20 Questions

Chapter 127

Hunter

The clock reads 5:32 in the morning, but I've been up for a while now. I slept solid for most of the night, but I woke up around 4:45 to the sound of Jenna's voice, or what I thought was Jenna's voice. That sweet sound filled my dreams and brought with it a sense of calm. The dreams were vivid. I could smell the vanilla in her hair, see the softness of her skin and practically taste the sweetness of her lips. She glowed in my subconscious like she does in real life, but she looked even more heavenly this time. She walked toward me, dressed in a white sundress with bare feet and a dazzling smile. Her long golden locks fell over her right shoulder and her shamrock eyes dazzled against the sun. We were outside, in a meadow, surrounded by swaying green grass, a light breeze and butterflies floating around us. She ran across the field, her beautiful body bouncing with each step until she was inches from me.

I reached out to her, but I couldn't make contact. I extended my arms again but my hands slammed into a clear barrier that I couldn't comprehend. Her face fell, her smile faded and her eyes carried the saddest expression I've ever seen. It crushed my soul seeing her this way, broken and no way for me to comfort her. No way for me to hold her. I slammed by fists against the glass, but it wouldn't crack. Wouldn't bend. Wouldn't let me touch her.

"Why did you leave me?" she cried, large tears falling down her cheeks and her lip quivering with heartache.

"I'm right here, baby," I reassure her, but she can't hear me.

She looks confused, watching my lips move but no sound coming out. She looks hurt and something inside of me dies.

"They came for me, but you weren't there," she says. "They took me and now we will never be together again. Why did you leave me?"

I fall to my knees and press my hands against the glass. I shake my head as I stare back at my beautiful wife who believes I abandoned her. I would never abandon her. Not in a million years. I had to do this. I have to kill him. It's the only way that we can move forward.

She closes her eyes and floats away from me. She's not taking any steps. She's being pulled back by a force I can't see. I bang my hands against the glass, screaming her name, but she can't hear me. She's slipping away and there's nothing I can do about it. I yell for her once more, but she simply shakes her head, the tears falling down her cheeks.

"Goodbye, my love," she says before she disappears from my dream.

I scream and punch the glass, calling for her and letting the tears soak my own face. I've lost her and I don't know how to get her back. I jolt upright in bed and wipe the tears from my face. I grab my phone and start to call her, but I stop. She's safe. She's with Griffin. He would never let anything happen to her. It was just a dream.

I almost call her again, but I know she didn't sleep well with the storms and I don't want to wake her. If she did finally fall asleep and I interrupt that to tell her about my dream, she will be crippled with anxiety and I don't want that. I need to keep her mentally strong. Instead, I text Griffin, hoping he's awake enough to answer me. I hate that he is there, instead of me, to take care of her, but this will all be over soon enough. I just need to know that she's ok.

Hunter: Are you awake?

I wait for the bubbles, getting aggravated every second they don't pop up. I'm thankful that he's there with her, but I do expect him to answer immediately if I text him. I wait another couple seconds and contemplate just calling the fucker when the bubbles finally appear.

Griffin: I am now.

Hunter: Sorry, I didn't want to wake Jenna if she finally went to sleep, but I needed to know she's ok. I'm having nightmares.