I was running. Running for so long. Racing through the trees as if some monster was chasing me. I couldn't stop running, even if I wanted to. I just kept moving forward. On and on through the forest.
At first I thought it was never going to stop, that I would be stuck racing against the trees forever, until I saw sunlight up ahead. I sprinted towards it, and within seconds I staggered into a clearing. I was finally able to slow down, and eventually stop. I placed my hands on my knees, basically panting to try and get my breath back.
Once I was finally breathing normally, I looked around, trying to figure out where exactly I was. Immediately, I recognized my surroundings. I was in Factionless territory. I could see headquarters ahead of me in the distance, and the forest that was behind it that I just came out of. I squinted at the building, and realized that Kat and Audrey were standing there, apparently waiting for me. There was more though. Tobias and his friends were there too, off to the side.
I had the sudden urge to run again, so I did. I ran as fast as I could towards them, and I was close enough to hear Kat and Audrey calling out to me. I was only a few feet away from them when, BOOM! The entire building suddenly exploded, momentarily blinding me and throwing me backwards like a title wave.
I laid there in a heap, my ears ringing and my eyes stinging. Finally, I was able to use my limbs again, so I staggered upright, but almost immediately crumpled back down when I saw my home engulfed in a blazing patch of flames. My home with my family in it. Gone.
My already red eyes flooded with tears, and I let a scream rip through my throat.
—-
"Ah!" I gasp, jolting up abruptly in my bed.
I'm breathing so heavily that I'm half certain I'm having a panic attack, sweat is painted onto every inch of my body, and there's something trickling down my face. I gingerly reach up and brush it off, realizing it's coming from my eyes. MY EYES ARE LEAKING! WHY ARE THEY LEAKING?! AND DON'T YOU DARE SAY I AM CRYING, BECAUSE I AM NOT CRYING! IT'S RAINING. YES, IT IS RAINING INDOORS. THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE!
"Arrow!" A sudden sharp voice snaps in my ear, causing me to jump. I look behind me, and see to my immense relief that it's Kat, and she's totally not blown up. Although, it seems as if she's been trying to get my attention for the past few seconds, since she looks both concerned and annoyed. "What is going on? Why are you crying?"
I am NOT crying. Edgar must have snuck onions in here while we were sleeping. That conniving little motherfu-
"Arrow! Focus!" Kat cries, clapping her hands right in front of my face. That immediately breaks me out of my trance, and I'm finally able to look my girlfriend in the eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"It's nothing, just a bad dream." I mutter, getting out of bed.
"Where are you going?" She demands, but I don't answer, I just walk out into the hall, closing the door behind me.
I just need to be alone for a little while. I need to think. I need to take my brain out of the deep fryer it's apparently been soaking in for the past few months and actually sort my shit out. Focus Arrow. Focus.
My focus is then promptly shattered as I walk straight into a cement wall. NO. The wall got in MY way. IT'S THE WALLS FAULT I LOOK LIKE A TOTAL MORON RIGHT NOW. Not. Mine.
"Well, that looked like it hurt." A very extremely annoying voice says behind me, and without even looking at him I know exactly who he is.
"Why do you show up at the worst times, Edgar?" I groan, thumping my head down on the wall that is now my mortal enemy.
"Well, I saw you wandering the halls like some zombie high on crack, so I thought I'd offer you some information that might ease your mind a little." He says pleasantly.
I turn around and give him a dry look. "What, the hell, are you talking about?"
Edgar grins at me, then says.
"Tobias and his friends are gone."