by M. K. ROZE
doing here?”
He shrugged.
Maria looked up at Constin. “Well, hello there.” she
stepped closer to him.
Constin backed up and looked at me with concern.
“Sorry about that.”
Maria waved her hand in his face. “Hey, you should look
at the person you’re apologizing to.”
He looked past her and back at me, which I thought was
strange.
“Do you two know each other?” I asked.
Maria kept her eyes on Constin. “No, I just don’t like
rude people.” She turned to me and her eyes flashed red,
then went back to normal. “You should stay away from this
guy.”
I stepped back. “How did your eyes just change like
that?”
She gave me a confused look. “What are you talking
about?”
I gulped from her tone. “Nothing.”
She shot Constin a nasty look and walked away.
⁓
⁓
Constin looked at me like he wanted to tell me
something.
“Why would Maria say that?”
He shrugged. “I have no clue.”
“Did you see a red light in her eyes?”
“No.”
Maybe I’m hallucinating from the sleeping pill I took. “Huh,
well, I have to get to class.”
“Okay, will I hear from you later?”
“Answer your phone.” I continued to my class
wondering if he was hiding something, and why I saw her
eyes change, but he didn’t.
In class, I couldn’t stop thinking about the dream in the
bathroom, so I kept telling myself it was only in my head and
to forget about it. As well as Maria’s eyes turning red. It
helped me get through the first four periods.
Kaylee and I met up in the cafeteria for lunch. We ended
up sitting across from some popular boys our age. When one
of them looked at me, I turned away and glanced at Constin
sitting with all of the football players, including Clay. I was
confused because Clay said that he didn’t like him.
“Oh my God! The hot boy with the dark hair is looking
at you.”
I looked at him. “Nope.”
Kaylee kicked me under the table. “Are you crazy? He’s
the second hottest kid in our school.”
“I’m talking to Constin, remember?” I peeled my
banana.
“You can talk to more than one guy.”
I tossed the banana on the tray. “Kaylee, just drop it.”
“What’s your deal?”
⁓
⁓
I gave in and told her about my episode in the bathroom
and how Maria acted toward Constin. I left out the part
where her eyes turned red because I didn’t want her to think
I was crazy.
Her jaw dropped. “I’m jealous that the new girl was
there for you, and I wasn’t.”
“Really? That’s all you have to say?”
“I’m kidding. I don’t like Maria. She thinks she’s hot
shit, and she has everyone following her around like a
puppet.”
“Yeah, you’re right. She was nosey for not really
knowing me.”
“Did you take the sleeping pill after I talked to you last
night?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s not working. Tell Dr. Hell to up the dose.”
I laughed. “It’s Wells, and I will.”
Constin got up from the table and stormed out the door.
“What are you looking at?” Kaylee asked.
“Constin just left. He looked mad about something.”
“He’s probably pissed because you’re ignoring him.
He’ll get over it. Now, let’s eat before the annoying bell
rings.”
Right after school, I went home and called Dr. Wells on
her cell phone. She picked up on the first ring.
“Hello, Viata.”
“Hi. I’m so sorry to bother you, but the sleeping pill
didn’t work. I think I fell asleep while I was using the
bathroom.”
“I have an opening this afternoon at 5:00. Does that
work for you?”
⁓
⁓
“Yes.”
“Do you know where my office is?”
“No, but I can google it.”
“Okay, see you then.” She ended the call.
To kill time, I did chores around the house, then drove
to Dr. Wells’s office. On the way, traffic was terrible. I
parked in the front of her office and continued inside to Dr.
Wells’s waiting room. The small room had four antique
wooden chairs and a coffee table. It was decorated
unimaginatively, with an artificial plant in the corner, glossy
white walls, and pictures of flowers everywhere.
Dr. Wells walked a woman through the waiting room to
the front door. As she was talking to her, I looked at a black
plaque on the wall that read: Dr. Wells, M.D. in huge, fancy
gold font.
When the lady left, Dr. Wells turned to me. “Please step
inside my office.”
I followed her in and sat on a red loveseat near her
elegant cherry wood desk.
She sat across from me. “Viata, do you remember
nodding off or falling asleep while using the restroom?”
“No, I was wide awake.”
“The periorbital hyperpigmentation or dark circles
under your eyes tells me you haven’t slept well. I believe
while you were using the restroom, you nodded off again,
and then you woke up. I’m going to order a sleep study for
you to rule out narcolepsy. Until I can get you in, I’m going
to up the dose on the sleeping pill.”
