Chapter 1
         The Dream, Scared

Vivian sat on the ragged couch, and stared at the now static T.V. Her eyes lowered to the ground and to her little brother who was sound asleep, his head resting on her backpack. She smiled and unwrapped the cocoon of blankets she had around her. “Hey, Tam,” she whispered, shaking him ever so slightly. “Tam wake up or I’ll tickle you!” Tam’s head shot up like a bullet and his eyes searched for Vivian.

“Oh,...hey Viv,” he said, yawning. “What’s up?” Vivian smiled and scooped him up. “Ooo, you’re getting heavy for a seven year old!” she grunted. “And your-” Tam paused to yawn. “Pretty strong for a fifteen year old.” he giggled, drifting back off to sleep. “And it’s time for you to go to bed” Vivian smiled. She carried him out of the game room and into her room. Posters of books and wrestlers hung in their rightful places, and a cat alarm clock greeted them with a waving paw. Vivian shifted Tam so his head was resting on her shoulder and his legs were dangling in front of her, leaving on arm free. She then silently pulled back the sheets on her bed and placed Tam underneath them.
  Vivian watched through the dim light coming from the static T.V that filtered through the hall, as Tam shifted so his head rested on her pillow. She sighed and wondered how their own mother could be so sexist towards this pure little angel. She walked back into the game room sat on the couch, grabbed the remote, and buried herself in a blanket hurricane. Vivian sighed and thought of how she never stopped having nightmares, how she always woke up screaming. “Oh, just get it over with,” she whispered to herself. She ran her hand over the black remote and placed her hand over the power button. “Besides,” she said. “I can always just go sleep with Tam.” She breathed in through her nose and out her mouth, then switched of the T.V, leaving her in total darkness.
Vivian grit her teeth and let out a moan, low and clear. She breathed again letting in crisp air and ducked under the covers. The warmth and the darkness of the blankets made her feel more deprived of sleep then she really was.

*   * *

Vivian was attracting more nightmare creatures by the minute. They made her dream some of the worst of her dreams. It was an even more terrible thing when a night terror decided to make it her lucky night.

  The night terror was about to die, and without a constant source of terror it would disappear forever. So it thought to itself. I do not wish to disappear for I am a wonderful dream. It then decided to make her dream it forever.

* * *

Vivian stirred in her sleep and breathed heavily as the night terror approached. The terror gasped several times before taking each step. I must make it! It thought, and took the last step towards her. It placed it’s hands on Vivians head and wispily was drawn into her mind. With what strength the terror had left it portrayed it’s horrible dream.
In her mind Vivian was jolted out of the nothingness of no dreams and placed gently in a rugged forest with trees that grew on top their own fruit and flowers that were floating on air. She watched in confusement as light armor appeared slowly along her arms, chest, legs, and shoulders. Vivian ran her fingers over the soft metal and gawked as she could feel it. Suddenly, a giant sword appeared in the ground  it’s hilt was shaded dark red that matched the edges of her armor and shoulder pads.
She stared at the sword and wondered what she was supposed to do. She looked around expecting something to jump out at her at any second. Vivian looked back at the sword and focussed on the jungle like sounds surrounding her. Breathing in and out slowly she grabbed the swirling hilt and felt a surge of confidence run through. Suddenly the sounds stopped and she turned around to find herself in an arena with a giant sphinx with it’s wings cut off charging toward her.
She could hear the sound of the crowd screaming from all sides, protected by an electrical fence surrounding the arena, but her heart was lowder. The sphinx was gaining speed, running at full gallop. Vivian stood stock still with terror. It’s all right, she thought. It can’t hurt me it’s just a dream. She heard a piercing roar that brought her to her knees, her sword went clattering to the ground. The speaker of the arena stood up and danced to the microphone, his hair swishing everywhere. He tapped it and smiled at the crowed and looked down at Vivian. “Oh I’m sorry Ms. Clouder,” he said with an over exaggerated grin. “But this is no, dream.” Vivian’s eyes dilated and she turned toward the sphinx, who was standing on it’s hind legs with a crazed look in it’s eyes.