Life hadn’t always been like this.

Grey clouds covered the sun, choking out any ray of sunlight that attempted to filter through to the ground below. Thunder growled in the distance and lightning snapped across the sky, screaming in pain.

Small raindrops splattered on the windshield as Mason, her grandfather's assistant, turned off the road and onto the gravel driveway that led over the velvety green hill. As Michelle pulled her gray jacket tighter around her shaking frame, she took a deep breath.

“How was it yesterday?” Her fragile voice broke the grey silence, startling her driver slightly.

He cleared his throat as he put the car into park. “It was beautiful. I’m just sad you missed it.”

“It would have been nice if Liam had made an effort to accommodate my schedule,” she muttered.

“The media wasn’t too happy about your absence,” Mason spoke. “Missy wanted to know if you had time for an exclusive interview later today.”

Michelle sighed and closed her eyes. “Did she have any specific time in mind?”

“She said whenever.”

She nodded and opened the door, pulling the hood of her jacket over her head as the rain pelted down on her. It only took her a few seconds to arrive before the burial plot of her grandfather.

Hanging her head, she felt the tears slide down her face, warm and comforting despite the cold air that loomed around her. A shiver ran through her body as she sensed someone near her. She looked over her shoulder to see a figure standing there, their black jacket draped over their boney frame and the hood up, hiding their face.

“Who are you?” Her words tasted empty and bitter, almost identical to the tears that fell.

“Just a friend.” Their voice sounded congested as if they were also crying. The words sounded choked as if they didn’t trust their voice enough to speak louder. She almost didn’t hear them over the growing sound of rain yet their voice radiated through the empty spaces left by the droplets.

“Why are you here?” Her voice cracked and she squeezed her eyes shut.

She had hoped for a moment of peace as she stood by her grandfather’s grave but now it seemed she wouldn’t get what she wished for. Was a moment of quiet too much to ask?

The smell of the rain was calming to her, reminding her of the many summer afternoons she had spent with her grandfather, sitting in the park, watching the birds and insects reappear after a storm. It was always so breathtaking to watch the sunshine chase away the grey clouds that had brought the few moments of fear.

“I’m here to pay my respects.” The answer was delayed and she had been thinking they hadn’t heard her. “I missed the funeral yesterday.”

She sniffed. “Thank you for coming.”

She couldn’t blame them for coming or missing the service—after all, she had missed it herself. Family matters had called her back home where she had to sort out problems that had arisen because of the recent passing of her grandmother.

Now that her grandfather was gone, she was completely alone. A sudden feeling of abandonment crept over her, cold and foreign as she stood there. She couldn’t rely on the people she always turned to because they weren’t there anymore. Time had taken its toll on them, tearing them down and eventually taking them away entirely from her life.

A sigh escaped her lips and she took a step back, preparing to head back to the car.

“It’s following you.” They spoke louder this time and she could hear them properly, realizing that it was a male that stood next to her.

“What?” she asked, shoving her hands into her pockets.

“The Nightmare.”

She looked over at him, brushing her hair out of her face as she did so. Behind him, off to the side, she could see what he was talking about. The creature stood at the same height as her, its entire body nothing more than a seething sea of darkness. Underneath its filmy skin, she could see something moving, writhing, but looked away. Its glowing green eyes locked onto hers and, although it didn’t have a face, she knew it was smiling.

“Are you scared of Nightmares?” she questioned, stepping closer. “Don’t we all have one?”

He shook his head. “Not at all.”

“Then why do you care?”

“They’re dangerous.”

She bit the tip of her tongue to keep herself from snapping back. “I’ll handle it. It’s not a rogue Nightmare so don’t bother yourself with it.”

He leaned his head to the side and she caught a glimpse of his face. It was only a split second but that was all it took. He had eyes as dark as the storm clouds above them and as matte as the grave header before them. They shimmered in the dying daylight as he looked her over.

“I doubt you’re strong enough to handle them.” His words were sharp and sudden, reminding her of static on an old radio set.

Taking a deep breath, she answered. “I don’t know who you are that you can see my Nightmare or that you think you can handle it and frankly, I don’t care. But it’s annoying me that you’re trying to meddle in my affairs.”

He laughed as lightning flashed across the sky, startling her. “Fine. But don’t try and say I didn’t warn you.”

“Warn me?” she scoffed. “You didn’t warn me. You undermined my ability to protect myself.”

In a split second, he stood before her, mere inches away. The air around him was freezing cold, stealing the air from her lungs and paralyzing her. He smelled of iron, a mix between the aroma of metal and blood.

“Your Nightmare will go rouge eventually, Ms. Glass.” His words were like knives, digging into her skin and grabbing at the muscles and tendons beneath. “And when it does, you will regret snapping at me.”

“I highly doubt it,” she managed.

“I don’t.” He stepped around her and stopped by her side. “I don’t doubt it at all.”

She watched as he disappeared out of the corner of her eye and, only when he was gone was she able to breathe normally again. Her shoulders hunched forward, attempting to warm her shaking body.

Everything about him had been cold, reminding her of the air that currently danced around her. A shiver raced up her spine, clawing at her skin as she pulled her jacket tighter around her.

“Idiot,” she muttered under her breath.

The rain began to pick up and the cold drops soaked through her sleeves and onto the skin beneath. Gritting her teeth, she looked down at the grave before her, her knees suddenly weak.

“I’ll come back, grandpa.” She sniffed. “Just not today.”

****

Michelle sat in the grey office, wet hair slicked back out of her face. She hadn’t left right away after the stranger had disappeared, but had stayed there to have a few moments in quiet. The storm had finally chased her off, soaking her to the bone, and now her hair was dripping water onto the carpet.

“Do you need a towel?” Missy slid into her desk chair, giving her a concerned glance. “I know it’s been a rough week for you but if you don’t dry off, you’ll get a cold.”

“I already changed clothes,” she spoke up. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” She didn’t ask again after Michelle gave her a firm nod, waving off any look of concern.

“I’m sure you know why I asked for this interview,” Missy started. “And although I know this is a touchy subject, these are questions I still have to ask.”

“It’s fine,” she reassured her. “I’m okay.”

Missy clicked her pen opened and looked over the list of questions that lay on her desk. “The first one is one that the media has been asking repeatedly for the past twenty-four hours: why did you miss your grandfather’s funeral?”

Michelle took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat. “I was visiting my home back in Hong Kong actually. As you know, my grandmother passed away a couple of months ago and her home-going caused some problems to arise at the estate.”

She nodded, jotting down notes. “And how are you doing with the passing of your grandmother?”

“It’s not something that goes away quickly,” she started. “But little by little, I’m making my way through it. After all, grief is a process that can’t be rushed.”

Michelle bit her tongue and clenched her jaw to keep the tears from rushing to her eyes. She knew it was coming—it was inevitable—and the state she was in was still fragile.

“Now that the previous CEO of Gateway is no longer in office, who do you think is going to take that position?” Missy shifted in her seat slightly, uncomfortable with the question.

“It’ll be handed over to Liam Sanchez,” she answered. “My grandfather took him under his wing when he was just a young businessman and has helped him grow immensely in the past fifteen years. As you know, I am not yet old enough to take over the company so, until I am, Liam will be keeping an eye on Gateway for me.”

Missy smiled. “Are you and Liam close?”

“I know him.” She nodded, forcing a smile. “But close isn’t the word I’d use.”

