Next Mage
39.Happy Birthday to Me...

~Oliver's POV

The small glow-in-the-dark clock on the white desk glared at me through the darkness. Tick...tock...tick...tock... The tedious ticking sound it emitted made me want to grab it and smash it to smithereens. But I couldn't, partly because it was Marilla's, and mostly because my limbs were aching from the strange burst of adrenaline I had that afternoon.

What am I going to do? I thought miserably, staring at the clock as it continued its steady beat, my eyes nearly shutting, then opening once more. How could we possibly defeat the Ragnarok? I thought, trying to keep myself awake. I couldn't, I wouldn't, sleep.

Every time my eyes had been closed, and the rare threads of sleep I had caught encased me in a snug cocoon, the delicious warmth slowly turned cold as repeating nightmares tormented me while I slept. It was the same dream every single time:

The small blonde boy wailed and wailed. His blue eyes were filled with tears as he stood at his father's grave. My father isn't even buried here, the boy thought. Dad's body is probably in the land of the Ragnarok, bloodied and mutilated. A warm hand touched the boy's shoulder, and the boy looked up to face his comforter. It was his mother.

"Mom..." The boy sobbed, spilling tears onto her shirt.

"There, there," His mother said. The boy frowned through his tears. His mother's voice...he couldn't explain it, but it just wasn't right. He looked up again, but what he saw was not the kind, loving face of his mother. His mother's sweet, sad grey eyes were now red.

"Wh-what?!" The boy cried, wrenching out of his mother's grasp. "You're not my mother! You're that monster!" The little boy's mother--no, his enemy, began to chase him. The boy ran and ran, but more people were chasing him now, their eyes just as red as the last. Ghostly screams and wails followed after the child as the Ragnarok's army gained on him.

"Got you!" They screeched as their clawed hands reached out to scratch the boy's arms and pull him towards them. The boy struggled, but his attackers held on, digging their nails into his flesh and dripping blood onto the black earth. The child cried out in pain as he felt needle-like teeth pierce his skin; then he noticed something forming in front of him.

A strange ball of shadows seemed to appear, melting in and out of each other as if it were doing a little dance. The ball grew bigger, expanding and expanding until it seemed it would explode-- It was the Ragnarok.

"You!" The child howled, his voice sounding as if it were wrenched from his soul; enraged and seething with hatred. The Ragnarok smirked, showing every single one of it's despicable teeth.

"Yes, its me. Who are you again?" It said simply, it's voice mocking and dismissive. The boy growled and gnashed his teeth.

"You killed my father!" He cried as the Ragnarok's army continued to cut and slash at his limbs with their teeth and claws.

The Ragnarok only chuckled, a terrible, cunning, wicked sound, and the shrieking laugh echoed through the darkness as the boy's tortured body was dragged back into the shadows...

My eyes flew open, my body rigid and frozen, sweat sticking to my hair. I sat up and rubbed my face, trying to calm myself down. My eyes darted frantically around the room despite my efforts, as if the Ragnarok was hiding, somewhere, in the

room.

No, Oliver, I scolded myself. Being afraid of the dark is for five-year-old's. My eyes settled on the ticking clock, but then it suddenly stopped, the room suddenly devoid of sound, silence filling the air instead.

My body froze with the sound, the sound of my heart replacing the ticks and filling my ears.

Then the clock dinged, announcing it was officially midnight, and resumed its quiet march. I inhaled sharply, then sighed as I realized what day it was. Happy birthday to me....

dashy line thingo ~Marilla's POV

I love weekends, I thought as I clambered over to the breakfast counter, my bunny slippers making scuffing noises on the tiles. I stretched and greeted my mother, who gave a thin smile in return. Oliver was already eating a hearty breakfast of dry cereal, eggs, toast, and juice, because we had run out of milk and mom had forgotten to buy some more.

Oliver didn't seem to mind; his expression was delighted as he scarfed down the meal. "Happy birthday," I yawned. "Wow, you can really eat, can't you?"

"You remembered!" Oliver grinned at me, his hair a blonde mess. I blushed and looked away.

Oh gosh, he looks so cute... ARGH! Stop thinking these thoughts! Someday, some random spirit mage like Elvira or something could read your mind and blab to another person! I scolded myself. I forced my expression to remain neutral. "I remembered what? That you can eat a lot, or that it was your birthday?" I asked cheekily, pouring myself some cereal before realizing that there was no milk and I hated dry cereal, then passing the bowl to Oliver. He happily received it and began to stuff it in his mouth. I raised an eyebrow at him and took a piece of toast.

"Both," Oliver said with his mouth full. I laughed and took a bite out of my toast.

Today's going to be a good day, I thought determinedly, trying not to think about yesterday. It will be. I just know it.

dashy line thingo

"So...what should we do?" I said, laying my head on the cushion of the bay window and staring out the window. Oliver was in the same position. He glanced sideways at me. "Talk about life?"

"Sounds good." A few silent moments followed.

"Do you think--"

"What are we--"

Oliver and I said simultaneously. We both flushed red.

"You go first--" We said together again. I laughed.

"Okay, you go first," I said. Oliver grinned, then his expression turned serious. He hesitated before speaking.

"What...w-what are we going to do about the Ragnarok?" He said quietly. I lowered my eyebrows in a frown.

"I don't really know--"

I suddenly jerked violently, flapping my arms and trying to regain my balance. The whole house seemed to tremor and shake. Oliver crashed into me as I grabbed onto his arms for support. "E-e-earthqu-quake?" I stuttered, my teeth knocking into each other as my body trembled. Oliver raised his shoulders in a shaky shrug.

"D-didn't th-this happen y-y-yesterday?" He said. Then, all at once, the tremor stopped, just as it had done yesterday. I glanced around warily.

"I think it did happen yesterday," I exclaimed. "Except this one was a little stronger..." I looked at Oliver worriedly, and he seemed to have read my mind.

"First Elvira had that vision... and then now these earthquakes...what does that mean for Earth?" I stared at him anxiously.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Well," he sighed. "What a great birthday."