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Journal #1

Again, she was having that dream again.
It had been happening night after night for the past few months. It was never the same, there were always subtle differences. Sometimes they helped make the dream less horrible, other times not so much. Tonight’s dream seemed to be the worst.
There was darkness where before there had been light. The darkness was intense and it wrapped around her and tainted her insides. It sucked away her self, taking away the years she had gained and causing her body to twist with pain.
In her mind she could hear a woman crying. Her voice, cracking in her panic and her own panic was high, making rational thought nearly impossible. Despite this, though, she still fought desperately against the darkness that had such a dark hold on her and continued sucking away her ‘self’.
Bursts of bright light exploded before her eyes like fireworks on the fourth of July, but regardless of their bright intensity, none of them even seemed to make a dent in the profuse darkness.
“Give up.” A voice hissed, “You cannot win.”
“I will destroy you, you demon.” She vowed in a voice that was not her own.
“You will not have your powers.” It laughed and then another bolt of pain went through her. Something worse was coming, she was sure of it and a feeling of dread incased her. “Your own people will forget you and even you, yourself, will forget” The voice laughed cruelly.
“No!” She gasped and this was the same as always. With the cry she was jerked out of her restless sleep. Breathing rapid, she hugged her arms to her chest as a shiver shook her body. God, she hated the dreams and she hated even more the cool tendril of dread that ran across her skin when she awoke.
Jane’s had another dream. I better check on her. Her mother’s thought sounded in her head suddenly, which meant she was close and that it must have been early morning because other wise she wouldn‘t even have been home yet. A second later she heard her mother’s soft footsteps as she climbed the stairs to Jane’s room.
“I’m okay.” She said before her mother could enter.
There was a slight creek as her mother pushed open the door and poked her head inside, “Are you sure? Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m fine.” She lied, “It wasn’t as bad as last night’s.”
“You sure?” She questioned again.
“Yes.”
“Okay.” She drew back with one more concerned look before shutting the door behind her.
Glancing at the clock Jane could just read the glowing red numbers. “3:30.” She groaned. That meant that she had a couple more hours before she had to get up for school. It was just enough time to get back to sleep. “And just enough time to get in another dream.”
Yep, it was just the beginning of yet one more perfect day.
Journal #2

That afternoon she was on the bus on her way home from a terrible day. Unfortunately her assumption the night before had not been incorrect. She’d missed the bus and had to hitch a ride with mom who was none too excited about missing even an hour of sleep. Missing the bus meant missing breakfast, which didn’t help in her first hour class, P.E. where her stomach had grumbled all the while she ran. A kid had come up behind her had ‘accidentally’ pushed her, causing her to tumble to the ground. Luckily she’d gotten nothing more than a sprained ankle and a bruised ego. The rest of the day had gone by boringly normal except for her last hour class where a quiz had popped up unexpectedly and the quiz had successfully managed to drop her grade for a solid ‘C‘ to a solid ‘D’.
You could have always listened in to someone’s thoughts. She reminded herself sourly.
Yes, she could eavesdrop on other people’s thoughts. Ever since she’d been young she’d had that ability, though she absolutely hated it. It only reminded her how different she was from everybody else and the fact that she couldn’t control her power very well, only made it all the worse. Her inability to control her power very well was one of the reasons why she hadn’t listened in on thoughts during the test. It would have been simply too overwhelming to even try.
Jane sighed as she stared out the bus window. Tiredly she lifted the ear buds of her IPOD to her ears. Thundering music blared in her ears and effectively drowning out the world around her, including the hurtful thoughts of several of the bus passengers.
Through the music and despite trying to close her mind off from them, she could still hear the faint tendrils of thoughts.
“What is she thinking wearing that?”
“I hope I did alright on that test.”
“Thank God today’s over. All I want is to just go home and crash.”
“Ow! That hurt! You stupid demon!”
Jane’s head jerked up in her surprise, that last one was not the normal thoughts she heard on the bus. In fact as she looked around the bus, trying to pin point the person who it had come from, it didn’t even seem to have come from anyone on the bus.
It’s just your imagination. She reassured herself, you’ve been too stressed recently.
Than the voice came again, startling loud against the rest of the thoughts, “Get off of me! You brainless brute!”
That was real, it couldn’t be her imagination, but…where had that come from? Suddenly a boy was running out of the forest as the bus was rushing by. Staring out the window at him, she gasped surprised, which turned into a shocked yell when a monster burst from the trees behind the boy.
The creature looked like a giant millipede with red scales covering its body like armor. White shiny teeth jutted from its mouth each one dripping an acid that burned the ground. Huge red eyes glowed from the sunken in face as its lower body curved around to strike out at the boy.

Journal #3

She opened her mouth to scream. However, her throat felt like it was swollen shut, preventing her from making anything more than a terrified squeak. The drumming of her heart was loud in her ears, a soundtrack to the horror that was about to unfold before her. Gasping, she looked over at the rest of the bus passengers. Couldn’t they see what was happening! Couldn’t they see that….that thing!
The boy threw himself to the ground, in order to dodge an attack from the monster. On the ground he rolled, barely missing getting burned by the acid spit the demon shot out at him. In one smooth move he jumped up and started running from the demon, his arms pumping at his sides. The only thought in his head, seemed to be getting away from the demon, not watching where he was going. Consequently, he ran straight out into the road and straight out in front of the bus.
She jerked to her feet. This time the scream did work its way free from her throat, “WATCH OUT!”
Every head on the bus turned to look at her and the bus driver yanked the wheel in surprise, causing the bus to swerve erratically with a screech of tires. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter because the boy was still in the bus’s path.
“Oh no,” Jane breathed, dreadfully waiting for the terrible thump of a body beneath tires.
The boy’s head swiveled to look at the bus. His eyes were curious and they widened slightly in response, but there was no apparent fear or panic in them. Distantly she wondered why that was. Just when she was sure that terrible moment would come and his body would go flying he passed through the bus!
It was like his body was nothing more than air and she could see him as the bus passed on and mouth gaping open she watched as he disappeared on the other side, completely unharmed. He glanced back at the bus curiously then looked back at the monster before he ran into the woods on the other side, the monster trailing right behind him.
“SIT DOWN!” The bus driver said and it was just now that she realized he had been yelling this for some time now. Jane looked back toward the forest where the boy and demon had disappeared; every thing seemed to be back to normal now, but….
“SIT DOWN!” The bus driver exclaimed once more for probably the hundredth time.
Eyes wide and stunned she sank back into her seat without a word.
What just…What was that? Her mind was stunned, so much so that she hardly noticed the various people smirking her way.
Desperately she made excuses for what had happened. It was simply she was tired. The continued lack of sleep thanks to the nightmares was starting to affect her mind, now she was starting to hear things and…see things.
“That girl” A voice said in her head. The same voice in her head before the boy and demon showed up. It shook the very core of her excuses and stopped her heart. “I think she saw me.”
Oh God Jane thought, panicked, what’s happening?

