Surrounding Darkness 2, 2

Winter jolted up, screaming out one last time. She fingered her gut, a shiver running down her spine. It was just a dream, she kept telling herself, just a dream. Nothing more, nothing less. It's okay. I'm safe. May bust through the room, running to Winter and embracing her.

"Are you okay? You were screaming like mad! What happened?"

Winter didn't answer right away, she stared at the wall across from her, still wrapped up in her nightmare.

"Winter? Winter?!" May shook Winter, trying to get her attention. Winter looked down at her hands, blood dried on her clawed hand. She changed it back, the blood fading away.
"Who did I hurt?"

"Winter! We're more concerned about you! What happened?!"

"I don't care." Winter responded coldly, pulling away from May. She stood shakily on her legs, catching herself before she fell to the ground. May gasped, reaching out to help Winter. Winter, however, was already on her feet, not even noticing May's concern. She seemed different. May stared at Winter for a long time, until Winter gained enough strength to leave the room. Winter walked clumsily through the hall of the doctor. She avoided all eyes, not stopping to talk to Jake who was still asleep. It was the middle of the night. Silently Winter walked down the streets, dust rising from the ground below her, the night hot. Some people stopped and stared at her, some daring to ask what had happened. She looked at them with more kindness than what she showed May and responded, "Simply a horrible nightmare. Nothing more. Thanks for your concern." then she walked away before they had time to say anything else. Slowly exhaustion over came Winter and she walked into an ally. She had no need to go back her house. Curling up behind some rocks that hid her, she changed into a furred dragon. Whiskers sprouted from under her long snout. Forked horns sprouted from her head. She remained wingless. Winter rubbed her face against her tail, feeling the warm fur. White stripped across her blue fur. She rested her head against the rocks, calming herself down and yelling at herself for being so cruel to May. Winter sighed, this was so tiring. It was a almost a year since Shadow died, how could he come back to haunt her now? She frowned, Just a nightmare. I'm fine. He's gone. Every thing's okay. Calm down.

Winter heard footsteps, and her first reaction was to press harder against the wall. She lectured herself shortly, then got to her feet, winding around the rock to see who was coming. She blinked, she heard the footsteps, but where was the person? Walking to the end of the ally, her blue eyes scanned the area. She saw a man approaching her, but he was so far off. Surely that wasn't the man she heard? She looked around again, and seeing no one else was around, she walked towards the man. Soon his figure cleared out while he was still so far away. She froze, blinked twice to try to clear her vision, then turned and ran. Am I in another nightmare?? Winter asked herself. She ran harder, then clawed up into the air. She whipped around to look behind her, no one was there. Great, she thought, am I seeing things now? Sighing, Winter admitting to herself she had overreacted, she landed again. A cold hand touched her shoulder, and she whipped around teeth barred. May jumped back, surprised to see Winter looking so harsh. Winter allowed herself to relax.

"I'm sorry," Winter said, looking down, "I thought I- I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Come, lets go home."

Fear gripped Winter, something she had not felt for nearly a year, she pushed it away then nodded.

"Lets go."

Through the darkness Winter lead the way home. The walk was silent, Winter forcing herself not to think about the dream, about what she 'saw'. May stared at Winter for a long time, not once saying anything about Winter's form, or about the nightmare. Winter never bothered to say anything, her head was too tired, too caught up in thoughts. Winter didn't know when they reached her house, and walked in, turning human as she walked through the door. She sat down on her bed, dazed. She was, in a way, afraid to sleep. But she was so tired, she wouldn't be able to fight it off. She lay down on her bed, closed her eyes, and tugged at the cross around her neck. Please Lord, protect me. Please.

***

Morning came slowly, unnoticed by Winter. When she woke it was well into the day, sun high in the sky. Yawning she got up slowly, swaying from side to side. She walked to her door, opening it silently. She sat down at a small, wooden table and forked out some of the leftovers of the morning, left for her. Quickly she ate them, then grabbed her bag of money, knowing she was late to her teachings. Sprinting through the woods she came to a large, open, flat area where girls and boys, her age and younger, armed with swords, bows, and armor, stood talking to each other. They all looked at her as she stumbled clumsily in.

"I'm sorry." she gasped, "Let's start. Jade-"

"Winter!"

Winter turned to the sound of her name, seeing May running up to her.

"I thought you'd never make it here in time!"

