Solstice: First Equinox

[tdc456]

Solstice: First Equinox
Chapter 1
In the Dead of Night​

An empty hallway. All the lights flickered in a menacing way. Running was the only way out. Fighting was never an option. Not for him. The darkness grew too fast for him to fight. In his dreams, it always overtakes him and consumes him. This time he had gotten farther than ever before. The door out was just around the corner. He ran forward quickly. As he made a sharp turn to the right, he realized his mistake. The shadows were there... waiting. They grew, taller and taller, consuming the hallway. The flickering light was swallowed. He tried to scream, but it was too late. It filled him. It was over.

Alex woke screaming. He checked to see if he had woken anyone up. After a minute of sitting in silence, he breathed a sigh of tense relief. The same dream every night? He sat wondering how many times he had had it by now.

He had been having that same dream for about four years now. Ever since his thirteenth birthday, its been the same one. Running through an empty building, being chased by a growing cloud of darkness and shadows. He always reached the flickering lights but never farther... except for tonight. Tonight, Alex had made it all the way to the exit of that dark building. Now his dream seemed hopeless. When he has finally reached the door, the shadow is just there waiting for him.

He stared at the clock for a good five minutes before the time finally registered in his head.

3:30

In only three hours, he would have to get up for another boring, ordinary day at school. Alex sighed again and rested his head back down on his pillow in an attempt to fall back asleep. All the while praying that he wouldn't have that dream again.

*****​

The sounds of closing lockers, ringing cell phones, and teachers yelling at students for being late for class. Alex filled his backpack with what he needed for his first two classes of the today. He took the homemade lunch out and placed it in his locker to wait until lunch in a few hours. he closed his locker fast and hard to keep it from jamming.

He walked down the halls feeling alone and dejected. Having his dream always left him feeling especially drained. At least he had the school carnival to look forward to tonight. Friday was the only day he ever liked. He didn't know why, it just was. Hopefully he would have a good time tonight with his friends.

*****​

The back parking lot of the high school was the largest in the whole town. It was filled with small booths for games and food. There was even a ferris wheel and a small coaster on the football field. People all around had smiling faces and seemed to be having a good time.

Alex was walking with three of his closest friends, Courtney, Jacob, and Reese. They all had had a great time so far. Alex and Jacob got into a big argument over actually won their game at the basketball-shootout booth. Courtney and Reese simply giggled like the girly-girls that they were. As they walked along, Jacob pointed out a fortune-telling tent.

"Come on," insisted Jacob. 'Lets all get our fortunes told. It'll be good for a quick laugh. What do you say?"

After a minute of "pathetic begging" (as Reese so frankly put it), the four friends entered the tent together and waited for the fortune teller to appear.

Slowly the purple curtains opened to reveal a majestic looking woman. She wore a bright green veil and a long Indian looking dress of a similar color. When all of them stood up, she cut them off with a motion that commanded them to sit down again.

"I only speak to one at a time," said an elegant voice from behind the green veil. "Who will be first?"

One at a time, each of them entered the room with the fortune teller. First was Reese, followed by Courtney and then Jacob. Each of them came out looking serious but quickly started laughing at what they had been told.

"I seem to recall a fourth?" The voice echoed from behind the curtains. Alex stood up giving a big stupid smile and two thumbs up to all his friends just before going beyond the curtains.

"Please sit down." Looking around, Alex saw things that scared him to his very core. All around the room, on the shelves surrounding him, were jars filled with what looked like human body parts and strange animal fetuses. Just the sheer sight of it was enough to make him gag a little. "What do you want to know about?"

Alex ran over a few funny, dumb questions in his head. Each one made him laugh a little inside. But then one question caught his attention. He realized it was the one thing he wanted to know.

"Well..." Alex hesitated at first. "I want to know what my recurring dream really means."

"Ah," the fortune-teller replied. "Give me your hands and explain what this dream is about."

Alex slowly revealed the contents of his dream to the fortune-teller. When he got to the part about reaching the exit, the lady gasped in a very demonic way. Her eyes opened and they glowed a strange black color. When she spoke, the voice of a demon erupted from her mouth.

"The shadows will become you! You will never escape their power! You must awaken to your true potential and end the cycle! I am thou! Thou art I! Become the shadows themselves!!"

Alex freaked out and fell backwards out of his chair. Suddenly he was breathing heavily. As soon as he broke contact with her, the lady's eyes returned to normal. She looked at him and he could tell she looked worried.

"What is wrong young man? You look very pale."