Journal #4

The bus stopped before her house and she gathered her things around her before standing. Hurtful whispers guided her way to the front and she kept her head down, not making eye contact with anyone
“Watch out!” Someone exclaimed as she moved down the steps and out the open door, the sound of laughter echoing her way.
The doors closed than and the bus roared away.
Sighing sadly, she hurried into her house, where her mother was sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee as she prepared to leave for work.
Jane thanked God that when her mother and her were alone she could manage to not read her thoughts. A good thing considering that at the moment she yearned for silence more than anything else.
“Hey, Jane,” Her mother looked up at her from the newspaper, “How was school today.”
“Terrible.” She murmured, sinking down in the stool directly across from her. “Absolutely terrible,”
Her mother looked up, her green eyes shining brightly with concern. “What happened?”
Tendrils of chestnut hair were already beginning to fall out of her pony tail and strands framed her haggard looking face. Deep circles ran under her eyes and her thin lips were turned down into a tired sigh. Her mother was already over worked and tired, Jane didn’t want to add any more stress to her life by telling her about what had happened. It wouldn’t change anything anyway, so she answered simply. “It was just one of those days, you know?”
“Yea,” Her mother patted her hand comfortingly, “I know how you feel, but don’t worry I’m sure tomorrow will be better.”
Jane looked up at her and smiled thankfully, “I hope so.”
“You just hang in there, alright?”
“Yea,”
Her mother stood up, “I have to go to work. Dinner’s in the fridge like always. It’s your favorite.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Jane sighed, watching her mother leave to her night job at the hospital. It seemed like she was always working. Jane couldn’t even remember a time when she wasn’t at work, heading to work, or just getting off from work.
The familiar sound of the front door clicking open and closed met her ears, signifying her mother’s departure.
Jane rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to rid herself of the pounding headache, but it refused to leave. Sighing once more, she stood up and moved toward the fridge. It was yet another night of heated up pasta.

Journal #5

“Hey.” A voice whispered, “Hey wake up! Wake up!”
The nightmare was prematurely jerked to a halt and she bolted up right in bed, her eyes wide as they scanned the room.
“Hey.” He said again in his soft, lilting Irish accent. She gasped scrambling away from him.
It was the boy from yesterday, the one who’d been chased by the demon, and he was crouched beside her bed, green eyes peering up at her beseechingly. He had auburn hair that was cropped short with a few strands hanging in his eyes. Freckles dotted the bridge of his nose and cheeks. His thin lips had lines around them, showing how often he smiled, though at the moment they were turned down into a frown as he stared at her in the darkness.
God, he’s handsome She thought and then scolded herself, after everything’s that happened; you’re first thought is how handsome he is!
“Who are you!?” She gasped, “What are you doing in my room!?”
“I knew it!” He smiled brightly, ignoring her questions, “You can see me!”
“What are you talking about?!” She snapped as she pulled her blanket closer around herself, aware that the only thing she had on was a flimsy tank top and loose PJ shorts. “Of course I can see you! Why wouldn’t I be able to see you?”
“Well no one else can.” He noted, still grinning.
She remembered that with startling clarity.
God, I am going crazy. She thought with mounting panic.
“That is.” He continued, completely oblivious to her panic, “No one but you can see me.”
She shook her head in denial. “No.”
He frowned at her, green eyes sparking in the darkness, “Are you alright?”
“No, no, I’m not alright.” Her voice was high, almost a yell, “Because there’s a strange boy in my bedroom and I have no idea how he got here and- and…”
She started to hyperventilate.
“Hey, hey” He said trying to comfort her, “It’s okay. I didn‘t mean to scare you.”
“Well, you’re not succeeding!” She gasped, trying to reestablish a hold on her breathing.
“Calm down.” He said.
“Jane!” Her mother called, footsteps sounding on the stares. “Are you okay?”
The boy ignored her and leaned closer to Jane, his voice gentle and soothing, “Calm down or else you’re going to pass out.”
“Get away from me!” Jane gasped out, scrambling farther back.
Her mother burst into the room, eyes wide, “Jane what is it? What’s going on?”
Oh God! She thought. She can’t see the boy!
Her breaths came quicker and black dots swam in her vision, her body beginning to sway with the lack of oxygen.
“Alright, I’m leaving, but.” The boy said, meeting Jane’s eye, “I’ll see you later.” After that he walked right through her mother and through the door, disappearing as suddenly as he had come.
 Journal #6

“Are you alright?” Her mother questioned, wrapping an arm around her as her body shook.
“I…” She really didn’t know how to answer that question, especially after that peculiar visit from the boy.
“Was it another nightmare?” Her mother questioned.
Jane looked at her mother, whose eyes were sparkling with concern as well as tendrils of exhaustion. Her mother was too busy to worry about this; Jane needed to solve this problem for herself.
“Jane?” Her mother questioned in response to Jane’s continued silence.
“Yes.” She agreed, “It…it was just another nightmare.”
Her mother sighed, “The same one?”
“Yes.” She nodded, “It’s always the same one.”
“Jane.” Her mother said; her voice infused with a core of worry, “This has been going on for too long. It has to stop. Tomorrow I’m going to set up an appointment for the doctor. Maybe he can give you something to help you sleep?”
“No.” She shook her head, not wanting her mother to miss any work on her account “No, it’s fine.”
The look her mother gave her was unconvinced.
“Really it is.” Jane assured her, “I…I think it’s just stress from school. After the stress of the exams is over than I’ll be fine.”
“But…”
“I’ll be fine.” She murmured, “It’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded, “Yes.”
“Okay.” Her mother gave her one more look before finally standing up. She gave her a kiss on the cheek, “Now at least try to get some sleep, alright?”
“Yea,”
Then she was gone.
Jane looked around the room as if she expected the boy to suddenly reappear, but no it was only her in the room. Sighing, she sunk down on her bed, laying her head against the pillow. As she closed her eyes she tried to make herself believe that none of this was real, that it was all just a dream and that instead of falling asleep she was going to fall back into reality. Unfortunately that was only a pipe dream.