“But I slept just fine.”
“Clearly ... you didn’t.”
I felt like I was a lab rat. “Alright.”
⁓
⁓
She smiled. “Good. After you take this stronger dose,
you will feel a little fatigued, so make sure you take the pill
only when going to bed. And don’t ever drink or drive while
on them,” she insisted.
I couldn’t help but giggle when she said drink. I never
drank before and had no desire to do so. I was scared, but I
knew I had to do what she said to be healthy again. I wanted
my life back. I was sick of passing out and seeing things.
Dr. Wells got up. “I think you need to take a couple of
weeks off from school until you feel better. This is serious.
You can get hurt.”
“But I just started school.”
“I understand that, but we have to get you better, so
you’re not sleeping during the day.”
I frowned. “Okay.”
She walked me to the door. “Take care of yourself and
get those pills, but don’t take any before I talk to your
mother.”
“Can you leave out what happened to me today at
school? I will tell her tomorrow.”
“What we talk about is confidential.”
“Good.”
She started to close the door.
“Dr. Wells?”
She pushed it open. “Yes?”
“I overheard you and my parents talking about me not
knowing something. What is it that I’m not supposed to
know?”
She swallowed hard. “That’s something you need to ask
them. I’m sorry.”
“Alright. Please don’t tell my mother I asked you.”
⁓
⁓
“Again, what we talk about is confidential.”
“Okay, thanks.” I waved bye and continued to my car,
wondering what the big secret was.
I stopped at Kaylee’s house on the way home. She came
out to my car with a plate full of southern fried chicken and
sat on the passenger’s side. I wolfed some of the chicken
down and she laughed.
“What did your psychiatrist say?”
“She called me in a stronger sleeping pill.”
“That’s good. I hope it works.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“You still seem down. What’s going on?”
“I didn’t tell you this, but do you remember the woman
from my dreams who stabbed me more than once?”
“Yeah.”
“She was at the park we used to hang out at and Bain
was there too. That’s the night I freaked out and went to the
ER.”
“You mean you saw them in your dreams, right?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but I don’t think I was
dreaming like Dr. Wells said. They seemed too real.”
“What makes you think it was real?”
“I don’t know. The woman from my earlier dream was
shocked that I knew her from other dreams. She asked me
how I knew her and where the dagger was that she killed me
with. The conversation was just as real as the one we’re
having.”
“Viata, they have to be dreams. How else would you be
sitting here with me if you were killed by a dagger more than
once?”
⁓
⁓
I knew what she said was logical, but I still wasn’t
convinced. “Bain told me to go to a woman in Romania
named Muma, and she would tell me everything.”
“Muma sounds made up, and why would someone want
you to travel all the way there just to find out something?”
“I don’t know, but I do know that she’s real, or was real.
Well, she’s folklore. I looked her up.”
Kaylee took my phone out of the cup holder and went
on the internet. “How do you spell her name?”
“Just type in Muma, in Romania, and she will pop up.”
“She’s fake. Come on, Viata. You probably heard of her
when you were there.”
I rubbed my face. “I swear my dreams are real.”
“You sound like Nancy from Nightmare on Elm Street.”
She started singing the theme song slowly.
“Stop. Bain doesn’t have knives for fingers and melted
skin.”
“Whatever. Just know it’s only a dream. And don’t you
be cracking up on me. We’re supposed to get a place soon.”
“I know. I hope this stronger pill will work.”
“I’m sure it will.”
“I’m going to go home and talk with Mom.”
She reached over and kissed my cheek. “See you
tomorrow. Night, Sis.”
“Oh, I forgot. Dr. Wells wants me to take two weeks off
from school until I’m better.”
“What?” A piece of chicken flew out of her mouth onto
the dash. “You just started.”
“Ew. I know it sucks, but I need to get better.”
Kaylee laughed as she wiped the chicken off with her
hand. “I’ll hang out with you every day.”
⁓
⁓
I smirked. “I know you will.”
She got out and shut the passenger door. “See ya.”
On the way home, there was an accident, so I decided I
would get my sleeping pills after school the following day.
When I walked inside, Mom hugged me and handed me
the pills.
“Walgreens called me and told me to pick up your new
medicine.”
“I passed out at school again. I didn’t want to upset you
or Dad. I’m sorry. I should’ve called you and told you I went
to see Dr. Wells again.”
