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Capture

A/N I think this chapter gets progressively better so apologies for the slightly sluggish start.

Capture

Derek was awoken the next day by a loud knocking on the door, indicating he had most likely overslept.

“I'm awake now, mum!” he yelled, causing the knocks to die down.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to remove as much sleep as possible, before lumbering over to the mirror to brush his teeth.

A boy with curly dark brown hair stood before him, his dark eyes staring back into his own. The image was blurry was usual, even with his glasses on.

Derek sighed: his dreams had been perfectly normal last night. No mysterious creatures and no attractive women, even. Just him at school in fact. Which ironically was where he was supposed to be right now.

Derek quickly zipped up in his favourite jeans and threw on his jumper before hurrying downstairs. There was no time to eat breakfast: it was already 11AM.

He was halfway through the main hall when he realised he hadn't done any of his homework last night either.

Derek sighed for the second time that day.

***

“Why are you so late, Derek?

Derek stood by the door to his maths class, looking blankly into his teacher's face. He had never really shown any respect for her or the subject. This time wasn't going to be any different.

He was just glad he'd missed Science completely that morning.

“Overslept,” he said before moving briskly towards his desk, ignoring the eyes of nearly everyone in the room.

There was a sort of muteness about him throughout the lesson. The thoughts of the creatures had mostly left his mind and he just did not know what else to think about. Maths clearly wasn't a preferred choice. There was just nothing to concentrate on and he found himself gazing off into the distance at various times, mind blank.

His daydream was interrupted by the sound of paper being thrown down, with some force, onto his desk.

“Another F, Derek. I do hope you have something up your sleeve for the final exam. For both of our sakes.”

Derek skimmed briefly over the test. Maths just didn't mean anything to him. He flipped the test fully over and saw the drawing he had made yesterday; it seemed his teacher had too as there was a big cross through it. It felt like the same thing had happened to Derek's mind: ever since last night all memories of them felt surreal and blurred. Just like his own impaired vision in fact.

With the knowledge that they were a figment of his own imagination, they just simply weren't worth thinking about anymore.

***

It was already lunch break, considering he had missed morning break entirely.

Derek wandered across the field to his usual spot where his friends were huddled under the shade of the tree. It had started to rain and none of them had any intention to get wet. The weather in Britain sure did love to change a lot.

Derek sat by the edge of the tree for a few minutes, gazing at the falling rain, focussing on the tiniest drops as they landed before him. Jim was leading the background conversation as usual with the others chiming in. Derek did not feel like talking at all today – he thought a good night's sleep would make things better but in fact, he only felt worse. He found himself thinking about those creatures again, despite his best efforts to prevent it.

I wanted it to be real more than anything. I wanted there to be some new edge to my bland life. Everyday it's just school, this tree and home. I came so close, but now I'm further than I've ever been.

He still didn't know how it had all started: there was no stimulus that had caused these creatures to enter his head. He had been hallucinating for two days as well, even after a night's rest. Perhaps someone had put those thoughts there via subliminal messaging? Derek pondered the matter further.

If I can do it once, I can do it again.

He had come to a conclusion. Even if they weren't real, he could make them as real as possible. These projections had shown intelligent signs and movement so they could at least be worth something. He just didn't know what to think. How on Earth had he conjured them up in the first place?

Irregardless, he would try to again.

“Derek, where you going?” Jim asked. He had been hoping to talk to him again when the time was right.

“Home,” said Derek before getting up and running towards the road, his bag flapping on his shoulder.

As the splashes his steps made became distant Jim turned back to the gang:

“We've still got a lesson left today though.” Jim was starting to worry for his friend. He had known him for three years now and never had he acted this strangely on one, let alone two, of those days.

Something wasn't right.

***

His parents weren't home so he used his keys to unlock the house prior to running to the fridge, and grabbing some fruit to eat. He turned the oven on and put a pre-baked pizza inside before charging upstairs to his room again. He closed the door behind him and looked around.

Now let's see what I have to work with.

He intended on somehow summoning the creatures again. The only problem was that he had no idea how he did so in the first place. Nothing significant had happened the last few days which caused him to believe that was the reason why he had begun seeing them. He hadn't seen any of them today either which didn't really help.

Well I have to do something.

He didn't know how to summon creatures outside of video games so Derek tried a bit of improvisation. He strained his mind, focussing on the image of the blue pegasus with the rainbow tail. He thought long and hard about it for some time; he even scrunched his eyes up in determination for added effect.

Nothing.

He had hardly expected it to work but even still, there was a slight twang of disappointment in his heart.

But he wasn't going to give up just yet.

Derek began recreating the scene from last night just in case there was something specific he had done. He went downstairs and placed his bag where it was. He straightened the duvet like the night before and threw a couple clothes on the ground. When he had done as much as his memory would allow he finally opened the window again and was greeted by the howling of the wind.

Well at least it's atmospheric now.

Derek exited his room, waited for a few seconds and entered. He slammed the door behind him, just like before, and turned around.

Nothing.

He shut his eyes again and squirmed in discomfort, forcing his brain to think about that pegasus as hard as it could. After a minute of nothing but the blue creature in his mind, Derek slowly opened his eyes once more.

Nothing.

This wasn't fair.

How could he have summoned them so effortlessly the last time but this time it is nigh-on impossible?

Derek sighed for the third time that day, defeated. He had no idea how to try again.

