xoxoxoxo
Hello! Sorry for such the wait. But I made it up to you by having a long obnoxious chapter. You may or may not like it. Some of the plot meanings tie together and we meet some of my favourite characters! Each of these characters play a very important role in "Alaska" even the girl on the glass floor covered in flowers.
Just read carefully.
I know I fragment my sentences alot. I'll fix it later, but sometimes it's intentional.
Thanks!
xoxoxoxo
Chapter 4. Dreams
I felt warm, all around was a fog of warm air. My eyes were shut tightly together, before opening them to pure darkness.
I was floating, like on my back in water. But I felt dry, and was dry. I could see nothing except pitch black. My brow furrowed, confused. I had no idea where I was, or where my body was drifting away to.
I opened my mouth, three words past the air quickly and silently.
"Where am I?"
In my mind, it sounded so stereotypical, but survival told me it was a fit question for the situation. I closed my eyes again, failing to feel panic run through my veins. I tried hard to sleep, but my constant motion distracted my thoughts with curiosity. My left foot hit something hard.
I pulled it up and kicked, my body pushed backwards; then floated forward towards it.
Allowing my inner cat to emerge, I carefully sat up. My hand hit smooth floor, it was cold. Feeling even braver, I stood. I then allowed those words to grace my lips again.
"Where am I?" this time, a sound escaped.
I suddenly felt wind hit my face; I closed my eyes quickly and covered my face with my hands. The wind blew hard, all around me, before stopping abruptly. A dim light came through to cracks of my eyes lids. I opened them upon a beautiful painted floor.
It was perfectly designed and executed. The bloody roses surrounded a woman¿s covered head. Only her yellow eyes peeked through. Wisps of orange hair escaped the afghan covering her head and mouth. "Alaska."
It was a deep voice, seductive and smooth as velvet. I looked up to see a slight man, wearing an open white shirt, and blue pants. He had milk coloured skin with a few botches of soft pink in his slender arms. His long yellow hair was in a neat pony tail at the top of his perfect head.
His eyes were an exotic green, with a hint of red. His lips were curved into a slightly mocking smile, as if he was trying not to laugh.
The most exotic feature was the two ebony horns inches away from his slightly elfish ears.
They protruded up, giving a good five inches, before ending in a pencil sharp point.
He was beautiful.
I opened my mouth slightly before replying, "Do I know you?" I tried to sound as professional as possible, but it was hard when staring at a beautiful creature. But he looked in his early twenties at least.
Oh yeah, perfect boyfriend material.
He slowly, yet beautifully looked me up and down. Then looked up at me again, eyes now bright red. "How old are you?"
What? "Why?"
"You¿re so young for a painless." he replied lightly.
"I'm thirteen. What's a painless?"
His smile grew larger, coming to the edges of his face, "Why you don't know! All the more fun when you die." he let out a startling laugh.
It sent chills quickly up my spine and the words 'danger' flashed, this stunningly beautiful creature was now stunningly horrible.
"Who are you?" I asked retreating a few steps.
His smile was now to his ears, "Soon enough."
He took a step forward, I took one back.
I stepped over the edge of the painted floor and fell over the edge.
Into complete darkness.
It took me a few minutes to realize I was awake. My eyes fluttered open to cold bedroom. I could barely make out my ceiling in the dark, beside the light cracking thorugh my door or the fog lights from the cars outside. I turned my head to the window, cars raced silently by; with the occasional hot rod drumming by. I closed my eyes again and turned over, now facing the closet. A chill ran up my spine, that little voice that I hadn¿t had since I was alittle girl came. 'The boogey man could be in the there!' It cried frantically, and then raced off into the abyss of my mind. I frowned and turned back to the window, rather annoyed.
I didn¿t even remember falling asleep again. But then I was falling, head first. Slicing the air at atleast 100 miles per hour. My hands were pinned to my sides, sliding against foreiegn fabric that reminded me of lace. There was a tight covering surrounding my eyes. I could barely make up light behind the covering. I carefully pulled up my hands, and tugged the fabric. It never budged, but tightened around my face. I felt adrenaline and panic spread through my body as I frantically tugged harder onto the mask. It tightened, so tight that it pressed my eye lids shut. Afraid that I was going to kill myself if I tugged anymore, I allowed the wind to pin my arms down again. I hyperventilated as my body began to pick up speed. I suddenly slammed into hard stone. It crumbled like card board beneath my body. Bits of stone flew around me quickly. I screamed, but nothing escaped as I was buried beneath stone. The powder filled my nose; I gasped, then seized up. I collapsed on upon whatever I was residing on. The mask began to drip, like water, it trickled down my face disappearing as it neared the rose necklace I wore. I carefully opened my eyes to bright blue. I then sat up slowly as possible, and looked upon an awesome abyss of sand and heat. It was a desert. Large dunes covered the land, giving it a smooth mountainous appearance. No plants, life, or wind.
