‘There’s more.’ Joe reached out and held my hand.
Joe looked deep into my eyes as he relayed daydreams he’d had while I’d been away. In them, he was sitting at the beach. I was sitting next to him, looking out at the ocean as I had done the first day we spent with our friends. In these dreams, I’d told him I would never forget him.
‘I was there, I mean, I had the same dreams. You told me not to forget you.’
How could he possibly know about these dreams unless he had been in them himself? They had been so vivid, the energy between us so intense. It had never occurred to me he was experiencing it at the exact same time.
Dawn was smiling and shaking her head. ‘Well, that is something I have never come across before. You two share something very special.’
Dawn had much faith in the power of dreams, but never had she heard of people communicating with each other through them. Joe smiled at me, his warm eyes gleaming, and I knew that our bond was, as Dawn had said, something very special.
While Joe was working on a way to rescue me from the MMC Facility, Dawn had worked on the farm. People who dreamt and didn’t want their minds manipulated moved to the farm to stay with her and together live a peaceful MMC-free life. She purchased the old caravans by selling a few of her cattle, and a couple had bought their own. So far there were three, but Dawn hoped for more.
Apart from herself and Joe who lived in the farmhouse, the caravans housed just three others. In the closest van to the shed lived a couple, Yvette and Andrew, who she described as peaceful hippies who wanted to keep their dreams. In the middle of the three, she explained warily, was Sarah’s.
At first, the news made me angry. Why would they invite her out there when she had betrayed me? But Dawn’s caring smile reminded me she wouldn’t do something that would hurt me.
Sensing my unease, Dawn added, ‘I understand you have a lot to talk about, Amelia, but she cares about you very much and is on board with our cause.’
A million rebuttals for her ‘caring’ about me circled through my mind, but I chose to shut my mouth. Joe had just risked so much to save me, and I didn’t want to sound ungrateful. Dawn explained they’d kept the caravan closest to her house for me to live in, and Sarah had brought my clothes and other items from our unit.
Once Dawn was finished, I explained what it was like being a patient of the MMC. My small room that was comfortable but confining, the horrible grey clothes we wore. I explained the recreation centre and told Dawn about the greenhouse that reminded me of her every time I’d visited it. When I began talking about Rose, my throat tightened, and my chest felt tight. Rose! My closest friend was always there for me, and I’d left her in the ward alone. I’d promised her I was her person, and I’d pushed her away and left her to rot in that terrible place. Swallowing hard, the guilt set in as the realisation of what I’d done engulfed me.
‘Amelia? Are you okay?’
‘Ummm, yeah, it’s been such a big day,’ my voice was shaky. ‘I would appreciate some rest.’
Dawn gave me another warm cuddle before Joe walked me out towards the caravans.
Outside, we approached the caravans, and Sarah stood from her chair to welcome me. A glare and a shake of the head from Joe prompted her to sit again. I looked at my feet and continued walking, frustrated with myself for wanting to run up and hug her. How could I want to hug someone that had betrayed me?
Inside the caravan, I lay exhausted on the bed.
Joe settled on the edge next to me. ‘I just want you to know I’m here for you, Amelia.’ It felt good to have him next to me again, his presence made me feel calm and safe.
My eyes grew heavy, but the guilt that clutched at my heart was too much to bear on my own.
‘It’s just, I’ve done something terrible.’ Tears filled my eyes.
Joe lay next to me, his left arm and hand supporting his head.
‘In the ward, I met a girl called Rose. She was beautiful and kind and such a good friend. Once I knew I was getting out, I pushed her away. I even made her cry. All she ever did was care for me, and I left her in that horrible place. I’m angry at Sarah for betraying me, but I’ve done the same to Rose.’ My tears burst over, and I sobbed into Joe’s navy blue singlet.
He put his arm around me, holding me tight.
‘You haven’t betrayed her or abandoned her,’ he insisted. ‘Now you’re in a better position to get her out. If she is important to you, I will do anything to help her escape.’
