Phil froze as the old man's embrace grew tighter.
"Set... Me... Free... Phil..."
The old man grew thick black tentacles in his back, his face melted in a black puddle revealing dark holes as numerous as honeycombs on his head. Moments later black caterpillars crawl out of the holes on the old man's face.
The caterpillars were abominations as well, their bodies are filled with black hairs, and their heads were that of Phil when he was young crying to his grandpa while others were smiling. The caterpillars simultaneously spoke.
"Set... Us... Free..."
Phil's knee was shaking as dread filled his head. The living room walls slowly started to melt like candle wax in the heat, the furniture warped into fleshy monstrosities with mouths and eyes. He tried his best to push away the abomination but his strength was not enough, he struggled and screamed until he felt his throat hurt.
The tentacles of the abomination suddenly sprouted various heads at its tips, they were the heads of Phil's grandfather that he tried so hard to memorize.
"Did you not miss me, Phil?"
"I am always here for you my boy."
"Everything will be alright my boy."
"You would not be lonely anymore."
""""JUST SET US FREE""""
Phil's head ached, the voices of his grandfather which he remembered as gentle and kind turned into a maddening cacophony.
The abomination continued to embrace Phil tighter and tighter. Phil was slowly losing air, he tried and successfully yanked his right arm out but that was the extent of his struggle he reached towards the empty room begging for someone to help him but alas no one, his consciousness slowly fading a single tear came out of his eye. The abomination laughed in glee as it slowly assimilated Phil in its body, but before Phil could be completely assimilated by the abomination a raven with blood-red eyes flew towards the abomination and screeched.
"GWAAAAAKKKK!!"
The abomination was stunned it screeched with its mind-numbing voice and slowly dissipated in black smoke, Phil was left on the floor unconscious.
The raven slowly landed near Phil as it transformed into an old man.
"I'm sorry I'm late my boy."
The old man carefully carried Phil in his arms and with a snap of his fingers.
'SNAP!'
The living room returned to normal
He slowly laid Phil down on the living room couch and had his head on his lap, he caressed Phil's head gently and lovingly.
Phil slowly turned into a child on the old man's lap back to when he was 5 years old.
Phil woke up slowly and saw the old man, Phil thought it was just an illusion since he felt and saw that he was a child again. Phil grasped the old man's hand and sleepily said to him.
"I miss you, grandpa. Please don't leave me alone again."
Phil fell unconscious again after telling the old man.
The old man's eyes were filled with guilt as he motioned his hand and manifested a cane out of thin air.
"I'm sorry Phil, it is not the time yet. Grandpa will come back and never leave you after he keeps the family safe."
The old man gently touched Phil's forehead with his cane, Phil smiling blissfully sleeping on his grandfather's lap.
"But for now you will not remember this meeting."
Phil was shrouded in white light as he slowly disappeared.
"Until we meet again my boy."
Phil woke up the next morning refreshed, but no matter how he contemplated he could not remember his dreams at all. Phil guessed that maybe he dove too deep and found himself in the 'Deep' that's why he did not experience a dream at all, Phil scratched his head and noticed the time, he slowly got out of bed and prepared breakfast for himself.
After preparing Phil walked to Sonja's house since they made a deal to go to school together. Sonja was already waiting for Phil when he arrived and both of them walked to school together.
After they arrived at school, Eric saw them laughing and talking to each other. The girls around Eric saw that he frowned a little.
"Are you okay Eric?"
"No, no, I'm okay I just remember something annoying."
Eric smiled and responded to the girl. He then excused himself and met with Sonja and Phil, the girls around him were a little sad.
"Morning Phil, morning Sonja."
"Morning Eric."
"..."
Phil smiled and responded to Eric while Sonja was a little annoyed since he destroyed the moment she had with Phil.
The trio soon walked towards the school library since Phil was curious about what they saw when they practiced what was in the book. There they met with Samantha who was already there reading a tall pile of books.
"Good morning Sam. Uhm what is this tall pile all about?"
Sonja asked.
"You see I tried what was on the paper that Phil gave to me on Friday and found myself able to control my dream. But it was too unscientific and I cannot explain how I did that, these are books about Psychology and the human psyche..."
Samantha ranted as she pointed at the books on the pile one by one as she explained what was in them. Eric shook his head from side to side as he shrugs while Phil rolled his eyes.
"Okay Sam I get it I get it no need to explain it all."
Sonja stopped Sam from her rants since she felt that she might have a nosebleed if this continues.
"So what happened after you did what was in the book."
"I just controlled my dreams to an extent and that was the end of it. And oooh I dreamt about a very big library where you can find tons of books..."
"Calm down Sam. Geez."
Sonja sighed as she now knew the true feelings of this bookworm if the topic concerns books.
"Anyway mine was just an empty void, but it was odly calming and I like it there."
Sonja shared what she has seen. Phil was about to chime in but Eric shared first.
"That was what I experienced at first but after I concentrated I found myself floating in a place like the deep sea. I saw white figures in fetal position floating around me as well."
"You did that on your first try?"
Phil asked.
"Yeah, after that I followed a figure slowly sinking in the 'Twilight Zone' and the miasma took him, it was really scary."
"Uhm was it not hard to swim deeper in the deep?"
"No, it was not that difficult for me though."
Phil was a little frustrated since he needed to consult his grandfather's notes, while Eric did it on his first try.
"Ugh, is that what they call talent."
Sonja was a little annoyed as well since the three of them always competed ever since they were young.
Phil was contemplating on either sharing his discoveries of the book or keeping it secret until he is sure that he could beat Eric.
"How about you Phil? Where did you find yourself?"
Eric asked Phil with a clear smirk on his face.
"Tch, you win this time. Same as Sonja but mine is a field of grass."
Phil clenched his hands under the table as his competitive spirit was ignited.
"I will beat you next time Eric."
Eric laughed as the school bells began to ring.
The 4 people silently packed their belongings and were preparing to head to their respective classes.
Eric put his hand on Phil's shoulder and whispered to him.
"By the way did you discover anything new from the book?"
Phil's heart skipped a beat and he gulped his saliva.
"No, I haven't. Why?"
"Nothing, I'm just a little curious on what more to discover."
Eric shrugged his shoulders as he patted Phil's shoulder.
"Well, please tell me if you discover something new."
Phil nodded as he watched Eric walk away towards his classroom.
Phil decided to share the book's secret only after he beats Eric by a large margin.
Phil doesn't like Eric that much. Ever since they were kids back in elementary school, Phil was jealous of Erics' looks and talent. Since if he had Eric's looks he could get Jess easily.
Phil did not notice when he had arrived at the door of his classroom when the door suddenly opened and a girl came out holding a stack of paper.
"Ouch, Excuse me. Uhm Phil."
Phil froze as the girl of his dreams bumped him.
"Uhm, hello?"
The girl waved her hands in front of Phil's face.
"Ah! Oh sorry for that, let me help you pick those up."
Phil bent down and quickly picked up the papers that fell when both of them bumped against each other. Phil could not help but glance at Jess's legs while picking up the paper.
"Uhm here."
Phil handed Jess the papers.
"Where are you going with these? Can I help you?"
"Nah, it's not too heavy and I have something to do in Mrs. Vilbar's office as well. So, no thank you."
She smiled at Phil as she walked away.
Phil was smiling from ear to ear and was a little flushed since he talked and "touched" his crush. Phil could not help but blush more when he remembered Jess's legs. He exhaled as he tried to calm himself down and only succeeded in doing so when Mr. Seth arrived and started his lecture.