The room settled into silence, weighing on her shoulders as she awaited the next question.

“Rumor has it that your grandfather enrolled you in Gateway’s Apprenticeship Program. Is that true?”

The question took Michelle by surprise but she kept the smile in place as she answered. “Rumors are called rumors for a reason, Missy. They’re not true.”

“What are your connections to Nehemiah Koehn?”

Michelle narrowed her eyes, unable to hide her annoyance.

“Along with the rumor of you entering the Apprenticeship Program, many people were wondering who your Mentor would be,” she quickly clarified. “I know you said that the rumors weren’t true but I still have to ask.”

“I’ve already put those rumors to rest so I’ll just answer your first question.” Michelle ran a hand through her hair. “I’ve known Nehemiah Koehn and his brother for quite a while now and yes, if I was to go through the Apprenticeship Program, he would probably be my Mentor but I am not doing that.”

Missy shut her notebook and clicked the stop button on the recorder. “Thank you for taking the time out of your day to come in.”

She smiled and stood. “Anytime.”

She headed for the door but stopped when Missy stepped between her and the exit. The casual smile that had been on her face fell away and Michelle saw the worry that had been hidden beneath. It wove its way through the early-set wrinkles that lined her mouth and eyes, making her look years older than she actually was.

“Just between you and me, Michelle, and off the record,” she spoke. “Let me know if you need anything. And I mean anything. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

Michelle slowly relaxed and took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

The woman stepped to the side and she brushed past her. Michelle didn’t look back.

Neither did her Nightmare.

****

Darkness swam around Michelle as she shut the door of her apartment behind her. Normally, the lights would be on and the smell of food would be coming from the kitchen but instead, everything was still—lifeless.

A sigh escaped her lips without her thinking about and she dropped her keys onto the counter. Slipping out of her jacket, she headed for her room where she quickly changed into more comfortable clothes.

She turned on every light in the living room before moving into the kitchen where she flipped all the switches, bathing the room in light. The counters were clean, the stove untouched, and no dirtied plates in the sink, all reminding her of the fact that no one was there.

No one besides her.

Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut as the emotions welled up in her chest, making her whole body ache. The back of her throat burned as the sobs came but she swallowed them back, refusing to admit that grief had weighed on her shoulders immensely.

She gripped the edge of the counter to keep herself from crumbling to the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was listen to the sound of her screams fill the empty space around her so she clenched her jaw and forced herself to stand. One more day of pushing the feelings down wouldn’t hurt.

She’d done it before, she could do it again.

The silence was too much for Michelle to handle so she flipped the TV on. Although she wasn’t paying attention to what they were saying, the noise was enough to put her at ease.

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as the Nightmare neared, stopping on the other side of the counter. It stopped, keeping a safe distance but it still made her uncomfortable.

Shutting the cabinet, she turned around and looked at it, narrowing her eyes.

“Leave me alone.” Her voice rang through the quiet room, echoing back to her a few seconds later. “You’re a parasite. You need to leave.”

“If only that worked.” It smirked. “Unfortunately, this is how I stay alive so I won’t be leaving any time soon.”

Rolling her head to the side, she sighed and rubbed her shoulder. She’d been running on only a few hours of sleep for the past several days and it was starting to catch up to her. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep as it was but a part of her knew she needed to at least try.

“Why me?” she spoke. “And why did you have to pick that fear?”

She could see the scene playing out just beyond the filmy black skin of the Nightmare. Inside, she stood alone in the middle of a crowd but everyone around her ignored her. No one knew her—no one acknowledged her—no one looked at her.

“It seemed that abandonment was your greatest fear,” it answered. “And I was right. Even now, the fear grows stronger and stronger.”

“Which means you get stronger too.” She breathed. Anger began to grow in the empty hole grief had left in her chest. “Feeding off of someone else’s pain is wrong.”

It was quiet, unmoving.

“Then do something about your pain,” Abandonment snapped back. “Do something about your fear and I disappear. If you aren’t scared, I grow weak.”

Now it was her turn to be quiet.

“But you can’t do anything because you’re the weak one.” It stepped closer, its cold aurora inching over her. “And the weaker you are, the stronger I become.”

“Step closer one more time and I’ll yank your heart out.” She growled, clenching her fists.

It cocked its head to the side. “I don’t think you’re strong enough.”

The overhead lights flickered as her veins burned. “I know who I am and what I’m capable of and I won’t be hindered by a measly parasite like you.”

“How long have I been following you around, Glass?” Abandonment’s voice mocked her. “Months. Almost a year.”

She stepped closer to it and reached out, her hand passing through its chest.

“I know how to kill you.” She wrapped her fingers around the pulsing orb that was hidden just beyond her fear. “And I’m not scared to do it.”

“You can’t.” Its voice hitched as she tightened her grip on the heart, tucking on the many cords that were attached to it and spread throughout its body. “You wouldn’t dare.”

She loosened her grip. “I’m not scared to be alone.”

“You’re right.” It nodded, its eyes turning a burning orange color as it took in a breath. “You’re scared of being abandoned. First, your parents, then your friends. Next your grandmother and grandfather. What do you have now, Glass?”

The words burned her skin, making her pull back slightly, her fingers slipping away from the heart. It stepped backwards and out of her reach but she made no attempt to pursue it. As long as it stayed back, she was fine.

“You’ve already been abandoned,” it spoke. “Many times, over and over again. How many times is it going to happen? Who do you have to save you?”

Her legs went weak beneath her and fell to the ground, landing on her knees. She couldn’t move but she didn’t want to. The Nightmare’s words sounded inside of her head as it kneeled in front of her, it’s icy cold fingers sliding down her jawbone and to her ears. It pressed into the side of her head and she tried to pull back, unable to take the stabbing sensation anymore. In response, it tightened its hold on her and pressed harder, speeding up the process.

“Relax.”

Her whole body went numb, muscles loosening, and she went limp in the Nightmare’s arms. All she could see was the scene unfolding before her, one she had seen millions of times before but never let thought about in detail.

A rush of cold air swallowed her up even though all the windows were closed tightly. She realized it was inside of her head, controlling her body, emotions, and probably even her thoughts.

She gritted her teeth in an attempt to fight back but with no success. The scary thing about the Nightmares was that they couldn’t hurt a person or at least not on their own. They would manipulate the emotions and thoughts of their host into self-harm, further fueling the Fear that they were mimicking.

A sudden feeling of loneliness stabbed into her chest, stealing the last remaining bits of air from her lungs and leaving her shivering. Her whole world started spinning as if she was on a theme park ride, taking her up and plunging her down, twisting every which way.

Her vision blurred, all the colors of the room draining from the walls and paintings and mixing together before dispersing once more. It was like she was looking through the lens of a kaleidoscope—everything was distorted yet, at the same time, it looked perfectly normal as if it had always been like that.

She stood to her feet without thinking, grabbing onto the counter for support as she pulled her body up. Everything stopped spinning and the colors seemed to calm down but the peace only lasted for a split second. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes landed on the Nightmare, its black silhouette untouched by the rush of colors and vibration.

It was in control of her now, moving her around the counter. She watched as her hand reached out, fingers numbly wrapping around the iced-over handle of the knife that rested in the butcher’s block.

