Dark Dreams In Cerino Smith
SNAP!
The victim of a broken bone, now hanging limp by Tumunomi Escaver released a heart wrenching scream before he even fell to the ground.
“AAAAAARGHHHHH!!!”
By making sure to escape the cameras, he successfully escaped any possible evidence which could be used against him of the scene he had perpetrated in the hallways as Derek had taught him well.
Not once, Tumunomi Escaver had always wondered why the cases had never been brought up, either.
Not even to be made common knowledge among the growing residents of the building.
And going through these memories – in this dream – this was nothing new to him.
So vivid, he even remembered exactly how he had slunk away before help came.
Also, just like Tumunomi Escaver’s many other victims, he did not find each ruined boy by the next morning.
So, it proved his conjecture had been correct just as he had speculated.
Thus, it similarly meant that Derek his best friend who had been the only person to treat him normally had also been taken.
20 different victims of his mutilation had proved him to be absolutely correct.
There were now no more doubts.
The scene changed again, and this time he was staring at the top of the building that he resided in as though from a bird’s eye view.
Almost as if he were literally outside of his own body in this very night that he dreamt.
Deep into this dark at this time of the hour where the sun died, the moon was also not yet visible because of clouds and the passing winds were better than when it rained.
The streets were only partially crowded in clusters, not yet fully so.
And it was relatively safe it you were a cultivator.
That was if you could get one to walk besides, or if you knew one that the public recognized, personally.
And why would they do things for free?
So, apart from some broken sign posts, liquids of different colors on some walls and shops that had guards who didn’t seem to be there until they met a situation to react to, was a building that was curious because of its ability to want to do something no one would expect on a street were people seldom lost their lives, where also hidden substances were exchanged for Hyur money or Potent Artefacts of equal value and people were even trafficked.
This building looked like it needed repairs, not just from the washing off paint or the shabby roof that felt like it was going to drop during every rain session so that each one resembled a storm, yet it was the most popular construction on the street.
Inside, was a proper system of people who were the administrators and in charge, with others who listened because their livelihood depended on it.
Spencer’s School Of Cerino Cerino was not up to a millennium since its establishment but, it had connections in the light and the dark world.
Tumunomi Escaver had read enough books to know this, even, as he lived in the same building.
So, this information about his Immediate environment was also nothing new.
Thus, he could not wait for a new scene.
And in the next, he saw a familiar face to his sight.
A painfully familiar one, indeed.
One that made his eyes shrink and excitement to bubble out of him like a volcano that had deceived ignorant citizens with a million years of dormancy.
The mischievous expression had found a way to permanently be on that face, just as things had always been when this person has been around.
So, this grin reminded Tumunomi of the adventures they had had together.
He remembered too as they had gathered contribution points for 5 years because of Derek’s advice.
And each daily contribution point was gotten after chores were carried out.
They had even taken up exercises for physical fitness.
Tumunomi Escaver had never gotten a win over Derek when it came to a wrestle or combat.
But defeating Derek had always been one of his goals which was why he had carried out a lot of failed sneak attacks and ambushes whenever he wrongfully thought his fellow foster friend was unaware.
The memories all came to his head, but he had a bad feeling about this dream, Lucid dreaming was something Derek had even taught to him at some point.
One of the things that made him larger than life to young Tumunomi Escaver, especially after both had given up on being picked by a foster parent or leaving the foster home till they were at least 18.
And not even their eyes of contempt when he wasn’t chosen or their whispers in moments where they decided to regard him in condescending eyes got to him like he felt in this dream.
Not seeing his friend for 3 years, and then gazing once more upon this visage, he was prepared to catch Derek for the first time in his life.
So, he began walking at a steady pace.
And it was when he crouched behind vents and electrical boxes to focus on the clear range of view, he realized he was on a flat roof in an urban setting.
Then, a piece of skyline became clear, not just because of lights that illuminated different windows, shine from moving vehicles or poured into the sky in the farther distances, but the clouds having revealed a big bright moon, in it’s elevated lonely position which was crowded by sparse clouds wanting to reclaim it’s atmospheric territory.
A helicopter even passed over head and the young boy was happy it would cover his sounds as he approached his friend who seemed to be staring far ahead…
no, the other boy was looking straight down.
What was Derek peering towards?
Would it keep his attention until he was ambushed?
