Sweet Nightmares: A Monstrous Beginning

et wrapped

ere they even children? Short, thin, weak, much like k

trapped here, I've never

it. The ones I've seen could look like this l

but the ones I did meet wer

quickly and

and flashed another grin. Wh

ke forcing a smil

t. I don't really care about their sugar rush world, but I gu

k to lose myself in already but

h the consistency of jelly. Two tiny, almost invisible horns poked

, wha

elf-confidence of a shrimp. How he spoke to me like that back in my c

and waved idly as he walked. They were exact

d a soft baby face. We

teresting pai

nterest in the male

I couldn't pinpoint why, or how

all monsters down here, but I've onl

was some sort of target for us, ac

to us, plus we're too busy fighting for our lives down here. The only ones that would be r

until that slime fell back and asked wh

started. "What is the darknes

male quickly covered it, causi

look like I just killed his puppy and stole his cho

his appendage off

they told me or not, but I admit I was a little curious about what they were taught. I do know all monsters

e Mint a pout. The boy seemed to

tell us your story, we'll answ

emembering such a thing was hard enou

assing the little ones. I was well aware they'd

cky for them, the smart monsters avoided our

ext to me again. "Do you think we'll be able to rescue t

animal would give when they wanted food. Gree

wasn't as

lready going to push your time if we keep having unexpected stops. Hu

the running slime down her cheeks were tears, and she was crying. "I hop

e, I was. She turned her head away from looking at me and in a quiet voice, she whispered a response. "I don't think anyone is really

r her. I took a glance to Mint, who s

s, I can't be bothered to

t a day away. We should be

ion in Mint's voice dropped as it was replaced with g

uarding it. She won't kill

e monster, but I didn't find any fun in letting them kno

g to be dark soon. I'd say we can go another two hours of walking befo

gh I almost wish they did. It seeme

ip out... No, I had to quic

me once more. "Why do you walk with your body open like that?"

t wasn't an entire lie. "It's uncomfortable to feel m

nvading out conversation. "If your entire sp

my stomach. The rest is shaped like a normal spine. Bend and all. And, before you ask," I made sure to look between both of them s

me. "What do you want to know then?" Mint responded for the both

about the turned. Fill

stink eye but they did

t it is, but we do know that the ones who get it are ones who break the

He didn't have to sugarcoa

e call them the turned. There's not currently a

k my head. "Whatever this sickness is, it's most

ring up, telling me we wer

ipops didn't seem to be too pleased. Mint sighed, looking around

ays have to take in your surroundings to be su

tion beneath my feet. Grea

fore it pulled the rest of its body up, little legs scuffling on the groun

friend pulled her back. "Don't get

any scorpion. That's a hydra breed. Instead of the heads, the tail

rned and stared at me i

umble now. "When there's one, there's bound

my gear to shut my body for easier running and took off after just as the g

e I was being chased. Well

caught sight of the duo and

!?" Mint yelle

We have to

ght something like t

r for this, and an advanced one

ehind but I wasn't goi

of us, causing a stumble and a fal

It had run behind us and when looking, an odd

probably not. The creature's slim legs looked more human, an

all the monsters in this world,

rm, barking something

ngs?" I heard Mint exh

opening its jaws and blasted a fiery inferno

rm that was originally so powerful now fell apart. The creatures that hadn

monster huffed and suddenly

its fur. Not a creature from down here. I looked to the duo in

know h

d began to approach the creature, whi

shook in fear. "You saved u

but the monster appeared to calm down. Th

ur seemed to dissolve until only a tuff

t, looked weak. Weake

r hand. Something didn't seem right about this though.

just like the duo. I took a glance to Mint but

ny longer. His primal stance, like a terrified dog, and the fl

but I knew animal body language, a

harge but without warning, Caramel jum

with t

angerous. Not your

born eyes. The creature behind her lowered

him! He saved

annoying girl merely backed even closer. If she

looking at her like a

r body and coming out on the other s

a slime. Slimes c

o would probably hate me if I hurt him, so I suppose showing mercy was my only choice.

?" I first looked to Mint, then to Caramel. The boy sna

was a candy maker and storekeeper back in our world. He was so nice, b

on. "Hybrids are rare at least. A mix

ow. "Doubtful. A transformation like a were

, but I pushed the mem

at their word, he was

. It seemed like she wanted to say something. I cleared my throat to catch her

eyes up before

is damn attack. Pulling him into the air, I carried the boy above my head. "Fine, let's kee

rid pinned to a tree while the duo gathered all the sticks they could find to

let that be known though. Perhaps this candycorn could be useful in the end. The first sparked as he rubbed a stick between his tenta

ly good thing about having to run today was we got clos

h, we'd need to

the angry candy-boy my dinner but Mint

leeping. How could that be comfortable? Tied to a

bout these ones? I ba

ss victim, hm? I was feeling an urge to study him,

aw his blood? Was it an im

king when I spotted young M

t me staring

kel

allowed to experiment eve

, keeping myself from drawing

ping comfortably beside the fire. If only I could still sleep so

days, only doing it

nd spaced off as his eye

ore opening my mouth. "What

d up for our friend there." He looked to the young boy in my hold. "But the world isn't all sweet treat and la

scoff. "I think I'd rather be free down here than

. A minute or so passed before he leaned back into the dirt, a frown curved on his lips. "What about you?

ast, maybe not yet. "The demons fill in for leaders somewhat. They're immortal, powerful, and d

re free to murder and rob as we please, as long as we stay in this world, and n

ou're not like them. You don't want to kill, or at least, you're mentally th

. "I couldn't tell you." I closed my eyes. "I think it's because of who I once was though. They were born as monsters, put into this world from children to grow up in a mur

world. That loneliness does stuff to you. I had my Ale to distract myself from that, to make me drunk enough to even forget my name for a whi

lone without that distraction,

n't be able to say anything either. I released a sigh and relaxed agains

lance but rolled onto his side, u

I was the only

ers... How can I tell them

in my head, I couldn't stop t

d the soccer team, what happened to t

t least see where my family

things on theories like I

honestly couldn'

red of the blood, of the horrors around me every

y escape with them. Wherever this duo was