Fragmented Dreams

Chapter 18: Runaway

Without realizing it, my feet led me off the farm and directly onto my usual path towards the train station. I was in a daze, replaying what my grandfather and Casimir had told me. Princess from another planet, what kind of cheap fantasy novel is this? I grumbled to myself.

I had an overwhelming desire to stare at my paintings so I could try and get a better sense of my dreams, but I didn't want to go back to the farm. I couldn't believe my grandfather had known what they meant all this time. These vivid nightmares had always been at the root of my insomnia, and yet he insisted on dragging me to endless doctor's appointments in an attempt to figure out why I couldn't sleep.

He can invent a magic bruise remover, but he never tried to conjure me a sleeping pill?

I kept tossing all this new information around and around in my head, grumbling under my breath. Soon, I found myself at the gates of the train station, debating my next move. Some part of me wanted to go back and ask my grandfather more questions, while another part of me wanted nothing to do with him. I dabbed at my eyes, trying to suppress the oncoming tears. I had to keep moving or I felt like I would fall apart.

Swiping my pass angrily, I was on the platform and boarding a train in no time. I found a seat away from everyone else, hunkering down to stare out the window and into the setting sun. My reflection in the window was a disaster. I could see that my hair was unkempt, bangs sticking out in weird places. My eye makeup from last night was in even worse shape, as my tears had smeared it further down my cheeks. I looked down into my lap to see that the dress that I had lovingly picked out for my art exhibit was in even worse shape than I thought. I wrapped my jacket around me tighter, hoping no one would notice. At least my bruises had almost disappeared.

The familiar clacking of the train and the hum of its commuters was a comfort. Luckily for me, there were not many people on the train leaving our small town at this hour. It was still dinner time, and any tourists would be staying in town overnight or still enjoying a meal at one of our local restaurants. The only other people to board the train since I got on were a happy couple whose faces I barely registered as they passed. I could hear them talking in hushed tones behind me, giggling now and then.

I was so consumed with my grandfather's revelation that I almost missed my stop. I jumped up and out the door just in time, stopping to examine the station in the strange glow of the lamplight. It was weird how everything looked so different in the darkness. I exited the station as quickly as I could, checking behind me to see if anyone was following me, but I was alone.

I guess Casimir really didn't follow me, I thought. As I trekked towards the school, I suddenly realized how foolish I had been to go off alone. You just saw a man turn into a monster, and he nearly pummeled you into the ground. And now, for some reason, you want to go back to the place where it happened? Alone as well! My anger was making me reckless, and yet I was still walking. I didn't want to go back home, not just yet.

The gates to the school were open, as some people were still working in the office, even at this hour. The art building had been turned into a makeshift gallery for the show, and the paintings that won would be moved to the hallway later in the week. I had hoped mine was still hanging in the art studio, which I knew was rarely locked, even with all the expensive art supplies inside.

I held my breath as I pulled on the door, begging internally for it to be unlocked. I pushed sharply, letting out a happy cry as the door swung open easily. The art room was still set up from the show, and even in the dark, I could see my paintings hanging off to the side. I approached the large parting of the silver woman slowly, gazing softly at her face, willing myself to remember.