Shadow-Land by Heather Parsons (best books to read for teens .txt) 📕

Sierra reached out once again and grabbed a hold of her father's hand and was pulled out of the darkness.

Gasping for air, Sierra forced her eyes to open and saw her parents along with Travis sitting on the sides of the bed. She thought they were sleeping. Their heads were down and their eyes were closed. She reached out and grabbed a hold of Travis' hand. Him being the closest one to her. He also needed to know that she was truly sorry for treating him the way she did earlier. Just a simple squeeze and he opened his eyes.

“Sierra your awake.” He whispered, bending down and kissing her cheek. Sierra felt a flush of heat on her face but this time didn't shy away. She didn't have to strength to move her head. It felt like a ton of bricks were laying on top of her making any movement hard.

When she opened her mouth to say something he brought his hand over and placed it on her lips. Feeling the softness of his touch released the weights she was feeling. Free to move around now she reached out and held onto him. Sierra felt that Travis was her lifeline. A gentle loving heart.

“You worried me there for awhile. I was scared I'd lost you. When you stopped breathing, I tried everything I knew of to make you breathe again. But I'm so happy now that your awake. I've waited long enough to see those beautiful eyes of yours.” He whispered in her ear. Sending shivers down her back.

Sierra's eyes started closing again and she was scared that the darkness would take her again. “Please don't leave me.” She whispered in a dry, cracked voice.

“Never again.” He whispered back. Laying her back down on the bed. “Never again.”

“Travis did she wake up?” Charles' asked. She could hear the sadness in her father's voice. She cried more because of it.

“Yes she did. Is it okay if I stay up here with her? She asked me not to leave her. I think she's afraid of falling back asleep.” He whispered only because he thought she was asleep again. Her eyes were closed but she listened just the same as he did to hear the answer to his question. Hoping that her father would say yes and put an end to her fears. At least for now.

“I guess that would be alright but not all night. And you have to call home to tell you parents the good news. I'm sure your father is worrying about her and wanting to know if she's woken up yet. So do that first then you can come back in here and stay with her.” Charles' said in a father figure voice.

Sierra listened a little more but no one said anything. Scared to death that she was alone again, her eyes popped open. Everyone was still in the room but they were just standing there with their backs to her, saying nothing. “What's going on?” She asked in a raspy voice.

The sound of her voice made them turn towards her but instead of seeing the faces of her loved ones, she was seeing the faces of three creatures. All of them laughing and screeching a high pitch scream. “What do you want?” Sierra screamed. Fear ran through her, waiting for the answer.

“We want you, Sierra. We've been sent here to collect on a debt. One of one that is long overdue. Now come peacefully and we will not hurt you too bad.” One of the creatures hissed at her. The exact one that just a second ago was her loving father.

“NO!” She screamed falling out of the bed. When she landed on the floor with a loud thud, the door to her room opened up and in walked her parents.

Sierra stared at them both for a very long time. Trying to see if somehow they would change into one of those creatures and attack her again. Keeping her guard up if anything happened and backing away from them until her back was against the wall. But they didn't do anything and just stood there, staring at her, she was convinced she was going crazy.

“Your going to be late for school if you don't get up and get ready fast.” Joyce said with a smile.

Sierra nodded yes, guardedly, on the verge of tears. She couldn't make heads or tails of what just happened. So many times she had thought she'd woken up when really she hadn't and now wasn't entirely sure she was awake.

Picking herself slowly off the floor, she moved with guarded eyes to her closet and grabbed the first things her fingers touched. She watched every corner waiting for something to jump out. And even when nothing happened she still didn't relax.

After changing she walked to the bathroom and washed her face, brushed her teeth and used the restroom. When she finished she walked to Simon' room and peeked inside. Knowing he wouldn't be there because he left over a month ago to join the military but still she felt the need to check. Once seeing that he wasn't there and there was nothing else in his room that shouldn't be, she closed the door and stood there for a minute. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Not really hungry but in desperate need of water. She grabbed a bottle of it out of the fridge and headed for the door.

Opening it she walked outside and waited. Sitting on the porch steps, Sierra was able for the first time to watch the sun rise in the sky. She didn't say a word to anyone. Not knowing what to say if someone asked her something. So she kept to herself, staring off into the unknown.

She only really began to focus when she heard a car coming up my drive way. Standing up she started walking towards it before it even came to a complete stop.

“Sierra this is a surprise. Normally I have to come in and get you.” Travis said while climbing out of his car. He looked at her a couple of times and tried to make heads or tails out of her state.

Sierra looked in the front seat and saw Jennifer sitting there. She felt like a robot put on automatic drive. Having no feelings or saying anything just following routine of her everyday life.

She strolled over to his side of the car and climbed in. Never making eye contact or uttering a word. The tears she had cried earlier were brimming the edges of her eyelids and threatening to escape at any moment.

Sierra watched as he climbed back in and drove off. Jennifer was the one that broke the silence that comforted her. “So Sierra, are you going to the graduation dance?” She asked her. Just hearing Jennifer ask brought the tears to fall at random. It wasn't the question that made her cry but the sound of Jennifer's voice. Sierra was already on the brink of tears and what Jennifer had said released them.

“I take that answer as a no. Well Travis asked me so you'll have to find someone else to take you if your going.” Jennifer smiled. Turning around in her seat so she could look at Sierra's face as she said this. When she saw the tears fall from Sierra's eyes, Jennifer snickered.

Sierra turned her face away and looked out the window. Seeing the school parking lot up ahead. “Please stop.” She whispered while Travis parked.

“I know you love hearing all about him so I'll tell you what. I'll take notes of everything that happens that night and tell you all about it. Even the gory details.” Jennifer continued talking and taking no mind of what Sierra had said.

“Can I get out now.” Sierra said through her tears. For the love of God she didn't want to be in this car anymore. Watching Jennifer tangle her fingers on the hair on the back of Travis' head sent chills down her back.

Travis opened his door and climbed out, letting her climb out as well. Sierra continued to look away while climbing out until he grabbed hold of her arm. Spinning her around. “What's wrong? I've never seen you act like this before.” He said with concerned. Seeing her eyes and the tears themselves made his heart ache.

“It's nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm okay.” Sierra said, dropping her eyes to the ground. The tears she was crying fell on the grass beneath them. “Please just let me go.” She whispered into the wind.

“Sierra, talk to me.” He said in a whisper himself. Releasing his grip little by little, afraid he was hurting her.

She shook her head no and finally looked up at him. “Please, let me go.” She cried, biting on her lower lip to hold back the pain. His eyes saddened but he let go. Slipping out around him, she walked towards the entrance of the school. Completely bypassing her friends and going straight for her first class.

Three:

Seeing is Believing

ALL her classes went by in a blur and with only a couple of weeks left there really was nothing left for anyone to learn so they mostly just hung around and cleaned or talked to friends. But she didn't do either. Just sat at her desk and starred off into space. Trying to make sense of what just happened.

As lunch rolled around, she left the school and walked down to the park that outlined it. Sitting on the bench she watched the little kids play. Watching them play around carelessly should have been soothing but it wasn't. It only managed to bring forth tears that she tried hard to keep at bay. Clouding her vision from the beauty of it.

And every time Sierra would blink to keep those tears from escaping she'd see the imagines of her nightmare. Seeing her parents dead and the creature coming after her again. Digging it's claws into her sides and the burning that followed caused her head to snap down and look at where it had happened before. It didn't seem to matter what she did, her parents would always end up dieing. Making her feel helpless that she couldn't save them and in turn couldn't