Silence.
I looked down to see what I had crashed into, it was stone alright. Marble. Beautiful white marble, that I had ruined. I looked both ways, realizing I had crashed into some type of stairs. I carefully moved my body over to another step, to analyze my surroundings. I felt cold on the inside, even though I was sweating mercilessly. Slowly, I stood up, my back in a crouch position. I turned upon a stark white marble building.
A cathedral.
Its archways stark white, with specks of natural coal in the marble. The floor was a smooth exotic black stone. The doors were a worn chestnut. Huge iron hinges began to creak loudly forward. I gasped at the beauty I saw.
A huge coloured glass display. A woman in all white looked mournfully down at the pew-less room. Her eyes were absent of pupils, everything about her was absent of colour. Just pure virginic white.
I took a few cautious steps forward, taking in every last detail of the stark white room. The windows had iron bars against them, to prevent entrance-
Or escape.
I came to the middle of the room, now the woman seemed to be staring straight at me. I watched her tender white eyes, feeling a surge of security run through my body. A single word came to my thoughts. I thought maybe calling her name would wake her up. Even though it was just glass I was staring at.
"G-"
There was a boom, then I crunching noise. I looked all around, before looking up to see glass shattering. Her beautiful face breaking to pieces, then spilling on to me.
"No!"
I covered my face and screamed. The glass fell around me, cutting my forearm and hitting my legs. I backed away, slipping on fallen glass. I stood where I was, eyes closed, hands covering my precious cranium. Then it stopped, and it was silent.
Quiet. I looked up to see the glass gone, all of it. The beautiful woman gone. My heart fell. I stared up at the place she had been looking down at me.
That feeling of safety soon left.
"Don't worry, it'll come back."
I turned to see that beautiful man again. This time his lips were drawn into a thin line. He was wearing a suit; it fit nicely against his beautiful body. His sleeves were pushed back; his left arm was hanging in the air like he had just thrown something.
"Who was she?" I asked cautiously,
"The devil." that mocking smile formed over again.
"But she was so beautiful."
"The devil seduces." he took a step forward. My instinct told me to step back, but instead I held my place. I watched him close, and his perfect eyes. "That is how he seduced the originals away from the Garden of Eden."
The originals? I realized whom he meant and replied, "Adam and Eve."
"Obviously." he replied smugly kicking a piece of glass away. "I just struck it at the spur of the moment."
"Why?"
"I hate her."
"Doesn¿t everyone?"
His smile grew larger, "Some people worship Satan."
"I know." I blushed and looked away, "But I want to know who you are."
"I'm no one that's matters to you. I go my own way. Stay out of my way and I don't care." he kicked another piece and drew closer.
I felt hot all over, like I was melting; he came closer, almost closing the distance between us. I grew hotter, sweat rolled down my forehead.
He reached out slowly, revealing one of his botchy milk hands. "Warren."
I reached out my hand. "A-
"I know what your name is."
Our hands enclosed upon each other. I felt the immediate burning sensation, I looked down to see my skin melting away from my hands as he shook it up and down. I screamed as he laughed hysterically.
Darkness.
My eyes shot open immediately. I gasped and looked outside. I was awake. I pulled my hand to my chest, and breathed slowly.
He was definitely not boy friend material.
I looked at my left hand, there wasn't any burns, so it wasn't one of those Freddy Kruegur things. I looked frantically around my room, and focused in on my closet. That small childish voice instilled quickly. "It was the boogey-man! Go tell Mama!"
I frowned and slipped out of bed, and walked cautiously to my closet. I flung open the door and quickly turned on the light.
Nothing.
I was greeted by racks of shirts and skirts that hung lazily on their hangers. I took a gasp of relief, and closed my eyes.
He was so scary. It was frightening that he knew my name. Then I realized something absolutely amazing.
He was a dream. I felt a smile curve up almost to my ears, he couldn¿t hurt me. I turned sharply after shutting off the lights and closing the door and skipping merrily to bed, but not before stubbing my toe. I laid on the bed the fan cooling down my sweaty body.
It was a dream. I thought happily. I closed my eyes and thought the dream over silently. I thought of the beautiful woman in the glass, how she stared so beautifully down at me, how warm I felt. I wanted to touch her white skin. To feel if it was as soft it looked. I imagined the coolness it would be, with a hint of warmth. How she would smile sadly at me, then lean in and gently kiss my cheek.
And then lead me to the abyss of hell.
Great.
I knew deep inside I couldn¿t believe such a beautiful, pure creature could be evil. But on the contrary, a very beautiful man couldn¿t burn your hand to nothing but bone and laugh about it. Was he a fallen angel? A ally of Satan that quit? Those beautiful horns.
