appears in front of me. She looks at me with these painful, vengeful eyes and says to me that she cursed me. “I’ve taken away your powers. Your weapons are useless against them.” I don’t have time for questions and I just pull Nisha by the arm and run. We run outside to the school grounds.
The school resides by a river. Even though it is modern times there is an old castle across the river that has stood for centuries. There is plenty of green grass and trees. On a beautiful spring day the children love to play outside in the fields. The river is so blue and clear. The trees dance in the wind, along with the students. Laughter rings in the air as birds sing and the sky is so bright with hints of pink from the setting sun. Everything is so light and full of color, that the students and faculty have felt it is the only place on earth one could truly see heaven.
When we step outside, the first thing I hear is agonizing screams. The river is dark and red with blood. Flames sway in the wind from the trees branches. The students and faulty run across the field looking for help or shelter. The sky is blackened and fills with smoke from the trees. More people, like the man and the woman from the hallway, cover the grounds. They are demons inside a human vessel, thirsty for blood, pain, and suffering. They grab students from off the ground with such delight that one can tell they take pride in their actions. Nisha pauses for a moment as she sees the destruction before us. I once again pull at her arm and tell her we have to move now. I guide her across the fields, focusing on finding shelter, as I watch one of our friends scream for help as she is taken by a demon. I run harder and faster than I have ever known. I see the back of an old friend in the distance. One who has helped me fight these creatures before. I call to him and pray that he can hear me. That smile quickly fades as I see the blood surrounding his mouth. I forgot. It is the past and he has not been changed yet. Two years from now he will be my ally but as of this moment he is my enemy. I continue to run and see some people fighting demons up ahead. They look like warriors and I decide that’s where we need to go. Abruptly I come to a stop, for before me is a winding brick staircase that towers to the sky. At the foot of the stairs are three people who recite a prayer. The stairs begin to burn away, descending from above to below, as a figure of a man walks down them. For a moment I feel hop that the Lord has sent us a savior from above.
“Nice fireworks there, my man,” says one man at the bottom of stairs.
“Thank you. It’s all in the presentation,” replies the figure as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. I see his malicious smile and realize these are not people at all but demons putting on a show. They know no one will come to save us and want to torment those with hope. I pull Nisha away with disgust. I hear the cries of a woman voice, commanding those in earshot to follow her. I see ahead a woman in uniform armed with a crossbow. She fires an arrow at a demo to the left of her. He receives it right in his chest and through his heart. Nisha and I and a few others follow her to a hastily made fortress and barricades. There are many frightened students and teachers around. I finally let go of Nisha’s arm and I walk to where the fighters are to see if there is anything I can do to help. The battle will rage on throughout the night.
As the sun slowly rises I can see the fields are divided into two, with the majority of it occupied by the demons. Some students have decided to join the demons and fight near the barracks. The castle has been burned down. Only it’s skeleton remains. I can see there are sheep on the other side of the river near the castle. They are in the fields, eating the still green grass. I slowly land on top of one and break its neck. I begin to suck its blood with a great sense of satisfaction. Quickly I open my eyes. My heart pounds in my chest as I try to catch my breath. It’s just a dream. I look around me and see my friend Nisha asleep in the corner. We are still in the fortress and it is morning. As I release a sigh of ease, I notice a bitter taste in my mouth. I put my finger in it to investigate. When I remove the finger, I see blood on it. It wasn’t just a dream. The demons know I am here. They want to “cure” me. They want to make me who I truly am, a vampire.

…To be continued.