Rain was starting to pour through the window so Derek went over and proceeded to pull the window shut.

He paused.

No. It can't be.

A small, purple arm was resting on the window sill. Derek watched on as the hoof struggled to grip the slippery surface. He offered his hand, desperately trying to pull the thing in.

It was no use: again his hand could not make contact with the creature. Derek was only a spectator as he watched the thing's arms scrabbling to gain grip on the window sill.

The rain was winning – there was simply no way the thing could hold on for much longer.

Derek thought fast. He had to find a way to help. He might not be able to help directly, but other objects most certainly could.

He rushed over to the wardrobe and began rummaging through the pile of clothes thrown in the corner untidily. Fortunately, it didn't take long to find what he was looking for.

He ran back over to the window and quickly tied the tie he found round a coat hanger. He tied this to two other ties he had brought with him, forming a long chain. He had never worn a tie before; he was hoping that they would forgive him for that, and save the day here.

He dangled them out the window, praying that the creature would take hold. It seemed that his plan had worked as he felt the load suddenly become a lot heavier. He yanked sharply upwards and a purple blur flew into the room, skidding across the floor before stopping by the bed.

Derek had toppled backwards too, surprised by the weight of the creature. He found himself panting on the floor with his mind buzzing.

That was definitely no illusion.

As soon as he thought this he rushed over to the window and slammed it shut, adding the padlock just in case.

Derek turned around to see the creature staring at him, alerted by the noise of the window shutting. It looked very similar to the one he had witnessed the other day. Instead this time, up close, he could see a horn. It was a unicorn. Its fur was a bit lighter than he remembered, perhaps lavender now he could see more clearly. Its mane was also multicoloured, a darker shade with a bright pink streak in it. It clearly looked like a female too.

Derek gave the unicorn a wave, hoping that this one would respond.

No success.

He got up and walked slowly towards the door, watching the unicorn carefully. Her eyes did not shift from the window as he sat down firmly by the door, preventing the creature's escape.

This was the moment of truth.

“Hi there,” Derek said, raising his voice so he would definitely be heard. He had only just remembered that incredulously, he hadn't tried speaking to the things before.

There was no response. Instead, the unicorn shook its fur violently, trying to rid itself from the rain. Derek even felt a few drops hit him from this range.

His heart was full of hope as he felt the droplets slide down his cheek.

This is definitely not my imagination...Unless I'm dreaming that is.

Derek didn't recall falling asleep so surely it was real, right?

Just to make sure he rubbed eyes: the unicorn was still there.

He gave himself a little pinch. Still there.

He kicked the wardrobe next to him sending spasms of pain up his leg. Still there.

Yep, definitely not a dream.

Where as the unicorn could not hear him it could hear the wardrobe and got up to investigate the noise.

Derek was starting to realise how these ghostly creatures worked. What they could hear and see and what they couldn't.

The unicorn came right up next to him and stared intently at the wardrobe. She even leaned in and rested her ear against the wood for a few moments.

He was tempted to kick out again at the wardrobe but thought best not to antagonise the creature. It stopped examining the furniture, and began to look around the room. Derek got up and followed it, careful to keep a close enough distance to the door in case of emergency.

This feels like I'm giving it a tour.

Derek wished he could give his insight on each object the unicorn examined but even when he attempted to do so, there was no response yet again.

She looked at many things: they all seemed new and alien to her. Perhaps they were – she might just well be from another planet. Derek was sure unicorns and pegasi were fictional on Earth at least. At the moment, he didn't care: the unicorn was too captivating. He often found himself just staring at its beautiful mane and horn, twice attempting to touch them and twice failing.

After a few minutes, the creature sat down and stared at the wall, presumably deep in thought.

Derek took up position again by the door and it seemed it was the right decision as she soon trotted over to try and open it.

He felt mean holding it tightly shut but he was desperate to keep her here; to make contact with this new species. Her hooves offered little purchase as she tried to slide them in the crack of the door. She then took a few steps back and lowered her head, gritting her teeth.

It was only then did Derek see that her horn was glowing slightly. He had been busy staring at her face from close up. The detail in her eyes and facial expressions was staggering. This was definitely no illusion he again told himself that afternoon.

The unicorn seemed to be struggling as a bead of sweat began to trickle down her face as the horn, now enveloped in a light red aura, began to flicker and die out. She was panting now, her face stricken with exhaustion.

A few moments passed before she got up and tried the same with the window but again to no success: it would not open. She then walked back over to the bed and sat down, leaning her head against it. Her magic had failed her.

Derek was struggling to see clearly from this range but could make out that she was in some distress. Tears began to form beneath her eyelids as buried her heard in her hooves and sobbed against the bed.

It was only then that Derek snapped out of his fantasy.

This was wrong. There was no way he could just imprison her here for as long as he liked.

But I can't...I can't let her go now. I just want to make contact with her!

Derek felt his own eyes building up emotion and soon tears of his own were trickling down his nose. He wanted nothing more than to feel her, to comfort her, to perhaps talk to her.

Perhaps she's crying because her horn won't work?

No Derek. You know the real reason why.

Derek decided enough was enough and stood up, ready to release his captive unicorn.

*beep beep*

An idea formed in his head as he heard a noise from downstairs.

Why hadn't I thought of this before?

Author's Note:

Okay, this chapter's been grammar checked too (although to less of an extent). Either the tiredness is kicking in, or this wasn't as bad grammatically as the last chapter.

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