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The Future Isn't Friendly |
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Samantha is 25 years old, and she has spent most of her youth living on the fringe of society. She makes all her money at the race track gambling on horses, but in a game of chance it's hard to keep a steady profit. When she meets a boy who can see the future, things get a lot better for her, but whenever someone starts to do really good, others take notice, and sometimes they aren't too happy about it...
---
On your mark! Get set! Go!
The gun fired, signalling the start of the race. The horses dashed out of their pens and darted around the track.
"Come on number seven!" A young girl shouted from the stands, her dirty blonde hair being whipped around by the chilly fall wind.
This was Sam. She was about 5'8" tall, thing, and pretty. Her face was thin and pale, framed by her hair and pointed at the chin. She had emerald coloured eyes that were hard and beautiful at the same time. Her thick leather jacket was little defense against the cold, and niether were her tight blue jeans, but she was too focused on the race to notice. Horse number seven was the only thing on her mind right now. Two-hundred bucks, the last of her money, was riding on that horse. It was suppose to be a 'sure thing', but she had learned from experience that a 'sure thing' wasn't always a sure thing. Either way, she had no choice but to bet. It was either that or get kicked out of her apartment and live on the streets, and there was no way she was doing that again...
The horses continued to race, staying tight and close together. Number 7 was close to the lead, but he was saving his strength for the final stretch. The announcer shouted the events over the intercom...
"Number five in the lead with number two close on his tail. The horses are coming close to the final bend now, five still in the lead... Wait, what's this? Number seven is moving up! He passes number four, now number two! He's gaining on number five as the come to the final turn... It's neck and neck folks! Who's going to win the grand prize!"
"Come on... Come on!" Sam muttered to herself. She was starting to sweat and the tension was clear on her face.
"And they cross the finish line! It was close, it will have to go to the judges..." the announcer stated. After a few moments, he came back on the intercom. "And the winner is..."
"Number seven, number seven, number seven..." She continued the mantra, hoping that somehow it would affect the final decision.
"Number five!" the announcer exclaimed.
Sam was devestated. She dropped her tickets in defeat and stared off into space. She fell back into her seat and covered her face with her hands.
"********, ********, ********, ********... ********!" she screamed, causing a few other attendees to give her a strange look. What was she going to do? She had no money, and soon she would have no place to stay... Quietly, she started to weep into her hands. Why did she bet all of her money? She should have saved some... She was so stupid! She stopped, wiped her tears, and stood up. No... She thought. She had to be strong. She would fix this...somehow... But she had no idea how...
She walked out of the stadium slowly, thinking desperately. Where would she get more money? She only needed fifty bucks or so, then she could make another bet and win it all back... Then she remembered... Cory! That punk still owed her that 60 bucks she lent him. Perfect, she thought. She'd just go get that money and she'd still have a chance! So she did. She walked briskly out of the stadium towards the bus stop.
---
When she got to Cory's house, he was a little less compliant than she thought he would be. Cory was a bit of a low-life. Picture someone that looks a bit like jesus, then have him wear a house coat, pyjama pants, and slippers 24/7 and you have Cory. He had used the money she lent him for heroin, so you can gather from that what kind of person he is...
"I don't have the money right now! I'm serious! I told you I would pay you back when I could!" He pleaded, but she wouldn't have any of it.
"Listen, you degenerate ********! I want my money! And I want it now!" She grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against his wall. Even for a girl her size, she was still pretty intimidating.
"Come on, Sam... You know me, I'll get the money, just give me time..." He said with his hands raised in surrender. She pulled a pistol from his jacket and put it against his forehead. She was a girl, but she could be like a man when she had to be.
"I don't have time!" She pushed his head with the gun. "If you don't have money, give me something, just make sure it's worth what you owe me." she said, trying to level with him. He swallowed hard. He was sweating and visibly nervous.
"A-alright... Just relax... I have some dope in my kitchen cabinet... You can have that." He said. She pulled the gun away from him and he collapsed on his a** with a sigh. She walked over to the kitchen and pointed the gun at one of the cabinets.
"In here?" She asked.
"No, one more to your left..."
