SciFi and Fantasy Stories: Daydream - Chapter 1

A group of four teenagers trampled over the forest ground, walking in a line, following a run of clear water. The stream flowed like a bunch of waterfalls, bubbling over a cove of rocks to fall on more flat rocks. The group had been following the stream for nearly an hour, after walking on a deer path down rolls of steep, grassy hills. Their feet fell onto the little bits of ground uncovered by grass or decomposing, fallen leaves of the surrounding oak trees.

The group’s feet were able to step on damp, fallen branches and slippery wet leaves. The ground cover made it very easy for them to fall on their backs if they weren’t careful, so all four had their heads down slightly, watching their feet. However, the lead of the line suddenly picked up his head and stopped walking. His intense, blue eyes scanned the area, the trees thinned and created a clearing just a few yards away. The rest of the line had stopped, too. The last two, a pair of girls, had taken off their heavy backpacking gear and were stretching their backs. The second in line, had stopped, too. His head had come up and was wandered to the lead’s face, his jaw slacking slightly. A moment later the second in line yelled to himself, Stop it! The others don’t know; you don’t need them worrying. Dysear is already taking a beating from Lavie’s reaction.

“Hey Jake, come here! I want someone to come with me and check out the trees up ahead.” Dysear called. Jake twirled around to face the direction Dysear’s voice had come from. Jake noticed that Davyn and the other two girls had already started setting up camp for the night. He walked over to where the others had put down their bags and jogged over to Dysear’s side. They walked out of the clearing, far enough away from the others that their voices couldn’t be heard.

Dysear‘s voice rose into the air, raising the question Jake had hoped he wouldn’t even have to hear. “Jake. You haven’t said more than a few words to me since you and Davyn went ahead of us on the first day of this trip. That was three days ago, what’s wrong?”

“Wow, you pick up things real fast, don’t you!” Jake answered, his tone sharp and piercing. His pace picked up ad Dysear had to run to catch up. She ran ahead, then got in front of him and started walking backwards, to face him.

“Jake, I just care about you. And it’s not that hard to see how fake of a smile you have been putting on your face. I just want an answer, because if I get one, then maybe I can help you,” Dysear pleaded.

“There’s nothing you can do, okay. So just never mind,” Jake snapped at her. She backed off and they walked in silence. But after a few minutes they paused at a tree.

“I’m sorry,” Jake blurted out, “I didn’t mean to push you away. It’s just so hard to deal with all this. First, I get him to be mine, but now he’s made his mind up and he doesn’t want to live his life like this. He won’t have me be his boyfriend. He’s denying his feelings to be normal and there’s nothing I can do to stop him.” Jake slumped to the ground, on his knees and put his face in his hands.

Dysear kneeled next to him, put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder until he started to cringe with violent shivers from the loud sobs. She gave him a tight squeeze, then took his hands in her own, showing her the hot tears that flowed down his cheeks. He kept his hands at his sides now, knowing she would wipe away the salty liquid on his cheeks.

Dysear lightly brushed away the tears with her thumb, then pulled his face up to look at her. She gave him a small smile, then a peck on the cheek and brought her mouth to his ear.

“You glad you have that off your chest? I’m glad we can share this together. You have too much to bear on your own. You should have told me sooner.”

He gave a sniffle then answered her, “I didn’t want you to worry, you already have your own problem to deal with.”

Dysear shock her head, then replied. “That is my own fault. I could have told her a thousand different ways than that. And besides, I feel much better when you share your crap with me than someone else or bottle it up. Best friends, practically twins, like us, share as many secrets as possible. It’s my job to worry about you, and to listen to you.”

“Well, we have the same job, we both need to look after each other,” Jake pointed out.

“I’m fine, really,” Dysear gave him another smile, this one brighter, then continued, “She’ll have to accept the truth sometime sooner or later. Personally, I’m fine with her reaction. I don’t think I would have believed she had heard me if she hadn’t freaked out.”

Jake sighed in defeat at Dysear’s logic, sniffled one last time, then opened his arms and gave Dysear a bear hug. Jake released her, but Dysear still kept a good hold on him. Her weight shifted slightly and -WHOOPS! Both of them fell against a tree right behind Jake. Jake collapsed with his back pressed against the tree trunk and Dysear fell onto Jake, her face pushed into his chest.

* * * * *

The sun had nearly set in the forest, creating the blue gleam that stood as the remaining natural light in the trees. Jake and Dysear had fallen into a comfortable sleep. Dysear was snuggled into Jake’s chest, a smile on her face. Jake’s back was pressed against the soft bark of the tree trunk, with his arms comfortably wrapped around Dysear; his mouth somewhat open and with a slight whistle escaping as he breathed out. The two’s breathing was intertwined, a rhythm that led one always blowing out and the other breathing in, disjointedly.

