The few hours I slept that night were not very pleasant. I awoke in Kieran's arms, panting and frightened from a terrifying feeling dream. I was standing in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by a meadow. Before me in the distance I could see what appeared to be a lady. As the mystery women drew nearer and nearer, my eyes widened to see before me the most unsettlingly familiar face. "Mother?" I whispered, almost in tears. I wanted to leap into her arms and hug her tight like I was a child again, but something wouldn't let me. It was like my whole body was incapable of moving faster than that of a snail, or like I was stuck in deep mud. I tried to cry for her, but nothing came out. She outstretched her hand and I did the same, the both of us desperately trying to grasp each other, but we were always just out of reach. I felt both bitterly depressed and infuriated at my helplessness.
"Nigel," she whispered. "I'm gone."
My eyebrows furrowed as the tears of defeat streamed down my cheeks. Again, I called out to ask what she was talking about but no sound came out. "I'm gone," she repeated. "I'm gone." And with each reiteration of those haunting two words, she seemed to dissipate further and further away from me. In my pointless determination to get to her, I continued my struggle but soon felt a disturbing presence behind me. I didn't turn around but I knew I didn't want to. I just knew, though when I awoke I couldn't tell you at all what I believed the presence to be in the dream. Dreams or nightmares are so funny that way. They make sense to you when you're in them and the next day when you try to explain it you don't quite know how. By the time I had felt this dark presence behind me, my mother's image had disappeared and I was still fruitlessly trying to run, only now I was running away from something instead of towards something. This went on for what felt like an eternity, and as I felt the presence almost grabbing me from behind despite never feeling the sensation of hands on my body, I screamed and awoke.
I explained the dream to everyone and Kieran warned me not to take dreams lightly. "They are powerful signs Nigel," he said, the most serious I had ever seen him. By this time I believed much of Kieran's superstitions, though I still felt that sometimes he put far too much meaning into something that had none. I wanted to believe that this was one of those times, but I couldn't shake the idea that I was trying to be told something. Whether it was my subconscious telling me this unclear message or a divine force like Kieran believed, I still didn't understand it.
I decided it was best to leave it alone. It was something that I should just forget about and focus on the task at hand. I was going to meet James Mallory. I didn't want to admit it at the time, but there was something that made me feel uneasy in myself. It was hard to understand and I spent so much time hating him that when the time to face him drew near, a wash of apprehension came over me. I told myself that it was just my nerves and maybe a healthy dose of fear, but I knew deep in my soul that it was more than that. I think a part of me didn't want to hate him. He was my father after all, and yet he was the last person in the world I would consider to be my father. I know it doesn't make sense, but feelings never make sense do they? It's the only thing I always refuse to apologize for. My feelings are my feelings despite how much others try to invalidate them because it's the one thing that truly reminds me I'm not a monster. I am human and humans are complicated. Unsurprisingly I refused to allow myself any feelings of sympathy or compassion towards the monster that murdered my mother, even if it meant I would be the new murderous monster. Of course I didn't see it that way, but it's something I often wish I had. But, I'm getting ahead of myself my darlings, and I don't want to spoil the ending for you so let's move on shall we? Don't worry we are nearing the climax, the "grand finale" if you will. Just sit tight.
ESTÁ A LER
NIGEL
FantasiaNigel Mallory was born into a fallen world where the towns are surrounded by dark forests and covered by the tree canopy to hide from the dragons that fly overhead. Little did he know the real danger he faced was right at home when he and his mothe...
