I Imagined

Chapter 2

~~When Amara came back to the house the time was eleven-thirty. She had run for almost an hour. Breathing heavy, she pushed the front door open and walked inside, closing it behind her, and slipping her shoes off. Walking into the kitchen she pulled the earbuds out of her ears and pushed pause on her music. Her mom was in the kitchen sitting at the counter reading a newspaper.

"How is it out there?" She asked as Amara passed. She set her phone down on the counter and went right to the cabinet for a glass. She grabbed one and started to fill it up with water from the refrigerator.

"Warm. But it feels very nice." 

"I noticed the temperatures have been dropping a bit, hopefully this autumn will be nice." Amara nodded at her mother's precise statement about the temperature, staring down at her now full cup of water. Not responding to her mother Amara brough the cup to her lips, chugging the water down quickly, her breathing coming out in gasps from her nostrils. Once finished, the glass was placed in the sink and Amara grabbed her phone, beginning to check her socials from earlier in the morning.

"Where's dad?" Amara asked her mom.

"Out. Said he was going to Lowe's, I think the sink in the hall bathroom is leaking." Amara nodded.

"And Malorie's not back yet?" Her mom nodded, an unspoken language between them.

"She told me noon originally but I haven't heard anything from her yet this morning. She's probably still sleeping." Amara nodded and headed for the stairs leading back up to her room. Once inside she closed the door and jumped onto the bed, the mattress dipping beneath her for a millisecond before springing back to its shape. Amara was back on her phone, replying to Snapchats, checking her Instagram feed and scrolling through TikTok. One video caused a suppressed memory to come back into light. Amara got off her bed and took a seat at her desk, pulling out her daily journal in which she began to write in:

I had this dream last night, except, I don't think it was a dream, but more of a memory. Claire was there, which is why I think it's a memory. It was me and her, we were at an ice cream shop getting some sweet stuff and eating it inside, laughing and telling jokes to each other. I was happy, she was happy, everything was happy. But once we finished and went out the door it wasn't the scene I was expecting, the scene had changed into something else: the woods. I was suddenly in the middle of the woods, alone. I screamed for Claire but I got no response. I could see the darkness starting to set in in the distance as the sun had set. I was scared even within my own mind. On the ground I could see an outline of a trail, or, what used to be a trial because it was mostly faded now. I kept looking down trying to follow it but noises kept distracting me and I kept looking up, eventually walking off the trail and into the bushes where I fell. I scratched myself and I felt the pain too, making it seem real. When I was sitting on the ground I thought I saw movement so I froze, trying to hide behind the bush I had fallen into. But nothing happened, not even a sound. Becoming more scared I stood and started to run for the trail. But I tripped again, not having gotten very far. I turned to see what I had tripped over and it was Claire. Her body lying limp on the ground. I screamed her name at her, brushing her face and arms, shaking her shoulders, but I knew she was dead. I started crying, but it didn't last for long as her body was dragged, seeming as if it floated away. I remember screaming again. But not only as Claire's body was dragged into the woods, but mine too. I felt his hand on my ankle, strong grip and long nails digging into my skin. I tried to turn and see what was dragging me but I saw nothing. It pulled until I had reached a hole in the ground and was pulled into it, and that's when I woke up because I thought I was falling. My cheeks were wet but I wasn't crying anymore, but my body hurt a little so I went on a run to try and run it away, and to try and forget about the dream because it really scared me. I miss Claire, I really do. I still hope they find her.