She opened the cabinet he told her about and sure enough, there was big bag of heroin. She hated that s**t herself, never being one for drugs, but it was probably worth even more than he owed her. She smirked, grabbing a bag and walking towards the door.
"You know, this stuff is bad for you... Maybe if you didn't take so much you wouldn't have so many problems." She said condescendingly as she opened the door.
"******** you, b***h..." Cory said, rubbing the sweat off his forehead. She winked at him.
"Stay out of trouble, Cory." she said, blowing him a kiss before leaving.
She had heroin now, all she needed to do was sell it. It was easy enough. Even though she hated street life, she was familiar with it. She was raised there. When she was young, she did a lot of things she wasn't proud of just to get by, but that was all behind her now. Now she was trying to pull herself out of poverty, and gambling was the only way she knew how. It worked, sometimes, but there were times like now when it backfired completely...
---
The heroin sold quick, since she sold it for a cheaper than usual price. She sold the whole bag for 80 dollars even though she could have made over 100, but she wasn't a drug dealer, she was a gambler.
The first place she went to was back to the track. There was one more race before the night ended, and the deadline for rent was tomorrow. She walked up to the counter, placing 60 dollars in front of the teller.
"Sixty bucks on number five." she said with a confident smile. It was another 'sure thing' she had heard about just before getting to the track. She had her sources for information when it came to horse racing...
"Alright, sure thing miss." The teller took the money. She looked up at the odds for a second.
"You should bet on number two..." A quiet voice came from behind her. She turned around, ready to insult someone, but she was surprised at what she saw.
A small boy, looking no older than 10, stood before her. He was a brown haired blue eyed boy, wearing a simple black hoodie and blue jeans. He was a little odd looking. He didn't look at her, but instead stared down and away from her, as if he was speaking to no one. Sam looked at him with an amused smirk.
"And what would you know, little kid?"
His expression didn't change.
"I had a dream about the race, and in my dream the number two horse won."
Sam laughed.
"Are you suppose to be psychic, or something? Where are your parents?" She kneeled down to his level to look him in the eye, like many adults do when speaking to children, though his eyes continued to look away from her.
"When I dream about something, it usually happens... I had a dream about this too... You're going to bet on the number two horse and win... I know it."
She stood up again and looked down on him with careful consideration. What if he was right? If she bet on the wrong horse this time she was screwed... This was her last chance. Would she be wasting it if she listened to this kid, or would she be wasting it if she didn't? She didn't believe in psychics or fortune telling crap... But something about this kid was different. Maybe he actually DID know something she didn't... she turned back to the teller.
"Actually, change that bet. Put 60 dollars on number two." She said.
"You should bet all 80..." The kid spoke again. Sam glanced at him. She had only bet 60 so if she lost she'd at least have 20 to live off... But what good was the 20 dollars to her? It was hardly anything, and if the kid was right, she'd have that much more money after the race...
"Make it 80." she said, slamming another 20 dollars on the counter.
"Are you sure about that, miss?" The teller asked, noticing that she was taking advice from a kid. She glared at him.
"Yes, I'm sure." She said snidely. The teller took the money without another word. The kid turned around and began to walk away, but Sam grabbed him by the wrist.
"I don't think so. You're coming with me, and if you're wrong, you're going to pay." She said with a malevolent smirk. This was her insurance. If the kid was wrong, she would get her money, one way or another...
---
The sun was begin to set, and the cold fall day was starting to get colder. Both Sam and the kid were shivering, but once again Sam didn't care. She was focused on the race, and especially the number two horse.
"They're coming around the final bend now! Number five is in the lead, but number two is close behind! They're approaching the finish line! It's neck and neck, folks! Who's going to win?!"
Sam glared down at the kid, "You better be right, you little punk..." The kid ignored her and stared at the horses. Finally, they crossed the finish line.
"And the winner is... Number two!"
Sam screamed with joy. "Yahoo! I won! I won!" She jumped up and down like a spaztic school girl. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her sleeve. She looked down to see the boy, staring up at her with his cold blue eyes. The fact that he had never looked at her directly before made this change in behaviour a lot more striking. She stared back at him, waiting for him to say something.
"I told you, didn't I? I said number two would win, because I dreamed it! It's not a lie! I can really see the future!" His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes started to tear up for some reason.
