Let Her Sleep (Dream Walker Chronicles #1)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Cordelia Jameson glared at the small white pill lying in her hand.  How is it possible, that such a tiny thing can hold so many questions?  Its silence mocked her.  It would be so easy just to swallow it…and there would be no more nightmare.  Just the thought of having it again raised goose bumps along her arms and she shivered, but as much as she dreaded reliving the dream again, she feared being forever dependent on the stupid pill still sitting in her hand.  Sticking with her original decision, Cordy grabbed the orange bottle and stuffed the pill back in.  She flipped the light off and threw herself into bed.

                                                                          XXXXX

As their surroundings flashed by in a blur, Cordy’s mother whipped around a curve, the car fishtailing.

“Momma, I don’t like this.” Cordy spoke with the high, thin voice and the sound of it almost bothered her more than their wild ride.  She leaned forward toward the front seat catching a glimpse of herself in rearview mirror.  Shock coursed through her at the sight of her seven year old face.  Her mother’s eye met hers briefly in the mirror, panic clouding the normal sapphire.

“It’s okay baby.  Just lie down back there and go to sleep.  We’ll be there soon,” her mother said, voice quavering.

Cordy pouted, fatigue washed through her small frame.   Her mom had woken her up in the middle of the night for this.  Sticking out her bottom lip, Cordy asked, “Where are we going anyway?”

“Cordy, you need to get down.”  Her mom’s eyes grew stern.

“But I want to know where we’re going.”  Cordy could hear the wheedling tone in her voice.  Sighing, her mom’s shoulders sagged and she glanced at her watch, which she always wore so that the face was on the inside of her wrist rather than the out.  Cordy knew she wore it that way to cover the tiny tattoo there: a moon half covering the sun.

“Someplace safe.  Someplace where they’ll understand you, and be able to help.”  Cordy didn’t like the sound of that and frowned.  What’s wrong with me?  I don’t need help.  Curling herself into a small ball, she scooted to the floorboard.  They drove in silence for several minutes.  It felt much longer in Cordy’s mind.  Unraveling her arms, she peeked over the center console.  She strained to recognize anything familiar; something that might tell her where they were going.  It was too dark to read any of the signs as they whipped past.

A black shape darted across the road.  A scream stuck in Cordy’s throat, and she flinched.  Her mother didn’t slow down at all; in fact, she hit the accelerator, throwing Cordy back with so much force it knocked the breath out of her.  More of the black shapes flitted into view.

A sharp curve loomed ahead, and an enormous, twisted tree stretched over the road.  As the car turned, the wheels locked, causing them to slide precariously close to the ditch.  Cordy bit her tongue in an effort to keep from crying out.  Blood, warm and salty, filled her mouth.  Her mother yanked on the steering wheel, just managing to keep the car on the road.  A horrific screeching filled the air as the tires slid across the asphalt.  As they drove on, Cordy heard her mother breathe a sigh of relief in the sudden quiet.  Cordy’s heart slowed its erratic beating momentarily.

A dark figured appeared in their headlights.  Cordy watched in silent horror as the car moved steadily closer.  Her mother honked over and over again, but the figure remained still.  Swerving into the other lane, her mother tried to pass by.  They were close enough now that Cordy could tell it was a man.  Though his features were indistinct, his eyes burned into her memory forever: they felt dead.  Cold engulfed her as she stared into them.