k-12: the shadows

♫

alexis

alexis's dream was disturbing.

she woke up in a field full of flowers, to which there seemed to be no end;

above her was the night sky, millions of tiny stars twinkling merrily down at her.

"hello?" she called, trying to stand up but only to realise she couldn't;

her body was trapped within a giant pink bubble, pinning her down to the ground.

a tall, slim, beautiful woman strode out from behind a rhododendron bush, and when she spoke in reply, her voice sound only be described as all the stars personified.

"the threat is far from over," alexis was informed. "it could be said that the worst is yet to come. your relationships with those you love are endangered by it."

alexis blinked. "and you are?"

"my name is lilith, and i am here to help."

the woman leaned down to rest a reassuring hand on alexis's shoulder; when she smiled, her eyes suggested they had seen thousands more years' worth of events unfold than her youthful face let on.

"okay, then what do i need to know?" alexis asked.

"be safe,
and hold those you love close to you."

with a puff of pink smoke,
lilith vanished,

and alexis awoke in her own bed,

distinctly uncomfortable.

lilith's words rang in her ears;

hold those you love close to you.

she looked over to the peacefully sleeping crybaby in the bed next to her.

nodding to herself, she scrabbled under her bed for a paper and pen before stuffing them into her nightdress pockets and leaving the dormitory as quietly as she could, hurrying down the corridors.

she reached crybaby's locker as quickly as she could, careful not to get caught by any roaming teachers. she leaned against the cool metal door and began to write.

when she had finished, she folded the letter and fed it through the slats of the locker before hurrying back to her bed.

hold those you love close to you.

and so she would.