Eyes of Amber

Chapter 3
Present day Manchester

It was dark, that’s how it always began, she could hear the sounds of their breathing, smell them. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She braced herself, ready to defend herself if she must. But she had no weapons, she was defenceless against them, if they found her, she would be killed. This she knew for sure. She saw something, only small, but a faint light in the distance, if only she could reach it in time; please God let me reach it she thought as she hurried along the dark empty streets. Please.

“Amber,” a whisper from a creature so foul she began to shake.

“We’ve been waiting for you my sweet.” Another whisper.

Amber stood, froze she turned around slowly, if only she could see through the darkness. Then her vision began to clear, something moving in the shadows, the creature stepped forward, only it wasn’t a creature, but a man. A man so handsome he didn’t seem real; his hair was beautiful and blonde, his eyes so blue that not even diamonds could compare. He strode towards Amber like a predator hunting it’s pray. Amber stepped backwards keeping her eyes on the man before her. Still seeking the light Amber tried to move, just a little further she thought to herself. Even though the stranger was handsome, Amber had bad feeling about his presence. It made her want to run as fast as her legs could carry her, to scream for help, but her voice wouldn’t work, she was terrified. His eyes were hypnotising she couldn’t help but stare into them. Then she made it to the light, where the man could never enter, she would be safe here, or so she thought. Amber stepped into the light. She watched as the man’s hand followed her, he tried to grab a hold of her clothing, but as his hand entered the light, smoke began to emanate from his flesh, the smell of sulphur was so strong Amber wanted to cover her mouth. He tried to grab her arm, Amber pulled it back quickly, but only just in time, the demons nails caught her by the arm, gripping it so hard it began to bleed.

“No” Shouted Amber “No, no.”

Amber sat upright in bed clutching her arm, the dreams were getting worse, he actually touched her this time. Amber looked down; she was still panting hard, and had a damp brow through sweating. Amber looked at her arm.
“What the fuck?” Amber looked at the three claw marks left on her skin and saw the blood which was still fresh on her arm.
“But it was just a dream, how the hell?” Amber got up out of bed to bathe her arm; I must have banged it in my sleep on something thought Amber as she made her way to the bathroom, but what?

“What the hell happened to you?” said Sara who was just coming out of the bathroom dressed in her pink hello kitty pyjamas.

“I think I banged it in my sleep, looks worse than it is though.”

“You still having them freaky dreams chuck?” said Sara to Amber, “Because you need to get some serious medical help if you are, they might give you some sleeping pills or something,”

“Yeah maybe, will see how I get on the rest of the night or what’s left of it anyway, I’m up in an hour or so.”
“Yeah well, I still think you should get it checked out, night anyway,”

Sara left the bathroom and made her way back to bed.

“Yeah, goodnight,”

Amber rinsed her arm under the warm water and used a cloth to wipe it up. That’s strange thought Amber, there were no marks left on her skin “that’s weird!” she whispered. Amber patted down her arm looks just like normal. Puzzled, Amber went back to bed, to try and get a last hour sleep before she was up for work.

Beep, beep, beep went the alarm clock at 06.00 am. “Ergh” moaned Amber as she rolled over pulling the pillow over her head, she never was a morning person. “Daft alarm clock” Amber sat up sleepily in bed and switched off the beeping bloody thing. After yawning Amber slowly clambered out of bed and made her way to the bedroom door.

“It’s your turn you know?” shouted Amber to Sara through her bedroom door, “I made the brews last night!”

“Oh go on chuck, I’ll make them tonight,” said Sara from her bedroom “No sugar please,” she shouted, while giggling.

“Yeah your right, you’ll make the brews tomorrow morning as well,” said Amber with a slight smile on her face as she went downstairs to make the drinks.

Amber paused as she went to open the kitchen door, what have you done now? thought Amber before she opened it. There sitting on the floor was a small white West Highland Terrier, with fluff in its mouth!
“What the hell have you ripped up now Tink?” said Amber as she scanned the Kitchen floor.
“Oh no you didn’t, Sara!” shouted Amber, “You better get down here now and see what your Tinker bells been up to,” little bleeder!

“Why what’s she done know?” yawned Sara as she entered the kitchen.
“Oh my god, Tink, bad dog!” said Sara.

“Bad dog!, she’s only ripped up all her bedding and chewed a hold in the bean bag, there’s beans all over the floor,” said Amber while laughing at the little demon who just sat there at staring up at Sara and Amber like a little angel. Good job they both new better.
“Come on you, out you go,” Amber put Tink outside while Sara attempted to clean up Tinker bells mess.

