by Lauren Eason
“Something about a werewolf. They’re super in right now.” She sat up and flopped down on her stomach on my bed. “You should try a paranormal romance book every once in a while. It might loosen you up.”
“Pfft. Right,” I replied, spinning around in my computer chair to face my desk.
“Are you seriously going to work on homework all night? We have this house to ourselves, and you’re not even the least bit interested in poking around?” Raven questioned, laying her book down beside her.
“I think the term you’re looking for is snooping.” I continued to flip through my history book. “Besides, I have an exam next week.”
Raven hopped off the bed and strode over to my desk, slamming my book shut. “You’ll do fine. Let’s go see what your sister is up to.”
Before I could protest, she pulled me out of my chair and into the hallway. She knocked on Jess’s bedroom door. Jess opened it in her pajamas.
“Did you two want something?” she asked, a pair of earphones dangling around her neck.
“You want to watch a movie with us downstairs? We can make popcorn,” Raven asked, trying to be friendly.
“Sure,” she shrugged. We walked downstairs to the living room. Raven flopped onto the couch with Jess while I went into the kitchen to grab a bag of popcorn.
“What are we watching?” Jess asked from her position.
“I was going to scroll through the list of horror movies until we found something we all wanted to watch. What do you think, Ais?” Raven asked over the chaise of the couch.
“I’m good with whatever,” I answered as I placed the bag in the microwave. The popping sound filled the air as Raven flipped through the guide.
“How come you two wanted me to hang out with you?” Jess asked.
“Why not? You’re my best friend’s little sister. Practically family.” Raven shrugged her shoulders as she continued to scroll. “How’s it going with that hunky piano teacher of yours?”
“He is cute, isn’t he?” Jess giggled.
“And way too old for you,” I shouted from the kitchen.
“Thanks for the downer, Mom,” Raven mocked. “Anyway, continue.”
“He’s pretty intense, if I’m honest.” Jess fiddled with a loose string from one of the pillows on the couch. “I thought I knew how to play before meeting him, but now I’m not so sure. I question everything I do when I’m around him, but that could be because he makes me nervous.”
“You feel uncomfortable with him?” I asked, bringing the freshly made popcorn to the couch with me as I sat in the middle.
“It’s not that. He’s good at what he does, and I feel like I’m letting him down as a student and future mentor,” Jess admitted.
“I’m sure you’re not doing that,” I comforted. “It takes a lot of practice and perseverance to be a great pianist. Of course, he has more experience than you. He’s how old?”
Jess thought for a moment. “I’m not exactly sure, but I think he’s somewhere around his mid-twenties.”
“See? He’s been around for a minute. Anyway, what about this movie?” I relaxed against the back of the couch as Jess and Raven dove into the popcorn bowl in my lap.
Raven continued her search until we all landed on a classic slasher film. We watched as the woman on the screen slowly walked into an area within an old, abandoned house to check out a disturbing noise. It was the beginning of the end for all her friends.
We jumped in our seats when we heard the garage door open to the house later on in the night, indicating the arrival of my mother and Denise. Raven groaned as she got up from the couch and headed upstairs to retrieve her belongings, knowing that she would have to drive her step-mother home tonight.
They shuffled in as the door to the foyer flew open, the pair laughing while hanging on to each other. My mother slung her arms around me when I got up to help her. I had never seen her this drunk before, but I guess she was free to have at least one fun night out on the town.
“Can you believe those guys?” Denise asked loudly as Jess ran to turn the lights on in case she tripped over something.
Raven raced downstairs with her backpack to help her step-mother. “I knew this was going to happen. There’s no way you can drive yourself home like this.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be spending the night? I’ll be fine,” she slurred as Raven guided her over to the couch to take a seat.
“Yeah, well, plans change when things like this happen,” Raven stated, her hands on her hips.
Before she could argue with her any further, Denise closed her eyes, falling asleep. I walked over and touched Raven’s shoulder. “Maybe both of you should stay here for the night. It’s not like any of us have school or work tomorrow.”
Raven let out a frustrated sigh, defeated. I knew it bothered her feeling like she had to look after her step-mother. I wasn’t sure how the relationship looked behind closed doors, but if this was any indication, then I knew Raven was playing more than one role in her family. My mother walked over to the couch and sat at the opposite end.
“Mom, I need to take my medicine,” I said, grabbing her hand to pull her up. She swatted me away while rubbing her forehead with her other hand.
“Won’t you be alright for one night? It’s only a sleeping pill,” she yawned.
“Mom, I need those pills. Give me the combination to the safe, and I’ll get it myself. You can change the combo tomorrow,” I insisted, panic settling over me.
“Aislin, you’re going to have to wean yourself off of them eventually,” my mother replied, frustrated. “I don’t even know if they’re good for you. You’re still a growing woman.”
“Mom—you don’t understand,” I pleaded.
“I understand perfectly, Aislin. You were addicted to one drug, and now you’re addicted to this one—no more! Now go to bed,” she instructed, pointing towards the stairs.
