Future

Chapter 8

I hear a faint whisper calling my name, "Grace... Grace... Grace..." I look up and see a woman with long, flowing, white and blonde hair. As soon as I see her face I know exactly who she is. My mom. "Grace... I have come to help you..." My mother reaches for my hand and I take it. Everything around us is bleach white. I can't see anything but my mom. She has sky blue eyes. Just like mine.
"Help me? Why?" I ask.
"Because, you and your friends are in danger."
"What is the danger?" I feel beads of sweat trickle on my forehead. My body feels exhausted and tired. Like I woke up after sleeping for years.
"You. Grace, you have a gift that people... want. In which you'll find out soon, but for now you need to find a way back to your time. Then, leave your friends behind. Pretend like you don't know them." I feel anger bubbling inside me. This. This! Is not my mother! I don't know! I am not going to just leave my friends behind! And what do I have? "Honey. I know you're angry. About all of this. But know that whatever choice you make, everyone's life depends on it. Don't make the same mistake I did."
"What mistake?!" As soon as those words come out of my mouth, my mother disappears and I lay in the cave, breathing heavily and crying. I sit up and wake Ethan and Adeline on accident. Adeline jumps and slaps Ethan's chest. He immediately wakes up and clutches his chest and groans.
"Really Addy?" Ethan's hair is all ruffled and matted. He sees me staring at him. "What? Do I have something on my face?" His hands rub over his face. He looks at me with concern.
"No. You're just... Handsome." His cheeks start to turn bright red and mine do too. Adeline cuts our connection off.
"Grace. Why were you yelling?"
"Oh... It's... It's nothing..." Ethan looks at Adeline and she peers at his chest covered with his shirt. Ethan looks at her and me and starts to speak.
"Why are you two looking at my chest?"
"Well..." I start to say, "Adeline slapped your chest super hard. Does it still hurt?"
"N-" Ethan starts to say, but then a smirk sneaks up on his face. "Yes. Yes, it does. Do you want to check it out for me Grace?" His fingers crawl over the bottom of his shirt. I start to smile and my face turns beat red.
"Why not?" I ask. Ethan grabs the bottom of his shirt and slings it off into the corner of the cave. I inch closer to him. I cross over my legs and look at the white hand mark Adeline left behind. I run my fingers across the mark. He looks at me and pretends like he had a battle scar.
"Oh. Grace. I don't think..." He pretends like he is about to die. He heaves heavily in his breaths. "I'm going to make it. Just know.,," Then he pretends to be dead. And I start to play along.
"No! Ethan! No!" I grab his lifeless body and hold it close to my warm heart. He quickly opens his eyes and grabs my back and leans in to kiss me. I seal my lips against his and we stay there. I wonder if Ethan is supposed to be my... husband... I speak that word in my head like it is forbidden. I can picture Ethan and I living together. Raising kids together. But how do I know that? My memory was washed and now I'm dreaming fairytale a of some guy I don't even know! Yet. But I will know him and he will love me no matter who I am. An unconditional love. No matter what. Even though I might keep this little secret visiting of my mom to myself. What if she's right? Then all of us will be at risk. When she said, "Don't make the same mistake I did." Is that how she... died? Because she had a secret. And her loved ones would be the ones to suffer. As all these thoughts roll around in my mind, Ethan kisses me and my eyes are open. He sees them open and takes his lips off of mine slowly.
"Grace, what's wrong?"
"Nothing... I just... Need some sleep."
"Okay." With disappointment in his eyes, Ethan crawls back to his sleeping bag. I inch over to his sleeping bag and kiss his cheek. I then walk over to my own sleeping bag. I curl into a ball under the cozy covers. My eyelids slowly drop. Not letting any of the torch lights seep in between my eyelids.