It hurts.

Oh, God...

It hurts so damn much

Those three words were the only thing that I could think about. The pain...oh god the pain was unbearable. It felt like burning piles of wood had embedded itself onto my back. Probably due to me being under a half a ton of burning rubble lying comfortably on my body. Or it could be the alcohol that sat uncomfortably in my stomach but most likely the former. I try to move to lift this burning pile of trash off me like I once saw in a Marvel movie once when I was a kid.

I had a mental image of what I wanted to accomplish and with sheer willpower, I did...absolutely nothing. I mean I genuinely tried but my legs wouldn't no they couldn't move. At the slightest nudge jolts of pain arched from my foot to my waist. I let out an unearthly scream the pain made my vision bounce back and forth.

Sweat began to drench any clothes remaining on my body. My throat felt like sandpaper. My skin felt like I was being cooked alive in an oven. The most coherent thing I could say was help and that on it's on brought a mountain of pain.

I try to call out for help but the only thing coming out of my mouth was an unhealthy wheeze. I felt the fire creep ever so close to my body.the heat began to sheer off some of the skin on my calf.

My mind began to wail and I try to find something anything that could help me. But as I look around I instantly regret it. On the floor lay an ungodly sight.

There right in front of me was a bloody mangled corpse. There a couple of feet behind it was the gruesome remains of a shattered skull floating in an abundant poll of crimson red. Some of the flesh surrounding the head was blackened and their facial features were incredibly distorted.

Bile began to burn in the back of my throat and an unsettling desire to throw up was quickly replaced with the fear of what happened to him.

In the shadows there stood a lone feminine figure slowly making her way towards me.

That's it I am saved. That is what replayed in my mind. Saved, saved...what I did not notice is the cold delibrance in how it walked not like to save a life..but to end one.

I thought I was saved but as she came closer as I saw it I knew I couldn't be further from the truth.

Instead of a person coming to save me it was fear who came out to greet me. It has no nose no face no distinguishable facial features of any kind. Yet without any expressions present, I felt an endless amount of dread. My heart want to beat itself out of my chest.

"You." it says slowly ever so slowly making her way towards me. Her voice if I could even call it that was an amalgamation of thousands of screams and gut-wrenching cries.

"Itsssss ssso nisssse to finally do thissss." her... voice leaving an empty echo throughout the area.

It grabbed me by my throat and effortlessly lifted me up... I let out a scream from the pain. Then just started screaming for someone anyone to hear my plea. I felt hot tears streaking down my face as the feelings in my legs was beginning to fade.

"You know I would like to sssavor thissss moment but I can't have a kid ruining our plans now can't I Alexander," It said and even though it had no face I had the innate feeling it was smiling. Those were the last thing I saw before it plunged its fist in my chest.

"Alexander, Alexander, ALEXANDER!!!" I heard a loud voice call out to me waking up from my hellish nightmare. I looked at my desk and saw it covered in sweat. My hand instinctively went towards my chest feeling it still very much intact.

"It was just a dream..." I laid a steady hand on my fidgty arm. There back I thought to myself and mentally groaned. I am gonna have a hell of a time explaining this to Belladonna but, taking a good look at the grumpy lady in front of me, I was going to deal with another problem first.

In front of me stood a stout four foot five lady. She wore red-trimmed glasses and wore and tropical polka-dotted dress. She was a bit on the heavier side of the human spectrum to put it lightly. If one didn't know any better she'd look like one of our loving grandmothers.

Yeah, I could kinda see it like that. If grandmothers like crushing kids hopes and dreams and making F's appear on everyone's grade than yeah she is a shining example and in that moment she was just begging to give me some of that love.

"You incompetent buffoon, you insolent child, who gives you the right, the audacity, to waltz into my classroom and TAKE A NAP!!!"

I trying to sound genuine responded and gave I believed was an adequate response "Of course, but my body doesn't usually listen to what I think."

Apparently, she did not like it very much. Maybe it was something I said or because of her unusually short temper or the sudden realization that she was going to be sad and alone forever . That the fact she wasted twenty years of her existence teaching kids stuff that she would never even use in real life but she snapped.

"You little ignorant piece of ___" and with that, the bell rang and hordes of sweaty teenagers ran past poor Mrs. Fig her distress led to my sweet, sweet escape.

I left the room into a light jog trying to get first in line for some pizza. The one food in the building that I could consider real food. But as I got closer to the line the dream that I had resurfaced itself like an ugly zit. I swerved away from the line the meat on the tray looked a lot less appealing. I was sure whatever food went into my mouth would find itself on the floor.

I pulled out a seat causing it to make an ear-curdling shriek causing quite a few heads to turn in my direction. I let out a little sigh and took a seat at the table brooding on whatever the fuck that dream was about.

"Hey, Alex!!!" I hear loud, bubbly, and extremely cheerful voice call out my voice. There bouncing wildly in front of me was a pretty girl with  dimples and silky black hair whose face I could recognize from a mile away. Bella Nightingale all-star track captain and hockey extrodinare, also my oldest friend. 

She was the reason why some people would love to be in my position."Hey, Bella you are here early," I say trying to sound charismatic but probably came off as overly monotone

"You know I had to," She laughed as she brushes her hair back revealing her freckles from her otherwise clear face. I subconsciously touch my own face which was riddled with dark spots and pimples.