Those horns. I closed my eyes and imagined their beauty, how perfect they looked and how they seemed to fit his profile perfectly.
I didn¿t sleep the rest of the night. No matter how my body urge me to close my eyes and think happy thoughts, I wanted to stay awake. I was afraid, even though I knew he was a monster of dreams. I still didn¿t want to look at his face anyway but my conscious mind. It hurt to stare silently up at the ceiling for two hours before my alarm rang. I thought over everything, trying to interpret what the dream meant. Like therapists always do. But so far I was failing miserably as a thirteen-year-old therapist. The fan rapidly circled, cooling me off to a threatening sleeping temperature. I rubbed my eyes, remembering the time I had stayed up for seventy-two hours playing and beating a video game.
Only problem was I was being distracted then instead of lying in bed watching the fan turn. But after two hours, it was almost a blessing to hear my alarm ring. I slammed the button and hopped up, throwing open the door and running into the hall. I banged hard on Beatrice's door, then M-J's. I heard loud cussing as I lounged into the free bathroom.
I locked it tight quickly and ran to the shower. Turning the crome knob so that icy droplets of artificial rain fell loudly from it. I heard a loud bang on the door,
"DAMMIT SARA!"
I quickly stripped out of my under wear and bra and pressed my ear against the door, "What?" I asked innocently, smiling at myself in the mirror.
"I ALWAYS GET THE SHOWER FIRST. I HAVE SCHOOL IN AN HOUR."
"Too Bad! I was up before you." I did an artificial laugh behind the door. She shrieked and stomped off. I placed my back against the door, taking in a sigh of relief. I placed a hand to my temple, I had expected a headache after staying up all night. But nothing came, not even the soft throbbing of one starting up. I smiled in relief knowing I was going to go to school without having the aid of Advil in my blood stream like on regular mornings. I sat in my position, knees to my chin staring at the rose-bud shower curtain for five minutes. I quickly got up, trying to brace myself for the cold shower. I always took a cold shower in the morning because it woke me up better. I gasped as the stream hit my back and shivered as it ran down my spine, drenching my trembling legs. Soon I grew used to it, and began to start my daily routine.
Everything went as a regular day. I even got through lunch without dropping anything. But Ben sat alittle closer, defying his own set of rules of personal space. He intentionally talked about everything, keeping my eyes on him and not on anything else. I smiled and nodded, letting him do most of the talking. I ate fast and effortlessly. More so than himself. We walked to science shoulder to shoulder, him still ranting on about how he couldn't stand his mother's new boyfriend, when I felt something hit my shoulder. I frowned and turned to see a large newly added bruise in a perfect circle on my bare shoulder. Lucy came running up from behind, her plump butter face a soft kidney bean red, "I'm sorry Sara! I was aiming for Jamie's big head." She finished the rest of the sentence rather loudly and thumbed at Jamie running down the sidewalk. She leaned down and picked up a rather large black book. She seethed at the bruise left on my arm, "It must hurt!" she traced it with her index finger, "No, not at all." I smiled and pulled my jacket that I had stored on my waist around my shoulders to cover the now purple bruise. "Just go hit Jamie for me." I winked and smiled numbly. She laughed nervously, "Sorry again! I will hit him." She then took off down the sidewalk after one of our portly classmates.
"I hate him." Ben stated a hint of anger in his soft grey eyes. "I do too." I responded as I took my previous pace down the walk way. He reached over silently, and pulled up the sleeve of my jacket. "It looks pretty bad Al." he murmured leaning over to get a better view of the bruise. "Really? I don't feel anything." he smiled and rolled his eyes as his hand retreated quickly to his side. "Youre weird." I smiled softly and continued down the side walk.
I sat for an entire class period and got nothing done. I stared at the board, Mr.E and had my note book ready for note taking. But ceased to get anything done. I stared out into space that entire period. Imaging impossible scenarios with Warren and the woman in white. I wanted nothing more than to meet the woman. I wanted to touch that skin. Smell the air she breathed. I inhaled deeply as the siren of a bell rang through the empty halls. I slowly stood to make my way to the door when-
"Miss. Partridge?"
I spun quickly to see Mr.E walking towards me, his large hand outstretched to me, I sighed slowly replied "Yes?"
"Would you take a quick detour to my desk?"
I nodded and walked slowly to his large desk, it was covered messily over with papers, on the right a large monitor held its breath among the sea of graded hand-ins, and somewhere under all of it was a keyboard. I had seen it once, and only once.
"You were rather out of it today." he mused almost instantly as he seated himself in the wooden stool he resided daily.
"I had a strange dream last night. It's been bothering me."
