The Witch's Relay

Chapter 26: Dreams

I find myself feeling a cold and sinking sensation, causing me to open my eyes, only to discover.. Nothing?

Before me is just a black abyss, utter darkness growing larger as I seem to draw near it. Sinking.

Turning around my head however I see a bright and diffused light coming from above me.

And I realize no matter how hard I pull in with my lungs, I can't breathe.

Frantically I realize that I'm underwater, and begin to swim up towards the light. How I got here I have no idea, but fact is I am, and I'm going to make it out alive.

Reaching the surface, and with my lungs about to burst, I let out a massive gasp. Oxygen is amazing.

Treading water and looking all about me, I realize that there is no land in sight, and not a ripple in the water save the ones I myself am causing. There is a nagging sense that this world is simply empty with nothing going on except me. Whatever is outside my line of sight, is just non-existent.

Where on earth am I? Am I dreaming? This doesn't feel like a dream, but also the last thing I remember is falling asleep.

I pinch myself, but I still don't wake up.

Just as suddenly however as I found myself in the ocean, I now find myself high up in the air above the water, and I'm falling back down. Right before I hit the surface however I find myself now standing inside a room with multiple windows, but no door, instead, the spot which a door should be is just covered in the same stone bricks that cover the rest of the walls.

Walking up to the window I find that I'm in a tall tower, but the ground upon which it is built can't be seen due to a thick and rising fog.

This really has to be a dream, but if I know that, why can't I get out?

After a few minutes the fog finally rises to reach the windows and a mist pours into and fills the entire room.

Along with the fog, I see the outline of a person in the far side of the room, and a voice, not from the figure, starts talking slowly in a breathy voice.

"Don't..." Says the voice, echoing in my mind.

The person steps forward and I raise my fists a bit.

"Trust..."

The figure comes even closer and I finally recognise it. Heather.

"Her..."

Then the fog vanishes and so does heather.

I wake up.

Sitting up and covered in sweat I sit up. My room- or rather Heather's room, is just like it is supposed to be, except for one little detail, which despite the spell laid upon me, causes me to start back and for a moment of disbelief I can't speak.

There, in front of the opened window and flapping curtains I see Grace. My sister.

"W-w-w-what are you doing here!?" I exclaim, kicking off my covers and quickly put on my shirt which I discarded before tucking myself in.

"Shh! I came to save you!" She nearly hisses trying to be quiet.

"Save me!? From what!?" I hiss back at her in a half whisper.

"From that witch! Hurry! Follow me!" Grace gestures to me to come, and puts one foot outside the window.

"No! Wait!" I stumble out of bed and towards her. "I don't need saving!"

Grace then swings both legs out the window, and with a woosh from her dark cloak, she jumps down from the window. Once I rush after her I see that she has landed on a cart.

"Come! Hurry!" Her eyes are wide open and with a look of panic in them.

Seeing that I need to go after and catch up with her in order to get her to listen, I myself climb out the window and drop to the street.

"Run! Or she'll get us!" She waves for me to follow and begins to run away from the inn.

"Wait for me!" I sigh and run after her.

"She's coming! Faster!"

"Heh?" I turn around to see Heather walking up behind us, at which I look back at Grace who is hesitating whether or not to leave me behind. "It's ok! Just wait!"

"No! We have to run or she'll get us!

"No! Just wait up!" I stop running and she turns back, with more fear in her eyes than ever.

"Duck!"

"What?" I turn back to see a fireball fly straight at me before all goes black.

...

I gasp as I fly up in my bed, my sheets covered in sweat and my hair sticking to my forehead. I would think I had a fever, but other than an unnatural feeling of weariness weighing on me, I feel completely fine.

This time I am sure that I have woken up for real. But, I might as well check my body for burns anyway. Yup, no burns.

"All the good that bath is now." I say ironically to myself while feeling my wet hair.

I think I'll just be up for a while. Just what was that all about?