Darkness engulfed me. The clouds were closing in and I couldn't escape. I was running as fast I could to beat it. I had to beat the force behind me. My will was propelling me forward, faster than I had ever ran before. Time was running out. I was going to be l...Finally the light I was running towards shined like the silver on a cell phone case in the light and the clouds were chased away. The light didn't go away. Instead it pierced the safety of my closed eyelids and forced me to do the one thing I dreaded: wake up.
The blinding light was coming from my open window that my mother had so lovingly opened for me. I groaned and hugged my pillow close to my body. Another five minutes. My eyes closed and I searched for the edges of my dream that had escaped my grasp. Instead another dream was found and details scattered before I could recall any of them.
Another five minutes turned into forty five but I still had plenty of time. Although the day had a feeling of the gray from the clouds in my first dream it could still be a good day. I grabbed my sweatshirt and shoes and started my morning run. It was still early enough that the middle school was free of traffic. With every step I was running towards the person I was meant to be, the person he wanted me to become. I pushed harder and ran faster reaching the runner's high the ecstasy that took a long time to reach but was worth every minute of pain. I could stay this way forever. A horn honk shook me from my stupor and I stumbled on the side of a round about. I continued on my run making it back to my house before my sister got up.
My puppy met me at the door with a wet tongue and a wagging tail with a quick pat on the back, I jumped in the shower. I smiled if I beat my sister inside, it was just a benefit. After braiding my wet hair back, I put on new clothes and went to make a casual breakfast of chai tea and scrambled eggs. With my warm plate in hand, I sat down to enjoy a quick t.v. show or two before I had to head down to the university.
The University of Nevada Reno was an amazing place. The more I went, the longer I wanted to stay. The atmosphere was great, the people were kind staying in their own business, and the parking was horrible. Today again, I had to park in the northern most part of the parking lot. I mentally sighed. A 20 minute walk to class today compared to the usual 15 minute one. It's a good thing the campus was beautiful.
I placed my headphones in my ears and my sunglasses on my face. Unlike my peers, no music came on. As a writer you are constantly on the lookout for behavior that might inspire your characters or situations to use later. I had to be as inconspicuous as I could when eavesdropping. People were more likely to say intimate details if they thought you weren't listening. With my gear on, I started walking.
After the sea of cars that seemed to never end I eventually came upon the alley. It was the only way to go, or the only smart way to go. In between the stadium and the parking garage an alley took you down to lower campus. It was a land full of people turning their heads at the sight of another person. What were they afraid of? That someone was going to bite their head off? Unfortunately, nobody did; at least this time.
Next feature was the student union or Lawlor events center. A road separated the two and presented a choice. Follow the road less traveled and ignore the signs hoping that death was not in your immediate future or cross the road to the union and follow the bandwagon amid strangers?
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