He smiled, "I see, everyone has those days." his gaze turned from me to a drawer in his desk. He pulled out a small packet of notebook papers with my familiar scrawl decorating each page. I realized that they were my old notes from my previous semester with Mr.E.
He read my expression and answered it quickly, "I dug them out of the garbage. I use them as model notes." he explained, "I'm used to this work." he soft auburn eyes met my hazel. "What's wrong Sara?"
"Nothing. I was just pre-occupied." I explained with a smile.
He sat back in the stool alittle, crossing his arms. Giving me that look of disbelief.
"Honest." I assured.
He nodded and scribbled a late pass on a quick note and sent me out the door. That look of doubt still etched in his features.
I traced the painted brick with my fingers down the near empty hall. My thoughts still drowning is the images of those two angels. I threw back my head and let out a groan, putting up my appearance was harder every day. Even Mr.E was noticing I had a problem.I didn¿t have a problem actually, it was all the strange events that were happening since my Gran had died. The lady in the graveyard, the dreams, the sudden lack of any pain mentally or physically. It alarmed med deeply. I had chosen to ignore it for a while now. I did'nt know why. It felt like a need to-to think of these events, and start to wonder if I needed to be alarmed to what was exactly happening to me. My mind was spinning everywhere now. I felt dizzy, I paused to lean against the wall on my way to the last class of the day. I took a deep exagrarated breath and made the rest of my way to Mrs.Nans' room.
I focused alittle better in Mrs.Nans' room, more because she required everyone's complete attention while learning about the difference between the three "Theys"
I felt completely dead by the time english ended.
I rode spastically down the street home that day. Getting almost hit by three cars. I hopped along sidewalks and roads. Finally making it home unscathed.I finished my homework quickly and ran to the phone. Dialing Ben's numbers as fast as my fingers would allow.
"Thomas residence?"
"Mrs.Thomas?"
"Alaska! Hey baby! You need to talk to Benjy?" Mrs.Thomas was always very childish, and still called us by pre-school names. Ben did'nt go by Benjy anymore, but I still went by Alaska with most people.
"Yes ma'am" I replied, his mother could always put me in a good mood.
"Let me get him baby." she set the phone down and I could make her calling Ben from his room, I heard lud foot steps and a fumbling of the phone.
"Hey Al."
"Hey." I made myself comfortable as the kitchen chair. " So you want to go out later?"
"To where?" his voice stiffened, I wasn't sure why.
"The mall? We could just walk around while your mom shops."
He paused and replied, "Sure. Is there something you want to talk about?"
I thought it through, "Yeah kinda. But I was to do it in person, plus i did'nt talk to you today." I assured.
"Oh."
There was a pregnant pause. "I can go." He wanted to talk too.
I took a deep sigh of relief. "Thanks, it's kinda nice to hear your voice."
He paused and quickly changed the subject, "I'll pick you up at seven." he said quickly.
"Okay thanks." i changed it too so not to scare him off.
"Bye." with that he hung up.
"Bye" I replied numbly to the tone. I silently hung up the phone and ran my fingers through my hair, tears begining to pour down my face. A chill ran up my spine as I contracted my lower lip to release to release a silent sob. I sat at the dinner table and cried silently into my lap.
He came at seven like he said, I told Dad I was going to the mall with Ben and ran out the door so that the honking stopped. His mother waved wildly at me from the passenger’s side of the car. Ben looked at me through the window and smiled thinly. I could tell there was something wrong. I climbed meekly into the left side. I sat behind a large man, with thinning brown hair and black eyes. “Hey honey. This is Rob." She gestured to the man, who gave me a thumbs up. As I buckled into the seat I stared at Ben's eyes, I could tell he wasn't enjoying the ride at all. This must’ve been the boyfriend he had been talking about. I felt rather guilty for making that phone call now. I looked longingly outside the window. Wishing it could only be Ben, Heather, and me. But Heather wasn’t going to give up on getting Ben to like Rob any time soon. She babbled back and forth from all of us as the car reached the outskirts of the town down the highway. To Wickers, where there were actual stores.
Our town was rather big because of neighbor hoods. Besides that, the stores were pretty limited. It involved a ten minute drive to Wickers to get a corporate store or even a Burger King. Heather kept every one talking by asking questions then changing the subject almost as soon as it turned up. I was blessed when I saw the sign ¿Welcome to Wickers Arkansas!¿
“Lookie were already here! Boy you can drive fast Rob! Maybe you can teach Benjy when he’s old enough.” Heather piped loudly patting Rob’s large shoulder.
“If you’re still together.” Ben muttered in annoyance.
