* * * *
I find a tiny, stone path off in a back corner of the yard. Kicking off my flippies, I bend down to grab them with my free hand. I want something real underneath me. Cautiously, I walk onto the path. Compared to the summery grass previously tickling my bare toes, the stones feel rough and jagged.
I step on each rock individually, making a sort of child’s game out of the walk, and follow the path which now seems quite long. That’s curious. But now that I’m alone, I am not in the mood to worry, and I’m also still a bit dazed from the encounter with Andrew. I try to ignore anything weird and am simply enjoying the freshness of the outdoors when I happen upon an area I’ve never seen before. A beautiful koi pond, off on its own, catches my attention.
Where the hell did this come from? Am I going crazy or something?
I have been over to Preston’s a zillion times and this was never here. I should know because, loving nature the way I do, I end up out here alone a decent amount of the time.
A dark brick wall standing to the side of the pond doesn’t seem to serve any purpose other than to house the insane amounts of jasmine growing near it. Even though I am inexplicably drawn to the area, the intensity of the aroma causes me to wobble some. It’s overpowering and making me woozy.
I sit down at the edge of the pond and try to compose myself, surprised to find the lawn is soft and cool, but not damp, as it had felt while walking. Wiggling my toes in the long blades of grass, I sigh and run both hands through my hair a couple of times. A useless attempt to clear my head; just like my recent haircut—from waist-length to my shoulders—didn’t help transform me in any way.
I lounge back on my hands and gaze into the pond, glad to have found these fish—something truly calming about the day. And now that I am sitting, the jasmine is relaxing me rather than making me dizzy. So that’s a nice change.
Trying not to think about anything in particular, I let the fish—swimming in what looked to be patterns—mesmerize me. After a few minutes, I turn around to the party to see what’s going on. Apparently, nothing. I see absolutely no sign of anyone nor do I hear any voices or music.
All right, where’d everyone go? Back inside? I guess I had better head there soon, too.
But I really don’t get why is there no noise. Even if they are inside, I should be able to hear the music…
I face the water again and something in the surrounding bushes catches my eye. After a quick sip of my drink, I stand up, wanting to see what kind of animal might be hiding. Maybe I can see a bunny or something if I’m stealthy enough.
I slip my flip-flops back on and walk over to the brick wall. Setting my cup down, I brush off the butt of my jeans. The air has turned a bit chilly, so I rearrange my scarf to warm up a little. Then, as always, I have to bend down and tuck the troublesome, extra length of my jeans in between my heels and flippies.
Ah, much better.
Taking careful steps to avoid any plant annihilation, I walk around the pond and head toward the bushes. At first glance I see nothing, so I step right up to the shrubs.
Lights filter up from underneath and they are extremely bright. Even if I backed away from the shrubs, I’m pretty sure they would still hurt my eyes. All I can figure is that they’re something Preston’s parents installed to illuminate the pond area. But I’m still confused as to when the pond was put in…
The lights start flashing in rhythmic patterns and liquid-like sounds whoosh through my head, which is now spinning again—a contrast to the movements of my body. I’m swaying just the slightest. It’s like patting your head and rubbing your stomach, only not funny.
This day is beyond out of control. What the frack?
The metal from my necklace starts stinging a little—it’s more than what I felt on my birthday, especially since the sensation is now on more delicate skin. But I haven’t had a problem with it again until now. I never take it off and, except for the short consideration of not wearing it earlier, I’ve never thought of taking it off. A shiver runs down my back, causing me to shudder. I’m not cold, but definitely out of sorts and perplexed.
I walk back toward the direction of the house with my eyes open awkwardly, entranced by the strange lights. Following the length of the bushes, I stop at the sound of Olivia’s voice. She is fighting with Preston in the neighbor’s yard—I hear my own name come up a couple of times. Not good.
Turning away to give the couple some privacy, I glimpse someone else in my periphery. Only this someone isn’t anything like my two friends.
What the heck?
I know I’m not drunk, so I’m not sure what could possibly be going on. Maybe I fell asleep by the pond and didn’t realize it…
I turn to observe the strange person more clearly and my mind flashes with thoughts of the two shadows I saw earlier. But this thing isn’t just a shadow. This thing is real—substantial. Scales cover its greenish skin and it is heading toward Olivia and Preston. I freeze briefly.
All right, I’m definitely asleep!
Dreams, I can handle. Or at least try to handle. I’ll just pretend it’s a happy dream and use my control. I know I can do it.
I’m not entirely sure my pep talk will help, but I have to try. At least the starkness of the change in scene has straightened my head and body a bit. My insides, which were like Jell-O, solidify.
This type of setting is only different from my nightmares in that I can sense this man is about to attack my friends. And humans have never appeared in my ‘visions’ before. Only creatures. I can’t imagine why Olivia and Preston are involved.
Forcing myself to move toward the threat, somehow—without fear, but a sudden surge of confidence—I leap over the bushes where the green creature has made his way, determined to stop the obvious impending fight.
Olivia and Preston can neither get hurt nor see what is happening. Not if I can help it. Thankfully the couple is now screaming back and forth so they can’t hear anything else, and they certainly aren’t looking around at their surroundings.
I lunge forward and bash into the unknown entity—which stands like a man yet clearly isn’t—with as much force as I can muster. Unfortunately, I might as well have bashed into a brick wall as my strength is nothing compared to the creature I collided with.