Journal #7

The next morning, she managed to snag the bus and to her great relief, nothing odd happened on the way of school.
“Hey.” Her friend Melanie said as Jane stepped into the cafeteria for breakfast, “What’s up? I heard that you freaked out yesterday.”
Jane waved a hand, buying her breakfast before sitting down at one of the many tables dotting the lunch room, “It was nothing. I…I just thought I saw something. That‘s it.”
“Really because from what I heard it was definitely more than nothing,” She said, snagging a pancake stick off of Jane’s plate.
“Who’d you hear that from?” She snapped, looking up at her friend.
Everything about Melanie was short; her brown hair, her stature, her features, her temper, everything. Despite that fact the core of iron in her brown eyes glowed brightly against her dark skin.
“Eh…” She shrugged, not looking at her, “Everyone.”
“Really,” She snapped angrily, “Everyone told you this?”
“Well, everyone that is anyone.” She corrected herself.
“You’re digging yourself a hole.” Jane could hear Melanie’s thoughts as clearly as if they were spoken, “If this keeps going you’re going to become a social outcast and then where will that leave me?”
“Sorry, I’m such an inconvenience!” Jane exclaimed angrily, momentarily forgetting that she hadn’t spoken those hurtful things out loud.
“What?” Melanie blinked.
Jane tapped down on her anger with a struggle, “Nothing…what were you saying?”
Melanie looked at her for a second before saying, “Everyone just seems to know what happened yesterday on the bus and it doesn’t seem to be going over well for you.”
“That’s just great.” She sighed defeated.
“Don’t worry.” Melanie wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “It’s okay, and it hasn’t all washed down the drain yet.”
“How so?”
“Just trust me.”
The bell rang and together they walked to Melanie’s locker, Jane, throwing her garbage away on the way.
“So what are you going to do?” Jane asked.
“Spread some good rumors to counteract the bad one. You know I’m the rumor mill around here.”
“Oh yes I know that.” Jane nodded. It was also the reason why you made Melanie mad at your own risk.
“Just try not to stay out of trouble in the meantime?” Melanie said.
“I can only help you so much. I’m not a miracle worker after all.”
Jane nodded, wincing slightly at Melanie’s thought before heading to her first hour P.E. class.

Journal #8

“Hey.” A voice called from within the shadows of the trees. She was in P.E. walking along the path that wound around the school as the majority of the class played football.
“What?” She looked up surprised, her step faltering momentarily.
The boy moved out from beneath the shadows, the sun glittering off his hair was dull in comparison to his bright smile, “Can I talk to you now or are you going to freak out again?”
“Get away from me.” She growled, wanting nothing to do with him, especially since he was the one making a complete mess of his life.
“Oh come on.” He said stepping up beside her and matching her stride, “I know that bursting into your room last night may have been over doing it, but I can’t even remember the last time someone’s been able to see me.”
“Well I don’t want to see you.” She barked, “So why don’t we all just pretend that I can’t.”
“Please.” He pleaded hands outstretched, “Don’t be like that.”
“Okay, then.” She turned glaring eyes at him. “Tell me how I’m supposed to be like when a boy that only I can see suddenly shows up with a demon chasing after him. Tell me what I’m supposed to do.”
He fidgeted uneasily. “I don’t know…this is new for me also, but”
“For God’s sake!” She exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air as she began to walk away, “I don’t even know what you are!”
His steps didn’t even make a sound as he ran to catch up with her, “I’m human.’ Than as an after thought, “I think.”
“Well that sure is reassuring.” She said sarcastically.
He looked down at his feet as they continued to walk. People going the opposite way passed her, smirking and whispering to one another, but they focused only on her not on the boy.
How could she be the only one that saw him?
“I don’t even know if I’m imagining you or not.” She said quietly.
“You’re not!” He assured, “I’m as real as you are.”
“Yea,” She answered bitterly, “Like I’m supposed to trust the very figment of my dimensioned imaginings.”
He wrung his hands in front of him nervously, “Well, if you put it like that then…”
“Just leave me alone, okay?” She asked, looking at him and trying not to notice the sadness masking his face and hopelessness streak in his eyes.
“But…”
“No.” Jane shook her head, allowing none of his excuses, “Just leave me alone.”
Suddenly his voice was filled with a spark of hope, “What if I can prove to you that I’m real?”
Journal #9

She stared at him, wondering just how he was going to accomplish that.
“Well?” He questioned.
“Yea, sure,” Knowing he probably wouldn’t be able to prove it, “If you can do that, I’ll talk to you all you want.”
“Alright!” He exclaimed happily, running forward, “You just wait I’ll prove it to you.”
He disappeared back into the woods and she continued walking. It wasn’t soon that he reappeared. “What now?” She sighed as she began to come back to the football field where her other classmates were playing.
“If other people respond to something I did, would you believe that I really exist?”
“If they responded to you in the first place, I wouldn’t have this problem.” She snapped and as he continued to look at her, sighed, “Yes.”
“Than,” He grinned once more, “Watch closely because I’m probably only going to be able to do this once.”
“Do what?” She questioned quietly as they got closer to the people.
“Just watch!” He exclaimed, running out into the field, passing through the different bodies easily.
Jane stopped and watched.
He was staring at the ball intently as it was passed around the field from one person to another.
What’s he going to do? She thought.
Suddenly he was moving forward, straight toward the person who was holding the ball. There was a bright spark of light than the boy was grabbing the ball and weaving throughout the field with it.
“That ball’s moving on its own!”
“What the heck’s going on?”
“No way!”
The different thoughts met her and she gasped surprised as the boy, smiling, made his way to the opposite end of the field before finally spiking the ball. Sweat drenched his brow and he looked exhausted, but satisfied.
“Did you see that?” One of the players exclaimed.
“What the hell was that!?”
The boy moved back over to her and grinned brightly as he gasped out, ‘To them it would have seemed the ball was moving all by itself, but still they responded to something I did.”
“They did.” She nodded, shocked.
“So?”
He had proven that he existed, which was a great relief to her because it meant she wasn’t crazy. The least she could do was keep up her end of the bargain, so she sighed, “I’m Jane.”
He grinned, elated, “Erin….I think.”