Alex stood up quickly and stumbled back into the waiting room. His friends looked up at him with eager expressions but they immediately changed to expressions of fear and worry.

"I need to get home. I'm not feeling too well," was all he could get out.

He ran as fast as he could all the way back home. His friend Jacob had given him a ride in the first place but at this point he didn't really care.

*****​

Alex slowed down a bit when he was only a block away from his house. His breathing had become much heavier in the past few minutes of running. His mind raced with images of the possessed fortune-teller and the shadows in his dreams.

What the hell was that? Did I imagine it or was all that real?

Suddenly, he got a very worried feeling. He felt like something was forgotten at home. It caught him off guard and so he picked up running again.

Alex ran up the front steps of his house, busted open the front door as fast as he could. He scaled the stairs in less than a second. He ran right past his bedroom to his parents' room.

Being careful he opened the door, and saw that his parents were both asleep. He breathed a quick sigh of relief then remembered his little sister. After closing the door on his parents, he continued on down the hall to his little sister Illiana's room. He slowly opened the door as silently as possible. Alex quickly surveyed the area and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He closed the door to her room and walked back to his.

Before opening the door to his room, Alex leaned forward and rested his head against it. Maybe I was just imagining things after all. He slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door.

Upon entering the room, Alex looked up and saw something more frightening than anything he would ever see in his life.

There in the corner opposite his door, hung a large cloud of shadows.

-to be continued-​

Please tell how you liked this chapter.
Hopefully I can continue writing it if I get some positive feedback.

 

[Efflictim]

I like it!!! It's very good. When's the next chapter?

 

[tdc456]

Hopefully I can write and post the next chapter within the next week or so.
I've been very sick so I've had a lot of free time on my hands.

 

[Efflictim]

Okay.


How are you feeling? Are you alright?

 

[tdc456]

I'm slowly getting better. Thanks for asking.
I missed school today. I don't know if I'm going tomorrow yet.
Depends how I feel in the morning.

 

[Efflictim]

Good.

:wink:

 

[tdc456]

I decided to give a little peek into the distant future of Solstice.
Lucky you:

I cannot tell you who this is.
I shouldn't tell you anything about him.
Just look forward to the awesomeness.

 

[Efflictim]

Thanks!!! He looks cool. Did you draw that yourself?

 

[tdc456]

Me? No.
I could never draw that well.
The best I've ever done were my sketches of all the Espada from Bleach. Those were some of my best drawings.
But I just found it on photobucket.
I've been looking for something to use it for for a while now.
Now I finally have something.

 

[Efflictim]

Me? No.
I could never draw that well.
The best I've ever done were my sketches of all the Espada from Bleach. Those were some of my best drawings.
But I just found it on photobucket.
I've been looking for something to use it for for a while now.
Now I finally have something.

Oh.


Cool!

 

[tdc456]

Please. Anyone visiting the creative writing section.
Come read my new story and tell me what you think and if there is anything you think I could improve on.
I really want to get this project off the ground.
Much appreciated.

 

[tdc456]

Hopefully you like this next chapter.
I'm taking this story slower than my old ones. I hope the pacing is alright.

Solstice: First Equinox
Chapter 2
Parallels​

The hallway was high and empty. No sunlight echoed on its walls. As dark as a dungeon. Filled with nothing. A lone figure walked slowly down the hall. All it carried was a very old, decrepit looking cane. Not even using it to walk. All that could be seen of this figure was the robe it was wearing which appeared to be extremely old and tattered. It seemed to have a hunchback although by how it moved, you could tell that there was none.

The firgure reached a door. Large and made of a somewhat glimmering stone, even in the pitch black. An arm extended its way to the door. A thin wrinkly hand layed flat on the door. One good push and suddenly the door seemed to come alive. As it made noises that sounded eerily like breathing, the tumblers inside unlocked. It slowly swung open inward. The figure entered into the room beyond.

All that was within this room was a table. In the center sat an orb. But it actually seemed to float just above the surface of the table. The figure raised the tip of its cane and touched it to the orb. It rised slowly from the table and opened into several pieces. Inside each of the now six pieces was a small diamond. Two of which glowed brightly. One was blue and the other was green. The figure turned its gaze to one diamond which appeared to be empty. Then it spoke with a very aged yet calm voice. Like that of someone with several lifetimes of experience.

"It seems to have escaped again," the man said. "Maybe this time, it will find a proper host."

*****​

Alex stood shocked and awed. How could any of this be real? The shadows from his dreams were here in his bedroom. In real life.

