The Hunters (Alexander’s story)

I sat on my bed, thinking about all what I saw. Maybe it was just a mere dream. But what kind of dream was that? It was more like a vision. Should I ignore it or act about it? Ignoring seems like a bad idea.

I heard footsteps. I quickly laid on my bed and closed my eyes. The footsteps got closer. I opened my eyes a bit and saw Dylan. He was exactly the way I saw him in my dream. Oh no! Its coming true. A fire will break out and kill me and Darrin. We gotta get out of here.

After waiting for some minutes to make sure Dylan had left, I stood up and tapped Darrin. ”Darrin! Darrin wake up. ” He didn move. I continued tapping him. He mumbled and turned, his back facing me.

”Darrin. ” I tapped harder this time.

”Yeah what is it? ” He mumbled softly, with his eyes still closed.

”Wake up! ”

He opened his eyes and yawned. ”What Alex? Why did you have to disturb my sleep at this time? ” I looked at the clock in the dormitory. It was 12:14am.

”Come on, Darrin we gotta get out of here. ”

”Why? Whats happening? ”

”Lets just go. ”

”No. Whats going on here? ”

”Darrin please, lets go. ”

”Im not moving an inch out of here until you tell me what the hell is happening. ”

I sighed. ”The hostel will be caught on fire. ”

”What? How do you know that? ”

”I have my ways. ”

”Shouldn we tell the school management or something? ”

”Don worry. The fire won kill anyone. Only you and I, if we stay here. ”

”Where are you getting this from? ”

”I had a dream about it, ok? ”

”A dream? ” He looked at me awkwardly.

”Yes. ”

”You mean you woke me up because you had a dream about a fire that killed us and you believe it will come true? Is this some kind of joke? ”

”Do I look like Im joking? Darrin please, I have this feeling it would come true. So please lets go. ”

He looked at me, the awkwardness intensifying. ”Alex… ”

”Im serious, please. ” I must have really sounded desperate.

”Well you sound really serious, so… lets go. ”

We came to the door of the hostel. It was probably locked but I decided to try my luck and open it. Surprisingly, it opened. Guess Dylan forgot to lock the door when he went out. Darrins eyes widened but he said nothing.

We walked outside to the back of the laundry house which was near the school fence.

My initial plan was to wait here until the fire was over. But what if the fire reaches here?

”Darrin, we have to jump over. ” I said.

”What? Thats against the rules. I don wanna get suspended. ”

”Darrin… ”

”No. You might have convinced me to come out of the hostel, but you can convince me to jump over the fence. ”

”Thats your choice. If you wanna die, you can stay. ” I said before climbing over. The school management is planning on attaching electrical wires on the fence. Good thing they haven done that yet.

I went to the closed restaurant just opposite and stood at the front, hoping Darrin would come. Sneaking out would really put us at the risk of getting suspended. But life was more important.

After some minutes, Darrin climbed over and joined me.

”Oh, you came. ” I said, sarcastically.

”Shut up. ” He rolled his eyes. ”You sure of what you
e saying? ”

”Lets wait till three. Then youll see what Im saying. ”

Soon, it was 3am.

”Well, nothing is happening. ” Darrin said, checking his digital wristwatch.

”Lets wait a little bit longer. ” I said.

Five minutes later. Still nothing.

”Nothing is still happening. ” Darrin said impatiently.

”Five more minutes. ” I pleaded.

Five minutes later. Nothing.

”Ok Alex, where you playing a prank? ” He asked angrily.

”I don understand. ” I was confused. Mr Clark told Dylan to start at three. Or was it just a mere dream? Silly me. I was so stupid to think that my dream would come true.

”I can believe I just took the risk of breaking the school rules for nothing. If I ever get caught, Ill never forgive you. ”

I sighed. All of this was just a waste of time. As we were about crossing the road to the fence, an explosion was heard from inside the school.

”What…what was that? ” Darrin asked.

”Yes. I was right. My dream came true. ” I said with the relief that all of this wasn for nothing. Black smoke was coming out of the school to the black night sky.

”Lets go in and help. ” Darrin said.

”No. The reason I brought us outside is to save us from the fire. ”

”Alex, how can you be this wicked? ”

My eyes widened. Why would Darrin call me wicked? ”What? ”

”You knew a fire was gonna break out, yet you didn tell anyone. ”

”Darrin, I told you I had a dream about that just this night. ”

”Well, you could have told someone. ”

”Oh really? You think theyd believe me? ” I was getting angry. ”And if I told them and the fire broke out, won they think I was the one who caused it? ”

”Ok then, what should we do? ”

”Nothing. We stay here until the fire is over. ”

”You are crazy. ”

”Well Darrin, if you wanna die go inside. ”

Deep inside of me, I was hurt. Darrin thinks Im wicked.

He looked at the fence, then me. The fence, then me. He sighed. ”Fine you win. ”

We sat on the floor at the front of the restaurant, waiting for the fire to stop.

After some minutes, I started feeling sleepy. I can sleep now. I might get caught. Ill have to try and stay awake. But the more I tried, the more the sleepiness intensified. Maybe we should just go in and stay in the laundry house. I don think it got burned.

”Darrin, lets go in. ” I said but got no response.

”Darrin! ” I looked at him. He was sleeping already. Oh just look at him. He can even stay for some minutes. I guess I have to stay awake to keep watch. But my body betrayed as they refused to work and I fell asleep.