Nightmares (Chapter 1)

A person can't live until they die, as that new song goes. How does someone know when they die? Well, I knew good and well how I died. I can tell you when, where, and how, but I wouldn't want you to get sick on me.1

I won't give you all the bloody details, but there was some perverted stuff involved. No, I'm not a vampire. Vampires don't exist, buddy. And as for you freaks out there, playing games in your basement wearing your Star Wars kids underwear, I'm not a zombie or an alien who comes back to life 'magically'. I'm dead. That's all I want you to know about what I am for the time being.2

Before I died, I was blonde. I had hazel eyes that frequently shifted colors and tanned skin. Sure, I was a teenager with a little pudgy belly, but who cares? When I died, I was beaten brutally, raped and murdered, my body cut to smithereens (but miraculously still in one piece, which is sort of an oxy-moron), bruised, every bone broken. It didn't matter who I was before. Apparently, that's why I was killed.3

Now, I'm someone new and different. Blonde hair and hazel eyes turned black, fat now muscle. I can't bruise or be hurt easily anymore. I can't even get hot or cold. When I do bruise, it's gone in a second. When I'm cut, I bleed black, then it heals. You can't even break my bones. I'm immortal and invincible!4

My name? It used to be Jessica Ann Connelly. Not anymore. My name's Firefly. I'm what the people who know of mine and all others like me exist call a Nightmare. And this is my story.5

***6

I met him on a street while returning to where I stay. I lived in the woods outside of town with two other Nightmares. One was Rattlesnake, the white hair, white eyed guy who doesn't seek revenge as I do. He would've been a very violent, dark person before he died in the brawl he'd gotten in with a group of kids bigger than him, but the passover changes everything about you when you're reborn as a Nightmare. He became a peaceful being. I became very, very hot-headed.7

The other one was a girl who died at about the age of a preteen, but she stayed the same in temperament when she returned. She was neutral, neither violent nor peaceful, but a mute, calm gray hair, gray eyed kid named Silversong.8

But I met this boy on the street. He appeared as mine and Rattlesnake's age (maybe nineteen, but I'm dead). He was running from someone. I noticed this because he pushed past me like I hadn't even been there, shoving me into another person who was then shoved into the building beside us.9

"Watch it, punk!" the guy said, recuperating from our collision.10

I looked for the kid who'd pushed me, wanting very strongly to clobber him for being a little bit too touchy feely! But as I attempted to follow him, I and many others were shoved to the side once more by five kids that were older than the guy who'd run by. Needless to say, many of us had some disgusting words coming out of our mouths. Even I was getting tired of the crap.11

I ran through the crowd, my leather long coat whipping from side to side as I followed the group of dipsticks. I was curious for the reasons they were chasing the poor fellow whom I now pitied. 12

My blue jeans became very irritating, rubbing the tops of my bare feet as my black halter top felt about ready to fall off. I had to hurry!13

I took a detour through a different alley, tracking down the fellow, hearing his footsteps and heavy panting on the other side. The detour would take me straight to him before he got himself seriously hurt...I prayed. 14

By the time I'd gotten there, he was trapped. The big guys were laughing at his terrified, grim expression. I was sure that he'd be hurt if I didn't intervene, but it appeared as if I was already too late.15

As the bullies came in closer, suddenly a string of green light ripped the guys' chests, sending them flying in all directions. I gasped. This guy wasn't an ordinary kid.16

He turned and ran, not even looking at me. I inspected the bodies of the stunned kids. Then I looked down the path the kid had run, memorized his appearance, and decided to continue my search for him another time. For now, Rattlesnake and Silversong were looking for me.