Terrible Dream

I am starting to think more and more about my real parents and where they could have lived.

This morning I woke up in a cold sweat trembling after a terrible dream. It went something like this –

We had stopped our bikes in front of a pair of massive wrought iron gates that hung from enormous stone pillars. The bars of the gate were rusted from long neglect, but still looked strong. Secured firmly to the gates was a big board that read in dark red letters ‘DANGER. KEEP OUT. TRESPASSES WILL BE PROSECUTED’. There was something menacing about those gates. They stood like sinister sentinels; guardians of a place of dark secrets, a realm long abandoned by the living.

“Are you up for it!” I shouted to my companion. “This has to be an abandoned mansion!”

As Billy Jones stared at the gates a sudden coldness crept over him. Trepidation was starting to seep slowly into the pit of his stomach, but he was determined not to look scared. “How are we going to get past those gates?” he replied in an even voice.

I was also looking at the gates, but without any hint of fear in my mind. My quest had begun and I was consumed by an ever-growing hunger for the truth. I felt that it was only when I had unravelled the mystery behind the disappearance of my parents that I could begin to glimpse the path of my true destiny. Maybe this house held a clue. “Now that we know where we are,” I said, “we can track around the perimeter wall until we find a way in.”

We had found the place by accident after taking a small side road in order to relieve our bladders, and in the process had stumbled across the gates. The wall was an impressive thirty centimetre-thick structure made from granite stones. It stood about three metres high and was topped with broken glass. The stone barrier looked like it was permanently maintained in a good state of repair, with the obvious intention of keeping the curious and the foolhardy out.

“Whoever built this must have been filthy rich,” remarked my companion, surveying the magnitude of the construction.

“Indeed,” I said, “This must be the boundary wall to the grounds of a mansion.”

Pushing our bikes, we began to walk along perimeter of the wall. Eventually we found a tree with long braches that overhung the wall. After a fair bit of scrambling we managed to get over the wall.

We found ourselves in a wood. Many of the trees looked mature and massive. “In former times this must have been the arboretum of the great house, now overgrown and neglected,” I guessed. There was no beauty here, just a strange cold silence. Ancient branches reached over our heads like giant gnarled fingers from wizened old hands. Above, the sky was slowly darkening with heavy grey clouds and the air was growing cooler as a breeze picked up, rustling dried leaves through the undergrowth.

“This place is starting to give me the creeps,” said Jonesy.
“Yes,” I agreed, “it’s a weird place - shall we turn back? I will leave it up to you.”

With no tangible danger in sight at this point, Jonesy said bravely. “Let’s soldier on mate!”
“Ok. Let’s try and find the house,” I said calmly.

A savage scream smashed through the air! “What the hell was that!” hissed Jonesy, who was starting to shake.

“Sounds like the hunting cry of an owl,” I whispered. “It sounds like a very big owl. Strange that it should be flying in daylight; very strange indeed.”

We ventured cautiously through the trees. As we moved forward the woods began to thin out, eventually opening up onto rough grassland. In places, wizened trees extended their lifeless branches like the arms of dead men, stiff with rigor mortis. “This must've once been part of the gardens of the great house, now the realm of grazing goats,” I muttered.

From out of nowhere a violent wind began to blow. The trees behind us creaked and moaned as a howling gale battered against our faces. Bang! The mighty roar of thunder ripped the air. In a blinding flash a massive lightening bolt hurtled down from the angry clouds, exploding into the trees. The noise almost burst our ears with its ferocity. In amongst the stricken trees tongues of blue-red flame flashed and crackled, devouring the living wood.

Suddenly, my head was drawn skywards. High above us two dark shapes were circling. Billy noticed them too. Curiosity overtook fear.

“What do you think they are?” he muttered.
“They're probably raptors gliding on a thermal air current, but it is difficult to tell because they’re so high up,” I responded.

The wind dropped away as quickly as it had begun.
“We should get out of here now,” pressed Jonesy, “This place is starting to scare me.”

Ignoring him, I continued to stare into the heavens. The birds were dropping rapidly from the sky and I was fascinated by them. Spiralling closer with each passing second, their shapes were now clearly visible.

“They look like eagles,” gasped Billy, “and they’re coming our way!”
I was gazing intensely at the rapidly approaching birds. “They're much bigger than eagles,” I said. The birds were almost upon us now, their massive talons extended for attack.

“They mean to kill us!” roared Jonesy. "Run! Run for your life!” With that he turned and fled. For a large boy, he ran with surprising speed. Heart thumping violently in his chest, he headed for the shelter of the trees. His legs were wobbly with fear but he was pumping them for all he was worth. I followed close behind. We ran flat out, not daring to look behind. Our breath was coming in deep rasping desperate gasps as we reached the cover of the woods. Crashing blindly through the foliage, all logic was banished by the terror of pursuit. I watched in horror as Jonesy lost his footing and fell headlong, his head bouncing off the leafy turf.

“There's nothing for it but to stop,” I thought, determined to help my friend. Struggling to his feet, Jonesy stumbled forward, fell again, recovered and ran on. As he reached a small gully he lost his balance again and collapsed, rolling over the soft woodland floor. Facedown, he lay there winded and helpless. I reached my friend. The birds were eagle owls, but much bigger than any he had ever seen before. I estimated their wingspan at three metres. These raptors could pluck a sheep from the ground and carry it off to a grizzly fate.

Billy’s breath came in rasping gasps. The birds dived upon his back, their weight pinning him to the ground and compressing his chest. Powerful talons bit into his stricken body, holding him in an iron grip - the grip of death. Using their terrible beaks, the raptors sliced through Billy's jacket and shirt and tore at his plump back. I could see the agony raging through him like a burning fire. His shrill screams reverberated through the trees as chunks of bloody flesh were ripped from his body. One of the ghastly birds reached for his neck, and using its razor mouth like a lethal dagger, severed the carotid artery. Spurting out in a sickening fountain, blood splattered onto the ground and formed into dark dreadful puddles.

I stood frozen, paralysed by utter horror. There was nothing I could do. It had all happened so fast. But the sight of the spurting blood as my friend was slowly torn apart was now too much for me, and I turned my head from the ghastly carnage. In that instant my mind was freed from its horrified stupor, and I started to run. I ran hearing nothing but the sound of my breath coming in rapid bellowing gasps. There was nothing I could do for my friend. I had to escape. I had to get over that wall fast and find sanctuary from this accursed place.

But it was too late! Above me on the wall perched one of the giant eagle owls, Billy’s blood dripping from its beak. The enormous bird stared down at me with large unblinking eyes; the ruthless eyes of a merciless killer. Swinging around in desperation I sought any means of escape, but alas the game was over and I had lost. The other bird stood facing me, huge and ruthless, its feathers splattered red. A fearsome shriek came from its bloodied mouth; the clarion call of death.

I knew that I had only moments to live, that my life was all but over. Legs beginning to shudder, I could feel the furious pumping of my heart as it pounded the blood through my veins. The shock and horror of what I had just witnessed turned fear to an uncontrollable terror. Opening my mouth, I screamed a hopeless scream.........