“It’s okay. But if it happens again, please call me first.”
“I will.”
“Are you okay right now?”
I nodded, debating if I wanted to ask her what the secret
was.
“Something else is wrong. What is it?”
“I heard you yesterday asking Dr. Wells if I knew
something. What were you talking about?”
She took off her black business jacket and laid it over
the railing on the stairs. Her eyes teared up as she cupped my
face with her clammy hands. “I will tell you when you are
better.” Her voice was softer than normal.
“Are you and Dad getting a divorce?”
“Oh, God, no. You know I adore him.”
“Are you pregnant?”
“No.”
“Do I have a mental illness you’re not telling me about?”
“No, Viata. You have insomnia. Now, please stop
fishing for answers. I will tell you when I think you’re ready.”
⁓
⁓
I wanted to yell at her, but I kept calm. What is the big
secret?
Mom went into the kitchen. “After I got the medicine,
I called Dr. Wells. She told me that she wants you to take a
few weeks off, so you need to call into the school and get
your makeup work. I don’t want you falling behind.”
I walked up to her. “I will.”
“If you want, I’ll get a note from Dr. Wells and drop it
off at your school. I don’t want you driving for a while until
we know what’s going on with you. Not after what happened
today.”
“Mom, I can drive.”
“Not right now.”
I sighed, feeling like it was the end of the world without
my car. “Okay. Thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too, honey.”
“I’m going to bed. Tell Dad I said goodnight.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“I ate at Kaylee’s.”
She kissed my cheek. “Okay, night, honey.”
“Night.”
Mom walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs.
As I entered my room, Constin texted me.
Hi, Viata, please call me.
I wanted to talk to him, but I knew I was way too
messed up in the head to talk. I put the phone face down on
the desk and picked up the pill bottle next to it. I placed the
pink sleeping pill on my tongue, ready to swallow it, but I
hesitated, then took it anyway. After a while, I started to feel
light-headed, so I sat on my couch in the pitch dark, thinking
about everything that was going on with me.
⁓
⁓
“Viata,” Bain called out.
Oh, crap, did I fall asleep again? I got up and felt around for
the bedroom light in the dark, but I couldn’t find it.
“Viata?” Bain said but his voice was still faint. “Can I
come in?”
“Yes, meet me at the front door, and I’ll let you in.” I
found my desk and held myself up from feeling dizzy.
Someone took my hand.
I yanked my hand away. “Who’s there?” I asked in a
shaky whisper.
“It’s me, Bain.” He took
my hand, raised it to his mouth,
and kissed the top of it gently.
“How did you get in here?” I rubbed my eyes, trying to
clear them so I could see his face, but I saw nothing but
darkness. I lost my balance and fell into him.
Bain grabbed me. “Be careful,” he warned as he held me
close to his chest.
“How did you get in here?” I repeated, eager to know.
He placed his hands firmly on my face. “The door was
left unlocked.”
“Why can’t I see you?”
“Because of the pills in your blood!”
“How do you know I’m taking pills?”
He ignored my question, but I could hear his heavy
breathing.
“Where are the red lights coming from?”
“Viata, stop taking those pills. They are making you
weak, and they won’t help you with what’s to come.”
I stepped back and fell onto the bed. “What are you
talking about?”
⁓
⁓
“You must stop taking them and go to Muma.” His
voice was desperate. Every word he spoke sounded like he
was in pain again.
“No, she’s nothing but folklore. I’m sorry, but this is
only a dream.”
He pulled me into him. “No, it’s not!” He grunted and
let go.
A gust of wind caused me to fall backward onto my bed.
I sat up and felt my face, still able to feel Bain’s cold
touch. “Are you still there?”
He didn’t answer.
I rushed up and found the light, then I paced around the
room. Why did he feel so real? I shook my head. He’s nothing but
a dream. He wasn’t here. He’s not real. He’s not real.
I went to take another pill, but the bottle wasn’t on the
desk where I left it. I looked for the other bottle. I thought
he was there and took them. No way. He wasn’t here. Bain was
only another dream. I must have put them somewhere else. I ransacked
my room, looking for the bottles and gave up. I sat on the
edge of the bed, and someone knocked.
“Who is it?”
“Mom.”
“Come in.”
She opened the door and looked at all my clothes on the
floor. “What’s going on? And who were you talking to?”
I wasn’t about to tell her I had another dream. “I can’t
find my pills.”
“Where did you put them after I gave them to you?”