Paradise

"Mommy?" Jack croaks as he sits up, rubbing the sleep and sand from his eyes. "Mommy?" he repeats. He expected his mother to come rushing in, expected to see the orange walls of his bedroom with band stickers galore on the walls. Jack's expectations were crushed when he opened his eyes and sunlight nearly blinded him. "Mommy?!" he calls again, getting himself to his feet. He looked around the area. Thick, dark green grass covered the ground for miles. The sky was bright blue, birds were chirping and he could smell flowers. It smelt just like his mommy's garden. He started running straight forward, as fast as his legs could carry his thirteen year old body.

Only, the scene never came to an end. Jack wasn't very brave. He slumped down a tree trunk and pulled his knees to his chest. Maybe he was just dreaming or something, and just wasn't ready to wake up. Jack sighed heavily and rested his cheek on his knees, closing his eyes in hopes of forcing himself awake. Then thunder struck, rumbling the ground beneath the small teen under the tree. Jack gasped and curled further into himself to try and protect himself from the thunder.

"Don't you like rain and thunder?" A voice calls, causing Jack to look up and shake his head. "Aw, c'mon, it can't hurt you!" The same voice calls as the silhouette turns into a person. Jack wiped his eyes and studied the person. He looked to be Jack's age, so he wasn't bothered. "Guess I could stop it."

Moments later, the rain and thunder lightened up, and the breath taking, sunshine filled scene returned; almost as if the short thunderstorm never took place. "Is that better?" The boy asks, brushing his fringe out of his eyes and forehead. Jack only nods his head, his damp hair sticking to his face as he sniffled away the remaining tears. "Well, my name is Alex. I'm sixteen years old and I like the thunder," he states proudly, crossing his arms with a grin. "I guess I can keep the rain for when you aren't near me, and I protect you from the thunder whenever it comes! What's your name?"

"J-Jack." Jack says quietly. He was still shaking, though the tremors and were no longer visible.

Alex grins at Jack and pulls Jack to his feet. "Come on, let's climb trees!" He shouts, dragging Jack into the forest. Jack smiled slightly, his fingers locked with the other boy's as he looked around. Beautiful birds fluttered around, the sun broke through the trees; just like a paradise.

Alex let go of Jack and climbed up the tree, linking his legs around the branch and hanging upside down. "You're gonna love it here, Jack." he says excitedly, but his eyes fall immediately. "I uh, you know, it's fun here." He says, trying to cover up his little mistake. Jack couldn't know just yet, it'd make it harder to let go. Jack sat down and crossed his legs. He was done dreaming, he didn't care how pretty this place was. Alex turned and got down from the tree with a soft thudding noise.

Alex grasped Jack's hands and pulled the younger boy onto his feet. " Wanna play on the beach? Done!" Alex exclaims. He starts dragging Jack in a random direction. The ground starts corroding and turns into sand in replacement of the grass. Jack stood in amazement next to Alex as water came rushing from the distance and splashed against what was now the shoreline.

"How did you do that?!" Jack shouts, turning his head to look up at the older boy who still had a grasp on his shirt.

"I don't know, I just did." Alex responds, pulling his shirt off and kicking off his shoes. "Come on, I bet it's nice and warm. Like a giant bath tub!" he gushes, trying to tug Jack towards the ocean; but his hand went right through Jack's. Alex frowned and turned towards the ocean before glancing back at Jack; but Jack was gone. Alex sighed and ran into the water anyways, it wouldn't be long now.

That's when Jack woke up in a dark room. It smelled, the walls were decaying and dirty. He got himself onto his feel and felt the wall to help lead him as he walked. "Hello?" he calls quietly. "Mom? Uh, uh, Alex?" he whispers. Why he called for a boy that only existed in his dreams, he didn't know. There was a loud scream, and Jack gasped. He ran towards the door where a crack of light was coming out.

What Jack saw was horrifying. He didn't recognize the boy in the room, but the man he saw look strangely familiar; but Jack couldn't exactly pin point where he saw the man before. Jack watched in horror as the boy in front of him was raped and murdered violently. When the man had left the room, Jack pushed open the door and walked in slowly. The boy was practically in pieces, and Jack nearly vomited. He noticed a school bag on the floor and dumped it onto the concrete flooring. The door slammed open again and the man re-entered, but didn't notice Jack. Jack swallowed thickly and looked through the notebooks on the floor from the boy's school bag; and finally found a name. "Zack Merrick," he whispers, standing up to examine the remains of the boy. The dim light bulb flickered before it went out and Jack was consumed in darkness.

