An unknown forest with red bloody roses, purple bushes and obscure woods everywhere. That was all she could see when walking into that path with grass which seemed to last forever. The sky was a shade of red mixed with purple clouds. That terrified her. The sun disappeared quickly behind the obscure wood, the red in the sky getting darker and darker, casting a weird glow over the trees.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbgL47oaED
There was also a deep, calming sound of falling water. But Regan couldn't see any waterfall. Is this place even real, she thought. As much as beautiful it was, it was also scary. She felt a wave of awe and fear wash over her, shivering slightly.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5COiY1SNK
What she hadn't realized yet, were her clothes. She was dressed in an off shoulder turquoise gown that hugged her small waist and torso, and cascaded down like a waterfall. Her feet were bare and she could feel the dampness of the grass.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj7oxPEYYi
Her hair wasn't even dark brown. It was red and it was hanging loose over her shoulders. On her neck, there was a silver necklace with a precious ruby. She couldn't understand what was going on. Why was she dressed like that? Where was she?
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGeuWpmjPC
The raw, pure scent of the roses filled her nostrils, making her feel dizzy. The red hue of the sky hadn't faded completely, but the forest was dark. It was serene, this calmness of the place, but it was dreadful at the same time. She wrapped her arms around herself, feelings exposed in that dress. The neckline was low.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekmqvtzfoK
Her body started to tremble slightly from fear. She didn't know how she got here, didn't know the place, didn't know what she was wearing and didn't know how to get back home.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNktVt5wOi
As she kept on walking like a lost puppy, she saw a black shadow from far, standing in the middle of the dark woods. Regan squinted and could make out a masculine silhouette. It stood still and quiet. As if it was a statue. But when it started to walk towards her, Regan took two steps back.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUi4B5mh00
As the figure approached, the red hue illuminated it slightly. It was a man with messy black hair that fell over his eyes like a protective dark curtain. He was wearing a dark long jacket, a white shirt that looked damp, showing his flawless abs, and black pants.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc89NY4QkLc
"Si-Sirius...." Regan stuttered, the name feeling foreign and familiar at the same time. She could see a smirk on his face as he came closer. The air had gotten filled with a strong wind that gushed past her shoulders and made her shiver. She was glued there for a moment and when he stopped just a few feet from her, she sprinted into a run.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7NL7p58it
But it was really slow, really clumsy, and really unforgiving. The twigs and vines were stinging and digging her bare feet, and it wasn't the most comfortable thing to ran without shoes. But her run didn't last. A mass of large trees appeared in the way and passing through them required some handiness and knifes. The vines were full of spikes and thorns that looked deadly. The woods stood tall, towering miles above her, without any branches where she could climb.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbenTnEg0bH
And then she felt a hot breath on her neck. She turned around slowly, her heart racing with fear as she saw the man was awfully close to her. He was so much taller than her, his height being like a tower, his dark hair falling down on his face, making him look even more dangerous. She felt her heart pounding faster and faster.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyQUgwX3k9
He stepped closer, if that was even possible and Regan backed away, her back hitting the harsh trunk of the tree. His features were more visible now and she could see he was very pale and had siren-like eyes that were a cold, icy blue. His cheekbones were high and hollow and his jaw was sharp. She had never seen someone so beautiful and handsome before. And the way he looked into her eyes, was like he was looking into her soul instead.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7IYdmOARB
But her daze ended when his hand wrapped tightly around her throat, not strong enough to cut her air supply, but strong enough to make her freeze.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobUl4K3YP9
"Wha....what do you want?" Regan stuttered, her voice coming as a weak whisper.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3wLG7PvmJ
"Your soul," he said gruffly, a cold smirk on his lips. His grip on her throat tightened and Regan's anxiety raised. She tried to pry his hands off, but it was futile. She felt helpless, terrified, and trapped. His elbow rested on the wood beside her head, making it impossible for her to move away. He leaned closer, his breath warm on her ear, "You won't escape," he said in a voice that was chiller than the night.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaNQefjLiZ
