Nightmare Recurring

Chapter VII: Finding Liberation

I thought I didn't actually have dreams when I slept, but somehow I remembered something this morning. I was no longer sitting alone in the dark.

This morning I remember waking up for air as if I'd been drowning. In my dream, I was flying through clouds when suddenly, the clouds turned dark gray and a thunderstorm began. Then I was falling. I fell into the ocean.. I was in clear water as I began to see myself through someone else's perspective, it was almost like seeing a mirror's perspective. I continued to swim as I enjoyed the beauty of the ocean around me. I swam until I realized I could no longer breathe, I was drowning. As I almost reached the top, I found it harder to get there. Before reaching the surface, I woke up. Then I could breathe again. The dream felt real... I felt pain. I can still feel it.

Brooke wrote before closing her journal and walking to the kitchen. She wanted to try writing again, but the pain kept getting in the way.

"Hey Brooke, Merry Christmas Eve." Sam told her as she sat at the island.

"Merry Christmas," Brooke said as she walked to the fridge, trying to relax her visions.

"Oh hey, Nona's assistants just dropped off the key to her apartment. Did you want to go through her stuff now.. or do you think it's too soon?" Sam asked her.

Brooke felt sad to think about Nona right now. She was already thinking so much about everything, she didn't want to worry anymore.

"No it's fine. Let's go." Brooke told her as she felt an in the moment reaction.

Sam smiled as she got up to place her dishes in the sink before they left.

I knew I was in love, and I knew he loved me too. So I knew I had to stay with him, no matter what he did to me. I know after what he did I should've left him, there's no doubt in my mind about that. But I still love him, no matter how many times he's hurt me. Pain may be temporary, but love is eternal.

Brooke read from one of Nona's old journals. She was disgusted to discover one of Nona's secrets from her past.

"What's that?" Sam asked Brooke.

"It's Nona's old journal... it must've been from years ago. She was talking about my grandpa," Brooke said with a look of disgrace.

"What did she say?"

"He would hit her..." Brooke said looking still in shock.

"Really? Wasn't he this great, wealthy man who owned all these buildings and money?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything. He hit her because she was never good enough for him. She said in her journal that he would hit her every time he found out that she gained weight."

"What." Sam said with disgust.

"Yeah. He wanted her to look good for his sake. For him, his business, and his friends. She wasn't even that heavy."

"I hate your grandpa... no offense," Sam said.

"I never met him. He died when my mom was my age." Brooke said looking through the rest of Nona's things in her drawer.

"Well, at least Nona's pain finally ended" Sam said trying to find the brighter side.

"Yeah.. the pain from him, and now the pain from life."

Brooke thought to herself.

It was Christmas Eve, and the only thing Brooke wanted to do was go through Nona's things. She thought it would be sad but it actually made her happy to learn a little more about her. The sun was just now rising. Nona's apartment seemed like it was missing something.. It was.