Once Upon A Night

~Chapter 1 Willow~

I shoved helplessly through the brittle pine trees, the snow covered pines were clawing at my flesh like a lion eating meat. Tiny scratches and blood splattered my skin. I gazed up at the bright beautiful twinkling stars for a brief moment until I heard twig snap not from a person stepping on it but from the frost taking over it. I knew that the death chilling, red cloaked creatures were close behind me. Snow flooded my sneakers with every stride I took. I heard the same wicked laugh as I did every night before I was killed by the cloaked creatures. I wondered if this was this how all of my dreams were going to end from night to night. I slowed to a jog, the time for me to die was near. Breathing hard I looked back trying to make out the dark red figure. This time I could see his face and his army a little more than I did last night.

"You will never escape me..." The dark red figure croaked out.

Then I stopped dead in my tracks, a death filled fog arose. I couldn't run any more. I was out of breath and my feet and shoes were soaked from the snow.

"You should have known not to run, I will always find you. No matter how much you try to escape." The dark red figure said as he grazed my arm with his hand. It sent a shiver through my body, not the type of shiver that you get from the cold but the type where you know he wants something more. Then I felt it, the death was overcoming my body. I could feel my veins dieing, being froze to death. "Don't fight the death, let it take you with it..." I glared at him, as I was slowly drifted awake. The last thing I heard was his wicked laugh that seem to be everywhere.

I shot straight up in my bed drenched with sweat. As I waited for the room to focus, I checked my arm to make sure I wasn't bleeding anymore. Once the room came into focus I untangled myself from the blankets. The sun was just rising as I inched out of my bed. The hardwood floor was cold against my bare feet. It even creaked a little as I walked on it. Walking to my dresser I realized that Amelia and Elliot were already awake and were having a private conversation. So just being curious, I walked out the door and into the dimly lit hallway and started to listen to what they were saying.

"Something has to be done about Willow." Amelia said as she rustled her newspaper. "She has been a little off lately, like she's starting to change."

"I thought you said you... changing... good" I heard Elliot say but couldn't make out the whole sentence. So I tiptoed a little closer to the kitchen, but didn't realize that a black pillow with silver trimming was laying in front of me. So I stumbled over it as graceful as I could. But then ended up face first into the kitchen door.

"Willow are you there?" Amelia said, I could tell that she was walking towards the door. So then I froze not sure what to do, should I run or should I just stay still. Then the kitchen door opened, I was just standing outside of the door looking stupid as always. "You know you are suppose to respond when people talk to you." Amelia said in a calm but stern voice her face red from who knows what. I gazed at her wondering what was she wearing. I may not be a fashion expert, but I did know that red pants and a hot pink shirt that had flowers on it did not go together. "What are you staring at?" Amelia questioned. Oops apparently I was starring. I probably looked like a more of a freak then usually. So I decided to look at her face instead.

"What do you mean about me changing? and what's so good and bad?" I really should have thought of something better, she looked towards Elliot who was already walking towards Amelia. Then he put his hand on her shoulder. Elliot was about a foot taller than Amelia, he reminded me of a tower of some sort. Then she looked back at me and gave me a weird confused look.

"What do you mean about changing? And if anything you need to change out of your pj's. Why are you even still in them? Go get dressed now." Amelia ordered me to do. Which meant the conversation was over. She turned around and went back to her newspaper which was laying on the oak table. Ugh!! She paused, she must have been lying. She didn't even make eye contact to start with. I think I need a list of all my questions I have. Why me? Why the nightmares? Why are my godparents so secretive? Those were thoughts that bubbled up through my mind as I walked back to my room. I stood in my doorway looking at my room. The walls where a bland tan color that disgusted me. The dark hard wood floor looked like it has been worn down over a lot of years of people walking on it. Then in one corner was a red tinted dressure with a mirror on it. Then in the other corner was my bed which also had a red tint. Then right beside my doorway was my black computer sitting on my desk. My room was plain for a girl who was 18. Sliding my way over to my dresser, I thought I heard a low shuffle of feet. So I glanced at the doorway and saw a red flash, But decided it was only Amelia. Then when I got to my dresser I pulled out a purple t-shirt and a pair black and grey skinny jeans from it. Then got changed into them. After I was done changing, I brushed my dark brown hair I threw it up into a neat ponytail and decided it looked fine. Then walked towards the kitchen grazing my fingertips against the cold pain of the frost covered window. I was hoping to get some answers out of Amelia about what they were talking about.

"Do you want some eggs?" Elliot said keeping his eyes on the pan while scraping them onto a plate as I walked through the door. I knew he wasn't going to be any use for giving me my answers to my questions so I didn't bother asking.

"Sure." I replied walking quickly over to the the plate Elliot had in his hands and he handed it to me. I glanced around the room but Amelia was nowhere in sight so I sat down at the table and ate my eggs as quickly as I could, almost choking on the eggs three times. I glanced at the clock when I was done with the eggs and I knew I was gonna be late to school. So I walked outside, the steps down to my car which was covered with ice so I held onto the sidewalk railing it reminded me of my dream last night, bitter cold but tolerable. I noticed Amelia had been outside from the her slipper foot prints in the snow, she must have started my car because it was running. I can't say that Amelia and Elliot are the worst godparents ever, they did buy me my blue Chevy Cavalier and they do give me food and a shelter, but they do things that bug the crap out of me also. Like they avoid my questions I would ask or they would lie about something different. They also try to spend the least amount of time with me as they can.

I opened my car door and hopped into the car. The car was warm and the windows were defrosted so I backed up the driveway and onto the road. The road was lightly covered with a dusting of snow so the whole way to school I drove at a snail speed. Jeez, I hate snow, and I hate the cold. Once I'm old enough, I'm gonna move somewhere warm.

The song a wolf at the door by radiohead one of my favorite bands, was playing quietly as I parked my car at the school parking lot. I shut off my car and hopped out. I grabbed my black bag and walked toward the entrance of the school. The snow was falling down lightly as I walked, the trees around the school where lightly covered with snow. Then I saw a dark red flash through the trees. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I quickened my pace just in case, I was at the front door of the building now. I turned around and glanced to where I saw the dark red flash but it was gone, nothing was there just the white fluffy snow and the bare trees, so I walked into the school.