Journal #10

She walked around the path with him, asking him questions and for his part he seemed to do the best he could in answering them. “Why’d you add I think when you said your name and that you were human?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He asked, staring at the sun with his hands crossed behind his head, “It’s because I wasn’t sure.”
“How can you not be sure?” She questioned, annoyed with the uninformative answer.
“It’s hard to explain.” He answered, rubbing the back of neck as redness crept up his face.
“Please try.”
“All I really know is that every few years or so I somehow…start over without any real memory of the last time.”
“What?”
“I told you it’s hard to explain!” He exclaimed frustrated before trying once more, “I remember waking up in a forest and after that I have several years worth of memories, but then I got hit or something and I woke up in that same forest. I think that my life restarts over and over for some reason, but I can’t remember really anything. I don’t even know if my name’s Erin. I seemed to like that name so I chose it…”
“So,” She said, rubbing the bridge of her nose where a headache was beginning to set in “Let me get this straight. Every few years you die and come back without any memories of your previous life. Then for some odd reason you’re invisible to all those around you?”
“Pretty much,” He nodded.
“Than how do you know all of this?” She asked, “About you disappearing?”
“I…remember some things, but not everything and I think it only goes back one or two lifetimes.”
“You know that’s messed up.” She noted.
“This entire situation is messed up.”
Jane had to agree with him.
“So…what’s with the demons?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged, “They’re just like me. No one can see them, but they can touch human lives more easily than I can and when I realized that I could fight them and understood what they were doing, well one thing led to another, and now I’m kind of a demon hunter.”
“I see.” She nodded.
“It’s okay if you don’t get it.” He said, smiling at her, “I’m just glad to finally be able to talk to someone, you know” He grinned bashfully, “Other than myself.”
She chuckled, “It’s nice to talk to you also, Erin.”

Journal #11

“Alright,” She said, “I have to go now.”
“What?” He frowned.
“I have the rest of school.” She explained, “While there are people around, I can’t really talk to what appears to be thin air.”
“But I can follow you.” He said, uncertainly, “You don’t have to talk. I can talk just knowing you can hear me.”
That’s kind of stalker-ish. She thought, but honestly who could blame him? After so long of having to live in solitude, who would pass up a chance to actually be able to talk to someone?
“That’s not going to work.” She argued.
“Why not?” He whined.
“Because I have to focus on class besides don’t you have anything better to do than follow me around all day?”
“No.” He answered immediately.
She frowned at him, “Well what did you do before you found out that I could see you?”
He fidgeted, “Chase demons.”
“Than go do that.”
“But…” He protested.
She couldn’t believe how easy this had become. It was just like he was every other boy, but she needed to remember that he wasn’t because if he was she wouldn’t have to ignore him every time a person happened to walk by. “But what?”
“I always fight demons, it’s really the only thing for someone like me to do, but I can talk to you now and that’s a lot better.”
“But if I can’t talk to you than how’s that better?”
He sighed, “I guess you’re right.”
“Than go on.” She shooed, “I’ll see you after school.”
His eyes lit up, “Really.”
“Yep,” She nodded with a reassuring smile, “And then you can talk all you want to, okay?”
“Okay!” He grinned, looking much like a little kid making their first trip to the candy store.
“Now go on.” She shooed; he did what he was asked and disappeared in the surrounding forest.
Jane headed into the Locker room in order to prepare for her next hour class. Silently she grinned to herself as she thought; I wonder if this was what Melanie meant when she said stay out of trouble.
Probably not.
Oh well…

Journal #12

“You know I was wondering when I might see you again.” She said as the bus pulled away.
He was sitting on her porch steps looking bored with his head in his hands and a blank expression covering his features. “You’re back!” He smiled standing up and walking toward her, “I’ve been waiting for you, for like hours.”
“I thought you were supposed to be fighting demons.”
“I did fight demons.” He answered, following her inside. “It was a good day. I managed to kill seven.”
“I have a question about that.” She said.
“Another one,” Erin murmured with false annoyance, but from his jumpy, happy movements, she could tell that he was actually ecstatic about answering her variety of questions.
“Yep,”
“Shoot.” He ordered.
“How can you fight demons if you can’t really touch anything?” She asked, throwing her book bag down on the floor.
“I can touch demons, it’s just everything else that I have problem touching.” He responded.
“Why is that?”
“I…I don’t know.” He shrugged, “But there’s a lot of stuff about me that I don’t know.”
“That’s so sad.” She thought, but out loud she noted, ‘You touched that football, though.”
“Yea, but that took a lot of strength.” He answered, “And if you didn’t notice I was really tired afterward.”
“I noticed, but I thought it politer not to say anything.”
He grinned, “Sure you did.”
“I did!” She exclaimed indignantly.
He raised his hands, palm out in defense, ‘I believe you.”
“Also I was wondering about that.”
“About what?”
“How can you touch the football but nothing else?”
“Sometimes,” He explained sadly, “If I focus a lot of energy to one part of my body it can become tangible for just a second and I can touch something, but it’s always exhausting and I can never get it to become visible.”
“How long can you make it last?”
“A few minutes at the most.” He responded, “It took me years to just be able to do it once.”
“I see.”
“JANE!” Her mother called from within the kitchen, “Is that you!?”
Journal #13

“Oh no.” Jane breathed with a tendril of dread winding around her stomach, “I forgot about, Mom.”
“So?” He questioned, giving her a look, “It’s not like she’s going to see me.”
“You stay here.” She answered despite what he‘d said, “I’ll go and see what she wants.”She hurried into the kitchen, leaving Erin standing there with a surprised look on his face. “Hi, Mom,” Jane smiled at her, “What’s up?”
“Is someone else here?” Her mother questioned, ‘I thought I heard you talking to someone.”
“Nope, just me,” She lied.
Erin passed though the door and gave her a pointed look, “You know it’s not very polite to just ditch someone like that.”
“Go away.” She hissed at him.
“Don’t think so.” He jumped up onto the table, sitting with his feet hanging over the edge. His body hovered not even an inch above the table, but it never seemed to truly touch the table. Was that how it was everything was like for him? Was that why he made no noise when he moved because he didn’t truly touch anything?
“Jane?” Her mother questioned.
“Huh?” She looked at her.
“You okay?”
“Yea, I was just thinking about this homework assignment I have to do for school.”
“This is your mom.” Erin said in an observing tone, then, “You two look alike. Both of you are kind of small and have the same colored hair and eyes, though your hair looks a shade lighter.”
It seemed like he was talking to just be talking and she cast him a glare, which was rewarded with a teasing smile from him.
“Really?” Her mother questioned, unaware of the slight exchange, “What class?”
“Um…” She fidgeted, trying to think of a class that she frequently had a great deal of assignments in.
“How about English?” Erin suggested.
“English,” She took the suggestion, “We have to write on…”
“You just keep digging your hole.” Erin shook his head then grinned brightly as an idea came to him, “How about a poem? You could write a poem.”
“A poem,” She once more took what he said, “and you know how bad I am about writing poetry.”
Her mother was staring at her oddly.
“What?” Jane asked, trying to appear the picture of innocence.
“Nothing,” Her mother said before standing up, “I’ve got to go.”
“Work,” She nodded.
“Food’s in the-”
“In the fridge, I got it. I know, Mom.” She murmured.
“Just making sure,” She gave her a hug and a kiss, “Love you. See ya tomorrow.”
Journal #14