Regan's heart felt like it would burst from fear. She could feel his grip tighten, his breath on her face, and she was trembling. But this time it wasn't from the cold. Because the air around them turned suddenly hot, and she could see the hint of smoke spreading.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDpaYYUjuo
And when she looked behind him, she saw large flames, dancing and twisting. The air grew hotter, more oppressive, more suffocating. Regan didn't look into his eyes at all, and she couldn't believe this was how she was going to die. The flames engulfed them, not near enough to touch, but near enough to make her eyes burn.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyqzwmy0Bl
She wanted to cry from help, but her mouth remained sealed. Her mind ran with the worst possible scenarios and she only wanted him to choke her and end the struggle. His grip hardened and she could feel the lack of oxygen on her throat. But then something flickered in his eyes and he loosened his grip, only to lean closer. However, she didn't know what happened then. Because it ended.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSguTIjphU
The flames disappeared and she was no longer trapped. He was gone, she could feel the cold breeze caressing her hot face. It was peaceful, silent and she felt no pain.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1YoU7tPWW
As she opened her eyes, she was back in her bed, the blankets thrown on the floor. She was drenched in cold sweat. What kind of dream was that, she thought.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqZ3rYxcei
The room was pitch black and Regan couldn't see anything. She turned on the bedside lamp with trembling hands and three something on the floor that seemed to be her phone. The bedside lamp illuminated the room with a soft warm glow. Regan saw the balcony's door was opened and she felt a surge of fear. She remembered closing it before she fell asleep.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2gfjqzzUv
She rubbed her eyes and dragged herself off the bed. Stupid dream, she thought. The man had been handsome at least. It had been the first time she had seen something so gorgeous. Both in reality and both in dreams.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexdJIGVzqP
She walked downstairs, seeing there was no water pitcher in the room. As she took a bottle of water from the fridge and drank, then it finally hit. That dream wasn't gorgeous. It wasn't the most terrific either but it was chilling for sure. The events of the day washed all over her, worse than a nightmare.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGHKOsb2PK
The roses in the dream had been like that rose in her room, full of thorns and velvet petals. She had been overthinking about it for two days, it was obvious they were going to appear in her dreams. But that man, that was something else. She was getting chased and choked. It seemed almost....familiar, that place and that man.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgKBpTrKj9
"Who's Sirius?" Regan muttered at herself in disbelief. She had never met someone named Sirius. But then she thought something, what if he was the one following her? She shrugged it off. She was being just paranoid. He was just a dream character and nothing more.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6UUKdSRND
"That's nonsense," she murmured. She set the bottle of water on the counter. Her mind drifted back to the roses. She didn't understand why these damn roses had such a heavy smell and sharp thorns.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPe781Nu11
Then, she turned back in the kitchen and sat on a chair, sunken in thoughts for a while. No, there was definitely something strange going on.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzI5Z1oT8j4
She didn't want to think about it, the best thing to do was to eat and lose her mind somewhere else.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uHHAtU38w
She made a simple toast of ham and cheese and tried to remember as she chewed on it. The dress she was wearing was a mockery to her usual clothes. She looked almost.... beautiful. But it was a joke. A joke of her mind. Not only she saw herself as ugly, she didn't even entertain the idea she'd ever get the chance to dress that way. She was just an ordinary girl, not some sort of rich princess.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L2Sxwdjtx
Everyone was sleeping, her aunt was sleeping, too and here she was, eating and thinking in the kitchen in the middle of the night.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXogXNrt57J
But then her mind wandered to the dream again. It had been so vivid.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0rD3v24FV
Why did he want to kill her?
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJXIjXPN3C
She shivered again at the thought.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVNqDAO5g0
She searched for her laptop but it was nowhere. It must've been in her room.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykBEsejIiN
She sighed in frustration. Why did she have to take it there?