The shadow seemed to writhe and surge with energy while standing still. It slowly climbed the wall. Alex felt like it was watching his every move very closely. He tried shuffling to the left, but the shadow simply swung a little in the same direction.

Without warning, the shadow lunged forward directly at his face. In a last bit of hope, Alex threw his hands up to protect himself. The shadow collided with something just in front of his hands. He opened his eyes to see that the shadows couldn't actually harm him.

Taking advantage if this fact Alex began pushing it back into the corner with his bare hands. With every step he took, it shrunk away into submission. When he thought he had it, Alex slowly moved backwards. He kept his hands out in front of himself. The shadow rose up slowly being cautious.

Unfortunately, Alex got way too cocky. He lowered his hands for just a second and the shadow shot out all along the walls in all directions then reformed behind him. When he turned around, the shadow shot straight into his chest and entered his body.

Alex felt nothing except unbearable pain throughout his entire body. It was subsiding slowly but wavering its way through every limb and organ. Without realizing it, Alex laid down on his bed to slow his head.

He slowly drifted off to sleep while in his strange state of pain.

*****​

Faint words were all he could hear. It only seemed to be mumbling, but it was completely surrounding him. All around were voices. The lights that filled the room seemed to be ultra bright and they hurt his eyes to no end.

Alex tried to focus on what was going on and where he was. But nothing was slowing down or making sense. He closed his eyes again and drifted off.

When next he awoke, there was no one anywhere to be seen. Looking around the room, Alex saw that he was lying in a hospital bed. He had an IV stuck in his arm and a heart monitor attached to him. He seemed to be connected to some sort of life support system. His mind was going crazy.

The intake of the scene actually seemed to horrify him in a way. He had never been in a hospital before, let alone a hospital bed. He heard someone coming into the room. Looking up, his eyes met the tear-filled gaze of his mom.

"Oh my god," she muttered. "Doctor! Doctor, come quick! He's awake!! HE"S AWAKE!!"

She ran to Chris and threw her arms around his neck and cried despertely into his shoulder.

"Mom," he said confused. "What's wrong? What am I doing here?"

"Huh? Oh thats right." She let go and sat down in the chair next to his bed. At the moment the doctor came into the room. His mom took hold of his hand. "Well, honey... you've been out cold for a few days now. Almost two weeks to be exact."

"What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't wake up, honey. The only thing we could think of was to take you to the hospital and seee if they could help. All they could do was keep you on life support. What happened to you?"

"Nothing. I just came home from the carnival and went straight to bed. Don't remember anything seeing as how its been two weeks."

She smiled a little. "I'm just glad to hear you talk again. I'd almost forgot what your voice sounded like."

Alex really didn't remember. A flash of an aimage through his mind made him grab his head. It was the shadow. What exactly happened to him and what happened while he was asleep. "Can I just rest a little bit? I'm really tired and my head hurts."

His mom just smiled and nodded. She got up left the room. The doctor looked at him. "When you wake up again, I would like to ask you some questions. Is that alright?"

Alex nodded in response. The doctor then spoke again. "Oh, I almost for got. You had a visitor a few days ago. He said that he knew you and so he left a note. Its on your bedside table." He left the room.

He stared at his table and saw a folded piece of paper. Alex reached over and grabbed it and noticed his hand was shaking. He simply stared at the paper for a little bit hoping it would just unfold itself. He then slid his fingers into it and unfolded each crease carefully. He read the note and his jaw dropped a little bit.

'I know what happened to you.
When they let you out, come to this address.
...
The shadow isn't the only one. I am just like you.
But I can do many things that you must know.'

The note fell slowly to the floor. Alex leaned his head back slowly to rest on his pillow. Then he nervously drifted off to sleep with the feeling of being watched. But this time... no dream of shadows.

-to be continued-​

Let me know what you thought.

 

[tdc456]

Solstice: First Equinox
Chapter 3
Fire Gives Birth to All​

The world around him felt slow and dreamlike. People moved in and out of view with no change in facial expression. The buildings that passed by were just faded blurs on the side of the street. But then he noticed something. One building was not blurred. It stood perfect and defined with gold trim. The brick structure loomed over him with a feeling of future and the unknown. The wall next to the door displayed the address from the note. He reached forward grabbed the handle.

Alex entered into a small room. It almost appeared to be a waiting room like in a doctor's office. Against the white wall were several comfortable looking chairs of red leather. A small table seperated them covered with magazines from past months. He decided to take a seat and wait for someone to enter and notice him.