“She seemed nice.” He murmured, staring after her mother, “But hurried.”
“That’s because she was in a hurry.” Jane answered, looking inside the fridge for dinner, “She’s always in a hurry.”
“Oh.”
“And I thought I told you to stay in the hallway.”
“You did.”
“Than why did you come in here?” She snapped, partially annoyed by that and partially annoyed that dinner tonight was lasagna.
“Because I figured you’re mom couldn’t see me anyway and if she could see me than I wanted to know.” He swung his feet lazily as he leaned back on his hands. “What was the risk?”
“You were very distracting.”
“So?”
“So that means it’s hard to focus on the actually visible person when you’re around.”
He assumed a hurt look, “I just wanted to see your mom.”
She sighed, feeling bad, “Fine, next time just give me a bit of warning before, Kay?”
“Okay.”
She pulled out a plate and began to dish out the lasagna, “Do you want any?”
His face was pained, “I can’t. I wish I could, but I can’t eat anything.”
She looked at him, “You can’t eat?”
“Anything,” He nodded, not looking at her.
“Than,” She stuck it in the oven and turned it to 350 for five minutes, “How do you…live.”
“I don’t know.” He fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable, “I just I…can’t die before it is…time.”
She frowned, “So you don’t get hungry?”
“I don’t get tired either at least not the tired like I have to sleep.” He answered, “or thirsty.”
God she thought, that must be terrible, to have to be awake all the time and not be able to really do anything.
What she was thinking, must have shone on her face because he smiled reassuringly, as if it were her that this truly affected, “It’s really not that bad. I’ve learned to deal with it.”
“Oh.” She gulped.
“Plus my other senses help with not being able to taste or…feel anything. Smells, noises, and sights are all heightened. It really does help that those things are still available.”
Ding! The oven beeped and she turned to pull out the lasagna.

Journal #15

Amazingly, tonight the dream was different.
They twirled around the ballroom floor, her flowing black dress swishing against the stone floor.
It was her and a man with long gray hair flowing down to his shoulders and green eyes that seemed too familiar. He was wearing an odd sort of robe, which sparkled an amazingly blue in the candle light.
“Head Master,” A group of children called hurrying forward, “Head Master look at this.”
One of the children held out his hand and a sparkling flame lit in the center of his palm.
The man leaned down beside the child, “That is very amazing, Mikayla.” His tone was clad in a lilting Irish accent. Again Jane was struck with how familiar it was, but she just couldn’t quite place who it reminded her of, “Keep on trying and one day maybe you’ll be Head Master.”
The young girl grinned.
“Now run along.” He said to the children before turning back to her, wrapping one hand around her waist and taking his hand in her other. “And leave me to dance with my wife.”
The children hurried away.
“You’re too nice to them.” She murmured as they spun across the room.
“What do you mean?” He questioned.
“I mean you shouldn’t give them false hope like that.”
“It’s not false hope.” He chuckled, dipping her, “It’s the truth. Anyone of them could become the next Head Master.”
“But not all of them will.”
“Katherine.” The man said, “It’s not a crime to dream.”
“I know.”
“If you don’t dream you’re not living.”
“It’s alright to dream.” She argued, “But within certain limits. Those children aren’t just dreaming, their living delusions of grandeur.”
“Let them.” The man answered, “They’re children, let them have the fun while they can. Soon they will once more be bogged down by the rationality of growing up.”
She laid her head against his shoulder, “You are a wise man.”
“Thank you, my darling.” He said, caressing the side of her cheek with gentle fingers
“Don’t ever leave me.” She said softly.
“I won’t.” He whispered back.
“You promise.”
“I promise.”

Journal #16

Beep! Beep! Beep!
She jerked awake by the sound of her alarm clock going off.
My alarm clock! She thought amazed. She’d finally managed to sleep through the night. This was going to be a good day!
She quickly got dressed and moved down stairs, feeling better than she had in weeks.
“Hey” Erin said from the living room.
“Jesus Christ!” She exclaimed looking at him where he was lounging on the couch, “You scared the heck out of me!”
He grinned, “It’s not often that I’m able to do that.”
She rolled her eyes and headed into the kitchen. Quickly he followed, “You know I have school today again.”
“Jeeze,” He groaned exasperated, rubbing a palm against his forehead, “How often do you have school, everyday?”
“Five times a week then weekends are free.”
“Can’t you skip?”
“Nope,”
“Aww,” He groaned once more.
“You can talk to me in P.E, but that’s really it.” She answered, pulling out one of many bottles of ice coffee from the fridge, “And then after school again like what we did yesterday.”
“So, in between that time what am I supposed to do?”
“What you normally do.” She responded taking a sip and feeling the caffeine awaken her system.
“Ya!” He exclaimed sarcastically, “More demon fighting just what I wanted to do.”
“Well what do you want me to do?” She questioned.
“I don’t know.” He fidgeted, “Can I tag along with you today?”
“No!” She exclaimed.
“Why not?” He groaned, looking up at her with those beseeching eyes, “I promise I won’t be annoying. I just want to see what school is like.
“You’ve never been?”
“Why would I go?” He asked, raising an eyebrow, “No one can see me and I can’t answer any questions, so there’s really no point.”
“And now there is?” She questioned, popping the cap back onto the bottle.
“Of course,” He nodded.
“And what’s the reason?” She asked curiously.
“Because I get to spend more time with you”

Journal #17
12/3/10
She blinked at him surprised before turning away, “Alright.”
“Alright?”
“You can come to school with me today, but you have to promise to not be too distracting.”
He grinned brightly, an unbelieving spark in his green eyes, “Really, you mean it?”
“Yes.” She nodded, once more sipping from her bottle of ice coffee. “But like I said you can’t be too distracting, okay?”
He was practically jumping up and down with his excitement. His eyes sparked with happiness, “I promise!”
“Okay,” She nodded, finishing off the rest of her morning caffeine. “Then come on,” She headed toward the door, tossing the bottle on her way.
He bounded happily beside her as they made their way out to the bus stop, where they stood together to wait.
It was one of the few moments since she had met him where he stayed quiet for more than a few seconds at a time, and amazingly, the silence that she had craved so dearly for so long made her uncomfortable and fidgety. She desperately tried to think of something to feel the void, but all her mind could come up with was a murmured, “So…?”
“So, what is school like?” Erin asked with a dazzlingly bright smile.
Jane pondered the question for a moment. How did you describe school to someone, who had never gone?
“Well?” Erin questioned, green eyes gleaming with anticipation.
“It’s not as cool as you think it is.” Jane warned before correcting herself, “Actually, it’s not cool at all.”
“Oh,” His shoulders slumped and his eyes held a disappointed light.
She hated seeing that disappointment on his face, and once more she had to rack her brain for the correct thing to say. “It’s cool that you get to hang out with friends, and I guess all the stuff you learn also.”
By now they had been waiting for the bus for several minutes and other kids were beginning to gather around to wait also, so Jane had to lower her voice, which in turn caused Erin to move closer, so much so that she could smell the sweet scent of thyme and pine wafting off of his skin.
“What do you learn?” Erin asked, not bothering to even try to be silent. Why would he, after all? No one could hear him.
“Um….a bunch of stuff,” She answered with a nervous fidget.
“You know,” Erin chuckled, “I don’t think you’re the greatest person at describing something.”
“I am not.” She laughed, drawing a variety of odd looks from the kids that were gathered around, but, strangely enough, she didn’t care.

