Running Away From One Thing, and Into Another.

Chapter 23: Scary Dream

“Tacia, you got to get out of here.” A hushed voice whispers frantically.

“Dantem?” The dream is cloudy, and even though I see Dantem as clear as day, the background behind him is disoriented. I can make out somewhat that it is in the woods where Brean and I had set up camp before I went to sleep.

“You got to get out of here.” He replies anxiously, his dark eyes darting around in search for danger.

Rarely am I able to tell dream from reality, but I know that this is a dream. I know that I am really asleep with Brean close beside me. I can still feel the heat of the remaining coals on my face, and I feel the dampness of the grass beneath me even though, in the dream, I am standing upright.

If it wasn't for me somehow establishing the fact that I am dreaming and the foggy trees behind him, I would completely believe that it was real. It is Dantem. Tall, dark haired and brown eyed Dantem.

But something startles me deeply, even in my subconscious mind. He doesn't look like I would think him to look like. There is some stubble on his chin, which is different from his usual clean shaven slave boy look, and his cheeks are purple from recent abuse. His usual mop of hair that would reach to his eyes looks as if it has been whacked off with a sloppy hand, since he had more hair on his left side than his right, and now his left side seems to only brush the middle of his head.

There is something indeed odd about this.

“Dantem...-”

“He is right you know.” His voice sends shivers down my back, and his breath is so close that it stings my ear.

I scream and turn sharply around to find blood red eyes staring at me evilly. The rest of Diszran's body is hidden by the dark, but his eyes defy the dark boldly. His dark chuckle makes it hard for me not to shake and I can't seem to shake away the horror struck expression off my face.

“You are a humorous one.” He says, and then suddenly disappears. I fearfully look around for him, but I only know where he is when I here a strangled cry from Dantem. I turn just in time to see him slump to the dirt.

**************************

“Dantem!” I scream as loud as I can and jolt up into a sitting position with my eyes wide open. My hair and clothes stick to my sweaty skin, and I can't catch my breath no matter how hard I try. My body has gone into complete panic, and I have no control over its shaking whatsoever.

My surroundings are still foggy, and I can barely make out the trees and the old flames of the fire.

“Tacia?” Brean yells beside me. He jumps up and lands perfectly on two feet with a knife in hand. I focus on him completely in hopes that maybe I can see him clearly, but he is just as unclear as everything else.

When he doesn't see any danger, he rushes to me. I feel a scream rise in my throat as his blonde hair begins to darken until it is brown. His grey eyes turn chocolate brown. His dragon features dissolve until he is human. His pale skin darkens into a tan, and then it strikes me. He has turned into Dantem right before my eyes!

“Tacia, whats wrong?” He asks, kneeling down. Even his voice is Dantem's!

“W-what's going on!” I stutter, my body is still shaking. I know he isn't Dantem. He is Brean, but why does he look and sound like Dantem? Have I finally gone crazy? This is terrifying.

Oh, but it gets worse.

Just as Brean's/Dantem's hand touches my face to force me to look at him in the eyes, the brown irises become the shade of red. Just like Diszran's.