I woke up with a cold sweat running down my spine. "What kind of dream was that?" I Huffed.
I quickly started getting ready after hearing my mother stomping around the house in demand of an answer of why no one was awake yet. I left the dream in my headspace and quickly forgot about it.
After breakfast I steadily got on my bike and got to school as fast as I could. But something caught my eye mid way. A bunny was clutched in between a fence, probably from trying to force his way through. I took a detour and helped him pass. That was the last sign of life for awhile.
I turned around to get back to my bike and get back to my journey to school. I rode a couple of blocks. It seemed odly quiet today, there's usually blaring tv noises in specific houses or cats scratching at doors. But nothing, the only noise in the area was my bike and my loud breathing. I soon gave up on that thought and continued towards school.
It got more eerie the closer I got to school. There was no one in sight, no pedestrians, no teachers, no students, only the wind in my hair. Fear started to overcome my senses. I turned around and rode as fast as I could back home to see if my family had gone through the same situation.
The closer I got to the small house with three bedrooms that I've called home since I was born the more sound I could hear. I could hear neighbors arguing in a distance, I could hear dogs barking at passerbys. I was relieved, I thought I was going crazy but it might be something caused by stress.
With that shock I had gotten I decided to just get back into the house and rest instead of going back to school.
"What are you doing back home tiger?" My dad spoke in his usual calm demeanor. "I don't think I'm feeling well today Dad." That's when I put my bags down and faced him.
"Then you can stay home." As dad continued to flip through his newspaper, I noticed something above his head. "Dad what's that above your head?" He reached for his head trying to grab whatever he thought was there. "There's nothing tiger." "But there's numbers on your head." I Said frantically.
"Maybe you really are sick, should I take you to the hospital?" "No im fine, just tired." I responded and immediately left for my room.
'How could he not know that such a number was on his head? 'I thought to myself. I laid down and stared at the ceiling "Today feels different, it feels like a bad storm is coming." Despite saying this, the sky was as clear and still as it could ever be. "I should just sleep." I turned around and drifted off to sleep.
Next Day
I woke up once again terrified from my dream from yesterday. "Why that dream again?" I scratched My head in confusion and just went on in getting ready. Once I was ready I left the house once again. The streets this time were littered with people from old to young, some were taking morning strolls with their dogs some were having a morning jog and some were Scurrying off to work or school or other prior engagements.
But there was something different. There were little lights tinkling above the forehead of each person. The closer you got to a person , you can see a number on top of their head.
There was a pattern to how the numbers were distributed. Men had numbers ranging from 2-5 and women 6-9. Children all had the same numbers, 10. Which probably means that they were classified as the weakest. Men who had a 2 were strong and well build and Women who had a 9 were fragile and looked sickly. It didn't matter if rich or poor, smart or dumb, the numbers clearly ranked ppl based on their strength.
I thought suddenly stopped me in my tracks. "What's my number?" I thought while I hurried to the nearest window. To my suprise there was nothing, no sort of number. 'Am I the only one without a number? That's ridiculous.' "I might be delusional"
I got back to my long delayed journey. I was soon in school, facing hundreds of students with tinkles ontop of their heads. All the same number, all the same colour, everyone had them, everyone expect me. I felt more of an outcast than I ever have.
I wanted to run back home and hide in the comfort of my blanket like in did yesterday. This is too much for me to process. What are those numbers? What are they for? Is this going to be like hunger games? Have the aliens decided to play some sick game with us?
All types of theorys were racing in my mind with no idea of what to do or what to think. I took a deep breath and walked into school. I couldn't wrap my head in the fact that I don't have a new number. Does that make me special? or just a target? Maybe it's not possible to see your own number. But if I ask someone to tell me what my number is, and this whole thing just ends uo being a hallucination of mine, how am I supposed to live with the embarrassment.
I kept the burning urge to ask someone, anyone, what my number was but I'm glad I didnt. After observing the school for the whole day it seems no one knows about those numbers. Does that mean that I'm really crazy? "Maybe I should go to the hospital."
I left class and got ready to head home when someone stopped me. "Excuse me, Miss. Johnson has requested for you." A kind girls voice said. "Thank you." I quietly respond while heading towards the teachers office.
As I was walking down the hallways, I could hear nothing but my foot steps and breathing. 'Why is this happening again? ' I think to myself. I quicken my steps so that I can get this over with and get home.
I open the door and the inside is empty. It's darker than it normally is and there's nothing inside. Complete emptiness. I'm about to turn around when I hear a voice. "Why don't you come inside?"
My legs start moving slowly but surely, I want to turn back but I'm not in control of my legs. "Who's there?" I say while trying to stay as calm as I can. "You've seen the numbers, you know your chances, you have 10 days to bring me 10 souls, the stronger the better. " The mysterious voice spoke in a rhythmic tone. "W-what do you mean bring y-you souls."
That's when I saw it. The mysterious voice did not belong to another living being. But a dead corpse that lay on a chair. The awful stench of something rotten got to my nose and I couldn't help but throw up. "Bring me 10 souls or I'll take the souls of your family."
"Fine! " I scream frantically as I imagine what brutal things my family will go through if I do not agree. "How do I get the souls?" I ask "You have to kill 10 people and collect their numbers." "I-i have to kill people??!!!" I say horrified. "If I don't get the souls in 10 days, your family might end up like me."