Journal #18
12/4/10

He sat beside her on the bus seat, which usually was empty anyway, so there was no danger of someone sitting on him.
“Who’s that?” He questioned pointing to black haired girl sitting in the seat in front of them.
“Megan Illiwek.” She whispered.
“And that?” He pointed to a small boy, playing with an Iron Man action figure.
“I don’t know,” She answered, “a little kid?”
“Oh,” He nodded before he began pointing at people once more. “Who’s that guy?”
She chuckled, “The bus driver.”
“And him?” He pointed to a tall blond boy, who was dragging a duffle bag onto the bus.
“Patrick Radnor.”
After telling him who people were for three more times, she became too annoyed to stand it, “Enough!” She exclaimed, and when practically the entire bus turned to look at her, she quickly quieted her voice into an angry hiss. “Why do you want to know all their names anyway?”
He fell silent.
“They can’t see you, so does it really matter if you know their names?” She asked. Almost immediately she regretted it because his eyes shone with sorrow and she realized just how harsh she’d sounded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that-”
“No,” He answered with a brave warrior’s smile, “You’re right.”
They rode in silence for two more stops.
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore, “Erin,”
He interrupted her, barreling over what she was going to say, “I’ve always had to listen to people, knowing that they will never actually hear the advice that I could offer, but now that I have a chance to truly offer advice to somebody, I don’t want to screw it up by not knowing the people that you’re talking about.”
“Erin,”
He showed her a sparking smile full of self-effacement, “I guess it’s kind of silly, isn’t it?”
“No!” She shook her head, “Not at all,”
He grinned encouraged once again.
“Do you want me to tell you who these people are?” She questioned, continuing to cheer him up.
His eyes scanned over the inhabitants on the bus from the guffawing jocks in the back to the little children up front that were arguing over which toy was better, the Barbie or the Iron Man action figure. “You’re not really close to any of these people, are you?”
“Not really,” She admitted.
“Will you show me the people that you are close to?” He asked.
“Of course I will,”

Journal #19
12/5/10

“Who’s she?” Erin inquired curiously as he stood behind Melanie, looking over her shoulder as she dug through her purse for her lip-gloss.
“Get away from her!” Jane hissed out the side of her mouth.
He looked up and cast her a mischievous smile, “Why? Am I bothering you, Jane?”
“Yes,” Erin answered even though Jane remained silent herself.
Melanie looked up at her and frowned. Although her mouth didn’t move, she still heard her friend’s harsh words, “What’s going on with you? Cone on, Jane; don’t freak out on me now.
She scowled at her friend, smoldering with silent anger.
“Jane?” Erin questioned.
Before she could attempt a response, Melanie was asking, “Are you okay? You’re acting kind of odd.”
“I’m fine.”
“Good, because I had enough trouble restoring your rep. after that bus incident and if you freak out on me than I’m out.”
Erin frowned, looking down at her than up at Jane, “Is she serious?”
Jane ignored him, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to freak out again.”
“Good,” She repeated.
“Shallow,” Erin muttered.
“Shush!” Jane hissed at him.
Melanie’s head jerked up and her eyes narrowed at Jane, “What?”
“Nothing,” She answered quickly while Erin chuckled from behind Melanie’s shoulders.
“You’re such a freak,” Melanie shook her head before giving a tiny squeak of satisfaction as she finally found that lip-gloss she’d been looking for, “but you’re my freak, and I love you.”
“Huh?” Erin tilted his head to the side as his brow furrowed, “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or…not.”
Jane laughed at both of them.
Melanie looked up at her and grinned before finally asking, “Are you ready to go?”
“Yea, I’ve just been waiting on you.”
“Well, I’m so sorry!” Melanie exclaimed, throwing her purse into her locker and enticing a hollow clang.
“As long as you’re sorry,” Jane answered with an uncaring frown that dissolved into a smile when her friend playfully punched her in the arm.
“Maybe now I’m not,” Melanie answered, grinning brightly.
Laughing, Erin followed them into their next class.

Journal #20
12/5/10

“So…?” Erin questioned where he was perched on the edge of her desk, “Who is she?” He raised a hand to point to Melanie, whose seat was located on the other side of the room.
“She’s my best friend, Melanie.” Jane answered, looking down at the desk instead of looking at him.
He cast a glance at Melanie while he chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully and some strange light sparked in his eyes.
“Well?” Jane questioned. It was odd, but unlike with everybody else, she couldn’t hear Erin’s thoughts very well. The day she first saw him was really the only day that she’d been able to, and now whenever she tried, all she received was a wall of white noise.
“Well?” He looked back at her curiously.
“What do you think of her?” Jane asked with annoyance.
“I think she’s….nice, but I thought she also seemed kind of shallow.” He answered honestly.
“Oh,” She said, not bothering to hide the disappointment in her voice and as a result it rang through without even the possibility of being misunderstood.
“For all I know I could be complexly wrong, which is a very real possibility considering that I just met her.” He added hastily, “Besides I’m not really a very good judge of people. I don’t interact with them enough to be so, you know?”
“I guess so,” She said with a smile, but she wasn’t convinced. After all, if all you could do was watch people than wouldn’t you be able to read them pretty well?
His eyes darted around the room, taking in her classmates before finally settling on the teacher, who was standing in front of the whiteboard, beginning to start her lecture. “What’s she going to teach us?”
Jane looked at the stout woman with a red face over shadowed with tendrils of stringy brown hair. “She may not look like she’s able to, but she’s going to teach us all about films.”
“What?” Erin frowned in confusion.
“In this class we watch certain films than analyze their meaning and why a director or actor did the thing they did.”
His face lit up, “We could actually watch something?”
“Yea, why’s that a big deal?” She asked with the same confusion his voice had held before.
“I‘ve never had a chance to enjoy a movie before,” He grinned, “So I’m more than a little excited.”
“Well,” Jane answered as the bell rang and the teacher clapped her hands in front of herself, ready to begin, “I hope you like you’re first movie.”