“You should know better than to mess with a Child,” she growled. A tiny bit of pain made it through the hazy mist that seemed to surround her senses and she realized she was clenching the handle too hard. It didn’t matter—she couldn’t get her grip to loosen and it seemed the Nightmare liked the pain.

It flicked its finger towards the ground and she felt her body go weightless, dropping at its command. As it stepped forward, she tried to get her arms and legs to move but she remained paralyzed by its control.

“You’re barely a Child,” it mocked. “You’re not strong enough either.”

She could feel some part of her fighting back, a part she had kept buried for a long time. Now, it was awakening and it was mad. A rush of adrenaline-like energy raced through her veins like fire over a trail of gasoline.

Looking down at her arms, she could see the inky-black veins that stood up from her skin and the slight blue bits that interlaced with the darkness.

A scream tore from her throat as the Nightmare lunged towards her, its hands passing straight through her. It hurt like her heart was trying to beat its way out of her chest or as if the air in her lungs had decided to claw an exit through her skin.

The Nightmare screeched as she managed to gain some control of her body but it wasn’t enough. Her grip released and the sound of the metal blade rattling against the marble floor startled her, making her lose the ground she had gained.

Her fingers danced over the floor for a panicked second before she found the knife. The Nightmare pulled back, satisfied that it had regained its control. All she could do now was let go of the hold she had on her body and move with the Nightmare. She needed to conserve her energy otherwise she wouldn’t be able to fight back.

The blade caught the light of the chandelier above her, momentarily blinding her as the Nightmare adjusted her handle on the knife. She titled the blade, the tip slicing into the skin by the base of her palm but she felt nothing.

Slight panic bubbled in her chest but it was quickly smothered by a misty feeling of apathy. She knew she should be feeling pain but once again, her whole body was numb.

As she pulled the blade back, it neatly cut through the skin. Crimson red blood bubbled from the fresh wound and around her arm before dripping onto the floor with soft pats.

A sound came from her throat, not quite a scream but more a chuckle, starting as a giggle before blooming into a delirious laugh that deafened her.

Then she felt it.

The pain hit her like a brick wall, knocking her head back and making her scream for help. The Nightmare had released its control on her, satisfied with the rush of energy it had managed to harvest.

The burning hot tears rolled down her face, blurring her vision, and once again making everything melt together in an unidentifiable object.

Scream after scream erupted from her throat until she couldn’t make a sound. It was impossible to breathe, to stop the world from shaking as she struggled to her feet, cradling her injured arm against her stomach. She needed to stop the bleeding so she grabbed her jacket from off the counter and wrapped it around her arm as tight as she could manage.

Swiping her keys from the hook where she had left them, she fell against the door. After several moments of fumbling with the lock and handle, she managed to get it open and stumbled out into the hallway.

The cold night air felt good on her sweaty skin but she didn’t have time to focus on the relieving feeling. She needed to move before she passed out but as it was, she could barely walk.

Her steps turned into weak shuffles as she headed down the virtually empty sidewalk. A few people gave her a strange look but no one stepped out of their way to ask if she needed help. She wished that someone would but couldn’t speak. When she tried, her words slurred and melted together into an incoherent mess.

“Please.”

She tripped on her own feet and lurched forward, grabbing out for something to grab onto. Instead, she felt arms wrap around her, catching her and swinging her to the side.

The person was warm and wore a soft sweater that reminded her of the blanket she kept on the couch in case it got too cold while she watched TV. Without thinking about it, she leaned into them and let her eyes close.

“Help.” The words left her mouth without her thinking about it but she didn’t care. The arms tightened around her as the person helped her into a standing position.

“Michelle?” They sounded as if they were miles away when in reality they were mere inches away. They smelled of vanilla and lemon, reminding her of the cookies her grandmother used to make on the weekends.

She felt them pull back from her and unwind the jacket from her arm and heard their heartbeat spike as she leaned back against them.

They were scared.

Next:

Three | Asset

(Wednesday)

Silence covered Michelle like a blanket, weighing her down as she attempted to move. The bright white clouds surrounding her darkened, lightning sparking inside. No longer on the sidewalk, she now stood on the roof a skyscraper –a dizzying 1,396 feet to the ground below.

The air whipped around her, tugging at her clothes, and pulling her hair. Her eyes refused to focus, choosing to play tricks on her instead. The ground heaved, the sides of the building warping and pitching her forward. She grabbed at the rail, but its flimsy metal pickets wouldn’t be strong enough to save her.

Then she saw him. Five feet away stood a boy, bright orange hoodie rippling in the wind. He stood on the other side of the railing, the edges of his shoes resting on nothing but empty space. Bloodless fingers were the only thing holding him in place as he lifted one foot. The wind changed directions, causing the building to groan as he put his foot back down.

Panicking, Michelle lunged towards him. She knew this was just a bad dream but everything about it seemed real. Even the choking sensation in her throat that came from lack of air was startlingly realistic.

As her fingers laced around his wrist to hold him in place, the coldness of his hands and darkness of his eyes seared into her soul. Even the air around him was cold. Unable to rip her gaze away and cemented in place, her hands began to tremble, goosebumps racing up her arm.

“Who are you?” he demanded, unblinking against the stinging bits of ice that rained from the clouds.

She swallowed, not letting go despite the icy numbness seeping into her fingers. It was as if her hands were wet and she had touched a frozen metal pole, causing her skin to stick to it and tear painfully whenever she tried to pull back.

“What—what are you doing?”

“I asked you a question,” he snapped.

He smelled of a mix of metal and blood, reminding her of something but she didn’t know what.

His eyes darkened and his grip on the handle tightened—fingers somehow turning whiter than they already were. She imagined how that would feel—cold and lost, numb to the pain he was inflicting on them. She cringed slightly and reached out, fingertips brushing against his skin. He seemed so real, so alive, so—she stopped herself. He was just a dream, a part of the dream. She just needed to wake up.

She stared him in the eyes, trying not to shiver. The strange lighting grew duller with each second as did the darkness in his eyes. His voice softened to a whisper almost and she realized how bad he was shaking. She hadn’t noticed it at first but now, it was obvious. With each gust of wind, his hoodie whipped through the air, tangling around his body, and making him sway.

“Let go of my hand.” It was more of a plea than a command.

She did so without hesitation, without even thinking. Stumbling away from him, all her concerns and panic bled away. She knew why she’d never reached him before. Deep down, she’d known it wouldn’t make a difference. The sleet bit into her skin and drilled into her skull but she just stood there, arms pressed against her side.

Relinquishing his hold on the railing, he took a step forward. One step; and he was gone, not even so much as a sound. Only then did she move, hurtling for the railing and peering over.

She should have held on; shouldn’t have let go no matter what she thought.

His orange hoodie swallowed him up, a burning cloud of flames against the fading Grays and blues of the tired city. She watched him plummet, getting further away from her and closer to the ground–like a dead leaf blowing in the wind, falling to the ground to rot like the others before it.

She shoved away from the railing, her body going numb. She didn’t want to see him hit, didn’t want to walk past him on the way out of the building. Paralyzed, she sucked in shallow breaths. Only when the wailing of sirens grew louder –sixty breathes later –did she snap out of it. The twenty yards to the rooftop door stretched into a hundred and she couldn’t feel the button when she pressed it.

No matter how hard she tried to get her mind to think about something else she couldn’t shake the thoughts that raced through her mind.

He had been so cold.