"Okay, okay... Yeah, I believe you..." she said, pulling away from him and looking a little confused. The kid turned away from her and crossed his arms. He looked like he was about to cry.
"No one believes that I really can... But now they'll know!"
Sam looked at him, and her confusion went away. She started to understand, and the confusion turned into concern.
"Where are your parents? You never told me..." She knelt down beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. She didn't know why, but this sad little boy triggered something inside her... Some sort of pity, and she felt like she had to take care of him...
The boy teared up a bit more, but he wouldn't cry. "I don't know." he said coldly with a pouty face.
"You don't know? What happened? Did you run away from home?" She asked, and genuine concern was present in her voice. The rough and tough Sam, raised on the streets, intimidating druggies, was now feeling more motherly, concerned for a young boy who didn't seem so different from her when she was his age.
"They didn't believe me! They thought I was crazy! They wanted me to go see doctors, and take pills, but I'm not crazy! You seen for yourself, right! You know I'm not lying!" He turned to her and grabbed both her sleeves, looking up at her, desperate for reassurance.
"Yeah... I don't think you're crazy. It's not safe to be all alone in this big scary world, though... Why don't you come stay at my house?" She said. The offer was because she cared, but it wasn't entirely altruistic. A kid with a gift like his... If it was a gift, not just luck... Could make her a lot of money.
The boy looked up at her. "Really? That would be okay?"
"Well, uh..." She stood up, putting her rough and tough image back on. "For a little bit, at least... I don't want a kid running around my place forever, so you'll have to find a way to take care of yourself, or at least help me out..."
"Well, I can keep predicting races for you... I can make you lots of money!" The kid said.
That was the answer she was looking for.
"Alright, you've got yourself a deal. You keep predicting races for me, and you can stay at my place." she put her hand out for a shake, and the kid accepted. "What's your name anyway?"
"Shawn." He said.
"Nice to meet you, Shawn, I'm..."
"Sam." He interupted. "I already know..."
"Oh? So you've dreamt about me a lot?" She gave him a playful wink, but he looked away from her again.
"Yes..." And that's all he said. When they got back home, both of them passed out right away. It had been a long day...
---
Shawn continued to make money for Sam. The two of them were making it big. What use to be hundred dollar bets were now climbing into the thousands. With the money, they managed to find a much nicer place, afford much nicer clothes, and find a lot nicer 'friends.' Everything was going great. Sam and Shawn were even getting along. They actually found out they had a lot in common. They liked the same kinds of food, same TV shows, and they both loved to play video games together! Everything seemed perfect... But with so much money changing hands, it was impossible for no one to notice...
"How the ******** does this b***h keep winning?" In the basement of a rundown bar, three finely dressed gentlemen were having a meeting around a round table. There were other men around, some watching the men, other standing by the doors with guns...
"I dunno, boss. She's not just betting on the rigged horses anymore, and she's still winning..." One of the men responded.
"I bet it's that kid she keeps around now. He's probably some kind of math genius, calculating odds and s**t."
"That's not how it works, idiot! It's all chance!" The other man responded.
"Shut up!" the boss yelled. He was a short man, wearing a black suit and tie,, with thinning gray hair and a thick gray moustache. The other two were dressed in fancy outfits as well: Dress coats, ties, and fedoras. In fact, it seemed to be the fasion of the room. The boss continued to speak. "I want that kid, understand? If he's got something I want it. This b***h is costing us way too much money."
"What if she doesn't want to give him up?" One of the men asked.
"Then shoot the b***h! I don't care! Just get me that kid!"
"O-okay boss, sure thing..." He stood up. "I'll get the kid for you... You can count on me..." He said.
"You better. Don't ******** up this time! If I lose anymore money someone is going to pay BIG!" He yelled, and with that, the man was out the door...
---
Sam woke up in her bed to a strange noise... Shawn was sitting on the edge of her bed, crying uncontrollably.
"What the ********..." She said sleepily, "It's 3am... What's wrong?"
Shawn continued to cry, "I don't want you to die!" He turned around and hugged Sam tightly.
"What? I'm not going to die..." she hugged him back, "Why do you think that?"
