Three kids came running down a hill giggling happily to each other. One with ash blonde hair tied on two side pigtails, one with raven hair tied into a braid, and the other one has jet black hair all messed up.
They keep running and running deeper into the forest leaving behind a path on the thick grass. They end up in a clear space in the forest, there was one tree in the middle, it was a big oak tree. It looks a bit old but stiff, enough to climb even.
With one puff of strong wind, the leaves and grass sway along with the wind, as if dancing a slow dance with it. The two girls held tighter to their skirt for it not to be blown up. Just as the wind stopped the sky was filled with lines of colors, red, orange, yellow, and even black. It was like hundreds of shooting stars swimming in the waves of clouds.
One particular color came flying down toward the children.
As it came closer, its shape-shifted into a long dragon-like lizard. Its scale has the color of silver, so every time the sun hits it reflects different colors. The creature stopped right in front of the kids, it huffed blowing off some strands of their hair.
"Hello what's your name?" the blonde-headed girl asked, Smiling at the creature in front of them.
The creature didn't answer back instead it flew around the three like it was asking for a playmate.
A bright light started to glow on the three kids. The creature flew away and the light shone even brighter, with the shade of blue, green, and red.
The kids' clothes glowed and pop like a bubble, and then new clothes magically appear on them, the clothes were mesmerizingly magical and beautiful. It fits them perfectly and it suits them too. Their hair is now in different colors and lengths. Their eyes are now too strangely unique for a human being.
They were too amazed by their outfits and kept looking at it, by the time they look back at the oak tree, everything was destroyed. The trees are either burning to the ground or all roots out lying on the ground. The sky is all black cloudy gloom, different creatures are running away from the fire trying to save their lives.
A high shriek came from the youngest of the three, a pale hand grabbed her left foot shocking her out of her peace zone.
It was a woman, a few years older than them, her skin was pale and her clothes are ragged with blood stains. Her face is poorly bruised and blood keeps slipping out of her mouth.
She coughed once or twice before speaking with a sore voice.
"Please….save…us..." she pleads tightening her grip on the girl's foot.
She coughed once more before her grip loosen up.
They know that she's dead, with all the blood on her clothes she must have been stabbed or even bitten.
They looked back again at the burning forest but instead, they were greeted by a big explosion.
"Ahhh!!" Shaine screamed getting up from her lying position.
She was out of breath as if she had run a marathon, her face was dripping with sweat and some tears.
It was still night maybe around three or four in the morning, luckily her scream didn't wake anyone from their slumber.
After taking a few more deep breaths she got out of their bed and headed to the kitchen. The moonlight slips through the glass giving her a small night light. Just to be sure not to tumble on anything she turned the lights on the kitchen.
She grab a clean glass by the counter and cold water from the refrigerator, she sat down on the then poured water for herself.
"What the hell was that?" she mumbled under her breath. Taking a big gulp of water she held her chest feeling her thumping heart.
That dream wasn't like what she would usually dream about. She knows that the girl with the long hair was her and the two kids she was with were her sister, Abby, and cousin, Elly. The oak tree looked like their own oak tree on Grandpa Toren's farm. Everything was clear, nothing was blurry, and she almost felt like she was there on that land.
The cock-a-doddle of the rooster shock her from spacing out, she held the tip of her nose and shut her eyes tightly, annoyed at how she got all jumpy for a simple morning call.
"The hell…" she mumbled to herself.
Just then a small creak came from outside the kitchen door, she stood up looking at the door. She wasn't normally scared of the night, she found it rather peaceful but tonight is different, the weird lights they saw up the oak, the dream she just had, and now a creak from outside the house.
She was about to take a step forward but the door suddenly burst open making her tumbled back and letting out a scream.
"What's wrong Shaine?" a sigh of relief came out of her mouth seeing her grandfather standing by the door with an empty basket.
"Geez Grandpa, you startled me, what are you doing early in the morning?" Shaine asked getting up on her feet, dusting away some dust on her pajama.
"Just feeding the chickens." Grandpa Toren answered while putting down the basket near the door.
She just sighed once more, that was shocking, and her legs are slightly shaking. All those thoughts rushing in her head, that weird oak tree, everything. She shakes her head and walks past her grandfather, the sun is still not above those tall mountains but its light is making its way giving a warm morning mood.
The breeze was cold making her shiver, she coddled up to herself and look up only to see the thick leaves of the oak tree. Somehow even after that weird event yesterday evening she still found herself being attracted to the tree. She took small steps towards the tree with her eyes glued to the branches.
She held out her hand to reach the trunk, her fingertips touching the rough edge of the trunk. She let out a small chuckle and fully put her hand on the trunk.
"Magic huh, I do believe but I know that it's all in storybooks for kids." she chuckled once again.
Just when she was about to let go she felt her chest tighten, she can't even move an inch from her position, she can even feel her blood traveling in her veins. Her eyes are slightly twitching with every beat of her heart.
'What's going on…I can't feel my body…all I hear is my heart beating fast!' she screamed internally.
Just at that second, her eyes started to blur and before she knew it she was lying on the cold ground.
'What is going on…' she yelled in her mind before her eyes closed shut.
It was dark and gloomy. It was full of silence but a ticking sound came from somewhere. It started to get louder and louder and by the time it stop a small whisper echoed.
Shaine opened her eyes to only see green grass slightly swaying. She blinked a few times before slowly getting up.
"Huh I can move again…and I can talk too." she shockingly whispered to herself.
"Grass..." she touched the grassy ground which was just soil earlier.
Her eyes glance to her surrounding to see the oak tree, but it was much smaller and younger. The one in her grandfather's yard was big and a bit older with rotting branches. This tree looked much younger and greener. She looked to where the house should be but there was nothing but a long line of trees. She stood up on her feet to observe where she could be.
"This place…..it's the same in my dream," she said glancing at everything that her eyes can reach.
Indeed it was the same, the only tree in the middle of the big clear circle field, the forest surrounding the field, and even the atmosphere.
A strong gust of wind came towards her blowing her hair along with it. She tried her best to look up to see where the wind came from, her eyes grow bigger to see a lizard-like creature flying in the sky. It seemed to notice her and in an instant, it came diving towards her.
"Ahhhh!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.
Her scream echoed through the whole house shocking her family which were seated beside her bed. They quickly calmed her down and let her sit up.
"Shaine thank goodness you're awake." her sister said hugging her tight, there were tears in her light brown eyes from worrying too much for her sister.
"What happened?" Shaine's voice was a bit dry, it was slightly cracked when she speaks.
Elly grab a glass of water and gave it to his cousin, she gladly accept it and took a big sip. Suddenly she felt a bit hungry and thirsty.
"We found you this morning by the oak, what were you doing there?" Elly asked with worried stained in his voice.
Shaine was a bit confused, putting down the glass on her side table she stared at her family slightly raising her brow.
"This morning?" she asked, her grandfather held her hand, his face planted with worries like Elly and Abby's.
"You were passed out since this morning, it's already 3 in the afternoon." hearing this Shaine stare blankly at the covers over her.
'Since this morning!!' she screamed in her head.