Safety is Relative

Chapter Twenty One- A Sense of Deja Vu -Part Two

That night I have a very strange dream. I’m sitting in the kitchen, and Ash is leaning against the counter, making a cup of coffee. Quinn comes into the kitchen, carrying a stake.

‘You ready?’

Ash nods, taking a sip. He looks like he’s about to be sick.

Down the corridor, Mum opens the door, saying, ‘Hello you lot. How was school?’

Quinn dashes out of the kitchen, just as I have the strange experience of seeing myself come in with my friends. We dump our bags and shoes in the hall, laughing at Nina, and follow my Mum into the kitchen, where she offers us drinks. When she offers punch, she looks directly at Nate, who sends me a death stare. I am obliviously talking to Nina however, and completely ignore him.

The scene suddenly shifts to us in the living room, with Lysander, Louis, Jessica and Nate on the Xbox, whilst Nina fiddles around with my hair on the sofa. Mum walks in, holding the phone.

‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s a phone call for Nate. Your sister, Nisha?’

Nate frowns. ‘Uh, yes. Thanks,’

He throws the remote at me and I catch it. ‘Take over from me, will you? Try not to foul too many players,’

I catch it, standing up. ‘Me and Jessica? There’ll be no-one left on the field by the time we’re through.’

He smiles and walks out. As the dreamer, I follow him. I already know what happens in the living room, and I have a feeling this dream is centred around Nate. He walks outside and holds his hand out for the phone. Mum keeps walking down the hall, into the kitchen.

‘You can have a little privacy in here,’ she says, handing him the phone.

‘Thanks,’ he says, taking the phone and holding it up to his ear. ‘Hello? Nisha?’

I can only watch in shock as my Mum withdraws a needle from her pocket and turns back, lunging forwards to stab him in the back.

Nate throws himself sideways at the last second, and she loses her balance, staggering into the table. He lunges forwards, wrapping his arm around her neck.

‘You don’t get to my age by trusting witches,’ he hisses, tightening his grip.

Mum claws at his arm, spluttering. ‘You don’t get to my age by taking on vampires without back-up.’

Quinn and Ash suddenly charge through the doorway. Nate spins around to take them on, but they grab him by the arms and before he can do anything Mum has shoved a cloth over his face. Nate struggles, but then his hands go limp and he falls unconscious.

Quinn and Ash drop him to the floor. Ash looks almost sickened, but Quinn is bursting with triumph.

‘Alright! First vampire take-down!’

He kicks Nate in the side, prompting no response. Nate is well and truly dead to the world.

‘Are you alright, Mum?’ asks Ash, touching Mum on the arm.

‘I’m fine, thanks to you two. Now, quickly, let’s get him out of here before someone comes.’

Ash and Quinn between them manage to drag Nate out, carrying him into the cellar. I try to follow, but suddenly the dream collapses, and I wake up, gasping in shock.

The first thing I see when I wake up is my clock, the luminous face showing five minutes to seven. It’s Tuesday morning. It’s school. I groan and get out of bed. As I get dressed, that dream plays through my head, making me feel a bit sick inside. What a thing to dream about. Obviously I have vampires on the brain.