Back at camp it had only been ten minutes, when Davyn huffed for the last time and stormed off in the direction the other two had left. Lavie’s voice called after him, “Where are you going, we still have to finish setting up the tent.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right back, with the rest of our help,” he answered, with a hint of annoyance creeping into the last bit. He plodded through the trees off, his arms swaying at his sides, pushing him forward faster. His eyes stayed down on the ground, looking for the appropriate foot trail. Davyn’s eyes scanned heavily for a moment until he found what he was looking for. His feet trampled over the ground, but for the sake of moist ground and large amounts of grass patchs, his foot falls came softly.

He had come just in time to hear the last half of the conversation, while hiding behind a bush. Their talk was not unexpected, Davyn knew that Dysear would recognize Jake’s change in mood and demeanor and approach him sooner or later. But, he’d never expected to see tears, Davyn come just in time to watch the first few tears fall, before Jake had had time to cover his face. Davyn watched the rest of the scene play out, but his ears didn’t pick up the conversation. His mind was in another place, the tears had sparked a memory in him.

Suddenly, Davyn came out of his recollection and woke to find the two he’d followed, asleep together. His mind became scrambled with emotions in seconds: jealousy, anger, fear and hurt.

Why am I jealous to see these two snuggled together, with those looks on their faces. Why, when I have held him like that so many times, have I never seen such a serene look of content on his face? Why was I never able to give him that feeling that is so clearing played out on his face. Davyn’s mind wandered. Davyn, snap out of it, damn it!

The entire time Davyn had been distracted with these thoughts a light grey wolf had been creeping out of the forests towards the bushes just a few feet from the pair of sleeping teenagers. It crept out from the bushes and raised its head to howl. The roar woke the humans from their sleep, both Jake and Dysear literally awoke, while Davyn was raised from his mind’s wandering.

Then, the light grey rushed out of the bushes at that exact moment and kicked its hind legs against the ground, sending itself flying towards Jake. The animal had its mouth wide open, ready to bite into flesh. However, Dysear had been at just the right angle to see the wolf coming before it leapt off its feet . She pushed Jake down onto the ground just in time to see the wolf a foot from coming in contact with her shoulder. Dysear ducked her head and held down Jake’s at the same time. Her actions allowed the wolf to sail over, and past their bodies, then collide with the firm ground of the forest.

Dysear picked up her hand from the back of Jake’s head helped herself up, then Jake, in a matter of seconds to face the wolf. There was no use in running to camp when the wolf could easily have others around. Dysear and Jake stood their ground, keeping their feet planted firm while they arched their backs to give themselves a hunched over appearance. The wolf slowly got up, shook itself from head to toe, then started moving in on the pair.

Dysear searched frantically for a fallen branch, thick enough to withstand being hit against a solid being. The only visible piece of fallen wood, however, was behind the wolf, just a few feet away. If we can make him circle, then I can get the stick and club the thing, Dysear’s mind fluidly picked a course of action. The wolf wasn’t moving, it just growled and bared its cruelly white, sharp fangs at them.

Dysear was in front of Jake, holding him off to her side. She took his wrist and with the touch they made a split second of eye contact, giving Jake the signal to follow her lead. Dysear turned her attention back to the wolf instantly after holding Jake’s gaze. The wolf immediately had started to move back when Dysear’s eyes had shifted, but now it could see it wasn’t getting away easy. So it started to spiral, circling while moving closer towards the center, closer to the humans.

Dysear’s plan was moving perfectly, the wolf was scared and doing exactly what she’d hoped it would. While the wolf took steps, so did Jake and Dysear. The two beasts: human and wolf, never took their eyes off each other. Dysear was calculating whether to run at the scared animal and forget the stick, or stay with her original plan. If she stayed with the original, there would be no risk of Jake getting confused, following her and possibly getting hurt, but running at the wolf might prove to be better. It very easily could already be spooked and just working on instinct right now, ready to flee at the first chance.

The wolf was getting farther away with every step and Dysear and Jake were getting closer to the club. Then, the wolf made a random step and stepped forward with no curve. This shook up Dysear and even though Jake was right on her heels, she ran at the wolf. Jake was already far away in his mind. He didn’t move any closer towards the wolf when Dysear ran, but the wolf made a different decision than Dysear had wanted.

It pounced, then nose dived, with its mouth open, onto Dysear. It’s maw clamped down on her shoulder tight and she let out a yelp as rushing pain washed over her entire body. It was to the extreme that it felt paralyzing. Dysear was sitting on the ground, frozen with the shock and pain. Jake instantly snapped out of the daze from fear and his eyes looked for Dysear.