Looking up at the firm expression on his face, I knew he meant what he’d said. He lay cuddling me until, drained both physically and emotionally, I drifted off to sleep.
Rain poured heavily, drenching my long messy hair and stinging my face cold as ice. I sat on the muddy floor, hugging my knees and crying uncontrollably. The sludge of mud and water sprayed up my shins as the drops pelted at the ground. Rapidly, the water rose higher and higher until I needed to stand so as not to breathe in the dark murky water that rose around me.
In the distance, I heard someone calling my name.
‘Amelia!’ It was faint and the thunderous rain made it hard to gauge which way it had sounded. Wading through the water became difficult, and it pulled at me from underneath trying to change my course.
‘Amelia!’ Louder, it was a female voice. Using my hands to paddle through the rapids that had risen to just above my midriff, I headed in the voices direction.
‘Amelia!’ It was close now and familiar. It was Rose’s voice, but I couldn’t see her in the darkness and hammering rain.
‘Amelia!’ A male’s faint voice; it was the voice of Cameron calling from behind me.
‘Amelia!’ Another voice, again male, but it was unmistakably the voice of Joe calling from my right. The water rose to below my shoulders, and I found it difficult to push through the rushing current that chilled me to the core. Rain stung my face, and I turned around hoping to catch sight of one of my callers.
‘Amelia, Amelia, Amelia!’ Their cries kept sounding from different directions.
‘Where are you? Rose? Cameron? Joe?’ They simply continued calling my name.
As the water level climbed, I paddled and kicked to stay afloat. The violent waves splashed over my face, making it impossible to take a breath. The current tugged at my torso and legs. Suddenly, I was dragged beneath the flood of water, grabbed by invisible hands. Below the water’s surface was pure darkness, and the sound of gurgling and whooshing echoed in my ears. My lungs ached. I was drowning ...
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Drowsily, I opened my eyes. The sunlight that poured through the gap between the caravan’s window frame and curtain onto my face made me squint. Turning to my side, I escaped its direct heat and lay enjoying the warmth of the sun trying to convince my eyes to stay open.
Willing myself awake, I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. I soon found my clothes. It was nice to be in my own clothing again: a pair of denim shorts and a plain purple singlet, which made me feel as though I was no longer a mindless zombie going through the motions inside the Ward. And there was no grey in my wardrobe. The thought of how comfortable I’d been inside the ward made me shiver, and I pushed the memory to the back of my mind. I gathered my hair up into a ponytail and slid on my thongs that had been placed neatly at the foot of my bed. As I opened the door, the warm air and sunshine made me grin as it warmed my exposed skin. I was free.
Glancing around, there was no one in sight. I took a walk up behind the shed, where I sat on the small patch of grass that was no longer green but a mottled mix of yellow and brown, and looked out towards the hills and valleys that surrounded the farm. Completely immersed in my surroundings, I enjoyed the bright blue sky smudged with soft white clouds and the assortment of trees that grew on the hills. An eagle flew in circles in the distance before diving towards the earth beneath it. Then I was distracted by two kangaroos feeding on grass not too far away.
‘Amelia?’ Sarah’s nervous voice stole me away from my surroundings. ‘Can we talk?’
Patting the grass beside me, I nodded. Sitting there had relaxed me. There was no way anyone could destroy my calm happiness, not even Sarah.
‘Amelia, I am so sorry for everything. I was such a bitch to you just because I was jealous of a stupid boy. I’ve missed you so much and worried about you every day. I’d believed what the MMC was selling, but I promise I don’t believe it anymore. Locking you away was horrible, and the fact that I helped them hurts so much and I can understand why you hate me. I just hope that one day you can forgive me because you are my best friend, Amelia, and I love you and miss you so much!’ Sarah burst into tears, burying her face in her hands as they rested on her curled-up knees.
Considering her, I could see how bad she felt. It was the same way I felt about leaving Rose in the Psychiatric Ward. The guilt was eating away at me, so I could only imagine what Sarah had been feeling. Despite still being upset with her, I moved over to her side and gave her a cuddle. She put her arms around me, and we sobbed together. To be honest with myself, I had missed her, although she had treated me terribly. She was my best friend and the closest thing I’d ever had to a sister. She had been those things for too long to just throw it away.
