Chapter One

Harsh, heavy breaths escape my lungs, my chest heaving with each attempt to capture some air as a warm sweat continues to run it's course along my skin.

Sitting up, my hands clutching the duvet that covered me haphazardly, my legs having kicked off half off it during the night and now, as my heart races frantically, I try to calm myself, try to wipe away and shake off the anxiousness that filled my body as I woke.

"No.. No, it's just a dream." I mutter between breaths. "A dream, just a dream." I repeat before lifting my eyes towards the bedroom door, my packed bag lay dormant next to the entrance as I force a smile.

My father's voice plays in my head as an ache takes to my cheeks, the smile still forced.

"Smile, always smile. No matter how rough things get, how hard life becomes, smile through the pain and you'll help others smile too Nyx."

My heart begins to calm as the words play through my mind. His voice like a soothing wave that washes throughout my mind, my body.

It's soft, gentle tones always brought me a calm that could lessen the tension of my muscles and made it easier to breath, to piece my thoughts back together again.

"Smile Nyx. You've got this" I agree with the memory of his voice before pulling myself out of bed, a fresh set of clothes already laid out on the small chair in the room, simple clothes that fit comfortably loose.

I go for my phone instinctively once dressed and chuckle to the series of messages already piling up in the notifications.

It had been two days since we learnt the crazy red fog had been spreading from Greece, I'd received a call from mum that day, she was panicked and insisting I return home for a while, it sounded like a dreadful idea at the time but I agreed, packed my bag and told her I'd be there in a few days, that I had to wait for Jack, my best friend to be available to drive me home.

He was ready to drive that night but I convinced him to wait, I wanted just two more days with some of my friends before we all returned home and waited out this strange event.

Two days where we could all just feel free and enjoy ourselves, two days to just relax, play games, drink and be fools before we hid in our family homes and waited for an all clear from the government.

Just thinking about those idiots in their thousand pound suits trying to "take control" of the situation had my eyes rolling, they couldn't even agree within their own ranks and were causing more chaos than calm right now.

As my thumb scrolls along the screen, pushing through the messages from so many, I center on the latest text from Jack, my eyes widening slightly as I realise, he was already outside and waiting in the car!

In a rush, I finish lacing up my boots, pick up my bag from the floor and after ensuring I've got all the necessities, making sure not to forget a couple gifts that were prepared for mum and dad, I wave to my room without a thought and head out.

***

There was a breeze drifting through the air, offering some refuge from the overwhelming intensity of the sun above. A tint of orange mixed into the blue canopy that over looked the vibrant fields that surrounded the motorway, The early hours passed by slowly as I tried to distract myself with silly games that I'd play in my mind.

We had no music as every radio channel seemed to bring nothing but white noise and static, this old radio always had trouble finding stations.

Before I knew it, it was already one in the afternoon. I was cramped inside a small mustard yellow car that might as well have been an oven, the windows were as far down as this outdated model would allow and there had been no reply to the text i'd sent my mum earlier. Nothing felt right.

Where was she? She'd never take longer than five minutes to reply and now it had been a good hour at least. Even dad wasn't answering his text and when I tried to phone, my ears were taunted by the dial tone.

"Jack, I'm just going to try and call your phone, I think mine's acting up"

"Yeah, no worries" He answered, you could hear the worry in his own voice, Jack was always the same, if I worried, he would project it without even knowing he was doing so and as I scroll through my contacts, clicking his name, I look up to his phone on the dashboard but there was no reaction, the dull monotone beeping of a failed call greeted me once again.

"Looks like it's your phone Nyx" he tried to assure, "I'm sure they're fine"

"They better be" I bite, my fingers tightening around the phone in my hand before throwing it onto the back seat. "Can I try..."

"sure" he cut me off, knowing exactly what I wanted as my hands reached for his phone.

Again, I dialed my father's number and, chuckled slightly at the name Jack had saved it as, Wolf-Dad.

It reminded me of my childhood, our family name was Blaidd, welsh for Wolf.

I concentrated on this fact, remember the way I had been playfully teased by people when they learnt this. Raised by Wolves they would say but my mind is brought back into the moment as once again, that damned beeping continued.

"It's... It's your phone too" My words left me confused as I sighed, placing the phone back onto the dashboard.

"Or, it's theirs? They might not have charged their phones" His attempt to calm me was appreciated but it wasn't working. I had to smile though, had to nod and offer a weak chuckle.

"Yeah, you're probably right. We'll be there in an hour anyways" I agreed before sitting back in my chair and watching the sky once again. It was a beautiful blue, bright and crisp and there was still a vibrant orange bleeding into it's depth,

I always loved an orange sky but with all that was going on, it was more frightening than comforting.