“Benjy don’t say that baby!” Heather cried dramatically. She unbuckled herself and peeked over the seat, her cell phone clutched in her left, she reached out her right to touch Ben’s face. She then let go and turned around again as Rob drove up by the food court. She threw a twenty at us and murmured, “Go buy something to eat dears. We’ll be at the food court around eight thirty. Unless you need to be picked up earlier Sara?”
“No, my dad said eight is fine.” My mother was in wickers as well. Ben helped me out of the left side onto the sidewalk. “We’ll be in the sears if you need us.” She bless a kiss and drove away.
“He seems nice.” I piped, trying to lighten the sudden darkened mood. “I hate him.” Ben started for the entrance. That didn’t help. I caught with him, and asked, “Why?” I didn’t know if it was polite question or not but at the moment I really didn’t care. Ben took a deep breath and replied slowly, “Every time my Mom gets a new boyfriend she completely forgets about me.” He said quickly walking a little faster. “Really?”
“Yeah, I kind of wish she’d stop dating. Remember when we got our last report cards?”
“Yeah,” I grinned, Ben and I had gotten straight As. “Well when I showed her she just blew it off. She didn’t say she was proud or anything, just what her and Rob were doing later”
“Oh, now I know what you mean when you say you hate him.” I supposed that would anger me too.
“It just hurt. I don’t want to sound like pussy but it was like I didn’t exist.” He looked away to the silver handle, his cheeks rather red. I averted my gaze upward and responded quickly, “I would feel the same way Ben. Really, I would be so angry.” I touched his shoulder quickly, and then removed my hand. His posture eased and he gave a sigh, “I want Rob to dump her bad.” I smiled and replied, “Maybe. You never know.” He smiled softly and opened the door. We stepped into a large room with a glass ceiling and tables everywhere. Fast-food restaurants were scattered randomly through the room. The buzz of a hundred voices rang through the smelly air. I took it all in at once and coughed. I threw my hair back and walked forward. Ben followed me as we walked through the tantalizing court of greasy fast food.
I sat down on a lonely step on the other end of the mall. Ben scooted beside me. “What did you want to talk about?” I could he was eager to figure it out. “Oh just some weird stuff I’ve been going through.”
“Like what?” his brow furrowed and he placed his chin in his palm. “Well….” I paused and gave a sigh,
Guess it’s about time I got over myself.
I quickly gave him a nutshell version in a matter of minutes. As my words grew faster, the more hysterical I became, my arms drawn over my head, pulling at my hair. I took large gasps. Ben put his hands on my shoulders. “Calm down.” he murmured, his eyes glazed over. He was trying to interpret was I had just said. He always had that look when he was thinking. “Sounds like a dream.” He mused, his eyes returning to normal.
“But it wasn’t! Well, at least not all of it was.”
“Exactly, part of it was a dream. Meaning that maybe and just maybe…..” he assured as he sensed the hysteria returning, “It was.”
“That does make sense.” I agreed, rather embarrassed of my previous behavior, complete and utter panic did not suit me. He smiled, and placed a hand on my shoulder. ¿That’s why I’m here Al, to listen.” I smiled back and leaned over to quickly hug his shoulders, I whispered softly in his pale ear, “You have no idea how happy I feel to get that off my chest.”
I retreated as he replied, “Was it that that was bothering you?” I blushed brightly and replied, “Yes.” He smirked and replied, “Don’t ever ignore me again because of something like that again! I thought I did something wrong!” I laughed highly and lowered my eyelids, “I was afraid I was going to end up in a padded cell.”
“I wouldn’t think you were too crazy.” He paused, and then added, “I’ve had worse dreams.”
I raised an eyebrow and stood up, “Really? Like what?”
“Do I have to say?” he whined standing beside me,
“I told my crazy dreams, your turn.” I held out a hand and bowed.
“Fine.” He scowled and started, “I keep having this dream about this girl, and she follows me everywhere! Carries this huge scythe thing.”
“Scythe thing?”
“Yeah, like the Grim Reaper, but it’s bigger than her.”
“Does she chase you around?” I rose my arms, then lowered them realizing acting it out in public was not the best decision.
“No, just follows me, she drags it around like a freak.”
“That’s weird. Did you tell Heather?”
Ben scowled even more, “I tried, but she just went and related it to a dream Rob told her about! He dreamed about her on a horse. What a priss.”
“Maybe he was just trying to impress your mom.”
“That’s what I said, but she just got all googly eyed at me and said, ‘No Benjy! Robbie doesn’t lie to me!” he imitated his mother with a rather accurate raised octave.
I giggled at him, and then teased the imitation. We walked slowly up and down the mall, from one end of sears, to the door of the dullards. We babbled about everything that came to mind. I found myself sighing in relief at his eased face, no longer did he sound of the stiff, unsure, and cautious voice on the phone. But my friend.
My friend Ben Thomas.