Michelle awoke with a gasp, eyes opening wide as she sat up. The overhead lights were blinding and made her squint so she looked down, waiting for the world to stop spinning. She had no clue where she was yet the room around her looked vaguely familiar as if she had been there before. A strange sense of déjà vu settled over her as she sat there, hands pressed against the sides of her head.

Letting her hands slide down the side of her face, she stared at her fingers, confused as to why there were remains of dried blood in the creases of her palm. Looking down, she noticed the small black stitches that ran the length of her forearm, pulling together the sliced skin.

Only then did she remember what happened. Swinging her legs off the bed, she grabbed her bloodied jacket from off the back of a chair and headed for the doorway. She stumbled slightly but managed to catch herself on the doorway. Her head spun and darkness edged on the edges of her vision so she shut her eyes.

“Woah, hold up for a moment.” She felt someone’s arms around her shoulders, supporting her and pulling her away from the doorway. They led her out of the room and sat her down on a couch. Their voice was deep yet comforting, friendly, and welcoming. “You need to be careful; you’re not entirely healed yet.”

The voice was so familiar yet she couldn’t place it. As she slowly opened her eyes, she finally saw who it was. The boy had sandy brown hair that partially hid his big brown eyes. He smiled slightly as recognition flashed across her face.

“Long time no see, Michelle,” Ezra spoke.

She had known Ezra from what seemed like forever when in reality it had only been five years. He and his older brother Nehemiah had been native to Echonia, one of the many worlds the Gateways connected too, but during the latest civil war that had broken out, they had immigrated. Since then, her grandfather had employed them as Mentors and Guards for the several Entryway’s that littered the city.

“Why am I here?” she questioned.

“I found you on the street.” He crouched down before her. “You collapsed in my arms.”

“Sorry about that.” She went to stand but he stopped her by holding onto her wrist and sitting her down.

“Don’t try and move just yet,” he ordered. His eyes went to her arm and she saw him flinch slightly. “I’m assuming it was a rogue Nightmare?”

She put a hand over her wrist and tucked the stitches towards her so he wouldn’t have to look at it. “Unfortunately, you are correct.”

“Maybe you should enroll in the Exposure Therapy that Gateway provides. I’ve heard they do a good job—,” he started.

“I can’t,” she cut him off. “If anyone leaks to the news that own of my Nightmares went rogue, Liam will only use it to his advantage.”

“Liam?” he echoed. “What did your grandfather even see in him?”

“He was an asset to my grandfather.” She rubbed her jaw. “Investors and sponsors liked the idea of him taking a younger businessman under his wing and helping him out. It gave him grace in the eyes of those he relied on.”

Ezra sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “And now your grandfather has become an asset to him.”

She nodded her response, biting back the urge to stand and head for the door. Although she and Ezra knew each other, she had always kept her distance from the two brothers, unsure of what to think of them exactly.

“I heard about your interview with Missy.” He broached the subject. “And what you said about the Apprenticeship.”

“It’s not happening.” She spoke before he continued. “As much as I would like to honor and respect my grandfather, I will not do it.”

“Do you plan on taking over the company or not?” He countered. “This is the only thing you have to do for the company to be yours. As soon as your Apprenticeship is over, you’ll be old enough to be CEO and Liam is out of the picture.”

“And if I’m remembering right, his son gets his position,” she said.

“His son can’t be worse than him though,” he pointed out.

“I can only hope so.” She sighed. “But everyone knows that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Ezra pressed his lips together and she could tell he didn’t agree with what she had said.

“They said the same thing about me.” He stood and turned away. “But I am nothing like my father.”

“You know I wasn’t talking about you,” she snapped, slightly annoyed. A drumming pain had started at the base of her neck and with every passing second, it got worse.

“Just give the kid a chance.” His back remained to her but his shoulders relaxed slightly. “And give Nehemiah a chance too.”

She was quiet for a second, chewing on her lip. “I’ll think about it.”

Standing, she slipped her jacket on and zipped it up half-way. “I’m assuming Nehemiah is the one that stitched me up. Snapdragon would have done a better job but please tell him ‘thank you’ for me.”

“You can tell him yourself when you start your Apprenticeship.” He turned to look at her, their eyes meeting.

She didn’t respond but headed for the door, only to be stopped in her tracks by what he said next.

“Have you found him?” Ezra’s voice rang through the wide living room, echoing ever so slightly in the silence. “The Vanished Child your grandfather always talked about.”

There it was again—the same feeling that had erupted from her gut last night now sprung from her chest, inky black veins peeking out from the edges of her jacket cuffs. They laced around the tendons on the back of her finger, dancing along creases in her fingers and palms, and then disappeared when she took a deep breath.

“I think so.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Just like my grandfather said, he was colder than ice and darker than death itself.”

“What do you expect? He is the Grim Reaper after all.”

She smirked. “Yeah, right. Like I believe that.”

“Is there someone that can stay with you until you decide what do about your Nightmare?” Ezra steered the conversation in another direction. “Maybe call Sunny and see if she’ll be in town.”

“I will.” She nodded. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll let you know what I decide about the Apprenticeship.”

“Take your time.” He opened the door wide and gave her a goodbye smile as she left.

****

The moment Michelle got back to her apartment, she pulled up her contacts and dialed Sunny, her closest and only friend. As it rang, she put it on speaker-phone and set it on the counter. Walking to the sink, she ran a paper towel under the water and crouched down, wiping at the splatters of blood that had dried on the hardwood floor.

“Hey!” Sunny’s warm voice filled the silence that had hung over Michelle like a raincloud. “What’s up?”

“Is it possible that you could stay at my place for a week or so?” She sat up on her heels, waiting for an answer. When the line was quiet for a moment, she continued. “I’ve been having problems ever since I got back and with the apartment being empty and all, my Nightmares have gotten stronger.”

Sunny was the only person who knew what Michelle’s greatest fear was and she had always done her best to make sure that fear never got too strong. She knew how exposed and scared Michelle would be if that fear became a reality.

“Of course,” was the answer. “I’m actually flying in later tonight so I’ll just come straight to your place.”

“Thank you.” Michelle stood up and tossed the now-bloodied paper towel into the trash. “I’ll see you soon then.”

She could hear the smile in Sunny’s voice as she responded. “I can’t wait! Be thinking about what you want to watch tonight, okay?”

Her phone buzzed, indicating that someone had messaged her so Michelle picked it up to look at it. “Okay, I gotta go. Liam just texted me.”

“Bye!”

As the line went dead, Michelle pulled the chat conversation up which consisted of reminders for meetings and questions about her arrival back in the States. This time, it was a reminder that she had a meeting with him and his son Xion in thirty minutes.

Sighing, she went to her room and changed into long sleeves, hiding the stitches. She grabbed a clean jacket from her closet and headed out the door, not looking forward to meeting Liam so soon.

****

A soft ballad played over the speakers of the café, just loud enough to be background music but too soft to actually make out. It was rush hour now and the daily commuters were stopping to get coffee on their way home, causing the streets, sidewalks, and stores to be packed full.

Michelle sat across from Liam, her hands folded in her lap. The ‘meeting’ hadn’t started yet as his son hadn’t arrived and as the minute hand ticked by on the clock, she started to doubt it was just the traffic that was holding him up.

She had already examined every square inch of her surroundings and now had to look at Liam. He had salt and pepper hair that was thinning at his hairline and his dark eyes seemed to be sunken into his skull. He seemed to be made up of only skin and bones, his fingers long and crooked and his wrists small and fragile. The impatient look that rested on his face didn’t help any either.