The trip took an unexpected silence as the last hour began to near an end, I could see familiar streets that no longer seemed like the ones I once knew. It was quiet, too quiet for what was usually a crowded town, you could see a few cars around but everybody was now remaining in their homes, children were stopped from playing out with their friends, shoppers no longer stood browsing the same windows they did on every town visit.

Going from a smooth ride on the motorway to what was essentially now a ghost town, it was a foreign feeling.

You could see people in their windows, families sitting around tv sets, children sat against their glass panels, watching the sky in awe and fear but no one dared walk the streets right now.

"Argh, it's so fucking weird" Jack blurted out as the car came to a red light. "This is beyond creepy! Fucking weird!" he shouted as his hands hit down against the steering wheel.

Startled by the sudden outburst, I reach a hand over to his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay remember? That's what you told me to believe and now, I'm telling you that everything will be okay." I tried, the same forced smile on my face I would always show when things were rough. "And, if it's not. We do as the rest and loot" I nudged him with this last sentence, pulling out a shaky laugh from his weak smile.

"I.. I just don't get what's going on. What they're not telling us"

"Trust me Jack, it's all going to be cleared up soon, just, we've just got to keep pushing. Come on. We're nearly at my house, why not stay the night before going to your mum's?"

"I can't. I have to get home, to check she's okay" He answered with an apologetic depth to his eyes.

"It's okay, I understand that. The quicker you drop me off, the quicker you can find your mum." It wasn't much, but even a small push right now could be helpful and as the words registered, he nodded, the engine coming to life again.

The last stretch wasn't so bad, there was a feeling of uncertainty in the air, the both of us worried about our families,

I could feel my chest tighten and my heart race once again as my family home came into view.

An old cottage surrounded by small fields, just past the outskirts of the city, a backdrop of trees in the distance and the freshest air surrounding the large plot of land.

My hands grappled at the seatbelt as I struggled with the clasp before hearing the resounding click. The release on my chest as it was no longer restricted for safety.

Jack's own rush was obvious as the two of us got out of the car, my feet heavy on the path as I ran to the door.

I had to know they were okay and it seemed Jack too was holding onto some hope right now, perhaps if my parents were, his mother would be too?

Reaching a hand out to the door, it swung open before I could even make contact and before I knew it, I was pulled into a tight embrace!

"Nicky! You're home" My mother's voice rang out with excitement as her arms tightened around me with intense strengths. I could feel the worry of her voice, the small ounce of happiness that radiated from her had swept through my whole body.

Instinctively I wanted to pull away from her hold but instead, found myself hugging her in return.

"Mum", my voice was harsh as I fought back tears, "mum you're okay" I whimper before burying my face into her hair. She was shorter than me for as long as I could remember and when I saw my dad standing in the back of the hallway, his own smile bright and a relief teasing his features, he came forwards too, his arms went to pull us in before he caught sight of Jack coming up the path.

A soft cough caught in his throat as one arm went back to his side, his still raised hand patted me on the head and he gave a slightly shy nod.

"Welcome home Sport" he managed before returning his gaze to Jack. "It's good to see you're both okay."

"You both must be so hungry." It was a sentence me and Jack had always heard upon coming into this house, mum had a large heart and always showed her love with food, "Come in, we've got plenty prepared"

"I can't Mrs Wolf" Jack had his reply prepared, barely a second after she had invited had his refusal shot through the air.

As I turn to him, finally breaking free from the overbearing, yet surprisingly comforting hug, a small pang of guilt built up inside of me, Jack had my bags in his hand and was placing them near me.

"Thank you Jack, listen. when you get to your mum, if you both need somewhere to go, you know where we are" I assured him, my mother's eager nod could be heard behind me as she endangered herself with a serious case of whiplash.

"Yea, always got a place here bud" My dad's soft voice chimed in again. Hearing it gave me the sensation of a soothing blanket draping over and around my whole body, everything was right with the world in that second and I felt free from worry, free from the burden of disaster that was surrounding us.

"Thank you, I'll try and convince her that might be for the best" Jack said with a slight grin. He was always too proud to accept help and as I watched him walk back down the drive, I wanted nothing more than to grab him, drag him inside and force him to stay.

"Be.. Be safe Jack" I shouted, offering a nervous wave before watching him drive away.

As I entered the house, hearing the door shut behind us all, I took a moment to just, take it all in. Inhaling the familiar scent, prying my eyes away from the flurry of family pictures on the walls and laughing a little to myself at the sight of several new additions to mother's collection of cat figures and "collectables" as she called them.

As I turned, it was my father's arms that suddenly pulled me into a bone crushing hug, lifting me slightly off the ground before releasing again.

"It's good to have you home Nyx"

"It's good to be home dad"

***

The rest of the day was relaxing, we sat, talked about my classes and how my studies had been going, it was still hard for my mum to accept I was going into Sport Sciences and not something more medical related as she had hoped. There was a lot she still struggled with honestly, my preferred name being Nyx was one that she couldn't help but show, as well as a few others but she was trying, always trying.