The ticking clock began to slightly annoy him. The constant ticking was making his head hurt slightly. He leaned hs head back to relieve some pain. When he opened his eyes, they met the flourescent light in the ceiling. His head exploded in a migraine so big, he felt that his head was going to split open.

"I'm sorry about the lights," said an old voice. "If they are too bright, I could turn them down."

Alex leaned forward and he saw a man in a long robe standing in front of him. The man's cane was clutched closely to his side.

"I'm sorry, sir," apologized Alex swiftly. "I didn't notice you come in. Are you the one that left me the note?"

"Note?" the man inquired. "Oh, that note. No that was not me young man. That was Houka."

Alex looked confused. Suddenly this old man appears and tells him that he had nothing to do with why he was here in the first place.

The old man laughed a little. "Follow me Mr..."

"Alex."

"Alex, right. Well follow me and you will meet the person that called you here." The man began heading towards the door across the room. He opened it slowly and held it open for Alex to pass through. They descended the stairs beyond the door together.

*****​

A large, well-lit room awaited Alex at the bottom of the stairs. The room had bookcases along one wall and tables with computers along the other. It seemed to be a small private library. Sitting at one of the tables was a girl.

She was leaning forward and reading intently. The old man cleared his throat loudly and she jumped a little along with dropping her book.

"Damn it," she yelled. "It just got good and I lost the page." She looked up and then noticed Alex. "So he finally decided to show up." The girl ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck in a huge hug.

When she finally let go, Alex got a good look at her face. She had wavy black hair and bright green eyes. He thought it was a strange combination. She was wearing a tight fotting tank-top that made her breasts seem extra perky. That seemed a little too distracting to Alex. But he smiled anyway.

"So you are Houka?" he asked her politely.

"What?" she answered confused. "Oh, I told you not to call me that." She was focused on the old man. Then she turned back to Alex. "My name is Karina. He just calls me that because of my fire. Its Japanese for fire: Houka."

The old man smiled and placed the end of his cane on the floor. He walked over to the table and began sorting out the books littered about the room. But as he did, his cane was floating without him touching it. And the books around the room floated to him. Alex was amzed. His speechless expression made Karina laugh. He looked back to her and began throwing out questions.

"How is he doing that?" he asked Karina.

"Well he is our master and teacher," she replied. "He controls gravity. Its not as strong as it used to be but he is still the master. He told me to call him Juuyousei. So I just call him Juu-san." She giggled slightly and it lightened Alex's mood.

"So what did you mean by 'your fire'?" he asked of Karina.

"Well..." she started. She held out her arm straight to the right. The tips of her fingers began to glow red. Then her whole hand glowed. Without warning, a huge burst of fire shot out of her hand across the room leaving a scorch mark in the wall.

Alex stumbled back and found himself falling into yet another very comfortable chair. Apparently Juuyousei moved it there just before he tripped. Karina smiled at him for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"H-h-how did you d-do that?" he stammered.

"Well I control most fire there is," Karina answered confidently. "And you control shadows."

Alex looked confused. Then Juu spoke again.

"It would be best to show him first hand what we mean," he said. "Please follow me Alex. You need to see this to understand."

Juuyousei began walking to the far end of the room. Alex reluctantly followed with Karina close behind. What exactly awaited him at the end of the hall?

-to be continued-​

Please tell me how it is so far.

 

[tdc456]

I really need feedback on this so I can decide if I'm really going to dedicate my time to writing it.
I need to know that at least someone will read if I continue to write.
So anyone, please come and give me some criticism.

 

[tdc456]

I will continue writing this, but only once Brittle Bullet has reached its conclusion.
If you are waiting for antoher chapter of this story, just pass the time reading B.B. because its pretty close to finishing. Only about another ten chapters or so.

 

[Sleeping Rebirth]

thats very gud my friend u should be pleased its a very gud storyline so keep goin wiv it.

 

[tdc456]

I hope you read my last post so you would know that I'm finishing my other story before I come back to this one. So if you want to read something, I'm about 10 chapters from completing my story Brittle Bullet. There is a link in my signature if you feel like taking a look.

 

[tdc456]

I'm going to be reposting this story in another thread soon. I need to rework it a little after I finish my other story Brittle Bullet. Only a few chapters left.

Reposting three chapters won't be hard at all. Just need to tweak it in order to re-do it.

 

[Andillexe]

I like it so far. Though you must have had B.B. on your mind when you wrote the second chapter; at one point you called Alex Chris. Quick question: is this story connected to B.B. or is it something else entirely?

As per usual, looking forward to the next chapter, because I'm confused and don't know what's going on. ^_^