He grabs my hair with his blood-red claws—hooks that glow even in the dim moonlight. I can’t help but yelp as he whips me through the air, causing me to land on the other side of the bushes, where I’d just come from—away from my friends and back in Preston’s yard. Looking up, I see the green man coming toward me.
No! I’m not going to let him get me – and especially not Olivia and Preston!
I jump up, somehow landing on my feet like a ninja. Straightening my shoulders, I start running … I sprint down the length of the shrubs back toward the lights and the pond, the creature close behind me. I feel as fast as Andrew had looked in the parking lot this morning when he left the car.
My necklace is practically on fire now, scorching a hole into the hollow of my neck. I rip off the thick chain in one motion and throw it aside into a patch of tall grass.
My view changes. The world becomes clear as day. A strange power and a sense of strength wash over me and my insides relax.
As I take a step forward, I feel as if I’m trudging through high water, yet my actions are swift. I have no clue how any of this is possible. But then again, I am dreaming. Nothing is out of bounds in my dreams.
All I have to do is kick this guy’s ass and I’ll be outta here. At least that’s my plan. I’ve tried enough times to control these situations—maybe this will be the time it all falls into place. I feel it will.
Because something is different this time. I intuit a new confidence. Olivia and Preston can’t get hurt. Even in a dream, I feel they are in real danger, yet I know I can stop it.
Bring it on, ugly man!
I stop and turn around right as he is about to reach me. It seems like eons before he gets here, even at his fast rat
e. I must be faster.
Lunging in his direction the second time, I have no fear of consequences. I feel it through and through; he cannot destroy me. Some higher being is watching out for me.
I shove the creature to the ground, leaving him dazed. He was like a concrete barrier before and this time he falls like a domino. I dash to the wall where my drink is sitting and I grab one of the top bricks. It crumbles easily in my hand and I rip off a chunk. A good-sized piece with jagged edges remains in my palm—exactly what I need.
My adversary is standing back up when I turn to him again, but I am prepared. He stumbles, appearing woozy from knocking his head, and I take full advantage of his weakness.
Slamming an uneven corner of the makeshift weapon deep into his neck, I pull straight down and leave a horrid gash. Blood pours out of the wound, soaking my hand. A strange desire to lick my fingers consumes me, as if it will give me more strength. But, in spite of this being a dream, the idea suggests a place I’m not ready to go. I have to consciously stop myself from doing so, though, and instead wipe the blood on my thigh.
Forgetting that blood, I look up to see the creature clutching one hand to his neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He lumbers one step forward and swings at me with his free hand. He hits me dead on the nose. The blow blinds me with pain, yet I make no sound this time. I won’t give him that satisfaction, but I also can’t completely hide the fact that he hurt me.
His eyes widen wickedly as I falter, his power shining through—a brief flash of light glints in his orange eyes and he bellows a loud, guttural sound.
He tries to shove me out of his way, but I have recovered and I stand my ground. Seeing an opportunity, I bend down some and attempt another shot with my blood-covered weapon—this time trying for his stomach, but he kicks out his leg and sweeps me down to the grass in one swift motion.
With my eyes slit open, I see him watch as I lie still for a few seconds, and then he starts to leave me, moving toward the quarreling couple again … only to be stopped with an upward strike to the groin. He is apparently too dumb to have known I was only faking that I couldn’t move.
My kick has no impact beyond keeping him near, but that’s all I care about. He does, however, react with what can only be called a grimace when I crawl to my knees and slam the pointed brick into the top of his shoeless foot.
I pull my weapon out and shove it back in the same foot again, in an attempt to make the wound worse. Now I just need to incapacitate him so he can’t get to Olivia and Preston. I have no clue what he wants them for, but I’m not about to find out.
Still kneeling, I shove at the monster’s midsection and knock him off balance. This is almost laughably easy since he is on one leg, tending to his hurt foot.
My push puts him flat on his back and I jump on top on him. Even punching as hard and as fast as possible, I somehow possess the accuracy to carefully avoid scratching up my fists with his talon-like teeth.
After a long couple of minutes—or at least what feels like it; I am beyond exhausted—the creature falls limp.
“Wake up, girl! Get out of here before he gets up again.” I scream at myself over and over as I feel tears and mascara running down my face. I start to stand up so I don’t have to be near the nasty, green guy any longer.
Just as the dream world is shimmering out of focus and I wobble upright, backing away from the thing, my jaw drops involuntarily. I no longer see the same, strange creature.
Instead, I find myself looking at a human I know quite well. In fact, he is at the party tonight. And there isn’t a single mark on him from the fight. I look down at my own hands to find they are blood-free, as well. Not a scratch on me.
What the—? I don’t finish my thought because a split second later I am back on the ground in front of the pond, wide-awake and staring at my black reflection in the still water. The exact same spot I had been in before, only now the fish made no movements.
Mine is not the only image I see, though. I can make out the shape of a person behind me, and can feel its closeness. It is difficult to distinguish who is there in the darkness so I slowly—cautiously—turn first my body, and then my head, in order to see better.
The reflection and my senses are not lying. Someone is standing, or rather, looming behind me.
And it is the same someone I saw seconds earlier, unconscious on the ground.
Andrew.
My necklace, clasped and secure around my neck again, sizzled and tingled—causing another shiver to run down my back.