I rubbed my eyes as we made our third round into dullards. I had now resorted to nodding and replying, “Uh-huh.” And the occasional two cents into the conversation. I suddenly felt my hundred and twenty percent go to fifty. I turned to see a large man, he was holding a small child, and her head was bobbing as her eyes swiveled in their sockets. Her legs were twisted in odd directions, and her arms singed to a dark burnt brown. “Al what are you looking at?” Ben asked tugging on me to go into the music store with him. I shuddered and turned quickly and abruptly. “Nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew.” The scene of the ruined girl and the man still in my mind. Every time I blinked, they taunted me under the eyelids. I distracted myself for about five minutes with the new record, “Tyranny.” When the single mentioned “Little Girl Don’t You Cry!” I abruptly pulled the head phones off.
I did not once distract Ben with my lost thoughts of what I had just seen.
That definitely was not a dream. That was a real little girl, really half dead. In some burly man’s large arms.
I followed Ben, Heather, and Rob back into the tiny sedan after we met in the food court. The drive home was as loud as it was on the there, thanking Heather. I almost leaped out of the car, crying thanks and ran to the door.
“Hi Mama.”
“Hi babe.” Mama was in her Tweety bird pajama bottoms with my father’s ancient army t-shirt on. She was drinking a cup of coffee. “How was the mall?” “Great, I found a c-d I want for my birthday.” Even though it was ten months away. “Really? What is it?”
“Tyranny By Karma.” God you want to talk? I thought in annoyance.
“Oooh, Karma. That band you like.” She smiled and tapped her forehead, “Note taken.”
“Cool. Ill go take my shower kay?”
“Kay.” She agreed as I stole up stairs
I stood in the shower for an hour, listening to the rambling of my own mind and the drone of the loud stereo in my sister’s room. My hand clasped the stone faucet as I switched it often from boiling hot to ice cold randomly. I finally left the water run at a lukewarm point and sat down. Staring at the checkered tile that stared back at myself. Whatever that was going on was ruining. I remember how calm I was after I told Ben and got his somewhat wise scope of the experiences, how I was laughing for real. Then they showed up. That girl seizing up in the big man’s arms and flailing her innocent body, he had no expression. Not even alarm of the small red head clasped in his arms. Her burned body and cold eyes. Of fear and hysteria. I pulled my arms over my dripping hair and paid attention to the spray on my back. Finally after what seemed forever my mother knocked on the door.
“Baby it’s nine, you’ve been in there for a hour. Everything okay?”
“Headache.” I often used the witty excuse when I took ridiculously long showers. Even though I hadn’t had a headache for almost a month now. I reached up and slammed the faucet right and slipped into the cold bathroom. I went for the towel on the floor.
I feel asleep almost instantly, arriving to a circumstance that I would never forget ever.
I took in slow, obnoxious breaths, thinking how make air I was taking in.
Half a lung.
An entire lung.
Two and a half lungs.
Both lungs.
Now I was hyperventilating as my body once again shot through the air, but this time faster. There was no covering concealing the world I was falling to. I watched endless blue fall along with me. I took another deep breath and allowed myself to begin screaming. My voice strained as I flailed through the air screaming. Finally my voice failed and became quiet. I sailed through the air, finally hitting the marble again. I held my breath, then released, my stomach doing jump-rope inside me. I didn’t want to be in this position, helpless in my own mind. I sat up and repeated my action from the previous dream. Scooting to a new step, standing up, and walking forward into the room even though I didn’t want to.
I glanced twice at the glass. No longer was it scattered across the marble floor, but over head again. But staring down at me were two fierce red eyes belonging to a shirtless man, with long blonde hair messily spread across his thick neck. His expression was mocking, his mouth in a thin smile to his elfish ears. The ebony horns were lost in the fierily red background. I shook my head slowly, repeating his name, "Warren."
"The menace of everything." a whisper replied. I turned to see a woman. Her skin was absent of all colour completely. Her pupils were missing, just allowing the white to shine through. Her long hair fanned out in all directions perfectly. A thin veil of lace covered her beautiful mature curves, only barely allowing the skin to show through. Her thin, long fingers were laced together. A gentle, calming smile was etched onto her lips.
"Alaska." she stated, her lips not moving an inch. "I am....surprised." she frowned for a second, and then brought the corners of her mouth up again. I felt a sense of calm drain the panic in my veins. "Of what?" I asked softly. She reached up slowly and touched my face and sighed, "You’re so beautiful."
Then everything stopped. Her gaze dropped as her face began to crack like glass. She shattered quickly as she had appeared, falling to the earth in a heap of broken glass.
"NO!"
Absence of everything pure.