She wasn’t right in front of him, like he expected, so his eyes searched for her along the ground. He found Dysear in seconds and his eyes widened in horror. Her face was pale, from the blood draining out of her shoulder, with a spasm of pain slapped on her mouth. Jake looked to the wolf, who bared its teeth, then he sprinted forward, grabbed the stick and swung.

The wolf, who’s mind wasn’t entirely focused on the delicious taste of human blood on its mind, half jumped away, but the stick caught his back leg. The wolf let out a yelp of pain and tried to walk/hop away on three feet. However, Jake’s rage fueled him on and he went after the beast. He struck out at the creature once more, twice, then three times until the thing was beaten to the ground. When Jake was finished the wolf looked like it was going to give into pain and die.

Jake slowly took two steps back before dropping the club and running over to Dysear, who had some of the shock washed away from her face. Jake knelt by her and started whispering in her ear, trying to shift her eyes out of the blank stare and focus on his voice. Victory was his after a few minutes and Dysear finally turned her head to look at Jake. Her face was shaken and she still had spasms of pain rushing over her face, but she seemed more together than the initial bite. Jake tried to help her up, but a strong surge of pain coursed through her body and Dysear collapsed. Her body quivered with the pain surges as she lay in Jake’s lap.

Davyn had been watching the scene unfold from behind his bush the entire time, on hands and knees. But, now he was standing tall. He pushed past the bushes and jogged over to Dysear and Jake, who lifted his head and questioned, “Davyn? What are you doing here?”

Dayvn ignored the question and immediately started to lift Dysear into his arms. Dysear, although weak and half conscious, clung to Jake. Davyn let go of her and stood, his shoulders slumped.

“What are you doing?” Jake stammered.

“If we don’t get her back to camp soon things could go very bad for her,” Davyn snapped.

Oh no, the conversation. He must have heard us for at least the last half, Jake worried, to himself. Davyn gave Jake a dark glare, which pressured Jake into moving an inch or so back, with Dysear still in his lap. The girl moaned, then lifted her arm and pointed at where the wolf was. However, when the two boys looked over and expecting to find a half dead animal to gaze on, they found that the creature was not a wolf, at all. In its place was a boy, struggling against the wounds and gravity to get up and move. He looked to be about the same age as the others; he was very tan, with toned muscles and a firm ass, as he was completely nude, lying on the ground with his butt to the sky.

The boys mouths fell open in shock, as did Dysear’s, however, only she recognized the boy. It had been the same boy who’d whistled at Dysear that day on the boardwalk, the day she’d exposed her secret to the one person who feared her the most, now - Lavie. Dysear had only spoke with the boy for a moment while Lavie had been left alone in the intensely-strong-smelling candle shop, but the time seemed significant now.

“Dorien?” Dysear called, almost too quiet too be audible for Jake to hear, whom was right next to her. However, Dorien immediately responded.

“Dysear?” Alarm ringing in Dorien’s voice, “Oh no.” Dorien scrambled to get away, but Davyn quickly took the few steps towards the other boy and grabbed his shoulder, pulled him up to his feet then socked him in the jaw. It was a light tap, but in Dorien’s unfit condition the punch was a major blow and knocked him off his feet.

“Davyn, stop it!” Dysear commanded, her voice sharp. “Dorien, what has happened to you?”

Pushing himself up into a sitting position, Dorien replied bluntly, “I’d rather not have to explain to him.” His chin popped up and pointed toward Davyn’s general direction.

“Well too bad. You don’t have any say in where I go, or what I do!” Davyn replied flatly.

“Davyn, stop it!” snapped Jake. Everyone looked at Jake with a stunned look on their face. Jake hadn’t ever spoken to Davyn like this before, and he hadn’t given Davyn anything more than a slight gesture in the past few days.

“Fine then, Jake. I’ll just go back to camp and see you too later. But you better take awhile. I don’t want Lavie thinking I knew you were hurt, Dysear, and didn’t do anything about it.”

“Yeah, yeah Davyn. You’re always worried about what others are going to think,” Jake mouthed off. Davyn had been walking away, but had turned back to start something with Jake. Dysear clung to Jake, holding him down and covering most of his face from Davyn’s view.

“Stop this you two. This isn’t a good time. Davyn we’ll be back in thirty minutes. I just need to get this sorted out. And it’s best if as few people truly understand things, as possible,” Dysear finished the fight.

In his heart Davyn knew that she didn’t trust him, which made sense. She was Jake’s closest friend and Davyn was a key cause for Jake’s quick mood changes and major “dramas“. It wasn’t fair that Dysear had to deal with Jake when he wasn’t in the best of moods, every time. It was only a fair trade if Jake had to share in this new problem for Dysear. So, Davyn backed off at the last moment.

Once Davyn was over the small hill that led into the tree clump where the other three were, Dorien started in.

“What the hell is wrong with that guy?”

“Never mind him. So what has happened Dorien?” Dysear asked.