How could you...?

VII:

Contains themes of murder and a nightmare:

Now an entire week at Appleby and it wasn't getting better; I spent most of my time in my own unless being forced to partner up in class, Daniel and Eleanor's daughter hadn't found me, I spent lunches in the bathroom and that Beatrice girl had it out for me even more now that my mom had formally stepped up to maintain president of the PTA.

One good thing was that George was here and now buried and me, mom and dads were paying out respects, but weren't allowing themselves to cry as the priest read out his words. I did though, I cried big time and when it was done. I step forward and place down a red rose and the letter.

"What's in the envelope, sweetie?"

My dad asks as I step back again. I cross my arms and stare at his gravestone.

"A letter. Only for George so if you two are to even think about reading, I'd suggest don't!"

I warn them. My mom scoffs at my tone and tells me to watch it before the ceremony is over and we head back home.

*****************
It was a boiling day, which meant of course, I would wear my favoured white summer dress while me and George would sit up on the cliff at the end of our town in Chicago for some quiet time during summer vacation and this one was special, because after the summer was over, I wouldn't be seeing him again until Christmas.

"Fancy a dip little sis?"

He suggests, reading his hand out and rubbing my hair. I swat it away and finish the last of the strawberry in my mouth and wipe away the remaining juices.

"Are we jumping off?"

I ask stupidly and he nods, a stupid grin on his face. I not happily as we both stand up. We always brought extra clothes when coming here as we always ended up jumping in the water but because of mom and her definitely being pissed off that we even went in there, let alone jumped in with our clothes on so this way, we can do what we love and she can think we've followed the rules.

We reach the end of the cliff and he reaches out for my hand.

"You know, I feel like you grab my hand because you're scared"

I tease him, wriggling my eyebrows as he sticks his tongue out at me.

"You ready?"

He asks and I nod. We both count to three before leaping in the air, feeling the breeze hit me like a tongue of bricks but I never felt bad when that happened. Our bodies hit the water and I smile happily, swimming around and admiring the stunning water. It was way too deep but at least I was sure we wouldn't bang out heads. I was so deep under that I had to wiggle my toes just to get back above again.

I splash and laugh, wiping my face.

"Hey George, I think I went in deeper this time"

I tell him. I remove my hands from my face but George isn't there. I look down at the water but I don't see him floating around.

"George?"

I say in my normal tone. Bravely, I head down under the water, widening my eyes but because I can barely see, I don't even know if I can see a figure. I leap back up again.

"George"

I yell at an unspeakable volume before suddenly a figure bolts up further away from me. It was George but now he was at the other end of the cliff, looking as if he were in a struggle.

"Cheryl, help!"

He yells, splashing around. I go to swim towards him but I can't move; I feel glued to my spot.

"George, I can't!"

I scream out, tears starting to fall down my face as I panic, all i was wanting was to get to him. I keep trying when a figure, wearing a strange black robe thing with no face, a bit like slender man only less tall, suddenly bolts up out of no where from the water, a knife in hand and grabs George, putting the knife to his throat as a panicked George looked to me with tears in his eyes.

"Cheryl"

He calls out, reaching hand out. I try swimming again and I scream in frustration when the figure slides the knife deep from George's neck, blood pouring out as I scream in fear, barely able to breathe as I pretty much feel the life leave George's body and especially his eyes as he flops on the water.

Suddenly I can move again, and in superhuman speed, I swim over to his body, the figure no longer there.

"George, George wake up, I need you to wake up, please"

I cry out, lightly tapping his pale and cold cheek. As I stare at him, his body disappears and the figure appears again, stood in my face, with the knife in hand.

"Do it"

I spit angrily.

"But I want to see you first"

The man goes to remove the "mask" before jabbing the knife right into my gut..........:

I bolt up screaming and sweating, clutching my heart tightly. The door bursts open and runs in Mom and dad as they rush to my aid.

"What is it, what's the matter?"

My mom asks, touching my shoulder as my dad embraces me in his arms as I loudly cry.

"He-he, it was-I can't"

I begin to hyperventilate but my dad hushes me as he pats my back. After a while, I'm some-what calm again and I'm asked again what happened. I tell them everything about my nightmare and when I'm done,
My mom sighs.

"I'll take you to the emergency room sometime during the week and we'll discuss some more therapy again"

She assures me. Is that it? I tell her about a nightmare and all I get is a I'll take you to the emergency room?

"Get some rest sweetheart, if you need us, wake us up"

"Don't worry, I wouldn't want to cause you any unnecessary stress"

I snap, removing myself from his clutch. I lay back on my bed as they leave, wishing me a good night and shutting the door behind them. In no rush to get back to sleep again, I reach for my phone to check the time: 4:30. It would be 6:30 in Chicago and knowing Lorelei to be an early bird, I get her up on my phone e and wait for it to ring.

'Hey girl, we haven't talked in a while, why are you up so early?"

She asks. I take a deep breath before getting into a deep conversation about my dream and when I was finally done, I asked for her thoughts.

"Right, but I thought George was shot while walking in the woods?"

She questions.

"He was, that's what's weird why would I dream about him having his throat slit?"

I ask back. We confer with one and other before I hear her alarm for school go.

"Here, I better go but I'll research what it all means later and get back to you, alright?"

I tell her I love her before hanging up the phone and laying back down in my bed again, no thought about returning to sleep.