My dad however, was accepting of everything I had told them, it surprised me a little and I think he might even be proud of my choice of studies, he's the greatest.

I had forgotten how great home cooked meals were too, a roast dinner with all my favourites, mum seriously went all out it seemed, she'd even taken the time to make toffee apples! Knowing full well they had always been my weakness, so tasty!

It wasn't until after we'd eaten, that the subject of the red mist came up, we tried to turn on the tv, watch for any updates on the news but every channel just showed static, it worried me and as I searched for my phone, a sudden realisation crossed my mind to remembering it having been thrown onto Jack's back seat.

We had no news, no updates and even my parent's phones weren't receiving any signal now.

"See, this is why you don't want to get so reliant on technology" dad would remind me as an attempt to change the subject.

He was always such a gentle soul, though appearances could be deceiving as he often towered over everyone else, his muscular build was a result from working a farm his whole life and many would cower in his shadow in the city but he was always so tender, kind, caring and loving. A truly gentle giant.

"I know dad but, I just want to know what's going on" I admitted before releasing a tired yawn into the room.

"Why not go get some sleep? We'll hit the town tomorrow and see what we can find out?" He suggested

"Yea, I think I will. I'm pretty worn out"

I gave a small nod, trying to follow his words that had pushed me through every hardship of my life, smile, always smile.

"Goodnight dad" I pat his shoulder gentle and look over to mum, asleep on the sofa already it seemed.

Almost every step up the stair case was met with a straining creak or groan and made me chuckle slightly, it was always so hard sneaking down these stairs as a kid but I had found ways around that. I was a playful child after all, always getting into fights and mischief and a rebellious teen too who just loved to sneak out.

My bedroom hadn't change at all, much to my mums dislike, the dark walls were plastered in band posters, pictures of singers I had once worshipped, some I still do. There was a collection of shrewdly drawn pictures in one corner, note books and an old, extremely old desktop computer gathering dust on a desk. My bed was a DIY project that never fully got finished but it was comfortable none the less, even if it shook slightly when any amount of weight was put on top.

My old wardrobe still had the clothes from my teen years, barely a shred of colour except for the odd purple, green or red that somehow only made the black shirts better.

Another chuckle as I saw my old collection of "adult magazines" still stashed beneath the pile of clothes at the bottom. It was obvious they had been seen by at least one of my parents and hastily shoved back into hiding, no doubt their existence was denied by which ever stumbled upon them.

I had forgotten just how dark I used to be, yeah, I still had a thing for dark clothing and would dye my hair from time to time instead of keeping the light brown that I inherited from my mum, I'd still wear large boots and paint my nails black but I wasn't quite so over the top as I used to be.

After changing into something loose and comfortable, my bed accepted me like an old friend, I felt a little more uneasy now with the shift of wood to my weight but was too tired to give it a whole lot of thought.

Sleep came easier tonight than it had done in days, my dreams were peaceful, a sweet scene of my return home, my family happily together once again but the peace didn't last.

The happy moments began to fade, my dreams were clouded with a crimson veil, my thoughts drowned in a red sea of anger, an anger I had never felt before, never known to this extent, a darkness that tried to invade my mind but I fought, I kept pushing through the veil, I refused to allow it to take over.

I awoke in a heavy sweat once again, but this time, I awoke to the sounds of screams.

My heart racing once again, my body stiff and aching as the scream in my dream continued to play through my mind, it bounced off the walls with a deafening, blood curdling echo and I realised, it wasn't a dream anymore.

My feet moved before my mind could, I was heading down the stairs, each creaking angrily, the hallway door swung open hard as I collided with it at the bottom, the screams were beginning to fade, a gurgling struggle for breath replacing them and as I enter the living room, my world turned upside down.

There, on the sofa was my mother in a struggle with my father.

His hands grasped so tightly around her neck, her own falling limp beside her as a sickening crunch filled the room, her eyes had shot to me as I entered the room but now, there was only a dead gaze in her tear filled orbs. A look of pure fear had taken over her features and my father, his hands continued to squeeze, blood began to drip from his fingers as they dug deep into her neck, his heavy breathing was like something you'd expect from an animal, a predator and as a small gasp of panic pushed from between my lips, his hold loosened.

Her body fell back, limp, lifeless. A shell that no longer held the warmth of my mother. My heart plunged down as I watched.

He turned to me, a sinister grin spread along his bloodied lips as several cuts had formed upon his cheeks, A darkness in his eyes, crimson, even from across the dark room I could see they were red, a strange mist escaping his lips as he stood straight.

His sleeves had been rolled up and as he stood straight now, I could see the way his large hands clenched into fist.

"Oh Nicky, Dear sweet Nicky. You should be sleeping"

His voice was no longer the voice I cherished.