Journal #21
12/5/10

“That was amazing!” Erin exclaimed as the class filtered out into the hallway, “I don’t know why you think school isn’t cool! If I was able to do this everyday, then I would be the happiest guy in the world!”
“Calm down,” She laughed quietly, “It was just a movie.”
“An awesome movie!” He continued, “Did you see when that guy beat that demon!”
“You fight demons everyday. Why are you getting so excited over that?” She questioned.
He rushed on as if he hadn’t heard a word she’d said, “Or when that girl healed his wounds or when that bridge collapsed and that wizard guy just said a hole bunch of magic words and it all flew back into place like it’d never happened?!”
“Yea, I saw it.” She nodded, stopping at her locker with her books.
“It was amazing.” He sighed.
“I admit it was pretty cool,” She nodded in agreement.
“It was more than pretty cool,” He said in a hurt voice as if her comment had been a personal attack on him, “It was amazing!”
She laughed, spinning the dial on her locker before she was finally able to pop the locker open and place her books inside.
“What’s next?” He asked excitedly.
“Eh…” In her mind’s eye she drew up the picture of her schedule, “Geometry.”
“Geometry,” He repeated blandly.
“Please tell me you know what Geometry is.” She cast him a look as she pulled out her calculator.
“Of course I know what Geometry is.” He replied indignantly as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
She raised an eyebrow at him as the people in the hallway began to thin out; each one heading to their own class.
“That’s…um…something with math right?” He questioned.
“You got it.” She nodded.
Encouraged, he asked, “And shapes?”
“Right,”
When she closed her locker and started down the hallway, he followed her eagerly. Questions about geometry were spewing from his mouth in rapid succession, and she had to work hard in order to answer his questions while still appearing at least partially sane to those oblivious to Erin’s presence.
It was twelve questions into her explaining Geometry to him when they made it to class where the tall, blond teacher was standing greeting every body as they passed. “Hello, Jane,” He smiled at her, “I hope you’re ready because today’s lesson’s going to be intense.”
She and Erin moved inside as she whispered to Erin, “I hope you like math because I don’t.”
Journal # 22
12/6/10

“And ‘x’ equals?” The teacher questioned as he used his marker to tap the triangle drawn on the white board.
“It’s three, right?” Erin questioned uncertainly where he was standing beside her desk, staring at the board in confusion.
The only response she gave him was a small shrug because truly she didn’t know what the answer was.
A slender kid in the back row rose his hand and was immediately called upon, “Six?”
“That’s correct!” The teacher exclaimed.
“Dang,” Erin swore next to her.
She had to agree with him considering that she’d also had an incorrect answer, marking her paper.
“So in this case what do you think ‘x’ would equal?” The teacher questioned, tapping at another triangle.
Erin’s brow furrowed and his green eyes sparked with confusion as he stared at the board, “Six?”
The same slender kid rose his hand, “Twenty-one.”
“Right again, Jake.” The teacher smiled and then the bell rang three times, signaling the end of class. While the sound of chairs screeching back against tile floor and bodies pushing past each other, the teacher yelled, “Remember, you guys have a test on this stuff on Friday.”
“Aw…” One kid groaned before squeezing his way through the crowd and out the door.
The teacher shook his head and laughed as he wiped away the triangles and variables still dotting the board.
Finally the crowd dispersed enough for Jane to be able to squeeze past and into the crowded hallway where kids were yelling and laughing as they headed toward their next class.
“You’re right,” Erin sighed, running a tired hand through his hair.
“About what?” She questioned, giving him an inquiring look.
“About math,” He answered, stopping with her as she dropped by her locker, “I don’t like it either.”
“Imagine that,” She chuckled, causing red to creep up his neck, “A class at school that you don’t like.”
“There could have been a lot of classes that I don’t like.” He answered with extreme indignation as he drew himself up to his full impressive height.
“Alright,” She agreed conceding the point, “When one of those classes show up, please don’t hesitate telling me.”
“No problem,” He agreed cheerily.
“Come on,” She said, nodding down the hallway, “Let’s go to lunch.”

Journal #23
12/6/10

School got out and Erin bounded by her side like an eager puppy. His grinning features and eyes sparking with joy, only managed to enhance the illusion of the eager puppy.
“How’d you like your first day at school?” She questioned him as Melanie waved to her from across the parking lot; she gave her a good-bye wave in return before turning toward the buses that were getting ready to disembark.
“I learned so much!” His voice was loud and ecstatic, practically skipping along beside her.
“Obviously, not math related.” She answered with a laugh, stopping in front of her bus. It wasn’t quite time for the buses to leave and she wasn’t quite ready to step onto the bus, so she made no need to do so, instead choosing to watch the people as they passed by on all sides of her.
He shot her a glare, “Stop, trying to ruin my good mood.”
“I’m not trying to ruin your mood.” She defended.
“Than,” He put a finger up to his lips, “Be quiet.”
“Sorry,” She answered with fake annoyance.
He continued on with his happy explanation of school, “I got to see a movie, I got to actually read something without someone shutting the book before I had finished,”
Jane laughed as the pleasant memory came to mind. In English class they had had to read a short story and Erin had stood over her shoulder reading the text as she did. It seemed he was a much faster reader than she was, which was helpful considering that normally when sharing her book with someone, she turned the page before they were finished reading. With him being faster, however, he was encouraged to talk about what he’d just read and as a result it had taken longer to get through what was only supposed to be a five minute story.
When she had finished laughing, he resumed talking in ecstatic, enthusiastic tones, “I got to see some of your friends and teachers, I got to learn about the human mind and why people remembered the things we do, and I even was able to learn about Napoleon. I didn’t even know there was a guy named Napoleon much less that he had almost captured the entire world!”
She raised an eyebrow at him, unbelieving, “Really?”
“Really!” He exclaimed. Once more he turned those sparking green eyes toward her and as he did warmth ignited in the pit of her stomach, sending a pleasing flame to dance across her skin.
Quickly, she turned her face away from him so she wouldn’t see the red creeping up her face.
Suddenly a roar was ripping through the air, startling both Jane and Erin, even if no one else seemed have heard it.
“It’s a demon.” Erin breathed, and as if right on cue a demon broke through the crowd of humans gathered around.