When we pulled apart, we laughed at ourselves, wiping tears from our damp cheeks. ‘Tragic, aren’t we?’ I joked, looking at her flushed, wet face.
***
It didn’t take long to settle in to life on the farm; Yvette and Andrew were a friendly, earthy couple as Dawn had explained. Yvette had long, wavy, mousy blond hair and wore loose comfortable clothing and no shoes, which made me cringe as she walked casually over the stony, dirty ground. Andrew had the same coloured hair, twisted into long dreadlocks that he tied back in an oversized ponytail. He wore loose pants and a singlet. They had known Dawn for a few years as she frequented the small hippy health store they both worked at called ‘The Shack’. She had helped them with dream interpretations a number of times. When they’d heard what she was trying to achieve on the farm, they decided it was the right place for them to be. They both helped with the gardening and with caring for the menagerie of farm animals.
Dawn cooked most of our meals, but Sarah or Joe would help if they hadn’t worked during the day. Sarah was still working her day job at the vet clinic in Sandhaven. Joe expressed his concern that if he called in sick, the MMC staff would grow suspicious. He had headed into work for the morning.
Although trying to keep myself busy, it was so quiet and relaxing that I kept finding my thoughts wandering to Rose and my dream in the flooding bush. After lunch, Dawn sat with me under the shade of her wide Poinciana tree. The cool breeze that blew through had me undecided if I missed such dry hot days. The sky had been cloudless for most of the morning, and the grass was a dull brownish green apart from the vibrant green that edged the vegetable gardens.
Comfortable, I explained my dream to her, how I was unable to find my friends who called out my name in the pouring rain, and the helplessness and drowning. It was a relief to have someone that could help me make sense of them again.
‘The rain shows your current conflicts with the MultiMind Corporation, Sarah and the biggest conflict you have is with yourself.’ She easily analysed my dream. ‘You’re feeling as though you have no control over parts of your life, which is why you keep having dreams in which you drown. The flooding water tells me you are overwhelmed and confused about everything that is happening. Everyone calling your name may mean you either aren’t giving them the attention they need or you feel as if you are torn between those you heard. You have been through a lot, Amelia. You feel responsible for many people in your life. You need to remember you can only control yourself. It is up to each individual to create their own happiness, and that includes you.’
I hadn’t been able to put my finger on it earlier with the muddle of emotions and thoughts I’d been having, but she was right about how I was feeling. My future was so uncertain. How long would I be on the farm? What was I supposed to do next? So many questions swirled like a storm inside my mind. There were so many decisions I had to make, but knowing I wasn’t ready to resolve any of them, I changed the subject and pushed them aside.
‘I need to help my friend Rose escape from the Psychiatric Ward.’
‘Jonah is determined to help you. He cares about you very much. He will do his best to get your friend out of the MultiMind Corporation. I just hope you are both careful not to take advantage of the relationship you have with each other.’
Was she being a protective Aunty, making sure I wouldn’t hurt her nephew? Or was there something she wasn’t telling me? Maybe she thought I was pushing the friendship too far by putting him in danger twice within a few days …
Another series of thoughts to push to the back of my mind which was ready to overflow. My head throbbed.
Rubbing my temples, I released one of the questions that had been taking up some of the space in my brain. ‘Everyone keeps talking about our connection, and I know that there is something between us. I can’t describe it, but I can feel it. Do you know what it is?’
She smiled at me; she had anticipated the question. ‘It could be a few things. That you have a close bond, a friendship that will be able to get each of you through anything that comes your way. It could mean more, a deeper relationship. It will unfold as it is supposed to, and the two of you will know what it means in time.’
Disappointed with her cryptic answer, I changed the subject, and we talked about the brilliant purple orchid in the greenhouse on Level Eleven of the MMC building. This prompted her to lead me to her little shade cloth greenhouse and pointed out a flower which looked like the one I had been shown by Betty.