"Because I had a dream... We were in the woods... There were red eyes... And growling... Then you got angry at me, and you came after me... I was scared, then I woke up..." He said, sobbing into her shoulder.
"I would never hurt you..." She said. Every moment she spent with him, she felt more and more like a mother. Why would she hurt him? She loved him... And he loved her. "It was just a dream... It will all be okay."
"But it's not! Everything I dream always come true! How do you know this won't too?" He cried even more strongly now, and tears poured down his face. Sam grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him forward so they were face to face.
"Look me in the eye, Shawn." She said, and he did. "Do you think I would ever hurt you?"
He sniffled, then shook his head. "No..." he said, "But in the dream you weren't yourself... You were something different..." Sam hugged him again.
"It's going to be okay, I promise... You can trust me." She said as sincerely as she could. She knew that his dreams were often true, though, and that unnerved her. Red eyes? Growling? What could that be? She didn't know of any animal with red eyes... How could such a dream really be true? Regardless, she had calmed Shawn down quite a bit, and all the crying had made him tired. "Just go back to sleep... You can sleep here if you're scared. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." Shawn sniffled again, and quietly he nuzzled against her and fell asleep. Sam couldn't sleep though. Her mind was fixed on the red eyes... What could they be?
---
Fall was coming to an end, and with it, so was the racing season. Snow was falling through the air, covering the track in a thin blanket of white. Sam sat down in her seat, watching the race idly and talking about gamed with Shawn. Things weren't as intense now that every race was a real sure thing, and not just a 'sure thing'. Both of them were bundled up in winter gear: Scarves, toques, mits and jackets. Money was easy now, so they didn't worry about spending too much on clothes. It was easy street for both of them. Even though the season was coming to a end, they still had plenty of money to last them until the next year.
It was the last race of the night, and the sun was setting a little earlier than it usually did. The sky was dark by the end of it, and the full moon cast an eerie yellow glow over the landscape. Sam wasn't one for superstition though, so as eery as it was, it was just another full moon...
"And the winner is... Number seven!"
There was no shouting or jumping for joy this time. Only a feeling of satisfaction of having known before that number seven was sure to win. Sam stood up, and so did Shawn. They prepared to leave the stadium...
"Give me the kid..." A voice came from behind them. They both turned around.
"Who the ******** are you?" Sam said rudely.
"None of you business, b***h... Now hand over that kid or there's going to be trouble."
"******** you..." She said, then began to back off. She pushed Shawn behind her. It was something about the way he dressed... Fedora, fancy coat, dress shoes... He looked like a mobster.
"We know about the kid... We've been watching you, and we know about the powers... Hand him over and nobody gets hurt..." As he spoke, he tried to conceal the fact that he was drawing a weapon, but Sam was smarter AND faster. With a loud BANG the well dressed man fell to the ground like a rag doll, and Sam was running out of the stadium while holding on tightly to Shawn's hand.
"What's going on Sam?!" He cried out. Hearing the gunshot... Watching the person he cared about the most take another life... He couldn't help but cry. He was scared.
"I don't know..." She answered honestly. She had no idea who that man was. The only thing she knew was that he wasn't alone... As she ran, similarly dressed men were popping out of the crowd and chasing after. She was scared too, but she wouldn't show it for Shawn's sake.
They ran out of the building and away from the crowd, and that's when the bullets started flying.
BANG, BANG, BANG!
Shots came from behind her, 3, 4, 5 men... She couldn't tell. She fired back, but she didn't hit. She just kept running and running... Up ahead was an abandoned warehouse... It was where they use to keep all the racing supplies, but they left it once they built a new track. Maybe they could hide there, she thought... It was their only hope.
She ran through the fields of white toward the building. Behind it was a vast forest with pines covered in snow. The full moon beamed from behind the trees and the building, creating a ominous looking seen ahead of them. It looked almost like a haunted mansion, or something.
When they got to the building, both of them stopped to catch their breath. The men were still a way back, giving them enough time to hide. She went inside and slammed the door behind her. She found a big desk and threw it in front of the door. The two of them went to the other side of the building and hid behind some crates. After a few minutes, they could hear the banging on the door.
"We know you're in there! Just give us the kid and we'll leave. You can keep your money and your things, we just want the boy!" One of the men shouted. Sam kept silent. Finally they burst through the door and pushed the desk out of the way. It was six men who entered into the building... More than Sam had expected.