"I didn't, and it looks like you didn't either."

May smiled then turned the crowd, "Sorry!"

Winter laughed then continued, "Jade, as I was saying," she glanced at May playfully, "you will be sparing with me today, your blade ready?"

Jade was fifteen, a year younger than Winter, with blond hair, green eyes, freckles, and a slender figure. "Yes!" she responded excitedly.

"Alright, everyone stand back."

The crowd formed a wide circle around them, Winter changing into a green dragon, who stood on her hind legs. Her jaw grew harder, fangs sprouting in every direction, her claws grew large, tail sharp.

Jade looked at her, completely surprised. No one had gone up against Winter without Winter having a sword.

"Surprise," Winter growled, jumping at Jade. Jade lifted her sword, blocking the attack, then rolling away.

"Good, good!" Winter said, then whipped around, her tail catching Jade, sending her flying into the crowd. The armor took most of the blow, and the crowd helped her to her feet.

"Quicker! Quicker, Jade! No enemy would have let you live through that!" a flash of her dream suddenly flooded her view. She had the sword in her gut right after she hit the wall. That was a mistake. The vision blurred and her eyes came back to her, revealing Jade running at her, sword held high. Winter jumped at her, shouldering Jade in the stomach. Jade toppled over Winter, dropping her sword. Winter placed her foot on Jade’s chest, grinning. "That wasn’t bad. But you need to keep your sword ready, not held over your head leaving your gut open to-."

Winter dropped off there, turned, and walked away. She nudged May, indicating to her she was to take over.

"Winter?" Jade asked, now standing, looking confused at Winter. Winter stopped and turned to her. "What?" she growled.

"You aren’t well," Jade said matter-of-factly.

Winter’s eyes narrowed and she suppressed her anger, then turned away again, saying over her shoulder, "No, I’m not."

***

Visions of him haunted her, memories that brought her much horror, filled her head. Winter sat on a cliff, feet hanging over. How could this had happened? Just one dream brings back all of the horrors she went through. She sighed, she wished this had never come to her, Shadow had never chosen her to torment. If only this had befallen some one else. She looked down, no, no one else could have done what she had done. It was good it fell to her. Winter looked up into the sky, now lying on her back. His sick laughter reached her mind’s ear, ringing in her head. She sat up, shaking her head, trying to push it away. Eventually it faded away. Winter fell back, eyes closed, the sun heating up her face. She ran her hand through her red hair that had grown redder over the year. She let out another sigh, now tired of the thought of Shadow. Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? Hadn’t he done his damage? Hasn’t he left his mark? Winter opened her eyes, fingering the scar he had left on her left arm. It brought back the memory that she quickly pushed away. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t let herself fall under him, again!

"I won’t let you destroy my life again!" she shouted out into the vast space, "Never again!" she smiled as her voice echoed over the forest, down the cliff, into the air. She felt better shouting out into nothing. She smiled, then unfolded her blue wings as she kept the rest of her body human. Standing up, she kicked a small pebble off the cliff, watching it till it disappeared from her sight. She turned around, smiling. Her smile faded, her heart skipped a beat. She screamed and accidently stepped off the cliff. Shadow’s grin faded as she fell, screaming as she fell. She flipped around, the air catching her wings, causing her to lift her up. No, she wasn’t going to run, she was going to face him. She tipped her wings, turning her around, lifting herself up onto the cliff. Her bare feet landed softly on the ground.

"Why? Why must you continue to torture me? You’re dead! Get that through your head and leave me alone!" she shouted at him.

He grinned, "So you do remember me."

Winter blinked, "It wasn’t a nightmare."

He laughed, "Why would it be?"

"BECAUSE YOU’RE DEAD!"

"I am standing in front of you."

"You’re dead, I know that. Don’t even try to mess with me. Now why don’t you leave?"

Shadow grinned, his blood-like eyes staring into her blue eyes. "Are you so sure?"

Then he faded away into nothing.

"I know you’re dead," Winter whispered, "you can’t fool me." But his words echoed in her head, "Are you so sure?"

Was she?

----
Thanks for reading! And I would go off on a list of names who have been nice right now...but there's a lot....like Jade, Vmpgirl, Marion Lim (lol, I’ve mentioned you before!!).. And sorry to those I don't mention. There’s a lot of you!! You know I love you all, so yeah...g2g...