Rabbits and Roses

Chapter Five

I was dreaming again. Everyone was there. Well, everyone that had recently come into my life. Except that not everyone was alive.

Blood covered my mind's white floor. The usually gray fog was a deep crimson and the bodies lay around my feet. I gasped in horror.

"F-Francis? Matthew? Guys, c-come on, get up!" Something was heavy in my hand. I lifted it to see a gun. Arthur grabbed my ankle.

I jerked back, but ended up falling on my butt. I stared in horror as his blue lips formed the words. "We died.. saving you. You killed us." He whispered.

The others' lips began making incoherent noises all at the same time, until it turned into almost a chant. "You killed us, you're our killer. You're the reason we died." It echoed in the empty space, getting louder and louder until it seemed that they were in my head.

I heard something click by my ear and turned to see the four of them behind me. Looking back I saw the bodies were gone, as was the blood. The foursome all held guns to my head. I looked at Francis with pleading eyes, but his face was cold.

Matthew sneered. "We might as well kill you before you kill us." They pulled the trigger in unison and I fell backwards. My faded eyes saw the floor fill with blood again. I blinked, and when I opened them the bodies were back. Just as dead as I was about to be.

I jerked in Matthew's arms and yelped as I pulled on my wounds. My squinted eyes searched the van, making sure everyone was still alive and well. Matthew tightened his arms around me and frantically asked me if I was alright. Arthur sat across from us, eyes wide and worried. I began crying and explained what happened.

"Y-you guys, you all were dead because of me. It's all my fault, it's all my fault," I wheezed.

Arthur scooted to our side of the SUV and sat beside Matthew. He took my hand. "It's okay. We're not going to die," He smiled shakily. "Most certainly should it happen, it wouldn't be your fault."

I looked up front to see Alfred driving and glancing worriedly in the rear-view mirror. France was turned in his seat watching me. My face turned red. "I-I'm sorry to startle you all. It was just a dream." I sighed.

It was gray outside, and rain pattered on the SUV. "You slept all afternoon and through the night," Matthew murmured into my hair. "It's about seven thirty in the morning."

I closed my eyes to calm down. "Why is all this happening? Why was my English teacher trying to kill me?"

Alfred pulled onto an exit. "How about we talk over breakfast?" He asked cheerily. We pulled into a rest stop that was next to an IHOP.

"We stopped by a Walmart and got you some clean clothes," Arthur muttered and handed me a plastic bag. For guys they sure knew what was in style.

After being helped out of the back, Matthew and Alfred helped me to the door of the girls' room. Alfred tried to follow me in but I put a hand on his chest and he laughed, walking back out.

I locked the door behind me and began to change. I carefully pulled the hem of my shirt up and ended up having to bend over to shimmy it off without pulling too hard on anything, though the one on my back throbbed very painfully. I slipped the new red tank over my head and worked on kicking my ruined capris off. The shorts they got me were a little short for my tastes. I wasn't the kind of girl to show off my butt hole to unsuspecting strangers. Then again, maybe I was overreacting. They only stopped at mid thigh, so it's not like I was advertising anything that shouldn't be.

I stuffed my ruined clothes into the plastic bag and unlocked the door. Matthew and Alfred stood leaning on the brick wall bickering about something. Francis and Arthur were still by the SUV talking quietly and looking at a map.

"Okay, let's go eat!" I smiled.

"Finally! I'm starving, bro!" Alfred fist-pumped the air. Matthew and I rolled our eyes and smiled at each other and began to follow the enthusiastic man.

Alfred, who had been sprinting to the SUV, tripped over a large rock and fell head over heels on the ground. He stood up and brushed gravel off his clothes, then looked back at the two of us trailing behind and yelled "Totally meant to do that, guys!" He threw us a thumbs up and we doubled over laughing.

After meeting up with the others we all decided to just walk over to IHOP and we could get the SUV afterwards, since it was just less than 50 feet away.

With Alfred on one side and Arthur on the other to help me up the small grass hill, we trekked to the pancakes.

"I feel like an old lady that you guys are helping across the road," I grumbled.

Arthur laughed and looked at Alfred. "She think she's old!"

Finally we got to the top of the grassy hill and the boys released my arms. I smoothed down my hair and we all walked -I more limped than anything- up to the door. Alfred and Francis fought over who would hold the door for me on the way to the small porch, so Matthew ended up holding it and I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Matthew."

"No problem." He grinned.

It was very cold inside and I couldn't shake the feeling of Alfred's cold, dead hand on my ankle. A chill ran through my spine.

As we walked in a short older woman smiled tiredly at us. "Welcome to Colorado! Table for five?"

I nodded. She picked up five menus and Alfred raised his hand slightly. "Oh, can I have a kids menu? I like to draw on them."

The woman looked at him skeptically, but put one back and retrieved a kids menu. Francis slapped the back of his head. "Stupide."

The woman sat us at a booth near the back and brought up an extra chair, then asked if it was okay. Again, I nodded. In fact, it was perfect for them to tell me what the hell was going on. We sat down and ordered our drinks and food.

"Okay, now tell me."

Le gasp, serious shot now, guys. If you liked this chapter comment and vote. I'm always taking constructive criticism. It means a lot when I get help from strangers.

Have a beautiful day, or night.

Hecanada