“See your arm looks better, Amb,” said Sara while sweeping up beans from the floor.
“My arm?” said Amber “Oh yeah, when I rinsed it last night there wasn’t anything there, weird huh?”
“Wasn’t anything there, It looked like you’d been cut pretty bad to me chuck, you haven’t even got a scratch!”
Sara put the beans she had collected in the bin and examined Ambers arm as she stood next to the bin having a sip of tea.

“Oh well, guess I must heal fast,” said Amber while taking another sip.

“You haven’t been bitten by any radioactive spiders now have you?” said Sara while laughing.
“Not that I’m aware of,” laughed Amber.

Amber and Sara had been best friends since high school and were pretty much inseparable. Everyone who knew them always assumed you couldn’t invite one of them out without the other, they were like two peas in a pod. Amber trusted Sara with her life the same way Sara trusted Amber with hers, they never kept secrets and always knew that they could depend upon each other, even when they were let down by everybody else around them. Amber had, had a troubled childhood, rose by wonderful foster parents to have them brutally murdered one night after leaving the cinema. After that Amber was put into a children’s home until the age of 18, when she was forced to leave because she was too old to be cared for by social services any more. Lucky for her Sara had inherited some money because of her own family’s misfortunes, and had bought the house which they both now lived in.

“Right, I need to get ready or I’m going to be late” said Amber “wish me luck,”
“Oh yea big day today, you’ll knock them dead chuck, done deal, they won’t be able to say no at the interview and you definitely don’t need any luck....... but good luck,” smiled Sara as she began to wipe down the kitchen sides.

Amber was running late. Tinker bell had set her back twenty minutes, thanks Tink! Please start first time please, please, please. Brrruummmm “Thank you God” said Amber as she started up old faithful and prayed it got her to work. Now the white F plated Metro wasn’t great to look at, well actually it was dam right ugly, a rust bucket. It had an oil leak that Amber couldn’t afford to fix, so she just topped it up with oil. It had a slow puncture in one of the back wheels that she also couldn’t afford, so she just kept topping it up with air for twenty pence a go. But it got her from A to B and that was all that mattered.

“You’re late!” said Steve to Amber as she walked into work at Harriet’s and Co; Steve was the resident arsehole who worked at the bank.
“Yeah sorry about that Steve, I had car trouble,” no shit Sherlock thought Amber what a prick.
“Yeah well the big boss want's a meeting, pronto, as in ten minutes ago Amber!” he said as he stood there all smug tapping his watch. Steve was around 5 ft 7 with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes, he always wore a suit and dressed quite smart, actually he smelled quite nice pity he was a prick thought Amber.
“Ok I’m coming now.”

Amber walked into the big Bosses office.
“Take a seat,” said Ronald, Amber sat down as Steve the prick took his position, standing behind her chair, she did not like the feeling of this, not one bit.
“Amber,” started Ronald, his face looked saddened, but all business. This wasn’t good, not very good at all. “I’m sorry but with the recession I’ve been forced to make several cut backs, unfortunately I have to lay off some of my newer staff, I wish I didn’t have to make these decisions, but times are hard it won’t be before long that the full workforce here will be laid off. I’m sorry, Amber, I know you had an interview for the supervisor’s position this afternoon, but unfortunately that has now been cancelled, as well as any other job vacancies here.”
Steve then slowly sat down next to Amber eyes wide with shock.
“You too, Steve, I’m very sorry, you can collect your things as soon as possible, please don’t inform the rest of the team yet, I would like to do it myself in person.”
Amber and Steve stood up slowly and walked out of Ronald’s office with shocked expressions on both their faces.
“Well that’s just great!” said Steve “how the hell am I going to find another job this quick?”
Steve put his hands to his head running his fingers through his hair. Amber felt sorry for him and knew exactly how he was feeling, even if he was a prick.

Amber got into her car which started first time mite I add, and set off home to make a nice cup of hot chocolate, the world always seemed a brighter place after a cup of chocolate. While she was driving down Oldham Road the car began making an awful chugging sound and began to slow.
“Fuck!” Shouted Amber I should have put petrol in the tank. “Just fan dabby dosey” thought Amber as she got out of the car and pushed it to the side of the road; she took out the green plastic petrol container and began to walk towards the nearest petrol station.