“Sorry, I’m late. I didn’t exactly want to be here.” A young man a little older than her sat down next to Liam. He had snow-white hair that made her think he had bleached it but she wasn’t sure. His eyes were a startling blue color, reminding her of the sea just as the sun catches the waves.

“Glad you could make it.” Liam was annoyed and it showed in his voice. “I’ll get straight to the point since you’ve already wasted so much of my time, Xion.”

He smirked. “Not my problem.”

“Michelle, I would like you to see a psychologist and be assessed,” he started. “Before you take measures to take over the CEO position, I have been asked by many of Gateway’s sponsors and investors to make sure that you are mentally and emotionally stable enough to take this job.”

She narrowed her eyes, biting her tongue to keep herself from snapping back. Leaning her head to the side, she rubbed her temple in mocked concentration.

“I don’t know if that’s the wisest move though, Mr. Sanchez,” she finally spoke. “If the media catches onto the fact that I, the sole heiress of Gateway Incorporated, went to see a counselor about my mental health, it could blow up in our faces.”

“That’s a risk I’m going to have to take.” A strained smile appeared on his face, his annoyance growing. “The investors insist that you do this.”

“The investors can mind their own business and just invest like they’re supposed to,” Xion spoke up. “It’s not their problem whether Michelle is mentally stable enough to handle the position or not.”

“Michelle’s ability also affects them, son.” Liam gritted his teeth. “It massively impacts them if Gateway spirals down because of her inability to handle the position.”

“I’ll do it.” She cut him off before he could say anything else. “But I don’t think you’ll get the results you’re looking for.”

He pulled an appointment card from his pocket and slid it across the table. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, Ms. Glass.”

Next:

Four | Zombie

(Monday)

“So he wants you to be evaluated just in case you’re not mentally stable enough?” Sunny slammed her hand down on the table. “That is totally not okay!”

Reaching out, Michelle patted her hand in an attempt to calm her down. “I know but I already agreed to it.”

“Are you sure you’re going to be able to pass it?” She ran a hand through her blonde hair and relaxed in her chair. “I don’t doubt your ability to keep it together but a professional is going to be able to tell that everything is taking a toll on you.”

“I’m not worried about that honestly,” Michelle answered. “I’m more worried about getting Liam off my back. He’s always been greedy but even more now that I’m the only thing standing between him and what he wants.”

“You need to be careful.” She drummed her fingers on the counter. “Someone like that won’t hesitate to do something to get you out of his way.”

Michelle knew she was right but the more she thought about it, the more disgusted she became. Just the thought of Liam hurting her to get the position of CEO made her skin crawl and her stomach flip.

“Enough about me.” She attempted to change the subject. “How have you been?”

“Actually,” Sunny drew it out. “The reason I’m back is because the trip is over and the museum is preparing for the art exhibit.”

“Already?” Michelle leaned forward. “When is it?”

She bit her lip, trying not to smile. “In a few weeks. I’ll be around till then although my aunt and uncle want me to move back in with them.”

Michelle’s happiness faded for a moment. “You’re moving back in with them? You hated it there; why are you going back?”

Sunny took in a deep breath. “I-I need to grow up a bit. I hated living with them because it was just one painful reminder after another that my parents didn’t want me but now, I’m old enough to be over that.”

“That’s not something you just get over because you turn twenty-one,” she answered. “Something like that is going to be painful.”

Her friend lowered her gaze. “It’s something I’ve been working on over the past six months that I’ve been gone. I missed them, Michelle. I really did. To me, they are the only family I have and I’ve treated them terribly. I’ll be moving back in tomorrow afternoon.”

“I don’t have a problem with you moving back in with them,” she admitted. “I-.”

“You don’t want to be alone, do you?” Sunny leaned forward. “That’s fine. I’ll still be nearby.”

“No, it’s fine.” Michelle wiped at her nose which was starting to burn. “I’m thinking of carrying through with the Apprenticeship Program.”

“I thought you weren’t going to.”

“I met him,” she spoke. “The person my Grandfather always told me to find.”

Sunny’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? What is he like?”

“Cold,” she answered. “Colder than winter and darker than the night sky when the moon is hidden.”

“And how does he tie in with the Apprenticeship Program?” she questioned.

Shrugging, she answered. “I’m not exactly sure but I know that if I advance my knowledge of Echonia and the Gateway’s, he’ll show up.”

“Maybe he’s not looking for you and doesn’t want to find you,” she suggested. “That’s possible.”

Michelle kept her mouth shut, unsure of what to say. “If that’s the case, that’s fine. That just means I get to live a longer, more peaceful life.”

Leaning her head to the side, Sunny propped her chin in her hands and waited for her to continue.

“But I know I need to find him.” Michelle rubbed her jaw. “I promised my grandfather.”

“Be careful of the promises you make, Michelle.” Sunny looked down at her folded hands on the table. “Sometimes, in the end, those promises are just words.”

****

Michelle tossed and turned in her bed as the sheets seemed to grab at her and hold her down, stifling her and making it hard to breathe. The shadows that played around her room made her uneasy and although the darkness comforted her a little bit, it left her vulnerable at the same time. She couldn’t see if there was a Nightmare lurking just beyond sight and the possibility of one being so close without her knowing scared her.

She couldn’t take it anymore. Every little sound was making her jump so she finally sat up. Kicking the sheets off her legs, she scooted off the bed and pulled the blanket with her. As she opened her bedroom door, she carefully shut it behind her and tiptoed past Sunny’s room and into the living room.

She sat down on the couch, the cushions supporting her as she attempted to get comfortable. The blanket provided some warmth but a chilling sensation danced over her skin, a sign that her Nightmare was nearing.

Closing her eyes, she buried her face in the pillow below her and bit her tongue to keep her chin from quivering. Tears burned her eyes but she squeezed her eyes shut to keep them from falling. The last thing she wanted to do was cry yet she knew she needed to.

She held her breath, anticipating the touch of the Nightmare but none came and, within a few seconds, the cold aura passed. Breathing a sigh of relief, she sat up and pulled the blanket with her, tucking it over her shoulders.

Now, she was surrounded by both darkness and silence, a combination she didn’t like. The shadows that flitted across the walls of the living room were strange, twisting this way and that as the cars outside drove by. Unable to take it anymore, she closed her eyes once again in hopes of finding some peace.

Instead, all she found was more havoc. It was driving her crazy, digging deep into her bones and intertwining with the bitterness that rested in her chest. Together, they twisted their way around her heart, squeezing and pulling, making it difficult to breathe.

Something warm slid down her face and she reached up to wipe it away but her hand came back wet.

Tears.

Sniffing, she wiped her face again before sitting numbly where she was. It hadn’t even been a week since she had gotten the news of her grandfather’s passing but it felt like an eternity ago. Yet, at the same time, it felt like it was just yesterday she had called him to let him know she was on her way out of the country.

She let her head drop, her hair making a curtain around her as she let the tears flow. The sobs racked her body and her shoulders shook yet the only thing that could be heard was her sniffing. Pushing her hair out of her face, she looked up at the roof to keep the tears from falling and took a deep breath.

She hoped it would be okay just like all sympathy cards told her and the inked words that promised prayers and support where the only thing that was keeping her going. A part of her knew that she would never be ‘normal’ again but she would get used to it.

