Alone, No More (Harringrove)

Chapter 22//In the Grave

Steve awoke with one of the biggest headaches he'd ever had. One of those ones where you had to close your eyes and scrunch your face up to bear the pain, all while pressing your hand to your throbbing scull in hopes that somehow that'd help.

And when he finally felt the wave of pain subside, he allowed his heavy lids to wrench open, only to see that he was somewhere other than his bed room. Confused, and now heavily on guard even to the point of forgetting his head ache, he braced himself on whatever he had been laying on in the exact way Billy had left him in. Only to realise that, whatever he had been sitting on, was not his bed, but a tomb stone.

Shocked, he launched himself off of the tomb stone, then turned to face it. He squinted, as a fog had surrounded him and he had only noticed then, trying to read whatever the stone said. And when he finally could make out the names, his heart sank.

Dustin Henderson, the first one read, and Steve had to gulp the knot in his throat down; he really didn't feel like crying.

He then was able to make out the rest of the kids' names and tears, despite his efforts to hold them back, began to spill down his cheeks. A part of him didn't want to believe his eyes, as he had had so many other terrible dreams, but what was right in front of him took over his sense of reason.

Fear crept up his neck like his body knew something was about ton happen so he snapped his head upwards and whipped it this way and that, trying to find the root of the goose-bumps that had sprouted over his arms.

His wide eyes drank in a source of light just off in the distance, blurred by the fog, so he began to walk towards it; his legs bent slightly as he walked and his fists at the ready. But the closer the got to the light, the further it drifted into the expanse.

So Steve did the only rational thing he could think of, and ran.

He pushed himself closer and closer until he was able to catch up to the glow enough that the fog had dissipated. His eyes wide with wonder, and his heart burning with pain, part of him believed that what was happening was all too real and that the kids had died under his care.

"Hello?" Steve said, noticing the way his voice sounded as if he were under water, but kept his intent gaze upon the light.

It had halted, now that Steve was close enough, and a figure similar to one he had seen in another dream emerged just enough that it's features were hidden by it's shadow.

"W-who are you?" Steve asked, he was desperate for answers.

A low and odd sound came from the figure before it finally spoke, "You have been here before".

Anger.

Anger was all Steve felt all of a sudden. His friends were dead and all this thing had to say was that?!

"Listen prick, you tell me what the fuck is going on!" Steve said, angry tears pricked at his eyes again, threatening to spill over. His fists shook at his sides because all he wanted was his kids to be alive and answers, was it too much to ask?

"I see you are upset," the being said gently, aware of Steve's compromised state, and began moving towards the boy. "And while I understand, I cannot tell you who I am or where this is".

Steve scoffed, "You're so full of shit. My friends are dead and your busy playing Guess Who?"

A chuckle erupted from the being chest, making Steve's already simmering blood to boil over. Steve could feel his whole body shake now, with such intensity that it felt like the being was shaking his shoulders.

"Steve!" a voice cried out from where the tomb stone had been, and it caught his attention immediately.

But as soon as he was about to turn to run to the voice, a blinding light took over every one of his senses and the shaking became more and more overwhelming.