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeODUhI7Q67
She walked in the living room and sank on the couch, surfing through the channels. There was nothing good to watch. She suddenly felt exposed, like when she was wearing that dress in the dream, like something or someone was watching her.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbhbUBVJy8
It was happening even at her own house. It was inexplicable and was driving her crazy. And the red roses matter was the proof she wasn't being paranoid.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSgqnhugaK
Slowly, she drifted off to sleep in the couch, before she could finish watching that movie.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgZIuIvtlV
***
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMjal3XO9G
When she woke up, her neck was sore and she winced as she tried to sit. She couldn't move it to the side and immediately thought about the dream. When he was choking her. "Oh God," Regan murmured. She was scared, the dream now feeling even more disturbing.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDEh66QiyI
She cursed under her breath and got up, not wanting her aunt to see she slept here. The TV was left on and she switched to the news network to see it was seven AM.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIQ1eSv0XP
She tried to stretch her neck, but it ached even more. Eventually, she called it one of the usual off days and walked upstairs to get ready for school.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAYTvazBdb
Her aunt suddenly appeared from in the stairs.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwIVIp28r8
"Good morning," she greeted. She was wearing her job's attire, looking more ready than ever.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt0gAYncgu
"Morning," Regan replied quickly.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6D5UHl4S6D
Monica went to the kitchen to drink her morning coffee, while Regan wished it was a weekend.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgb7eQossds
As she stepped into the room, the vivid dream came like a flashback to her and she tried to shove it away. The desk was messy as she stuffed the books on her bag. It was full of scattered notes, pens, books etc. A complete mess. Everything a mess.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCr3msXkkh
But that didn't matter. What mattered, was there was another red rose on the bed. She had thrown the one on her pillow outside the window yesterday. And this other one....it looked like they wouldn't stop appearing if she kept throwing them away.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDRbrsr2kI
She checked once more inside her bag, realizing that the most important essay wasn't there. She couldn't find it anywhere and she panicked.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEYoyPrEIU
"How the heck did I forgot to do this? Why did I fall asleep like an idiot?" she scolded herself, "Oh God! I'm a complete loser! I'm done!" she said as she furiously zipped the bag.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUr98GBU41
A deep chuckle echoed in her head, and she could swear she had heard it before.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVfnDTXuCu
***
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5Ebs8FpuY
The school was packed up as always, and all she got from trying to stay invisible, were looks. She didn't know why the hell they couldn't just stop looking at her.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJPNsCOHp4
Her first class was literature itself. She had to talk to the teacher and find a good excuse or else her grade was going to suffer. When she entered the class, Vesper was already there, engrossed in her phone.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfg7jWz4yq0
Vesper looked at her as she approached, a smile playing on her lips, "Mrs. Turner is absent today," she informed. "We're not having literature."
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9s06kNNhbX
"For real?" Regan asked unsure.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETfntRuWNs
"Yeah!"
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia9nYs2dNk
"Well, that's amazing!" Regan said, and smiled. That raised her mood a bit. It was a relief that Mrs. Turner was absent. The essays would be graded the next time and Regan could make up for her mistake.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe84cSJlWUo
She thanked God and smiled once more. The pain in her neck was less worse at least.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcyVhYQyqo
***
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5Bo8OVPyt
It was lunchtime and she was bothered to go to the cafeteria. She didn't have any appetite. In fact, she didn't have a big appetite.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhSVFjGWWU
But she was going crazy from thoughts. What could she think about first? Olivia's hair on fire, the dangerous red roses in her bed, or that dream. It was all so confusing, so creepy.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGWZ3GF7iR
"Reg, come on, I'm hungry!" Vesper caught her arm and tried to get her to stand from the chair.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19npwNMNwF
They entered the cafeteria and Regan sat down, letting Vesper get their food. She buried her face in her phone, avoiding looking or being looked at.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuCTQKwKsP
She looked up once, noticing that Olivia had appeared along with her best friends. Her bodyguards, they were everywhere with her, all after her.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0iTkCpSic
Olivia's hair were only trimmed a bit shorter. Other than that, there wasn't something bad about them.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd3Zkqu3Eo
Regan let down a sigh of relief and she placed her phone on the table.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZdzmgx9fA
Olivia walked around with her friends until she stopped at a table somewhere in the middle of the big space. She leaned over and kissed a blond guy. From what Regan could see, this guy was Nate, the one who Olivia earlier accused Vesper for stealing him from her.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNW9CSwU25I
Regan looked at her phone again, avoiding looking at the cringe scene that everyone was so fond of.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiazPrVOaW
She didn't notice Vesper, who was sitting with an angry expression.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnl0C1FzgOB
"Pathetic humans," she sneered.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIhGJU5sKH
"Piece of shit," she cursed again.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxacZggoFaq
Regan heard her but didn't reply. She fell in her thoughts again, that time she thought about the unknown voice in her head and the creature that she apparently knew in the dream. Creature, she thought with a scoff. He didn't look like some sort of animal.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmMdxzaZON
But his eyes were like sirens and his hands were....his nails were like claws. He definitely didn't seem human. She was having a headache about all that and she felt like a fool.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYs9JfQfIi6
"What's that face?" Vesper suddenly asked.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtV2MYBtNMJ
"What?" Regan blurted out.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmXy5C4SGY
"You're acting weird," Vesper scoffed. "Did you fall in love or what?"
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbzx8Ueu9G
Regan choked hard on her drink, this was literally the most unpredictable thing that she expected her to say. "Ew....what? Love?"