As the night moved on, she remained unmoving, numbly staring at the wall before her. The sun would rise eventually and she would go about her day as she always had.

Taking in a breath in, she moved her gaze from the wall and towards the balcony. She stood and let the blanket slip away from her shoulders as she made her way towards the door. Her warm skin left a handprint on the cold glass as she pushed it open and stepped out into the foggy night.

The cars below were barely visible in the darkness, their headlights barely slicing through the thick fog that seemed to cover the whole city like a fine layer of grey dust.

Tomorrow would be the same as today—she knew that. Each moment would feel like an eternity and every breath would just kill her more inside. It had barely been a week yet she felt she had been dying forever. It was as if she was a zombie, moving from day to day, permanently numb by the trauma’s that had surrounded her.

Letting her head hang, she took a deep breath as the fog swirled around her, wrapping her in a loose hug that she desperately needed. The sunlight began to appear on the east side of the city, chasing away the darkness and fog, and bringing a certain feeling that settled deep in her soul.

Just like yesterday, she would wait for the day to be over so she could stop once again.

****

Michelle looked in the mirror as she pulled her shoulder blade-length hair into a ponytail. Her phone vibrated on the counter next to her, indicating that someone was calling. Slipping her hair through the ponytail one more time, she tightened it and picked up the phone, answering it.

“Yes?” She glanced at her reflection once more in the mirror before heading back into her room.

“Hey, it’s Ezra,” he spoke. “I was calling you because of your text message earlier this morning.”

“Oh, right.” She stopped at her dresser and scooped up her earrings from the drawer and put the phone on speakerphone so she could put them. “I wanted to talk to you and Nehemiah about the Apprenticeship Program. Will you two be available for lunch?”

“I am but I don’t know about Nehemiah,” he answered. “But I’ll make it work.”

“Thank you.” She headed for the door, pulling her sleeves down to her wrists. The stitches were getting smaller as the wound was healing but they hadn’t disappeared completely like they were supposed to and the last thing she wanted was for Liam to see them. “I have a meeting this morning but I’ll be there around noon.”

“The usual place?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I’ll see you then.”

As she hung up, she grabbed her jacket from the hook by the door and slipped out into the hallway of the apartment complex. Sunny had left a few minutes ago on her way to the art gallery and wouldn’t be back till later in the afternoon to get her luggage. She would be moving back in with her aunt and uncle and Michelle planned on moving in with Ezra and Nehemiah as long as they were still willing to the Program.

Mason was leaning against the car, waiting for her, when she exited the building. He handed her a cup of coffee and opened the door for her. As she slid into the back seat, he got in the driver’s seat and started the car.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” he questioned, looking at her in the rearview mirror.

She flipped the appointment card over in her palm and stared at the company name, a small smile appearing on her face.

“Unfortunately, I have to pay Happy Way Therapy a visit,” she started. “It’s not exactly something I get a say and if I don’t do it, Liam will use that against me. Besides, it never hurts to talk to someone.”

Sighing, he put the car into drive and pulled away from the building. Michelle tucked the card into her pocket and watched out the window as the buildings raced by.

“Besides, it’s not my first time going to see a psychologist.” She broke the silence. “It’s just been a while.”

****

The silence of the room that Michelle sat in was comforting. It smelled of a concoction of spices with a hint of cinnamon and bergamot, reminding her of her childhood psychologist that she saw for many years.

The color scheme of the room was a vintage style with leather armchairs and brown pillows for accent. Soft grey walls surrounded them with small green leaves that were painted at the top of the wall and scattered downwards towards the gentle brown floorboards.

She could barely hear the sounds of the city even though the office was right off Main Street. White noise filled the empty silence that lurked in the corners of the room and kept anyone in the waiting room from hearing what was being said.

Michelle shifted to get more comfortable. It was impossible to be uncomfortable on the couch she was currently seated on but she felt out of place in the peaceful room. So much chaos was going on in her head yet she had to suppress it and keep it from bleeding out through her stone-hard mask. The moment those emotions slipped through, it would be over for her.

The door opened and a middle-aged woman entered. She had shoulder-length brown hair that was pulled back into a small ponytail at the base of her neck with a green ribbon that matched her eyes. A few loose strands framed her face as she smiled gently at Michelle and settled down in the leather chair in the corner.

“Hello, I’m Marie,” Her voice was smooth like water over a rock reminding Michelle of a lullaby. The words blended together but they weren’t incoherent but rather like chocolate that had been held for too long. “How are you today?”

“Fine,” she answered, trying to keep her voice from sounding cold.

“We’ll start out simple and since you’ve already filled out all the paperwork, we don’t have to deal with that.” She flipped through the file in her lap and Michelle noticed that even her nails were painted a mossy green. “How have you been sleeping?”

“Good.” She didn’t mean for her answers to be so short but she didn’t want to go into detail about it. The less she had to say, the less guilt she would feel for lying.

Marie leaned back in her seat and closed the file. “I know that this is an evaluation to see if you’re in a proper mental state to be dropped into the business world in your grandfather’s stead. I also know that this was ordered by Liam on behalf of the investors for your company, and I also know that you’re going to be very strict with the answers you give me.”

Michelle didn’t speak.

“But please, be honest with me. Although I know it won’t be in this session, I hope you’ll come back and I can help you through some things.”

She didn’t speak because she didn’t know what to say. A small part of her wanted to open up to Marie about the things she had been dealing with for the past couple of months but especially the past week. The larger part of her knew that it would be foolish to tell such sensitive information to someone that could turn around and give it to Liam.

“I won’t be coming back after this visit.” She finally spoke. “I don’t need it.”

Shutting her mouth, she silently regretted those words. She did need it but she was too prideful to admit it—too scared that it would come back to haunt her. Right now, she was vulnerable and it would be easy for someone to take advantage of that and that’s what Liam wanted to do.

Sighing slightly, Marie scribbled something down on the paper before her and looked up at her. “Let’s continue with the evaluation, shall we?”

****

The doors slid open as Michelle exited the building. Tucking the white envelope under her arm, she pulled her jacket off arm-by-arm and draped it over her forearm as she headed for the parked car.

As she rounded the corner of the building, she slowed to a stop when she saw Xion leaning against the white brick siding.

“What are you doing here?” she questioned as he pushed off the wall.

“I wanted to talk to you,” he answered, eyeing the envelope she held. “Is that your evaluation results?”

She cocked her head to the side slightly. “Why do you care?”

“My dad sent me to pick them up.”

Flicking her wrist, she snapped the envelope against his chest and he took it from her. “Thank you for playing errand boy and not wasting my time.”

She went to walk by but he reached out, hand grabbing her left wrist and stopping her. His grip was softer than she had expected and as he pulled her back, she moved with him.

“What?” she questioned, gently tugging her arm from his hold.

Refusing to let go, he pulled the sleeve up, exposing the stitches that had been hidden beneath the fabric.

“I knew you were hiding something.” He smiled.

She yanked her arm away and rolled the sleeve down. “It doesn’t matter.”

“A rogue Nightmare?” he guessed, leaning down to be on eye level with her.

“No.”

“I think it was,” he spoke, leaning his head to the side. “That medical technique is native only to Elrona and has just recently migrated over into Echonian medicine which means, you went to someone either of those two worlds for help.”

“So?”