What would he say when he realized Tumunomi Escaver would finally surprise him?
Or, if the element of surprised was lost and exploited against himself which was always what happened, what would Derek teach him today?
Over the years, he had enjoyed everything so far; from combat, to knowledge about the worlds, to magazines that excited parts of him and workouts.
Even the chores felt no longer stressful to his young body after he had met Derek.
So, making haste as the helicopter passed overhead, young Tumunomi Escaver rolled behind a few more electrical boxes atop the ceiling as plans ran in his head for executing his goal.
Right leg forward, left leg slowly following, slowly placed hands for balance and stealth.
Wait…
right hand preceding left leg forward, left hand then right leg trailing it again.
Pause, right leg first and left hand second…
Silently and slowly and cautiously, he painfully snuck forward his fingertips – which his arms took at least a minute to fully outstretch for the purpose of completely masking his presence – then, after a good patient while, he silently rose to a suitable height in preparedness.
So that, his unkempt nails were an inch from the boy’s collar.
Alas, his elongated right forearm sharply received elbowed before Derek spun on the spot and grabbed his bicep to pull him close and finally land a knee on the side of his head full of black long hair.
And this would have woken anybody up at this point, but Tumunomi Escaver had trained himself after Derek had shown him the wonders of Lucid dreaming.
Thus, he stared in anger as he heard a familiar voice.
“Tumunomi Escaver, you once again fail to reach my greatness.” Derek then snorted as he took a suggestive step back.
“Don’t worry, you won’t always be behind me…
So much.
Hal”
But Tumunomi Escaver’s anger changed to confusion as he reached out to save his one and only friend….
…However, once again, he was too late…
Meaning that, he watched Derek purposely tilt till he fell off the ledge in a moment that was more drawn out that should have normally been possible.
And in the dream, of course he jumped after his friend, a rapidly approaching darkness deeper than the abyss waiting for both of them.
“DEREEEEEEK!”
Waking up panting after screaming, Tumunomi Escaver took a breath of air as he grabbed his hair in anger and smacked the side of his fists against the matrass that he slept atop, several times.
Jacob, on the other side of the room with a fan that spun on the ceiling which was chipped like all of its walls, and who had not been able to get some rest, was very appreciative of these moments because it made this roommate of his seem more human.
One of the walls were dedicated to a row of cupboards that did not all have doors on them, connected to a floor that was tiled but discolored from age and lack of adequate care, shared too by one which held a door leading to an open bathroom for all the kids and the last one holding the two windows the space had which were closest to Tumunomi Escaver.
But Jacob, himself had also been awake because his mind was torn – like his noisy stomach about one of his own friends.
Skinny Tumunomi Escaver slapped his back against his aged and used mattress in frustration, looked at the ceiling of his room with his angry deep brown eyes that always had circles under them as if he never slept well while his half unkempt black long hair to his shoulders poured under his back in a mess.
All around him when he looked around to notice their shock that he had caught them staring at him -some people his age of 10 then threw balls into the air which they caught or they made up stories to their friends, or otherwise slept.
And others yet even dared to open the door and peep outside at this time of their curfew.
But the common situation across the space was that most had their stomachs growling.
“Hahaha!” One of the kids mocked, and some of his peers out of the 7 total, turned to listen.
“This time it is Peter!”
“Why did you not just do your chores, man!” Another turned to their subject of interest.
Peter, clutching his stomach like lightening tore through it, spoke from gritted teeth.
“I was tired.”
“Dumb, dumb.” They all chorused, “you have been given excuses every day.”
Another one chipped in, “sure you do not want to disappear like the other kid?”
A silence fell in the room which Tumunomi Escaver was about to enjoy as well as use to return back to sleep and hopefully find his friend once more.
“I don’t want to disappear.”
“I’ll help you stay.” Everyone turned to Tumunomi Escaver and excitement lay deep in their eyes, which overshadowed their fear of him as this was food.
“But you have to promise me no more nagging.
I like my sleep.”
The boy- Peter – who had also been recently startled by Tumunomi Escaver’s scream, said ‘please’ and it sounded like he had wheezed it out.
If he doesn’t hold up his end, I’ll displace a few bones.
Tumunomi Escaver then stood up from his bed and made his way to the door of the room which roused the roommates from their lying positions on their mattresses before sneakily standing up in anticipation.
He was going to unlawfully get some food, straight from the kitchen.