FicWad

By the time I finish telling my story, it's nearly the next day. 11:30 p.m. Wow, it took me longer than I thought to explain a month's worth of nightmares. Julius looks at me. His face is unreadable, so I can't tell if he thinks I'm crazy. He should. Heck, I think I'm crazy!

"So ..." he begins slowly. "These ... nightmares, would you call them?"

"More like visions," I say, realizing how stupid I sound. This could be right out of a movie.

He nods, and looks, surprisingly, like he understands. "I thought something was wrong. Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

I laugh. "Ha! You think I didn't want to? I was scared, Julius. Scared of what you'd think. I was scared you'd think I was crazy. And scared that maybe ... maybe the eyes ... that they'd ... Oh, I don't know. Hurt me."

Julius bites his lip, unsure of what to say. "I haven't known anything to scare you, Delilah. Not ever. This is really serious, isn't it?"

I merely nod. He bobs his head, too. "I ... I'm sorry, De, but I ... I don't know what to do. I don't know if ... if ..."

For some reason, I feel my throat tighten, the way it does when you cry. My eyes water and I choke back a sob. I don't want to cry in front of him, but I can't help it. My whole body is wracked with sobs, and I can't stop shaking. I guess I thought that when I told him, everything would be better. The eyes would go away. That everything would be OK. Or I thought he'd be able to protect me. Bound into my room, waving a magic sword and cut down the demons in the dark. But it's time to face reality. That's not going to happen. I'm in the middle of a battle that I don't know if I can win.

Strong arms wrap around me. Julius draws me close to his body and whispers soothing words in my ear. He tells me everything will be fine, that we'll beat this somehow. We'll, he says. Now I've dragged him into this. He won't back out, now that he knows I'm in danger.

A warm feeling washes over me, and my crying slowly comes to a stop. I feel Julius lay me down on the bed, and then I fall asleep.

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[Next day]

I wake up a few hours later, feeling slightly better. I check the clock. 1:26 a.m. I roll over, but can't get back to sleep. I decide I'm in dire need of a shower, and slide out of bed. Tip-toeing across the room, I reach the bathroom. It's so incredibly dark inside that I'm afraid to go in. Sticking my hand into the inky darkness, I fumble around until I find a light switch. I flick it on, and close the door quietly.

Locking the door, I turn to look a my reflection in the mirror. I gasp and laugh. My hair is greasy and tangled in dozens of places. Dark circles hover under my eyes. I remind myself of a zombie. I find a brush on the counter and begin the painful task of combing my hair.

About half an hour later, I'm done. I take my clothes off and step into the shower. As the water washes over me, I feel relaxed for the first time in days. There is a gentle knock on the door, followed by Julius' voice.

"Delilah? Is that you?"

"No, it's Santa Clause." I reply, grinning. I can use my humor again. Maybe everything will be all right ...

As I think that, I feel the dizzy feeling come back. I stumble in the shower, almost falling. I quickly switch the water off and hop out of the shower. Everything is blurring, and I know I don't have much time before I'm out again.

"Delilah?" Julius shouts. "Is something wrong? You just got in."

I can't answer. With a great effort, I pull on my pyjama pants and shirt. Just as the dizziness reaches a new level, it disappears. I close my eyes in frustration. It was a false alarm.

The door bangs open, and Julius runs in. He grabs my shoulders and yells, "Are you OK?"

"I'm not deaf," I murmur, waggling a finger in my ear.

Then, completely out of the blue, the dizziness is back. My eyes roll back and I slump forward. The last thing I hear is Julius scream, "DELILAH?!"

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I open my eyes and see Julius. His face is a picture of horror as he screams my name over and over again. "Relax, Jules," I say. "I'm OK."

I reach out my hand to touch him, but it goes right through his shoulder. My eyes widen in fear as I turn around. There is me - or rather, my body - laying limp in his arms.

"Oh my God!" I cry. "I'm dead!"

"No," says a voice. A voice I remember. The voice from my dream-vision-thing about the Academy.

I whirl around and gasp. There behind me is a woman in her middle ages, dressed in a black robe. Her skin is an unhealthy white. She is hovering off the floor. Her grey eyes stare into mine, and make me shiver.

"Who ..." I stammer, "W-who are y-y-y-you?"

The woman closes her eyes. "I am Usha," she says in her strange, whispered voice. "I am High Queen of Demons, Servant of the Dark One. I have business with you, Delilah Devonshire."

I gasp again. "What do you want with me?" I demand, my fear overcome by anger. "Are you the eyes?"

Usha scowls. "How dare you insult me by suggesting I am those meek demons? No, they are merely my minions. I am much more powerful than they. As for what I want with you, Delilah Devonshire, you are called to be a Sacrifice."

"A sacrifice?" I repeat. "As if. Why me, anyway?"

The strange woman shakes her head, as if I have asked a foolish question. "Ten centuries ago, your ancestor pledged loyalty to my master, the Dark One. He swore that if my master ever needed him, he would be willing and able. But your kinsman was killed before his time came. Now, the Dark One is ready, and you are called to fulfil your Blood Oath."

"Blood Oath?" I frown. "You have to be mistaken. You have the wrong person. I can't be a sacrifice!"

Usha takes my arm. Her skin is cold like death. "You have no choice! If the Dark One is to keep on living, he must absorb the life force of his followers. I was the first. You will become like me."

I shake off the demon and step back. "What if I refuse?"

Usha narrows her eyes. "I can not force you to come to the Dark One. If the Sacrifice is to be pure, you must come of free will. But I have ways"-Her eyes dart to a corner. I look and see another black robed figure appear. In his hand he clutches a bow and quiver-"of convincing people to join."

The figure draws his bow, aiming for my body. I scream loudly, "JULIUS!! DUCK!!"

Julius looks around wildly, but throws himself to the ground. The arrow thuds into the back of the door, shattering the mirror hanging there. But I didn't have to worry. The arrow was aimed much to high; it wouldn't have hit me.

I turn to Usha and sneer. "Your pals can't aim."

Usha shakes her head, smiling. I feel myself being pulled into my body. Her last words chill my heart. "My dear, what makes you think that it was meant for you?"

Just before everything begins fading to black, I glimpse something out the window. Snowflakes fall from the sky and settle on the sill.

"The night of the first snow, the Destruction will occur."
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Dun dun dunnnnnn, right? Ha, you're all going to hate me for this because tomorrow after school I'm leaving for the weekend! I'm off to Southern Alberta Bible Camp, kids! So, I'll see you when I see you ... which is technically never, but you know what I mean. Adios!! =]