I rode the bus that day to school. I didn’t believe I could efficiently ride a bike without being hit with a Sudan. I watched the cars ride by as we took the long way to pick up the other kids. I looked curiously at the vomit green apartments we had pulled up to. I spotted his short black hair and thin body being harassed by a portly child covered in acne. He pushed the boy away from him as he boarded the bus. I threw my legs over the empty seat to my right, so no one would dare sit there. “Ben!” I called waving rapidly to catch his lost expression. He smiled and turned sideways to make his way by the other seats, he almost disappeared as he came closer. “What are you doing here?” he questioned; it was rare of me to ride the bus in the morning. “Flat tire on the bike.” I pretended to be disappointed, I gave him a suspicious look as well, ¿Well you don’t ride the bus often either!” “I ride it on Mondays so mom can leave early for her job in Wickers.” He had already explained this concept before, but it was a way to keep him talking. I leaned the back of my head against the window, as I crossed my legs on the seat. I smiled at him as he complained loudly. Even in the drone of the laughter and yelling that flooded bus 269, I still could hear him clearly and perfectly. I smiled as we pulled up to the stop at the school. I pushed him up in front me, he stumbled down the steps and I laughed.
I laughed harder than I had in months.
The school day was in a blur, I couldn’t remember anything I had had been told. I was in some strange trance that I didn’t leave until I decided to walk instead of ride a noisy bus. I looked over to the right to the small quaint floral shop that I had purchased roses at and met that strange old biddy. I could make out the large red sign that had the printed letters of “OUT OF BUSINESS”. I stared for a moment, trying to recall how long it had been since I had bought the roses. I couldn’t remember the date either. I looked back to the cross section. It wasn’t like I wanted to remember the date either. I still woke covered in sweat dreaming about that thing that I had saw. I closed my eyes to prevent myself to regaining that image in my mind. I walked slowly down the street, keeping my eyes to the ground.
“Why haven’t you come?” someone asked behind me, I turned. My brow furrow quickly fell when I broke stare on that clerk of the floral shop standing there. She was buried in layers of shawls; only a black skirt that fell to the sidewalk was visible. Her long scraggly hair was up in a messy bun. Pieces of hair fell everywhere and in every direction. Her large black eyes caught my hazel and pierced them with a knife. “Well?” she accused again,
“Why haven’t you come back to the shop?”
“I haven’t had a need for flowers since then.” I murmured.
“Why not? Don’t you visit that dead Granny of yours?”
“Not everyday.” I wish everyday.
“Well why not?” she cried tightening the bundle around her with her invisible hands.
“I don’t think it’s any of your business.”
“It’s my business alright.” She pointed with a covered hand over to the shop, “That’s out of business.”
“Maybe I don’t have time.”
“You should make time. You beat yourself up about her. You should atleast go talk to her.”
“A dead person?”
“Who says they can’t hear you?”
“What the hell is your problem? I don’t ever know you.”
“Well you’re the one who told me the flowers were for the deceased.”
“And you’re the one who knows who my Gran was!”
“Well maybe we were friends.”
“When?”
“When we were kids.”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s none of your business!” she sniffed.
“I’ll buy some flowers.” I conned remembering the pocket change from lunch.
“Not that I have any!”
“Well what do you want from me?”
“Just to introduce myself without saying my name! You never came again so I never got to see you.”
I paused, “You’re a pedophile, I should report you.”
“I have yet to grab you like a pedophile would my dear. I highly doubt I am so.”
“Whatever.” I started back towards home again.
“Fine! Watch your back tonight though!”
I felt my eyelids shoot open when she said that. What kind of freaky old woman says that to a little girl? A minor. I rolled my eyes and quickly blew it off.
I went home, ate dinner, and went to bed.
It was cold as always in my room. I always had the fan on like my dad. Because if I got cold I could just get under the covers. But for some reason, it was more cold. I was having a restless sleep, no dreams but just uneasy thoughts and feelings. I tossed a few more times. Waking myself up for a third time. I frowned and turned to the closet.
‘click’
I froze in my fetal position in the bed.
‘click-cla-click’
It was a door, but not just any door. All the rooms had the openings replaced with new bright white doors. Except my own closet door. Which when opened made a soft
‘Click-cla-click’
I slowly rolled myself over to the window. Breathing fast. Something was opening my closet door, by the inside. I felt my lip tremble as I closed my eyes and acted asleep.
‘click-cliiiick’
The door was open. I could now hear padded footsteps approached the middle of the room. It was now only a few feet away from my bed. I breathed faster. I could hear the carpet crunch against it’s feet. I could now hear light breathing. I felt panic engulf me.
Now it was down my neck. The softest touch of cold skin against hot skin.
I shot up and turned, my eyes shut. I pushed the closet monster away and flung open the door. I started quickly down the hallway, finally slowly door. Breathing heavily.
