My Deer Girl

Chapter 1: Nightmare

                                                                                             Aria

“No! Leave her alone!” I shouted at the man who was ravaging a girl who was about my age.

Oh, God! How can I get through this barrier?

I kicked and punched the invisible blockade but it was all futile. I was already sweating but nothing happened.

How is this even possible? Why is there even a barrier so I can’t get through?

I was right in front of the back of the truck, parked in the middle of nowhere. It was late in the evening, and there were no other vehicles that passed by on the main road. It was dark but enough to see because of the lamp post several meters away from where I stood.

I went around the barrier, all the while watching the man do his savagery to the girl, who was screaming and crying. I thought my heart was being ripped into pieces as I watched her suffer. My tears started to race down my face as I could do nothing but watch a nineteen-year-old girl being r*ped by a truck driver. And then, she was left there on the side of the road, after stabbing her a few times. She was n*ked in the unsympathetic autumn night, bleeding to death. Blood had already pooled around her body, soaking the damp cold earth.

He just left her for dead for Christ’s sake!

My heart was filled with rage, hate, helplessness and frustration. I could do nothing for her. I just watched him drive away. I couldn’t even get to her because of the invisible barrier.

The next time I saw him, he stopped as a beautiful young girl hailed him. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint where I saw her before. I had no idea but there was this familiar feeling that I knew her.

Where have I seen her?

I followed him when she invited her to go into the woods. It was dark, but for some miraculous reason, I could see enough like it was just dusk or dawn. It was easy to navigate through the woods even without trails. The damp leaves and tiny twigs were soft underneath my running shoes as though I walked on a cushion.

They did not seem to notice me as I continued to follow them. The beautiful girl was giggling while talking to him softly. I could see the man’s face brighten by something she said. But I couldn’t hear what those words were. Maybe she was flattering him.

At last, they stopped near a colossal leafless tree, which had big branches. The colorful-leafed trees were thick around here. There was no sound except for their low murmurs.

I was baffled when the girl started to kiss the rap*st on his cheek and jaw. I wanted to retch at that very moment that I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from doing it. Or, they might notice my presence.

My big dark brown eyes widened even more when I saw the girl shapeshift into a half animal. I blinked a few times to check if I wasn’t wrong in seeing things. But I did perceive the beautiful curvy golden antlers on her head that gleamed threateningly, the four powerful-looking hooves and the brown color of her lower body of a… deer?

She’s half human and half deer? I was totally mystified!

Her small and short white tail was quite remarkable. I couldn’t believe what I just saw!

I gasped when she attacked the unsuspecting man with her sharp antlers, opening his stomach where blood flowed like a waterfall. She then stomped him forcefully with her powerful hooves as he lay there defenseless. The man groaned in pain until he was breathing no more.

I slowly blinked, gasping again while my hand was groping for something to hold onto and found a trunk. My vision swayed, and I felt dizzy.

What’s happening to me? I was panting, leaning against the nearby tree.

I looked at the creature once again. That was when she turned her head to look me in the eye. A little smile lifted on her coral lips. Those lips looked familiar. But sh*t! Who cared? She saw me!

“Aria…” she uttered my name.

How did she know my name?

“Aria!”

My eyes flew open. At the same time, I gasped and puffed.

“Aria!”

I heard my mother’s voice calling me, knocking on my door.

“I’m up! I’m up!” I said, sitting up on my soft bed. My eyes momentarily roamed around my room. To my right were the bathroom and the window with dirty white curtains drawn together. Its lacy fabric and flowery design was nice to look at, which went well with the lily flower graffiti on the wall. On the opposite side were my bed and the side table where a lampshade was placed, together with my smartphone.

“Breakfast’s ready! I’ll wait for you downstairs!” mom said loudly. Her soft steps told me she was already heading there, descending the wooden stairway.

My feet automatically searched for my Bugs Bunny slippers, and I dashed to the bathroom to have a quick shower. All the while, I replayed the nightmare in my head. The same theme happened in my dreams since I was fifteen. Every man starring in my dream had done bad things one way or another, and the same deer girl would stomp them to death.

I told my mom when it happened more than thrice, at first, but she said it was just a dream and I shouldn’t think much about it. So, I paid heed to what she said. But still, it bothered me since it occurred again and again.

I didn’t know if this was me getting crazy. They say that what you always think may appear in your dreams. It’s kind of psychological. I didn’t want to dream about it.

But why? Why does it keep happening to me?

I closed my eyes and rubbed my skin with the shower gel, shampooed my hair fast and rinsed. Then I got out of the shower and changed quickly into a stretchable pair of jeans and fitted white shirt.

Today was my first day at the local university in Hornden City. I lost count on how many towns and cities we’d been since my mother and I always moved around almost once or twice a year since I was fifteen and since I dreamed about that mysterious half-deer girl. Nonetheless, I managed to advance a year in school since I had good grades. Now, I am a sophomore in Social Services at nineteen. It’s kinda ironic if I’d think about it now, why I chose this course knowing that I move around so much. But I do want to help people in the future, as a career.

“Is something bothering you?” Libby, my mom, asked when I joined her at the table.

I stared at her, battling with myself if I’d tell her about the nightmare I had. Yes, I considered it a nightmare since there were bad things happening in it.

“Mom, do you think I’m going crazy?” I blurted out.