Journal #24
12/6/10

Even though the demon was towering above the crowd, dripping acid onto the grown, no one even cast it a second glance, but instead continued to hurry onto their buses.
“Why doesn’t anybody else see it?” She questioned, not daring to tear her eyes away from the demon for even a second in order to address Erin.
“Demons are like me,” He answered, “They can’t be seen by the regular world.”
“Just me,”
“Apparently, “Erin moved in front of her, putting an arm out protectively.
“Can they hurt people?” She questioned; her heart felt like it was jammed in her throat as she watched the grotesque beast.
It was a dark mass that roughly resembled human form. Veins, leaking blood covered its burned flesh and through these veins ran millions of glowing golden eyes. Spikes, gleaming with blood and poison, jutted out of various places in its body. It smiled when it spotted Erin and Jane, showing a mouth that held no teeth only black goo that caused the ground to smoke wherever it dripped.
“Different demons cause different pain and misery throughout the world, but usually they don’t full out attack humans, but just in case get on that bus. I don’t know what’ll happen when it realizes you can see it.”
“Oh,” Her heart beat faster and she took a step toward the bus’s door only stopping when something occurred to her, “What about you? What are you going to do, Erin?”
He gave her a reassuring smile that seemed to be full of sorrow, “I’m going to do what I’ve always done, fight demons.”
She swallowed nervously as she glanced at the demon. Knowing something happened was much different from actually seeing it, and she didn’t want to see him get hurt while fighting a demon. “Maybe you should just forget about fighting it if it’s not going to hurt anybody.”
He stared at her like she had lost his mind and his next words confirmed what he was thinking, “Are you crazy!? I have to kill that thing! It’s a demon!”
“But,” She fidgeted, “What if it hurts you?”
He looked at her with that intense ‘are you crazy’ expression for a moment longer before it softened into one of gentle assurance, “You’re…worried about me, but you don’t need to be. I’m a fast healer, and I’ve been fighting demons for basically my entire life.”
She nodded her head before gulping once more and at a reassuring pat on the back from him, she moved inside the bus. Hastily, she took her seat, pressing her nose against the window to watch Erin fight the demon.

Journal #25
12/6/10

“You shouldn’t be here.” Erin said, stepping toward the demon without even a note of fear tainting his voice.
“Why not, nightmare chaser?” The demon questioned in a voice that sounded like he was trying to gurgle water and talk at the same time.
“Because this place is clearly inhabited by humans and you know how I feel about demons showing up in the same place that humans are.” Erin answered, stepping even closer to the demon until he could essentially reach out and touch him if he wanted.
“My apologies,” The demon bowed deeply, splattering the ground with corrosive black goo and enticing winding tendrils of smoke as the pavement was slowly eaten away. “But the scent of humans ripe for the picking was too hard to resist, despite your repeated warnings.”
“I see,” Erin nodded calmly, “but you do know what your presence here means.”
The demon’s many eyes all glared at Erin, “You honestly think you can bring me to death. True, I’ve heard the stories about you, nightmare chaser, but I am stronger than all the others you have faced.”
“Are you now?”
“Indeed,”
Erin grinned evilly, “Than I will just have to try extra hard to beat you, won’t I?” White light glowed at his fingertips like claws as he swiped at the demon, taking him by surprise. Three thin lines appeared on the already ruined flesh of the demon, and the same black goo that dripped from the demon’s mouth started to seep from the cuts.
It released a howl than was returning Erin’s attacks with twice the amount of viciousness, and the demon was amazingly swift for such a large body. Erin held that same swiftness, however, as well as fawn like grace. He was able to dance out of the way of the demon’s swinging fists right before darting back in to draw more black cuts along its skin.
One of its swinging fists, by pure chance, actually managed to connect with Erin, sending him skidding across the ground before he regained his footing. His expression was twisted with pain as he clenched his side, yet his eyes were still determined as he glared at the demon.
The demon rushed forward, eager to press his advantage. Erin’s hand separated from his side, and he leaped forward. Streaks of light flashed through the air as if even the atmosphere itself was sliced apart by the glowing claws extended from Erin’s hand. There was a groan from the demon as the claws sank into its throat than just like that the fight was over.
Its body fell to the ground and it seemed to dissolve inside its own skin, leaving only that behind, the only sign to show that it had even existed in the first place.
Erin, who had been watching the demon shrink and die, looked up and somehow his eyes found hers behind the window of the bus.

Journal #26
12/6/10

“Are you alright?” She questioned quietly as he passed through the bus before jumping up beside her and taking a seat.
“I’m fine.” He answered, sinking down beside her with one hand clenching his side.
“Are you sure?” Jane persisted obstinately, “It looks like you got hit pretty hard back there.”
“Like I said,” He gave her a nonchalance shrug, “I heal pretty fast. The injury will be gone completely in a few hours.”
Her expression was one of complete shock and he recognized it for a small, teasing smile was directed her way.
The bus’s door finally swung close and after a few seconds longer the bus swung forward with a low grumbling sound. Beneath them the bus rumbled with the usual bumps of a country road, and this combined with the normal noise of the bus’s inhabitants, she was able to talk to Erin without receiving any looks from the people around her.
Even though she was able to talk normally, she didn’t because she didn’t know how to begin a conversation with someone, who she’d just seen defeat a demon without little more than a grain of effort. She didn’t know why this incident had changed her perspective so much.
“Are you okay?” Erin asked eventually.
“Yea, I’m fine.” She said quickly, perhaps too quickly because he gave her an extremely doubtful look, and she felt the need to hurry and explain herself. “I guess this entire thing just….weirded me out.”
“Why?” He frowned, “You know that I fight demons.”
“Knowing is different than seeing.”
“Oh.”
That one syllable was followed by more awkward silence.
Eventually, she couldn’t stand it anymore and as a result she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “Why did the demon call you nightmare chaser?”
He cast her a startled look, “You heard him call me that?”
“Yea,”
He gave a small smile as red touched his cheeks, and he rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed, “It’s just a nickname that the demons have nicknamed me.”
“Why?” She questioned; her curiosity was nowhere near sated.
“Because demons consider them the very thing that makes up all human nightmares and since I’m always chasing after them in order to kill them, I’ve been named the nightmare chaser.”
“The boy who chases nightmares.” Jane thought.

Journal #27
12/6/10

Another dream tonight, a new dream, was haunting her sleep, but it wasn’t a horrific dream, just an increasingly odd one.
“What do you think of it?” The man from the previous dream questioned with an inquiringly smile.
“I think it’s beautiful.” Jane answered inside of Katherine’s body just like she had been in the other dream.
She stared out at the picturesque landscape. Green rolling hills were laid out before them, spotted with tall trees that held deer under their shade. The sky, shining with a million different lights, glowed more brightly than she had ever seen in her lifetime. In the middle of all those lights hung the moon, a crystal orb casting its pure glow over the land.
“Despite all of the hardships that this land has thrown upon us?” The man asked, turning his green eyes on her.
Once more Jane was startled by the familiarity those green eyes stirred inside of her. She was sure that she had never before met this man, yet still there was just something about his eyes…
“Of course,” She answered with a thin smile touching her lip