111 Crossbow Lane

Am I dreaming?

I look at him, he seems to be here, he's holding my hand and helping me get up. Surely this is real? I pinch him, and get a groan and my hand slapped away. Yup, he felt that. I'm not dreaming, yet it doesn't make sense.

"How are you alive? I saw you on the floor, the paramedic said you didn't make it."

"Darlin, I'm standing right here. I'm alive and kicking. I've never been inside this house. I happened to be passing by and saw you fall. So I stopped and came over to help you."

"But..."

"It's okay darlin, I think you've bumped your head pretty bad." He helps me to walk over to the curb, just as the fire brigade arrives.

"Ma'am I'm Lieutenant James Cowley. Ma'am, are you okay?" He snaps his fingers in front of me, I finally look at him.

"No. No I'm not."

"What happened? Are you injured in any way?"

"I fell, but I'm okay. It's what happened here, what I saw. It's just too bizarre to even describe to someone." I look off in the distance, recalling all that happened in the last hour or two. I'm not even sure how much time has passed.

"I'll go have a look ma'am. Maybe your friend here can take you to the ER? Have them check you out?" He looks at Gideon for confirmation.

"I'll definitely take her, I'm scared she might've hit her head hard enough to leave her with a concussion." He turns to me, "Come on darlin. Let's go to the ER." I just let him lead me over to his car. I turn around to look at the Lieutenant and see him enter the house, all normal.

Gideon opens the door for me and I get in. I'm so overwhelmed that I just follow his lead. He closes the door and heads over to the driver's side. He gets in and starts the engine.

"Put your safety belt on darlin." I look back at the house as we start driving away, a mist forms around it, it seems to...vanish...

What the hell?

"Mommy, put your seatbelt on." I hear that little voice, the one it can't possibly be...Brian. I turn around in my seat and look at the back seat.

There plain as day, he sits, seatbelt on smiling at me, licking his ice cream.

My brain goes into overdrive...no no no. The car doors all lock, I pull at the handle, it won't open. Brian giggles from the back.

"Darlin, let me help you put your seatbelt on." Gideon clips the buckle in and takes my hand into his. He moves his hand to his mouth and softly kisses my hand. I look at him, eyes wide. He smiles...I try the door handle again, locked. I sit back in my chair, what else can I do?

Brian giggles again. "Yay, road trip with mommy and daddy!"

We drive off into the sunset...