Guardians: The Last Elder

Chapter 1: I think I'm having prophetic visions

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy"
~William Shakespeare (Hamlet)

                                                                            __________________

 I woke up gasping and panting, my skin prickling against the cold morning air. I sat on my bed, trying to control my erratic heartbeat. It was just a nightmare, Ava, I assured myself. I've always had nightmares and I could easily brush them off. Yet, this particular one had left me shaking and disturbed. It had just felt so...real.

Lukas... the name floated in my mind. Bits and pieces of the dream were already fading from my mind but that name seemed to remain. I wondered, not for the first time, what was wrong with me. How could I dream up something so appalling? I shook my head and caught a peek of myself in the mirror on my vanity. I almost winced at the reflection staring back at me. My brown skin appeared colourless, making my black eyes stand out hauntedly. At least I didn't have bags. 

Taming my messy black hair with a comb and pulling it into a ponytail with a scrunchie, I grabbed a towel, a change of underwear and some clothes and walked to my bathroom for a nice, hot shower to relieve my stiff muscles and remove the last remnants of sleep.

After dressing myself in layers of clothing and looking somewhat decent, I quietly padded downstairs, the inviting smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen. I saw Mom expertly flipping a pancake and placing it on a plate. Esther Young was a tall lady with dark wavy hair and green eyes, polar opposite of me. Of course, she was as white as they come. I, on the other hand, had a mix of Indian and American. Apparently, according to Mom, I took after my father who was Indian and who I'd never seen or met.

"Good morning, honey," Mom greeted without turning back. She had always been able to do that, sense people without ever looking. It was a bit uncanny, if you ask me.

"Good morning," I said and grabbed a spoon to attack the pancakes. As I wolfed down my breakfast, I felt Mom's gaze on me. I turned to look at her.

"What's wrong? You look a little pale. Was it another nightmare?" she asked, concerned etched on her brows. I sighed and nodded.

Her lips slanted downwards. "Oh honey, they are increasing, aren't they? I wish I could---"

"Mom," I said, cutting her off. "It's fine. I can deal with it. Don't worry so much."

She nodded, albeit reluctantly. "So, you're turning sixteen in a few weeks," she started, a little hesitantly. "You're going to be a big girl now. So, I was, um, thinking that maybe we could go out a little, spend the weekend together and um, talk? I've been meaning to but we're both always so busy..."

"Yeah sure," I replied, a little confused at her hesitant tone. My gaze wandered over to the clock resting on the mantelpiece. "Shit!" I cursed and jumped from the stool in which I was sitting and grabbed my backpack. "I gotta go now or else I'll be late to school. Bye Mom!"

I waved her a quick goodbye. She looked like she wanted to say something else but then she just shouted back, "Bye! Be safe!"

Shouldering my backpack, I hurried out the front door and was greeted with a rush of cold air. Shivering, I drew my jacket closer as I set towards my school, wondering what was going on with Mom. I rubbed my hand in an attempt to warm them, all in vain though.

Sighing, I let my eyes wander around the familiar neighborhood. Leafless, bare trees lined the sidewalk. Shaggy houses looked gloomy and worn down, especially because of the cloudy grey sky as a backdrop. A small park with its swings buried in snow was completely abandoned today. Well, by the time it was noon, it would probably be filled with children trying to create snowmen. It was unusually quiet today, except for the occasional sound of a shovel scraping against the asphalt as Mr Harris cleared the pile of snow from his yard, his back bent and his breath coming out in white puffs.