“You didn’t want Liam to know.” He finished. “Which is a valid enough excuse for wearing a jacket and long sleeves when it’s barely the beginning of fall.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re going to tell him, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t benefit from telling him that. Only if it helps me do I tattle.”

“How would it not benefit you?” she leaned her head to the side. “He’s your father—if he gets the CEO position all to himself, you have a life of ease ahead of you.”

“If he gets the position, that means I don’t,” he pointed out, blue eyes glinting in the mid-day sun. “And I would like to start doing things independent of my father. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to steal your half from you but I would rather have some power than none.”

She nodded. “That makes sense.”

The sound of a car door shutting made her look past Xion and towards the parking lot where Mason waved at her from their parking spot.

“I have to go.” She shifted her jacket to the other arm and stepped off the sidewalk and into the parking lot. “But I’ll hold you to your word—tell Liam about this and it’s over for you.”

“Copy that.” He smirked. “I’m a man of my word.”

As she made her way to the car, she looked over her shoulder once to see him standing there, waving goodbye.

“Call me sometime!” He hollered after her.

Squinting, she looked back at him. “Why should I?”

He shrugged. “Because you’re the only person I know back here.”

Before she could say anything back, her phone rang in her back pocket and she answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me, Ezra,” he spoke. “Are we still on for lunch?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in less than twenty minutes,” she answered. “Is there a problem?”

“No, not a problem exactly.” He let the sentence hang. “Maybe a solution?”

She stopped mid-step, just a few feet away from the car. Mason stepped forward, a concerned look on his face brought about by her sudden action.

“What happened?” He mouthed at her but she waved him off.

“What is it?” She asked Ezra, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

“He’s back.” Was his response. “Vanished is back.”

Next:

Five | (I don't have a chapter title yet lol)

Whenever I get it out... sorry

Michelle pushed her fork through the pile of green beans on her plate and sighed. Normally, she would have enjoyed her food but today, grief was weighing her down and stealing her appetite from her.

She had been to this restaurant many times before with her grandfather yet she couldn’t recall one singular occasion. Instead, it was a mashup of several different moments, blurred and messy at the moment. Sighing in frustration, she lowered her head and closed her eyes.

“Nehemiah will be here soon,” Ezra assured her as he took a sip of his green tea.

“It’s fine,” she muttered, rubbing the side of her face. “I sprung it on you kind of last minute.”

“What changed your mind?” he asked. “The last time we talked about it, you were completely against it.”

“I need someone to stay with,” she answered honestly. “Sunny is moving back in with her aunt and uncle this afternoon and I’m scared to spend one more night in the apartment alone.”

He nodded slowly. “So are you actually interested in the Apprenticeship?”

“Yes.” She put her fork down. “I want to take over the CEO position now. It feels wrong to just sit back and Liam have it.”

“Ah, he’s here.” Ezra motioned over towards the front door where a taller man entered, wearing a brown coat that came down to his knees. His chocolate colored hair was neatly parted down the middle and his dark eyes accented his olive skin.

The two brothers looked nothing alike unless you focused on the eyes. Only then did they resemble each other. Many people had told her that Nehemiah took after their father and Ezra after their mother.

Nehemiah settled down in the chair next to Ezra and told the waitress what he wanted to drink.

“When do you want to begin your Apprenticeship?” he asked, putting his elbows on the table. “Anytime is fine.”

“This afternoon,” she answered without hesitation. “I want to be moved out of the apartment before nightfall.”

He leaned his head to the side. “This is because of your Nightmare, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” she answered.

“You’re not actually interested in the Apprenticeship because you want to learn about the Gateways,” he spoke.

She was quiet, knowing that the reason she came to the brothers was selfish but she couldn’t do anything about it. They were her only hope and the Apprenticeship was a good excuse.

“But I understand,” he continued. “You have no one else right now and being alone in such a state is not a good idea for you.”

She nodded.

“Also, with Vanished back, this is a good opportunity for you to do what your Grandfather always planned on doing.” He rubbed his jaw in thought. “Although I don’t know every single last detail of your grandfather’s plan, I’m sure you know more than I do.”

She leaned her head to the side. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just supposed to find Vanished.”

“And you did.” Ezra cut in. “But there was more your grandfather had planned.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“That’s not important right now,” Nehemiah spoke. “Let’s finish discussing the Apprenticeship. I know that you are currently dealing with the loss of both your grandparents and that it might be hard for you to focus on the training.”

He looked her in the eyes and maintained the eye contact for a little too long. Although it wasn’t obvious, she couldn’t help but think that he didn’t want her to think about what Ezra had started to say. Whatever it was, he knew there must have been a reason her grandfather didn’t tell her about the next step in his plan.

“I’m willing to do it,” she answered. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll give you a month,” he said. “You can live with us during that month and then for the last two months we’ll do the training. That way the Apprenticeship will be finished by the time you are old enough to be CEO.”

Three months.

Three months until everything would be semi-fine.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “Sounds good.”

The rest of the meal went smoothly but she was tempted to bring up what Ezra had mentioned yet she didn’t for fear that Nehemiah would once again turn the direction of the conversation onto something else.

As she left the restaurant, she looked over her shoulder to see Ezra wave before heading towards his car. Nehemiah gave her a nod as he pulled out of the parking lot and she waved back numbly.

They were keeping something from her and although she was sure they would tell her when they thought she was ready, she didn’t like the idea of not knowing.

She let her hand drop as both cars disappeared down the street, leaving her standing numbly in the middle of parking lot.

****

Michelle sat cross from Nehemiah in his office, wiping her hands off on the legs of her jeans. She left finger prints everywhere she touched and she could still taste the dust in the back of her throat, making her cough.

His office was bigger than her room and there were wings off to the right and left, their shelves filled to the brim with books, manuscripts, and scrolls. She took the sight in little by little yet it was impossible to not feel small in the middle of the room.

“How do you like your room?” he asked, not looking up from his paper work. “No one’s ever lived in there so I’m afraid it’s a bit dirty.”

She rolled her eyes. Dirty was an understatement. It was terrible. A thick layer of dust coated everything including the floor and she had to vacuum, dust, and mop before even moving in a single box. Ezra had been kind enough to assemble the bed they had pulled out of another room but even he had a hard time handling the smell of dust. She could still hear him sneezing in the kitchen.

“It’s okay,” she assured him, shifting in her seat. “Is that all you needed from me?”

He finally looked up at her, taking his glasses off and setting them off to the side.

“No,” he answered. “I need you to sign some papers for the Apprenticeship.”

Sliding the files across the table, he leaned back in his chair and watched as she clicked the pen open and closed as she read over them.

“I’m not trying to scam you into signing your soul over to me or anything.” He laughed. “But I’ll explain what they are anyways.”

“This one—.” He tapped his finger on the paper. “—is the general contract, proving that you’ve agreed to live with us for the next three months.” He nodded towards the one she held in her lap. “That one states that you’ve agreed to push back the process a month to help you get used to your surroundings.”

She nodded, flipping through the pages. “And this one?”

It was printed on off-white paper and the font was slightly different from the others.

“That one,” he drew it out for several seconds. “Is in case you get hurt while under this contract. Basically, it says that if you get mentally or physically hurt or killed while under my care, I can’t be held accountable for it.”

She looked up at him slowly, their eyes meeting. “Is there a possibility that I will be hurt in the next three months?”

