The Boy Next Door

Chapter 6: Mysteries

I could feel it again.

The searing heat, running through my body, my veins, my heart. It was twisting and turning around my arms, licking each muscle as it consumed my hole body.

Pain could not begin to describe what I was feeling.

I felt like a star in a supernova.

It was the same scene, again.

I was in the nature reserve, trees everywhere looking down at me, with their large branches waving in the harsh wind, telling me to run. So I did, but I kept coming back to the same cabin, the same lake and the same screams. Like I was on a circular path straight back to hell.

No escape.

Every time she screamed it ripped right through me like I was sheet of wrapping paper on Christmas morning. The shrill sound was full of panic, urgency and desperation and I could do nothing, I tried going in the fiery cabin but as soon as I entered I ended back in the dark clearing, outside the glowing and moaning cabin with the mouth to hell as it's front door.

But, this time was different.

I could hear someone else's voice in the trees, not just my own pleas for help. She was calling to me but I couldn't find her.

As I ran out of there clearing all the noise stopped. I couldn't hear the crackling of the burning cabin, or the harsh howls of the angry wind. There was nothing everything was still except the sweat dripping from every inch of my body. I stepped forward, not realizing my exact location, and stumbled off of high ground. Cartwheeling towards the iron lake below, twigs and bushes slicing my skin in millions if tiny cuts and gashes. The fall seemed to take forever, until the startling cold water paralyzed my hole body. I tried to swim but it was as if someone was holding my arms down and tied my ankles together.

The burning stopped. Replaced by a burning need for oxygen.

Until that was it, everything went black and I felt myself hit the bottom.

___________•¥•____________

Drenched with sweat, I woke up on the soft floor of my new bedroom. I often woke up like this, heart pounding, excruciating head pains and face first on the floor.

I checked my clock it was only 9pm, I had crashed out after school, due to another headache. They had only just started last year, sometimes it would get so bad that I would crouch on the floor and hold my head to stop it from exploding.

I grabbed a clean pair of sweatpants and put them on slowly not wanting to topple over, then headed to the bathroom, the carpet felt homely and comforting underfoot it was nice especially when everything else was changing.

As I neared the bathroom a small figure, clouded by steam, emerged from the white wooden door. At first I thought it was Theo, but no. This girl had lovely, long, brown hair, the colour of rich chocolate mixed with honey hues and highlights. She looked so small and vulnerable, her beauty was overbearing I couldn't help but stare. My eyes wide with confusion and awe. I shook my head to clear it, when I noticed the girl's confused expression.

"Hi I'm Aleks..." I said, surprised at how shy I sounded, and extended my hand out. Realizing that that wouldn't be very important i quickly added "Theodora's brother" causing the questioned look on the girls face to disappear, even with a small smile illuminating her face she looked sad and haunted.

She looked, on the outside, how I felt on the inside."Are you all right?" the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them

"Umm... Yeah I am now." she said a little flirtatiously, or was I looking too far into it?

"I'm Selana, Theo's friend... and neighbour, which also means I am your neighbour to.

So hello neighbour" I would be lying if I denied the fact that my heart leaped at little, with hope, when she told me that she was now my neighbour, but I couldn't stop thinking that her voice sounded so familiar, so sweet and so strong at the same time. I suddenly realized how disheveled I looked and why I was out here in the first place.

"Well...It was nice to meet you" I said trying not to sound rude

"You too, well I best get back to your sister." she said turning around centimetres away from the wall, making her cheeks flush red, my heart sank a little when she didn't turn around.

What is wrong with me!? I've only just met the girl and my brain has turned into mush