I felt breathing down my neck, it was hot, and taken in short gasps. It wasn't a familiar smell, though I knew who it belonged to. I walked cautiously forward, telling myself to take baby steps. I didn’t want to excite it. But I knew it was already writhing from the fear I was giving off. I held my screams inside of my throat as I walked forward. I could hear muted footsteps creeping forward. I rested my left arm on the second door down the wall. I had two options, either bang wildly to wake up Beatrice and then get eaten along with the older sister. Or option two; keep going forward towards the window at the end of the hall. I took a cautious step forward, it took two. So now it was right behind me, waiting, hungry and wanting to break the skin of my neck. I closed my eyes and let out a silent whimper. If this thing behind me, is about to devour me, or make me part of it's sick circus of kicks. Then allow me to die and go to where ever I meant to be, and be with her, happy and unafraid.
I bit my lip and broke into a run, breathing heavily and reaching the dark window to the end of the tunnel. I felt arms encircle my waist and knock all air I had saved for the fall into the rose bushes outside the window. I let of a silent scream and thrashed wildly. I might as well die in an interesting way. A pair of fingers grabbed the edges of my lips and squeezed. I quickly stopped all movement and dropped my arms. The monster lifted me off the ground, the breathing now becoming increasingly cold. Like drips of water running down my neck quickly and coldly, then traveling down my spine and dripped onto the chestnut floors. The monster began to walk backwards, taking me back to my own room. I closed my eyes and agreed to scream as loud as possible as soon as the monster let go of me.
I was suddenly abruptly turned around of was facing a chest of cleavage. A woman? I thought as my lips pressed cold collar bone. I couldn’t see clearly enough however. It, or more she sat me on my bed. I felt my heart stop when I was faced in the steely moon light with the woman I saw all those months ago, covered in dirt, digging a casket up. My plan of "Scream your ass off." failed miserably as the fear of having my blood sucked by this thing in front of me faltered. She looked exactly the same. Same crimson dress, white skin, cropped black hair, and stitches covering every part of her body. Now that she was closer, closer to my own face than ever, I could see a faint lining of scars that traveled up to her ears. I breathed slowly using the bear tactic that if I didn’t move it couldn’t see me.
She reached out and touched my face with her icy finger.
That tactic proved stupid as well.
I began to whimper as she placed a second finger to my face, her breathing now like ice against my face. Her entire set of digits on her right hand were touching my face. "Please." I begged, my voice whispered sobs, "Just kill me." I felt tears stream down my face, "That's what you want to do right? That's why you’re in my room?" her eyes clouded with a hysteric confusion, "Kill you? Never you Alaska." she leaned over and kissed my cheek. "I could never kill you." her voice sounded like a woman on the verge of tears, but her expression remained composed, except for her eyes. Her voice grew more hysterical. "I never had the intention of frightening you ma'am, just to see what you really looked like."
"But you saw me before." her looked down, her eyes grew full of pure pity, "Not with these eyes I'm afraid."
I looked around my own room, trying to find way to get this crazy bitch out of my room. Whoever, whatever this appendage to the dump society had turned into in one night, needed to either knock me out or leave. Or I push her into an oven like the wicked witch she was. "I never intended to wake you up. I just wanted to see if your skin was soft, like Melinda's, like a baby's." she sounded like she was in sobs, but her face remained composed except for the frantic look in her eyes. She quickly kept her mouth moving as she moved to the window in my room. She slowly opened the window and popped out the screen. "I do apologize for frightening you and I-" her body slipped out the window quickly and silently. I screamed and ran to the window, and popped my head out of the opening; I looked down to see no trace of the woman. I heard a door slam open. "Sara?" it was Daddy, I spun around, my arms against the glass of the sill. "Daddy?" he walked quickly forward and picked up the screen on the floor, "What's wrong with the window?" I gasped and replied, ¿I had a bad dream Daddy and when I opened the window the screen popped out and it scared me." That was the best I could make up at the moment, which I thought was pretty good for meeting a funny farmer in less than five minutes ago. He sighed and pushed me softly out of the way and screwed in the screen the best he could with his fingers. "You've been having alot of those bad dreams Sara." he grasped both of my shoulders with his big hands. "Don't beat yourself up so much. You just think so much." he squeezed me against his big chest, "Just do, don't think baby." he murmured patting my back and then lightly scolding me to get into bed. "Don't think about that closet monster of yours okay?" he winked then chuckled as my pupils dilated. He switched off the light and closed the door.
I closed my eyes and silently braced myself for the rest of the lonely night.
xoxoxox
Whew! Whatta chap! I wrote all of this separently and had to put it together too. :O
Contact me at tombunny@aol.com COPYRIGHT & © ROAD KAMELOT 2008-2009
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