Time stood still as Aiden watched his father being placed on a stretcher and pushed towards the ambulance. It was a cold and chilly night and moon shone brightly, casting shadows on the rocky floor. It was a sorrowful night in San Francisco, California. The doctors said that there is no reason for his death. He didn't die of age, nor did he have any other medical problems. Aiden's father was his hero. He was the only one who had taken him for trips in the car and to the beach. Aiden loved the beach, the beach where he and his father would go once every week and would sit and enjoy the sunset.

Now Aiden is nothing but an empty shell, lost with no joy, no father and is blank, emotionless. In his family, his father was the only one closest to him. He had a stepmother, as his real mother had died of skin cancer. He also had an older stepsister, Anne, who was just a mere bully or as his father had said, 'an extension to the family,'.

"Aiden,"said his stepmother sympathetically,"Are you alright?"

Aiden kept quiet.

"You poor little orphan-"

"How dare you!" shouted Aiden,"I might not have a mother, I might not have a father, but how dare you call me an orphan."

Sara, his stepmother, stood still, confused and startled, not knowing what to say.

She looked away and went out of the room and had shut the door behind her. Without a doubt, Aiden didn't feel sorry of what he had said, he was instead angry.

Aiden had a nightmare that night. There were columns side by side all around him in a room the size of a football stadium. The room was bare, cold and Aiden could barely see anything. Suddenly, candles lit up creating a dull, gloomy and despairing atmosphere. A chill went down his spine as he saw a man in a black coat and hood walk towards him. His hands were in his pockets and even though Aiden couldn\'t see much he knew that he had a grim smile.

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"Ha," said the man,"Another one bites the dust..."

"You poor child,"he said,"how amusing."

"What do you want from me?" Shouted Aiden.

"What do I want?" He laughed," I am your worst nightmare."

"What do you mean?"asked Aiden.

"Look kid,""I am after your family. Now that they are gone, I am coming after you."

The room faded as the man walked away.

"Why-" shouted Aiden.

Aiden woke up with a thud as he fell down from his bed. Anne came into his room with her arms crossed and said.

"Had a nice sleep?""Mum's callin'."

Aiden yawned and stood up. He went downstairs and his stepmother was on the phone.

"Yes." said Sara to the phone,"I want to book for a funeral! Oh, I've got to go, call you back later."

Aiden looked at the clock which displayed two in the afternoon. Today was a windy day, the weatherman said before her stepmother switched the television off.

"Did you have a good sleep?" asked Sara in a kind, soothing voice," I am sorry for what I said yesterday. I should have known that you were troubled. And to make up for it, I've made your favorite, blueberry pancakes."

It's been a year since he had pancakes. Her mother made them daily but ever since she died, Aiden never had pancakes.

After breakfast, Aiden thought about that nightmare, whether it was a prophecy or was it a mind-trick.

Those words, Aiden thought, Another one bites the dust, I'm your worst nightmare and I am after your family. Now that they are gone, I am coming after you.