"Please sam! Don't let them take me... I don't want to go." Shawn whispered frantically.
"Don't worry..." Sam assured him. "I'll protect you, remember?" She smiled at him, and it seemed to calm him down a bit. He had more faith in her words than she did, though...
"Come out come out wherever you are!" The man said, holding his pistol up and searching around the room. "It's only a matter of time before we find you... why don't you just give up?" A mouse knocked something in the distance, and he turned immediately, pointing his gun in that direction. Sam took the opportunity. She got out from cover and fired three shots in his back, then turned to fire at the others. The man collapsed, dead, and one other was shot in the side. They returned fire, but Sam was already back behind the crates.
"We have to get out of here..." She said to herself. Shawn looked around.
"Over there! there's another door!" He pointed behind them. On the same side of the crates as them, about 20 metres from their position, their was another door. It was their only hope.
"Alright... stay in front of me." She said. She fired a few shots at the men, then made a break for the door. They fired back, but they could barely see her. It seemed like they would actually escape... Then, just as she opened the door, a bullet whizzed through the air, tearing into her back and coming out the other side. She screamed in agony and fell face first into the snow, staining it with her crimson blood.
"No! Get up!" Shawn shouted. Sam struggled, but she managed to stand. She got up and ran as fast as she could towards the woods, with Shawn leading the way. "Come on! we're almost there!" They kept moving, and as they passed through the field, a thick black cloud moved across the the sky, hiding the moon and casting the world into darkness... The wind blew a bit more coldly, and snow fell a bit more swiftly...
They made it to the edge of the forest and went in. It didn't seem like they were being chased anymore, which was unusual... Sam was certain they were seen going towards the forest. Did they give up? She was too weak to tell for sure... She was losing blood fast, and she didn't feel like she had much time left.. She fell to her knees, then collapsed face first into the snow.
They were surrounded by dark, cold forest, and everything around them was now silent. No guns, no yelling, no horses... Only the sound of a cold winter wind blowing through the woods.
"Sam... Sam! Please! Get up! I can't make it on my own... You said you'd protect me!" He cried out, tugging on her sleeve.
"Shawn..." She muttered. "I think... I think... I think I'm going to die soon." She coughed blood onto the snow. "I think they hit me... In my lung... I can't breath... too good..." She said.
"No! you're not going to die! you promised me! You promised!"
"P-please... stay with me... Shawn... I don't want to be alone. Please." She said, tears forming in her eyes. "You're like a son to me... I know I'm too young to be you're mother, but... I care about you..." She coughed up more blood into the snow.
"Please don't die... please..." Shawn cried into her back.
The cold wind continued to blew, and a sound was carried with it... A growl. Sam froze with fear.
"No..." she said. In front of her, in the thick blackness, clouded by a flurry of snow... She saw them. They had filled her mind with horror for so long... ever since that night, they had been in her mind, constantly nagging at her... A secret fear she didn't want Shawn to know about... she didn't want him to know that he had caused her so much uneasiness...
The red eyes, beaming brightly, clearly visible even in the darkness. The sent terror throughout Sam's body. She wasn't even afraid to die, but for some reason, the eyes were enough to fill her with fear... She had had her own dreams, or rather, nightmares about the same eyes, but everytime before she saw what it was, she awoke...
"P-please... Shawn... Stay with me... I'm s...scared..." she said honestly, grabbing onto Shawn's hand. It was the first time she had ever admited being scared to him, but he was scared as well.
He shook, and his eyes widened. Sweat poured down his face and his hairs stood on end. He pulled away from Sam, standing up and walking away from her.
"Shawn... Please!" She cried. Tears fell from her eyes. "Don't leave me... I'm scared... I don't want to die alone... in a place like this..." But Shawn couldn't. He loved her, and she was like a mother to him, but the eyes filled him with fear as well, and more and more of them were coming out of the darkness. They were in all directions now... Without thinking much, he darted off into the darkness, leaving Sam alone to her fate.
"Shawn! No! Shawn! Please!" She cried out in despair, but it was futile. He was gone. "Shawn! No... Shawn..." She began to weep. The feeling was similar to when she nearly lost everything... Hopelessness... She was alone, frightened, and powerless.
