Astith's Prophecy

Chapter 6

~Jake's POV~

It's hot. It is extremely hot. The heat is so intense that it feels like I'm going to evaporate into thin air. The sand doesn't help either. I can feel the small grains rubbing against my skin with every movement I take.

I don't know where I am. I don't know where I'm going, but I do know that I'm not supposed to be here. Not supposed to be alone. I need to get away from this place, but with no map or compass, I have no way of knowing where I'm going. No way of knowing if there is a town or city or even an oasis nearby.

I don't know how long I have been walking. Minutes? Days? Years? I don't know. I want to stop. I want to lie down and never get back up. I want to give up. But I cannot stop. I just cannot. There is a goal I need to reach. A goal that keeps me from falling apart. But... I don't know what my goal is.

I hate it. I hate not knowing. I hate being lost. I hate it.

But I keep going. Keep walking. Keep believing that I'll find something in this desert.

However, my luck seems to run out. Right underneath me, the sand starts to sink, taking me with it. Before I can be completely swallowed, I see a shadowy being standing over me. I couldn't see its face, but I can feel it smiling menacingly. I didn't have time to see anymore as the darkness fills my vision.

-End of Dream-

I am startled away. I feel my heart beating fast. Sweat is pouring down my face. I sit up and see that it is still dark outside. It takes me a minute on what time it was, which was 4 in the morning. Blindly, I get up from my bed and shuffle around searching for something. I feel my hand hitting a hard surface. I brush my hand around on this surface and feel another thing hitting my hand. I grab it, but I put it back down. Searching around again, I feel something different. Once I feel a small box shape, I grab and open it. I grab what feels like a small stick inside the box. I take the stick-like object and rub it against it to the box. The stick suddenly brightens up the room.

I look what is in front of me. It is a desk and the object that I touch first was a candle stick. I move the stick in my hand to the candle and light the wick. I shake the stick to extinguish the fire. Now I can look around and see my room.

To the right of me, I see my window. I can't see anything outside since it is dark. To my left is a door and a drawer. Behind me is the bed that I got up from.

I go to my drawer and grab random clothes from it. It seems like I'll be wearing a dark color shirt with dark jeans. Looks like it'll be a dark day today.

So, you might be thinking. Why am I even awake at this time? Well, let's just say:

Life is stupid...

That's it. That's all I have to say. I don't understand why I'm here. I hate waking up and doing the same routine over and over again, but I have no choice. I have no choice but to wake up at 4 in the morning and going to work. I have no choice but to work all day and night. I desperately need the money. I desperately need it for the roof over our head and the food on our table.

The day our parents died. The day I watch them died; I feel my world crumbling. I feel myself falling apart. I couldn't take the news well, especially since I know exactly what happened. I couldn't get image out of my head, but I couldn't grieve. I could not mourn for my dead parents because my sister needs me. I need to be strong.

I shake my head from the memory, knowing that I need to go to work soon. I get dress and walk out my room to grab my black shoes. Once I was ready to leave, I go to the end of the village and stops at the farm I've been working at since I graduated from school.

Traditionally after I graduated, I must get marry to a girl. I didn't get married. I didn't because I have a job to do. Unfortunately, I'm supposed to pick someone graduating this year to marry. Sure, there are many girls coming up to me and start flirting. They think it'll helps them, which it really doesn't. Don't get me wrong. There are a lot of beautiful woman. I mean every woman is beautiful, but I just haven't had a connection with anyone. This is another reason why I am worried about my sister.

She doesn't have many options for a potential husband. All she has is her friend Brent, and I'm afraid that's all she's gonna get. I know that he loves her. He even told me himself. I just feel bad for him because she doesn't feel the same.

I sigh out loud as I know I need to start work. There is no point in thinking about it as it is something that I need to talk to later.

-----

Nothing really happened in the morning. Nothing but work, work, and more work. The only exciting thing that happened was talking my sister and Brent. After talking to them, I just work some more.

Now that is a little passed afternoon, I go into town and gather some supplies for the farm. I have to go to the other side of town to get them. As I was getting ready to pay for the supplies, I hear people talking. Well, it was more yelling than talking. I turn my head to see what was going on. I see two boys giving a girl that I never seen before a hard time.

If I'm being honest, she looks interesting. Or at least her clothes look interesting. A fur coat and mismatched, fur-covered boots on a hot day is something I obvious avoid wearing. I'm surprised that she wasn't dying from the heat.

I couldn't decide whether to help her or not, but I didn't have to choose as I see someone very familiar going towards the group. Of course. OF COURSE, my sister would help when she sees someone in trouble. I would have gotten angry at her if I wasn't the same. I just rub my temple in annoyance before going to help.

Seriously, I can't catch a break, can I?

Written by: Dan and TN