Chapter 34: The Dreamer
He turned a corner and ran into another group of robes. These ones were taller, bulkier, their faces contorted with rage. Inquisitors. Dante crashed through the nearest door and his shoulder exploded in pain as it cracked into a shelf. Of all the times to run into a cupboard…
He fell to his knees and tried to scurry behind the vacuum cleaner, hoping that the small army of red robes hadn’t noticed his blunder – but they had, and were soon surrounding him.
Then the voice came back.
Why does this always…
Dante turned and felt a chill sea breeze prickle his skin. The sky was a clear, rich blue and seagulls were squawking nearby as Lysander and Angelo tried to coerce them into mobbing Chris and Lance, who lay spread out across the green hill sunbathing.
Shielding his eyes from the burning sun, Dante swept his gaze over the scenery. Joel, Kaori and the other Ravens bundled out of an amusement arcade clutching ice creams and sweets while, down on the beach, Hermia, Korrigan and the other more active students played games with inflatable balls and throwing discs. Dante wondered where Katrina was and shuffled around the central green in search of her. She was with the rest of the ‘Veritas’ clique, following Phoenie as she led them towards the fringes of the town, with Mythology teacher Mr Baudin following discretely behind.
Then he looked out across the sea. Maybe he was the first to see it, or maybe everyone else was ignoring it, but he could have sworn he saw something flash in the distance. He squinted, wondering if it was just the reflection of sunlight on the waves – and suddenly wished he was. A pair of long horns rose out of the ocean, which were soon connected to a bulbous head. Those on the beach ran screaming towards the promenade as a large creature, at least ten metres tall, rose out of the ocean. Its muscular body was covered in scales, its lipless mouth quivered as water drained from its lungs, and its long, ape-like limbs dragged along the seabed, leaving a trail of foam in their wake. Some of the teachers darted forward, drawing weapons Dante didn’t know they had, and stood battle-ready on the edge of the promenade, while their students huddled together in whatever shelter was nearby.
This isn’t the way things were…
Dante turned and he found himself standing amongst a throng of oblivious people thrashing around under dancing lights. Loud music assaulted his ears, its heavy bass pounding at his stomach with what felt like a hundred beats a second, and he stumbled forward through the crowd. Glancing back he could see the distinctive ginger of Joel’s head waiting at the bar for drinks, while Byron and Vincent loitered in a nearby cubicle behind a haze of smoke.
The World’s End. This is where it started…
Dante turned to face the mural that dominated one long wall of the underground nightclub. His eyes were drawn away from the stylistic graffiti and depictions of a flaming destruction towards the blackness that crowned it. A familiar shadow – an all-too familiar shadow.
The voice began to reverberate in his head again. Then, like wet paint in a squall, the wall – and reality – began to wash away, leaving behind an expanse of lifeless trees whose withered branches stretched out towards the horizon. Somewhere in that army of death stood a tall figure, its horned form silhouetted against the full moon. Dante could feel a hand reaching out to him, a voice willing him to…
Come with me. Accept me.
Like he did every other time, Dante buried his face behind his hands and screamed until the nightmare shattered and reality returned.
***
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A thong? I think a throng might be more appropriate.
You know that’s the second time I’ve made that mistake?!