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NXie3StwE
Vesper laughed hard, enjoying her friend's reaction.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqvmeYqAjg
"Relax, I was joking," she said, while controlling her laugh.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQUcJWchYs
"I didn't sleep and my neck and head hurt," Regan mumbled. She wanted to tell Vesper about the other red rose, but she was self conscious. How would Vesper take it? And she didn't know if it was Mike, who Vesper had talked about.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfyaCvPsII
"You're sure?" Vesper asked with a smirk.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9df64zd3v
She didn't know how she got a sore neck. She didn't want to think about it. The more she thought, the more terrified she was. It seemed as if her mind was trying to make the headache worse.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGA2r8V9frF
"I studied late in night and then feel asleep on the couch."
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9WiaIWzbY
"Sure you did," Vesper said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeH5dElN6pm
Their conversation went off for a while. It wasn't really noticeable. The crowd in the cafeteria made enough sound to have what to listen to.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAohq0Qbau
While on that, Regan kept looking at her phone, although her mind was to the mysterious man who was trying to kill her. She couldn't get him out of her mind. She tried to find a reason why he seemed familiar. She couldn't focus on anything else.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpT5MbKJJf
"Did you snap out?" Vesper's voice snapped her out of thoughts.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcWxtdjGTC
"Huh?"
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIEIskSsU3
"You're so lost. If you keep doing this, the lesson will start and you'll be here, still."
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxEg7cUZe1
"The bell hasn't rung yet," Regan retorted.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmj4sDG0Yqq
Vesper chuckled and suggested that they should go to the library to find some useful books. Regan was very fond of the idea. At least, she needed something else to think about.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCc4Dohmvd
The library was a large area with a lot of book sections. Regan didn't know what kind of books Vesper liked. But as for herself, she was an extremely picky reader. She'd rather not read than cost time to a book that in the end wouldn't end the way she wanted.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLfN8nldlj
The librarian gave them a curt nod and raised her glasses. It was the first time Regan got there with Vesper.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1xUpkxczr
They separated as they disappeared behind the bookshelves. Regan found no book appealing. Instead, she found herself feeling watched, like something or someone was watching her every move, her every touch of the books.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbDKgCcEQe
She started to panic, and quickly got a random book. Then, she almost stumbled to the librarian's desk, but managed to not make it look weird. The librarian, Mrs. Beth, gave her a reproacheful look. Regan sat on the couch nearby and waited for Vesper to come.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmDLd5s4Fg
The weird thing was that her friend came, but came from the door, not from in the library at all.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0rHZGHoVC
"Where were you?" Regan asked confused.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4O8fovkYc
"Just around. You didn't notice me," she replied. Vesper held two old books in her hands. For some reason, looking at their old cover, which seemed similar to those of manuscripts, Regan found them intriguing.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaZx9DCukk
"What are these?" she asked, when she stood up and leaned over to see the books. She caught only the title of one, "Charms and Manipulation". The book had a green cover and the title was written in Gothic style.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAiMx9a0pM
Vesper quickly flinched the books away, not allowing Regan to see anymore, who huffed annoyed in response.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALp1yjWY39
"I'm going to get these," she said as she placed the thick books on the librarian's desk.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkxATTRN16
Mrs. Beth looked at her with a surprised expression. "Where did you get these?" she asked, as she looked at the books.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUxhQ8B97D
"In the library, where else?" Vesper said, like obviously.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u7HM2OSBd
Mrs Beth's eyes narrowed, "Why are you interested in these? They aren't even written by a proper author."
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ppSuvIG0x
"I want to read them. Is there a problem, Mrs. Beth?" Vesper asked, her voice tingled with annoyance.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAqR3AYVl4
Regan, who was hearing their conversation, wondered about the books. That title was intriguing. But Vesper had them turned on the back.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQiYlV7wUI
Probably psychology books, she thought.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsToSCzJD9
Mrs. Beth looked at Vesper with a reproachful look and sighed. She took a cardstock where she registered both their books. Vesper stuffed hers in her bag as soon as possible. When the girls stepped out of the library, Regan asked.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xofLGgpve
"Vesper, what are these books about?"
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CK0qAHp66
"Just psychology books, nothing important. My sister needs to read them," Vesper replied, her eyes on her phone.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci4vTHp1m3
"Which section did you get them from?"
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLELt5AwH8h
"I'll tell you when we go again."
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwxNP4DyCR
Regan nodded and walked over to the classroom. The books seemed very mysterious though.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3q3gz9kgXZ