I stood back away from her, shocked at her sudden outburst. As much as I wanted to blame it on the booze, I knew she was speaking her truth. This was what she thought of me, and the only thing I could be grateful for was that Denise didn’t hear a word of it.
“Goodnight, Mom,” I managed to say as I choked back my tears. The anger I felt towards her was all-consuming, but I had no other choice than to stomp upstairs with Raven at my heels. We entered my room, where I took a seat on my bed, my fist balled tightly in the bedspread.
“I’m sorry, Aislin,” Raven began. “I know your night terrors get bad—”
“My parents don’t know anything!” I shouted before continuing in a softer tone. “They have no idea how badly I need those pills to keep me from dreaming. If I dream, there’s a chance I’ll sleepwalk, and there’s no telling what I’ll do.”
“Do you want me to stay up with you? We can play games or something. I can watch over you while you sleep and wake you up if anything happens,” Raven assured.
“I must seem completely ridiculous to you. Having anxiety over sleeping.” My voice was barely above a whisper as my voice cracked. I turned my head away from her.
“I’ve seen worse things. Trust me,” Raven replied with a small smile as she sat beside me and rubbed my back. It was soothing to have someone there who listened to me and my problems. Someone who knew firsthand what it was like to be an outcast.
I stood up from the bed and walked over to the door, locking it. It was the only way to ensure I wouldn’t leave the room and wander around the house aimlessly while asleep. At least, it was the only thing I could think of doing to protect my family from whatever dream I ended up in. It could be another like Maria’s, or it could be something else. There was no way for me to know.
Raven pulled back the covers on my bed as we climbed in together. She held her book over her face as she laid on her back under the covers. I clicked the lamp off on my side and faced the door to my room. It helped that Raven was there to keep me company, and the only reason I could fall asleep.
It wasn’t long before I felt th
e ominous feeling of falling. It was happening, and there was no way for me to stop it as I tried to will myself awake. The darkness enveloped me as I struggled to remain out of its reach.
My eyes shot open as I stood up from the floor of a motel room. It was dark outside, but lamps were on, illuminating the double beds and a girl sitting on one with her back propped against the headboard. Flicking a metal lighter open, she lit a cigarette in between her lips. It blazed an orange color before simmering back down. Taking it from her lips, she blew out a cloud of smoke that dissipated in the air.
Walking over to her, I waved my hand in front of her face. She didn’t flinch, unable to see or feel my presence inside her head. At least this one was a chill dream, something that made the girl happy. She pushed her long blonde hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears, the movements jerky.
I sat on the opposite bed and mimicked her position. A knock sounded at the door, and the girl’s body flashed to open it. She didn’t move gracefully in her dreams like some of the others. Instead, she seemed to teleport from one place to another. The door opened by itself, and a man walked in. She flashed once again beside me as the man did the same, only standing in front of her.
Moving over to the far side of the bed, I stood up and leaned against the wall. The man undressed her as she teleported to a position on the bed I was previously on. This was an intimate dream, the kind that I was always uncomfortable being in. There was no outside to the motel room, so I was trapped within its walls, only being able to go as far as the dream world ended.
As their moans filled the room, I turned away from them and walked around to the back of the room towards the bathroom. It was the only place I could think of to allow them privacy. I glanced over at the small welcome sign near the motel's toiletries, reading it to occupy myself.
The door flew open to the bathroom, and I stepped out of the way as the man entered. I slid out of the door as he closed it, heading back into the room. The woman was once again clothed and seated in the same position on the bed. Another cigarette was nestled between her lips, blowing out another puff into the air. I could already tell the dream was going to repeat itself as I heard another knock at the door.
At least, the dream was predictable as I waited near the counter with the sink, a wide mirror over it. Leaning against the wall, I slid down and held my knees to my chest as I rested my forehead on them, shutting my eyes. It continued like this until the next knock that resounded was a bang.
The door flew open as the girl went to get it. A man charged into the room and grabbed her by the throat before slamming her onto the bed. She tried to fight him as I watched on in terror as she desperately wanted to save herself. Standing up, I stayed against the wall until her cries blurred, the dream going dark.
With a gasp, I sat up in bed and glanced around my dark room, laying eyes on Raven’s sleeping form beside me. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I got out of bed and headed into the hallway towards the bathroom. Turning the light on, I splashed cold water on my face to help me stay awake. I walked downstairs, where I could see it growing brighter outside as the early morning sun filtered in through the windows.
Denise was sound asleep on the couch, but my mother was nowhere to be found. At some point in her drunken stupor, I assumed she had managed to make it up the stairs to her room. Tip-toeing into the kitchen, I started a pot of coffee.
“What are you doing?”
“Jesus, Jess! You scared the crap out of me,” I said, turning around to see her hovering over me. “What are you doing down here?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I don’t think Denise is going to mind a little noise down here.”
I glanced over her shoulder at the soft snoring from the couch. “I guess you’re right. Why couldn’t you sleep?”
“I had some weird dreams.”
I stiffened. “What kind of dreams?”
“It’s stupid, but I was dreaming I was playing the piano on stage, and I kept getting the notes wrong. Talk about pressure,” she replied, taking a seat on one of the barstools.