Jack stood there, stiff and confused. How did he get here? Who was Zack Merrick? Why didn't the man who murdered Zack notice him? The light flickered back on. He was in the same room, but the remains of Zack were gone. Jack looked around the empty room before he stumbled to the door. He twisted the knob on the door and opened it slowly. Water came rushing through the door and filled the room. The force of the water knocked Jack back, and he tried holding his breath; but he didn't need to. He could breathe just fine.

Jack figured he didn't need to breath, since this had to be just a dream. He looked around the room before he walked into the hallway. Through the murky water, he could see an outline of another body; but it was floating. Jack walked towards it slowly, constantly looking over his shoulder out of fear. He reached the body and looked at it. Another boy. Same age as Zack and himself. He noticed a floating a few centimeters off of the boy's neck and grasped it. "Rian Dawson," he whispers, glancing up at the boy.

Jack's head snapped around when he heard a loud train and bright lights coming at him. A train underwater? What kind of dream was this? Jack didn't have time to think, because the train lights engulfed him in white before the sound of crickets were heard. Jack opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He spotted dirty, rusty train tracks and muddy puddles everywhere. His first instinct was to look for a body; that seemed to be the pattern of this dream.

Jack took a few steps down the steep hill and noticed an old tornado bunker shelter. He slipped, fell, and went rolling down the hill. He smacked into the bunker and groaned quietly. He peeked in through the black window. A body. Jack unhooked the latch and pushed the lid up. He reached into the small area and rolled the face down body over. His hand flew to his hand and he cried out. That was Alex. The same boy who had stopped the thunderstorm earlier. Jack fell back onto his butt and started breathing unevenly, gasping until he blacked out and smacked against the dirty ground.

When Jack's eyes opened again, he was in school. Only a few of the lights were on, and they were flickering just like in the room with Zack's body. Jack spun in a slow circle to see his options. Every hallway had the gates down, and the only door in view was the one leading to the boiler room. Jack swallowed his nerves and made his way towards it. His heart was thumping in his chest as he opened the door and walked down the stairs.

The sounds of what mocked tea kettles hissed in Jack's ears as he took the steps one by one. Why the boiler room? Jack turned the corner where the giant ovens burned the coal for the heat. He covered his mouth when he saw the school janitor staring right at him. Jack waited, but there was no response. Jack walked slowly towards him, only to realize he wasn't looking at Jack in particular. He was watching something burn in one of the giant ovens. Jack swallowed thickly, tears springing to his eyes when he noticed the same messenger bag he used propped up against the oven. Jack screamed, though nobody could hear him. He ran to the oven and peered inside of it. He stood there, watching his own body burn.

Jack turned his head to stare at the janitor. That's when it all came back. Jack was minding his own business, waiting outside for his older brother and sister to pick him up from the school when the janitor, Mr. Murphy, came by. Jack recalls him asking for help, asking him to help take the bags of coal down to the boiler room. Jack wiped his eyes as he stared at the man in front of him. Jack had agreed to help, how could he say no? He was sweet and helped everyone he could. The janitor stood up and made his way to the oven, shoving Jack's messenger bag in the fire. Jack smacked against the wall as the visions flashed. The locking of the door, the beating, the raping. Jack now remembered being tied up, gagging as he tried to free himself. He remembers each pained thrust, and each punch. Mr. Murphy smiled evilly as he put out the fire, letting room turn completely black; though Jack's sobs echoed from realization.

Jack jumped when lightening flashed for just a moment. He was no longer in the school, but now in the field where he met Alex. Rain started falling in thick sheets, and thunder rumbled in the sky. Jack watched with red eyes as lightening flashed in the sky like a strobe light. This only made Jack cry harder.

Jack buried his face in his knees as he cried, but looked up when he heard chirping birds. His wet vision focused out and he saw Alex in front of him, squatting down with a sympathetic smile. "Hey," he whispers, wiping Jack's cheeks. "I said I'd always protect you from the thunderstorms, didn't I?" Alex whispers again, voice velvet smooth and soothing. They were in the same field as before. No signs of anything Jack had just endured. "I know it's hard," Alex continues, helping Jack to his feet. "And I know it's scary, but it's over now."

Jack followed Alex, wiping his eyes continuously. "And I'll keep you safe, Jack. I won't ever let anyone hurt you again. We'll be best friends, and someday more, you'll see," Alex explains; blushing as he leads Jack to an open flower field. Jack squeezed onto Alex's hand when he saw the people standing in front of him. There was Zack, the boy in the dark room. Rian, the boy who was underwater. There were other boys, girls as well. "You're safe," Alex tells Jack.

Jack looks up from the handful of people in the field and wipes his eyes. "Alex, where are we?" he asks quietly. Alex smiles sadly and rubs Jack's hand with his thumb, brushing his fringe from his hair with his other hand.

"Heaven."