Creative Heavens

I try not to scream as I feel its breath on the back of my neck. I keep on running, not knowing where I am heading. All I know is that I am in a forest and running for my life. I could hear the creature's growls and that send chills down my spine. Suddenly, I trip on a rock that I did not notice and fall face down on the ground, hard. Before I could get up, the creature jumps on me and starts snarling with hunger. I am doomed. There is no way out. And then...

I wake up with a parched throat and sweat running down my face. Looking around in the dark, I realize that I am on my bed in my room. My clock shows that it is three in the morning. No forest. No hungry beast. Relief washes over me. It was just a nightmare, a very realistic nightmare. Still feeling a little bit shaken, I decide to go to the kitchen for a glass of water as yes, I am too afraid to fall back asleep.

Upon drinking the water, I am immediately cooled and not to mention, thinking about how foolish I was to feel scared of a stupid dream. As I look out the window, I notice a faint orange glowing light from the woods. “That's odd. What is that?” I think out loud. Edging closer to the window, I can see that the light is getting dimmer, as it moves further deeper into the woods. Curious, I decide I would follow it. So, I put on a coat and grabbed a torchlight. Before leaving, I decide to take along my Swiss army knife, it might come in handy.

The air is damp and cold wind blows into my face as I make my way into the woods. I have been here many times as a kid so I know that I can always find my way back. Slowly I walk with the aid of my torchlight, trying to find the light. The woods is unexceptionally quiet tonight. There are not even the sounds of crickets or frogs that I am so used to hearing. I keep on walking, pulling the coat tighter. And then I see it, the moving light! I cannot see clearly as the trees are blocking but no doubt it is the light. I hesitate for a brief moment, wondering if I should really continue on or head back home. But my curiousity got the better of me so I decide I would follow it.

As I get closer to the light I can see that someone, a girl actually, is carrying it. The source of the light is the crystal-like ball she is holding. I cannot see her face properly. She walks as if in a trance, not really looking ahead. This is getting weird. What on Earth is a girl doing here in the middle of the night? Not to mention holding a strange ball of light. Should I let her know of my presence? I decide not to as that might ruin whatever she is planning to do. So as quietly as I can, I follow her, trying not to snap the twigs on the ground as I walk.

Suddenly, as we reach a clearing in the woods, she stops walking. Feeling a bit afraid yet excited, I stop as well, holding my breath and wait. Slowly, she turns around and faces me. Her eyes, as black as charcoal lock into my clear green ones. I freeze, not knowing what to do. She has really fair but pale skin, pointy ears and long messy black hair. She looks young and bedraggled but the most disturbing part is her face. It is full of scratches and there is a long deep scar stretching from her right eye all the way to her mouth. There are also some strange symbols which seem to have been etched onto her forehead. Then, she smiles eerily and beckons me to come closer.

As if there is some sort of magnetic force pulling me, I slowly move towards her even though my mind is telling me to run away. She seems even more horrendous up close. Feeling her eyes burning into mine, I quickly look at the ball. It is glowing brightly and I could see my face being reflected on it. She moves it upwards and closer, looking at me with that creepy smile and I instinctively take a step backwards. However, she seems not to have noticed but instead moves closer to me. Slowly my hand reaches and touches the ball and upon contact, I could feel energy from my body being sucked into the ball. I am getting weaker but I could not remove my hand. All the while, she looks at me and perhaps it is just my imagination but she seems to be getting younger.

All of a sudden, I hear a deafening roar somewhere behind me and that made me use whatever strength I have left to push the ball away. I fall to my knees, hands on my head that is throbbing with pain. The girl looks displeased and as she takes a few steps backwards, there is a flash of blinding light causing me to cover my eyes. When I open them again, she has vanished. I am all alone in the dark woods. Slowly and steadily, I try to get up when I suddenly feel something's breath on my neck. That something growls hungrily and I know then that my nightmare is becoming a reality. I take a deep breath and turn to face the creature. And then...

“Jasper! For the last time, come down for dinner!” Mrs Brown yells. Jasper groans and unwillingly put down his book next to the bowl with his pet goldfish. He wants to finish up the story but he knows better than to cross his mom. He has borrowed that book from the school's library this morning and has been really engrossed in the story ever since. As he rushes down for dinner, he wonders whether the nightmare of the character is truly turning real and if the girl with the ball means anything significant. Whatever it is, he would find out soon enough.