He didn’t answer and with every second he remained quiet, she started to regret her decision. Maybe living by herself would have been better after all. At least back in her apartment she was safe from anything that could crawl out of the woodwork from Echonia or Elrona and harm her. She was safer yet at the same time she wasn’t.

Staying in the apartment would mean staying alone—with a rogue Nightmare. As it was, she knew she needed to notify Gateway Inc. so they could help her before things went south fast but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Asking for their help was like admitting defeat.

And yet she had done it anyways. She had clawed her way out of her comfort zone to finally take Ezra and Nehemiah up on their offer and now, she would be in more danger.

“Probably not,” he finally spoke. “Sorry for the delay but I was trying to think of the odds of you getting hurt or killed.”

She was quiet and he continued.

“As you know already, this is the risky part of the job. We deal with anything that comes through the Gateways and we protect earth from possible damage. Although no one has lost their life on the job in over seven years, there is always a small possibility that it’ll happen to you. That’s why you have to sign papers saying you’re aware of the chances and won’t press charges if anything happens. We just don’t want to be sued.”

He smiled slightly and nodded towards the paper. “Please sign on the x.”

She tried not to think as she scrawled her name in sloppy cursive along the line. Even if she did die, it would be better than living and suffering for her whole life.

She slid the papers back to him. “Is that all?”

“One more thing,” he said. “I need you to look at something for me.”

He spun in his chair and pulled a scroll off the shelf. As he splayed it out on the table, he pointed to the middle.

“I can’t read this,” he said.

She examined the ancient-looking manuscript before her, reaching out to let her fingertips brush against the worn edges. As soon as she touched it, she pulled back, a jolt running through arm.

It reminded her of the rush of adrenaline-like energy that had rushed through her body less than a day ago. She pulled her sleeves down to cover her arms when she caught sight of the black running down her arm, tracing her veins.

She looked up at Nehemiah to see that he was staring at her hands. Looking down, she saw that the inky blackness hadn’t stopped at her wrists like it had before but had continued onto the back of her hand and around her fingers, twisting and turning as if it was a tangled thread.

“You’re a Child,” he spoke, breathless.

Shoving her hands in her pockets, she shook her head. “No, you’re misunderstood.”

“I know what that is.” His steely gaze met hers and she found herself wishing to disappear completely. “I’ve seen it before.”

She bit her tongue, searching for something to say.

“Read it.” He nodded towards the scroll once more. “Now that I’m sure you can understand what it says, I need you to translate it for me.”

“Translate it?” she echoed. “It’s written in English.”

She looked down at the scroll, taken aback as the letters written in thick black ink began to change, distorting and bending until they formed symbols and shapes she had never seen. No matter how hard she tried to remember what had been written there moments ago, she couldn’t recall it.

Blinking, the letters once again rearranged themselves, and she could read it.

“Why did it do that?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the scroll.

“Because it’s written in Old Form Echonian, the original writing system of Echonia,” he answered. “This manuscript is almost as old as the world its self, dating all the way back to the first king of Echonia. Although this way of writing was long since forgotten, there are only a few people that can read it. Those that spend their whole life learning how to read it or those that are born with the ability to do so.”

“And those are the Children.” She once again reached out to touch it, greeted by the all-familiar sensation like before.

“What does it say?” He leaned forward. “I’ve been trying to translate it for years but have never been able to.”

“Just get Vanished to read it for you.” She let go of the edge and sat back in her chair. “He’s probably better at than me.”

“He won’t do it for me.” He frowned. “He says it’s like talking about the Grim Reaper—he’s prone to show up when you’re done.”

She rubbed her jaw. “Then maybe it’s best you don’t know.”

Raising an eyebrow, he set his jaw. “Read it or I’ll shred these contracts.”

When she hesitated, he reached out and picked the pages up, preparing to tear them like he promised.

“Fine.” She yanked them from his grasp and slammed her palm down on the old wooden desk and started to read. “‘Two worlds together, rotating and spinning as one. Two people, one to protect and one to redeem. Glass will shatter and the Nightmares will Vanish. Only one will survive—chaos or peace.’ Kind of confusing if you ask me.”

He shook his head. “No, it’s talking about you and V.”

She raised an eyebrow. “It’s just an old writing, how could it have anything to do with us?”

Opening the drawer under the top of his desk, he pulled out a pile of manuscripts and flipped through them till he found the one he was looking for.

“This manuscript is from a couple hundred years ago—not really that old but it records what happen to the king that wrote this scroll.” He tapped the ruin covered piece of paper under her hand. “Here, listen to this. ‘King Alaion was dethroned on the presumption that he had gone insane after seeing a dream of the future. He wrote of his findings in a scroll that has yet to be found, recording what he saw in the form of a small prophecy.’”

“A small prophecy?” she laughed, tracing her fingers over the ruins. “This is massive. It just translates well.”

“That’s not the point,” he said. “The point is that whatever this prophecy is talking about, it’s going to happen.”

“Why? Because some messed up old man saw it in a dream?”

“It wasn’t a dream,” he corrected. “They had no other name for it so they decided to call it that but, in reality, he traveled sideways through the Gateway.”

Her eyes widened. “How is that even possible?”

“It’s technically not, but many people have done it and there’s always a reason for it,” he answered. “Sometimes, they go backwards in time, seeing things that have already happened, or they go forward, seeing things that are yet to come.”

“That’s exactly the problem,” she started. “Just because he saw it several hundred years ago doesn’t mean it’s going to actually happen.”

“That is a good point and there is a small possibility that’s the case but we can’t be too careful.” He leaned back in his seat. “As it is, the Nightmare’s are already targeting you.”

She knew he was right and it was useless to argue with him. He knew what he was talking about and had obviously taken time to research everything and make sure it was all true.

Hanging her head, she rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. “So what do I do?”

“First off, you need to meet Vanished.”

****

Michelle felt him before she saw him. It was as if she had slipped into a bathtub filled with ice cold water the moment she stepped out onto the roof. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark so she stood still, waiting and freezing cold.

Then she saw him.

He sat on the edge of the roof, his feet hanging in the empty air. His midnight black jacket danced with the wind that twisted around his body, pulling at his white t-shirt and dark hair.

She stepped forward and his head turned, eyes practically glowing against the night sky. The color was somewhere between green and blue, similar to the haze of neon lights that came up from the city below.

A black mask covered the rest of his face, making it impossible for her to see the expression on his face, but she didn’t need to see him to know that she was annoying him.

“Nehemiah told me to find you,” she spoke, hating how small her voice sounded. “But you obviously don’t want me around right now.”

She shivered as her words hung loosely in the frozen air.

He once again looked over his shoulder at her, but this time he took the mask off, revealing the rest of his face. Although she was still several feet away from him, she could see the scars that covered his face, barely sunken into the skin, reminding her of a spider web.

Silence hung over them for a split second before he swung his feet over and stood up, stepping towards her. She involuntarily retreated as he neared and he stopped.

After waiting a moment, he stepped forward again and she retreated. She felt the cold metal of the door against her back and pressed her palms against it, hoping it would give way and let her retreat down the stairs and back to the penthouse.

“Who are you?” he questioned, closing the space between them.

He reached out his, slidding his hand up the side of her neck and brushing her hair out of the way. Running his thumb over her skin, he let out a sigh and leaned back on his heels.

“You’re marked, Glass.” He smirked.