Awake (Book 3)

Thirteen

Seconds before I awoke that night, a burning sensation filled my entire head, remnants from the abominable nightmare that infested my dreams. Yet it seemed so real, so tangible. And when I popped my eyes open, I shot up straight and released the most wretched, blood-curdling scream.

            August jerked to attention in an instant, flicking on the light and turning to me. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

            It was hard getting a word in between my labored breaths. “Something . . . bad . . . happen.”

            His face screwed up in confusion and concern. “I can’t understand you, El. Tell me what’s wrong.”

            “Something . . . bad. Bad, August.” I grabbed his hand in a relentless grip. “Something bad is going to happen.”

            If anybody else forewarned of an obscure “bad” thing about to happen, he would have taken it with a grain of salt. But with my situation, and everything that had happened to us—from my sister appearing in my head to possessing August—the gut feeling was given credibility.

            New urgency filled his deep blue eyes. “Why do say that?”

            “I don’t know, it’s just . . . it’s just a feeling. But I had this terrible nightmare, August.”

            “Of what?”

            That was the troubling part. “I can’t remember. I can’t. I just know it was horrible, and there was this pain in my head . . . it felt so real.”

            He looked as if he didn’t quite know what to do with himself, or about the bitter feeling in my gut. And August was a guy who liked knowing he was in control of what was happening, so to not know was a blow on his patience. His muscles clenched, eyes hard, body ready to jump into action at any given moment. He just needed to know what moment

            And that moment would undoubtedly come, but for just a moment I wanted to wrap my arms around him and know there was somebody else to draw comfort from instead of just myself. And that feeling was wonderfully healing.

            “It’s okay,” he whispered, kissing my temple. “It’s okay. I’m right here, baby. I’m right here.”

            “Thank you.”

            “You never have to thank me.”

            We held each other in quiet calm. I listened to the repetitive thump of his heart, and pushed myself further into the cocoon of his arms. He tightened his hold on me per my wordless request, and my heart was at peace.

            “Do you remember your dream, Ellie?”

            I shook my head, hiding my face in the crook of his neck. “I don’t want to. I just know it was horrible.”

            “You know I wouldn’t force this if I didn’t think it was important. These things usually don’t happen without a reason. And that reason usually ends with people dead.”

            He had a point. I closed my eyes, thinking back, pushing away the forbidding darkness and straining to remember. It was just so difficult, and the nightmare hadn’t even felt like a dream. More like . . .

            More like a memory. And I was just suffering amnesia.

            “It was dark,” I murmured, “and hot. I couldn’t breathe. That’s all I can remember. I’m sorry, Augie.”