“I’m sure it’s just nerves,” I brushed off as I poured myself a cup of coffee. “Do you want one?”
“Sure,” she said. We sat at the kitchen island with our cups in silence for a moment.
Denise stirred from the couch as the room lightened with the rising sun. She sat up on the sofa, her hair disheveled, wiping drool from her lip. Standing up, she stumbled over to the kitchen island, where I pushed a cup of coffee in front of her.
“You look like you could use this.”
“Thanks,” Denise said in a raspy voice, taking a sip. “What time is it?”
I glanced at the clock behind me on the wall. “It’s 7 A.M. You want me to wake Raven up for you?”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” she said, straightening herself on the stool. “Let her sleep in.”
“So, you two get a little wild last night?” Jess inquired.
“You could say that. We went to the lounge near the beach and met a few people who were more than happy to buy us drinks. Needless to say, we both got a little carried away,” Denise explained.
“I’m glad you two made it home safely—”
“Oh, shit,” Denise whispered under her breath as she sprung from her seat and out into the garage. We followed behind her, and she sighed while staring at the massive dint on the side of our mother’s car.
“What happened here?” I asked, kneeling to touch the paint that had been scraped away from the passenger side door to the back taillight.
“It was when we grabbed some food. We got a little too close to the poles by the drive-thru,” Denise admitted, rubbing her face. “Charlotte is going to be upset when she wakes up.”
“Who was driving?” I asked.
“Well, she was, but I doubt she remembers most of what happened on the way back over here,” Denise replied.
“You two could’ve called me. I would’ve come and picked you up,” I said, sounding more like the parent than the child.
Denise remained silent and walked back into the house. Jess stared after her as we stood in the middle of the garage. I had never known my mother to act so recklessly, and for a brief moment, I thought maybe I had been the cause behind driving her to that point. Jess came up and put a hand on my shoulder.
“This isn’t new.”
“What?” I asked, surprised by her words.
“Mom has been on edge ever since you left, but not because of you. Dad hasn’t been making it exactly easy for her with being gone for his work and then being distant when he comes home. That’s why they’ve been going to couple’s therapy together. At least, they were,” Jess revealed.
“I hear you when you say it’s not my fault, but it still feels like it. None of this was happening when I left three months ago, and now, here we are,” I said, throwing my hands in the air and dropping them. “If it’s not because of me, then why are they both treating me like an addict still?”
“Because they need to get to know you again,” Jess comforted, placing her arms around me for a hug. “They don’t realize what they’re doing, and I don’t believe it’s intentional.”
I wiggled out of her arms. “We don’t feel like a family anymore. We’re falling apart. And this—this all feels like we’re all pretending everything is fine.”
Walking away, I went back upstairs to the main floor to the kitchen. Denise was in the process of looking for her phone underneath the couch cushions. I was sure she wanted to make a getaway before my mother woke up to the damage on her vehicle, and I didn’t blame her.
“Tell your mother I’ll call her later on today for me?” she asked before heading upstairs to grab Raven.
I sat back down on the barstool and opened the newspaper on the counter. Raven came up behind me and hugged me, her stuff shoved into her backpack and still in her sleeping clothes.
“Denise is antsy today, but I’ll see you at school,” Raven assured. Denise pulled her aw
ay and out the door as I stared after them, shaking my head.
Turning back towards my reading, I flipped the page where the girl from my dream was staring me back in the face. Her smile was frozen in her school picture as I read the article headline: Missing Teenage Girl. I glanced over the article, which mirrored what had been on the radio stations. She was the third missing girl from our county in the past month with no leads or clues to her whereabouts.
Yet, here I was, dreaming of her. Or rather, dreaming through her. I wasn’t about to call the tip hotline because I essentially knew nothing about the case. The only thing I was positive about was that dead people don’t dream—she was still alive.
Chapter Nine
“I’m glad that you’ve decided to video chat with me, but isn’t this during school?” Dr. Clayborn asked as I stood behind the gymnasium under the bleachers. Kids practiced their sports on the field in the background as I held my phone away from my face.
“It is, but it’s my lunch period. I really needed to talk to you about something. You told me to contact you at any time if I had something happen,” I reminded her.
“That’s true,” she sighed. “What can I help you with, Aislin?”
“A few nights ago, my mother thought it would be a good idea to wean me off the medication you prescribed—”
“That’s certainly not what I would recommend. I’ll give your mother a call for you—”
“I know, but something happened.” I hadn’t meant to cut her off, but I needed her to hear me out.
“You mean you found yourself inside another dream?” Dr. Clayborn asked, leaning forward at her desk.
I hesitated before answering her. I didn’t want to alarm her like I had done when it came to Maria, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something useful with the curse I was given. It was up to me to make her understand my needs.
“I did, and it was fine. There wasn’t an episode. I think that I should wean myself off.” I held my breath as I awaited her response.
“Aislin...with what you’ve told me, there’s no way to know if that was an isolated event. There’s a chance you can have more episodes that could lead to seizures. I can’t, in good faith, advise you to stop your regiment,” she urged.