THE AWAKENING WITHIN
Power is not given.
It awakens.
Episode 1 — The Dream
Written by
Roviel (Testimony Aigbe)
Monday, 1st April 2024
Sarah's POV
Darkness.
Not the kind you see when the lights go out. This darkness feels alive.
I'm floating in it.
The air around me moves slowly, like thick smoke, curling and twisting in endless waves. I try to move my arms, but it feels like I'm stuck inside water. My chest tightens.
Then I see things.
My bedroom.
My teddy bear.
My alarm.
My school bag.
They're floating around me, spinning slowly in the darkness.
But something is wrong with them. Their shapes twist unnaturally, stretching like shadows under a broken light.
My heart begins to pound.
Then a voice echoes.
Deep.
Powerful.
Ancient.
"Sarah…"
I turn quickly.
A massive figure stands in the darkness. I can't see its face. Its body glows faintly like a star buried under shadows.
It towers above me.
Not human.
Not even close.
"The time is coming."
My throat tightens.
"W-who are you?" I whisper.
The darkness ripples around us.
"You have been chosen."
Something pulls at my chest suddenly.
Hard.
Like invisible hands trying to tear something out of me.
Pain explodes through my body.
I gasp.
"You must learn to control it…"
The voice grows louder.
Closer.
"…or it will consume you."
The pressure inside me grows unbearable.
Then—
WHITE LIGHT.
Everything shatters.
---
I bolt upright in bed.
My chest heaves as I gasp for air.
My phone is vibrating violently on my nightstand.
6:30 AM
My alarm.
I stare around my room.
My posters.
My desk.
My wardrobe.
Everything is normal.
But my heart is still racing.
I rub my face slowly.
(It was just a dream…)
Right?
I swing my legs out of bed and walk toward the bathroom.
The tiles feel cold under my feet.
I turn on the shower and step inside.
Hot water pours over me, filling the room with steam.
I close my eyes and let it run over my face.
Trying to wash the dream away.
But the voice still echoes faintly in my head.
You have been chosen.
After a quick shower, I dry off and head back to my room.
I pull on my school uniform and grab my glasses from the nightstand.
Without them, the world is just a blurry mess.
Once I slide them on, everything snaps into focus.
I look at myself in the mirror.
My hair is still damp, thick coils of tight black curls forming a soft halo around my head. No matter how much I try to smooth it down, it always springs right back.
Typical.
Dark circles sit under my eyes.
I look exhausted.
Downstairs, the smell of pancakes fills the house.
Mom stands at the stove flipping them perfectly.
Dad sits at the table reading the newspaper.
"Morning, sweetheart," Mom says warmly. "Breakfast is almost ready. Can you wake your brother?"
I nod.
"Morning."
I walk down the hallway and knock on Jack's door.
"Come in," he groans.
His room is a disaster.
Books everywhere.
Clothes everywhere.
Jack sits at his desk half asleep, surrounded by revision notes.
GCSE stress.
He looks up.
"Morning, Snickers."
I roll my eyes.
"I told you to stop calling me that."
He grins.
"Never."
"Mom says breakfast is ready."
He stretches and stands.
"Finally."
Downstairs we sit at the table.
Dad looks over his newspaper.
"Jack, how's the revision going?"
Jack sighs dramatically.
"Painful."
Mom places pancakes on the table.
"And Sarah?"
I shrug.
"Just school."
After breakfast we do our usual chores.
Jack takes out the trash.
I help Mom with dishes.
Then we head out.
The morning air in Manchester is cold.
Jack and I walk together until we reach the usual corner.
He goes right toward Manchester High School.
I go left toward St. John's Secondary School.
Before we split, he looks at me.
"You sure you don't want contacts instead of those glasses?"
I glare at him.
"They're fine."
"Snickers, you'd look cooler."
"I don't care about looking cool."
He laughs.
"Alright, alright."
Then he turns serious.
"And if that Jessica girl starts her nonsense again, tell a teacher."
"I can handle it."
He shakes his head.
"Just saying."
Then he adds in Pidgin quietly.
"No let anybody dey bully you."
I smile slightly.
"Bye Jack."
"Later, Snickers."
---
St. John's Secondary is busy as always.
Students from everywhere.
Different cultures.
Different accents.
Different styles.
It's a mixed school, which is cool most of the time.
Except when Jessica decides to make my life miserable.
Math class is first.
Mrs Bennett writes an equation on the board.
"Sarah, would you like to solve this?"
I walk to the front and solve it quickly.
Numbers have always made sense to me.
Behind me, Jessica whispers loudly.
"Wow. Even nerds get lucky sometimes."
Mrs Bennett turns.
"Jessica. That's enough."
Jessica rolls her eyes.
At lunch I sit with my best friend Lily.
"Jessica again?" Lily asks.
I sigh.
"When is it not?"
"She's such a witch."
I laugh.
Then Lily grins.
"My cousin from London is coming next month. We're going shopping."
"Seriously?"
"Yep."
"Okay I'm excited now."
For a moment the day feels normal again.
---
School ends.
Students flood out of the gates.
I pull out my phone.
No messages.
Jack usually picks me up.
Five minutes pass.
Ten minutes.
Fifteen.
I text him.
"Where are you?"
No reply.
I sigh.
(Typical Jack.)
I start walking home.
---
When I reach the house, Jack is already at the table studying.
He looks up.
His face immediately changes.
"Sarah…"
I drop my bag.
"You forgot me."
"I'm sorry! My teacher held me back and I lost track of time."
"You left me waiting for like fifteen minutes."
"I know."
He stands.
"I'm really sorry."
I cross my arms.
He sighs.
"Tell you what. I'll help you with your homework."
"…Fine."
We sit at the table.
He helps me with biology.
And slowly my anger fades.
---
Later that night I lie in bed staring at the ceiling.
The house is quiet.
But my mind isn't.
The dream.
The voice.
The figure.
And those words…
You have been chosen.
My phone screen lights briefly on the bedside table.
For a second…
The objects in my room tremble.
Just slightly.
Then everything goes still.
My heart starts racing again.
Something is coming.
And I can feel it.
---
To Be Continued…
© Roviel