The growling got louder, and the eyes got larger as they came closer. Soon, she could see the images of what they were.
Large, powerful jaws full of wicked teeth made for tearing and rending flesh. Thick, mangy fur from front to back. Large paws with claws made for digging into the ground while speeding throught he woods.
They moved closer to her. Their seemed to be hundreds of them, all surrounding Sam. She looked around, silent now, her eyes filled with fear. They growled at her menacingly. they were ready to feed.
"No... Not like this... Shawn! Please!" She cried out again. "I don't want to die!" The wolves moved in more, their eyes glowing red... These weren't wolves... They were something else...
They darted in quickly now, each grabbing a piece of Sam's flesh. She screamed out in agony as the began to devour her, piece by bloody piece.
"NO! NO! NO!" Were the only words she could cry out in her brutal suffering. As they ate her, the pain was horrible, but slowly it began to subside, and Sam started to notice something unusual... She wasn't dying. She felt herself changing, becoming something else... The wolves were consuming her... And she was becoming a part of them. She surrendered, becoming silent and on resistant. The chewed and chewed until there was nothing left... Even the bones were eaten. Then Sam was gone... But there was something new in her place... A viscious wolf, with fur as black as obsidian, and eyes as red blood. All it felt was rage, and hatred, and it had a strong desire for... vengeance.
---
Shawn ran blindly through the woods, not sure which way was which. He had no idea where to go, or even where he came from. He was completely lost and alone... And he had abandoned the one person that loved and cared about him... The one person who promised to protect him... He fell to his knees, balling. He hit himself hard in the head, over and over. Why? Why did he leave her? Why was he such a coward!? He cried and cried, then cried some more. He had nothing left now except his power, but what good was it to him? He was nothing without Sam... He wished she was till with him..
Then, from the darkness, the red eyes beamed at him. A viscious growl was heard and the black she-wolf moved into his vision. He looked into it's eyes, and he saw... He knew who it really was.
"Sam! You're alright! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have left you! Please forgive me... I felt so guilty, I want to make it up to you somehow!" But there was no sign of recognition... To the she-wolf, a debt was owed, and she had always collected her debts. It moved closer, growling menacingly.
"Sam! Please! I'm so sorry! I love you! Don't you love me?! You said I was like a son to you!" He pleaded. He was like a son, but a mother wolf is still capable of devouring her own offspring, no matter how much she loves them...
"Saaaam!" He cried, his eyes filled with tears. The she-wolf moved closer. "Saaaam!" Is all he could cry out. Finally, the wolf moved up and bit his crotch, castrating him and removing his c**k as well.
Shawn cried out in horrible agony, writhing around in the snow, blood sprinkling out of the spot where his member use to be. He tried to crawl away, but the she-wrolf grabbed him by the leg.
"Sam! No! Please no! I don't want to die!" But it fel ondeaf ears. She bit into the thick thigh muscle, tearing flesh from bone. Blood squirted across the snow, painting the white canvas a deep crimson. "Saaam!" Despair, pain, suffering. They were the only things Shawn could feel. the wolf tore at his thigh until there was nothing but bone. Shawn tried to resist, kicking and struggling against the wolf, but it only fueled it's bloodlust.
Bits of blood spattered across the black coat, and shawn cried more and more. Eventually, his resitance and his crying began to lessen. He struggled, but he was becoming weaker and weaker. Eventually, the life was drained out of his body, and his corpse was left half eaten in the snow.
The she-wolf howled, and the full moon returned from it's hiding place behind the clouds. The human presence inside of it had vacated, and now it was just a beast, left to roam the woods with the rest of it's pack.
The boy's body was never found, nor was Sam's. No one really knew who they were, so no one really missed them. It was like they were erased from history. They no longer had a past... And the definately didn't have... A future.
THE END
tl;dr gambling, daw, sucks, what? fortune telling kid, boo ya! mobster, so jelly. bang bang bang! shoot shoot shoot! argh, hit! gah! scary red eyes! rarararar nom nom nom nom, dead. The end.
Kettoh · Tue Mar 02, 2021 @ 01:49am · 0 Comments |
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