‘That is a Cooktown Orchid. It is one of the special ones.’ Her eyes sparkled as she recalled a memory. ‘That was the first orchid Susan received as a gift when she gave birth to Jonah.’
Was it a coincidence I’d seen the same orchid at the MMC facility? Was it supposed to be a sign?
The interpreting had me reading too much into simple things. I’d never believed in signs or connections before. I had also thought I needed to silence my dreams. I now wanted to keep them no matter what was to happen.
The others arrived home from their day jobs, first Andrew and Yvette, then Sarah and Joe. My job became helping Dawn prepare dinner for everyone. It was the least I could do, seeing as though I wasn’t able to work and pay my own way. As we ate, I enjoyed sitting around the table under the gazebo, talking about each other’s days and even our dreams.
Sarah was the only person on the farm who wasn’t a Dreamer. She had been dreaming again since she arrived on the farm as she no longer wore her Wristcuff to sleep. For the first time in years, I was normal. It was okay to be a Dreamer on the farm, and I should’ve been happy. But constantly, my mind wandered to thoughts of Rose.
She would be sitting in the dining hall, wondering what had happened. Why I had abandoned her, being told she was different and needed to be fixed?
I interrupted the laughter and chatter around the table. ‘I really need to talk to you all.’ They fell silent at once, all eyes on me as they sensed the urgency in my voice. ‘My friend Rose is still inside the MMC Psych Ward. I know you risked a lot to get me out, and I will be forever grateful. But Rose was there for me when I had nobody else, and I just abandoned her. You don’t have to help me. I’m happy to risk saving her on my own. But I would appreciate any ideas or any help you can give me.’
Everyone remained quiet in thought a moment longer until Sarah broke the silence.
‘I will help you anyway I can. This girl Rose must be important to you, and that makes her important to me.’
As I thanked her, Joe spoke, ‘I’m sure between us we can come up with a plan. But we will all agree that we risked a lot to get you out and because of that, you are not going back there.’
Frustration bubbled inside me. I wanted to be there when Rose was rescued. I swallowed it back down so as not to seem as though I didn’t appreciate the help and the fact he
cared. Although reluctant, I agreed.
Dawn made each of us a mug of coffee or tea while we discussed different options and scenarios.
Yvette and Andrew agreed to help in any way they could, and after hours of discussion and more caffeine, we had our plan. It wasn’t foolproof, but it was the best we could come up with. Joe decided that there was no need to wait any longer; it was to be carried out the next day, so Rose didn’t have to be locked away for another day.
We all headed to bed, me thanking everyone over and over again until I was sure they were sick of hearing it. I was so lucky to have these wonderful people in my corner. Anxiety and excitement coursed through my veins, making it difficult to fall asleep. After what seemed like hours of staring at the ceiling of the caravan, my mind gave in, and I could no longer hold off exhaustion.
Frightened, I ran through the woods, a storm rumbling in the distance. Lightning glowed in the sky above the tall silvery trees. A tall building with a large white door appeared in amongst the tree trunks and shrubs, and sensing something behind me, I heaved it open and stepped inside closing it behind me. Leaning my back against it, I caught my breath, surveying the endless white corridor that stretched before me. I’d made the wrong decision. Turning back towards the door, my heart quickened, but once my hand touched the cold metal of the handle, I sensed it was safer inside than out. Cautiously, I walked through the blinding white hallway. Its ceiling was lined with long bright fluorescent lights. I arrived at another door similar to the one I had entered through, and I stepped through it. To my dismay, in front of me was another long white corridor.
Was this a trick? Should I continue or go back outside?
The thought of the moaning trees that hid many creatures in their dark shadows made my stomach tighten, so I continued down the new corridor, this time with a quicker step. At the end was another door, and behind it yet another corridor. This carried on door after door, corridor after corridor until I was running, the thought of turning back never entering my mind again. Running through the halls of blinding white, I noticed a door to my left and stopped dead in my tracks.
Dawn of the Dreamer (Dreamer Trilogy Book 1) Page 11