"I had Mr. Biamb last period," both of us shared synchronized shudders. That guy was a creepy son of a gun and I was pretty sure he was a sadistic old man that preyed on young boys and girls. I'm pretty sure he got off on telling people they are worthless and below him.

"Did he..." I didn't want to finish afraid of what she might say.

But at that point, she was not listening to me. She was just staring intently at my face and I saw a mix of emotions go through her face but was unable to tell what was what.

" Alexander Queen," she said my name with intense seriousness and borderline anger. I almost fell over at her sudden tone change "I am going to say this once and I want an honest answer. Did it happen again?" She said her eyes focusing with such ferocity it was damn frightening.

I consider for a moment lying to her but, I think as her vibrant lilac eyes follow me with laser focus, I knew would be a fruitless endeavor."

I swallowed up some of my anxiety and managed to get the first words out of my mouth,"The dreams___" I didn't even get a chance to finish before her fist slammed hard on the table spilling her food and causing dozens of kids to turn their heads a full 180 degrees.

Her fist started to tremble as she opened her mouth her bottom lip began to quiver. "You bastard," she said in a harsh whisper ", you fucking bastard you told me you went to see therapy that the dreams had stopped. That you were fine! So why..why did you lie to me." the anger seemed to be radiating from her body the friendly air between us suddenly became as thick as fog.

I put my hands up trying to put some distance between us "Sorry but it was just a nightmare nothing to get crazy about." as I said it my mouth felt dirty and used.

"Just a dream. JUST A DREAM!!! Dreams don't cause you to wake up in a cold sweat every day. They don't cause you to blackout at random times in the day. They don't cause you to see monsters in your bedroom. I know they sure as hell don't cause you to be in a coma for three months." My body recoiled from the last statement and unpleasant memories began to resurface.

"Look," I said my heart beating way faster than I would've liked, "I did go through therapy and I have been fine. This is new okay it happened unexpectedly." I said trying to plead with her and calm her down. Now we were surrounded by dozens of kids all watching us with rabid curiosity and I didn't want my face to be on Instagram any time soon.

She looked around and saw what I was trying to do. She let out a little sigh and her broad shoulders slumped, she brought her face dangerously close to my face, "Don't think this is over I want to hear everything mo more hiding no more secrets." as she gave me a kiss on the cheek.

She got up with a smile on her face and started giggling like we shared some sort of private joke but, I could see her eyes the lines of worry around her face the inner struggle she is dealing with and that their is something else even other then some wack job teacher slowly eating away at her. The smile. the kiss was just a facade to hide how we both are feeling. As the tingling sensation on my cheek grew so did the maggots of guilt slowly eating up my gut.

I wanted to say something, anything but she simply gave me a little wave and disappeared in a mob of teenagers rushing to get to fifth period.

I bend down to pick up my books when a sudden realization hit me.

Belladonna Nightengale

Kissed

Me

I slam my hands down hard and curse myself for my stupidity. I get kissed by the girl of my dreams in front of the whole damn school I should be jumping for joy,celebrating, anything but... but it wasn't right. I wanted it to be real but I got this kiss not out of love but out of pity, worry, and fear of my well-being. The fact in itself just made everything around it seem sour. I got my wish granted in a bittersweet fashion and now I wish that I could rewind that and do ask her what's going on and not just walk away without another word . I look at the time and sigh the past is in the past no changing that but my class is in the future and if I want to not get sent to Mrs. Eliot's office again I'd better go.

I break into a full in sprint trying to get to chemistry class on time for once in my life, a couple of papers fall from my hand probably some very important homework assignments. But as I glance at my watch I see that I have five minutes to get there so I chose detention rather than suspension.

Three minutes

I bump into a couple of seniors on the way and try to swerve away from their stinky sweaty bodies.

Two minutes

I broke from a jog to a run and began the process of getting my books,

One minute

I am almost at the door if I could just stretch out my hand a bit more I could...

Before I could grab the handle I crash head first into another person sending them hurtling to the ground hard. "Are you ok? I didn't hurt you right?" I ask not wanting to be written up for assault this close to the bell.

"Yeah, I am...ok my king just be careful and keep yourself safe." A voice so low so quiet I almost thought it was just in my head . I finally stopped moving and took a good look at the person. She was a short girl with greyish like skin and dark flowing brown hair. She was nearly skeletal in nature but I got the distinct impression she was stronger then she appeared. She had pointy ears, sharp but not what I would consider out of the ordinary. She looked young like two years younger than I was a freshman no doubt. I looked at her face and was taken back, saying she had light blue eyes would be an understatement her eyes were the color of snow. I looked at them and all I could see is an endless harsh winter shrouded in a blinding light. After what I felt like was an hour she broke away from my gaze and scurried down the hall.

It was only after she left that I realized something strange. She didn't know my name and there is no way she said queen anywhere in our twenty-second convo. No, she called me... a king. A girl I didn't even realize went to this school called me king.

With the nightmares, the thing with Bella, and now this what is going on today?

Unfortunately, I did not get to ponder on the thought for much longer because a long wail filled the halls.

Oh god I thought to myself but as I looked at the door next to me the truth couldn't be clearer.

Fifth Period Had Begun

End of Chapter 1