The Traveler's Stone

The Dreams of Flames

The sun was shining brightly, casting a golden hue over everything. Winnie stood on the platform, her golden hair cascading around her shoulders, illuminated by the afternoon light. She turned to me, her blue eyes sparkling with joy and warmth.

"I'll be home soon, Barrett," she said, her voice like a melody that calmed my soul. "Just a few more hours."

I reached out, taking her hand, feeling the softness of her skin. "I'll be waiting," I replied, my heart swelling with love.

She smiled, a smile that could light up the darkest of days, and boarded the train. I watched as she found her seat, waving at me through the window. The train whistle blew, and with a lurch, it began to move. I kept my eyes on her, unwilling to look away until she was out of sight.

The scene shifted abruptly. The bright afternoon transformed into a dark, ominous evening. I found myself standing in a desolate field, the train tracks stretching out before me. The sky was covered with thick, angry clouds, the air heavy with a sense of impending doom.

In the distance, the train appeared, speeding along the tracks. A sudden, blinding flash of light tore through the sky—a meteor, blazing a trail of fire as it hurtled towards the earth. Time seemed to slow as I watched it descend, a harbinger of destruction.

"No!" I screamed, my voice raw with panic. "Winnie!"

The meteor struck the train with a deafening explosion, metal screeching and twisting as the impact engulfed it in flames. The force of the blast knocked me off my feet, and I hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of me.

When I looked up, the train was a roaring inferno. The flames danced wickedly, consuming everything in their path. I tried to move, to run towards the wreckage, but my legs felt like lead. Desperation clawed at my chest as I struggled to reach her.

"Winnie!" I shouted again, my voice breaking. The heat was unbearable, searing my skin even from a distance.

Through the flames, I could see her face, twisted in fear and pain, her blue eyes wide and searching. She reached out towards me, her fingers grasping at the air.

"Barrett!" Her voice was a haunting echo, filled with a terror that shattered my heart.

I pushed forward, my hands outstretched, but the flames grew higher, forming an impenetrable wall between us. The heat intensified, the fire roaring louder, drowning out her cries. My vision blurred with tears, and I screamed her name, my voice lost in the chaos.

And then, in a horrifying instant, the flames consumed her, leaving nothing but ash and smoke. The air was thick with the smell of burning metal and flesh. I fell to my knees, my body wracked with sobs, the pain of her loss tearing me apart.

"Winnie..." I whispered, the word a broken plea.

The ground beneath me began to tremble, and the sky above cracked open, a blinding white light spilling forth. I was lifted off the ground, weightless, as the light enveloped me, pulling me away from the scene of destruction. I reached out, trying to grasp something, anything to anchor me.

My eyes snapped open, and I bolted upright, drenched in sweat. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. The room was dark, the only light coming from the dying embers of the fire.

I ran a hand over my face, wiping away the sweat and tears. The dream had been so vivid, so real. The memory of that day haunted me, a wound that refused to heal. I could still feel the heat of the flames, see the terror in Winnie's eyes.

I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The cool air of the room did little to chase away the lingering sense of dread. I pressed my palms against my eyes, trying to block out the images that replayed in my mind.

"She's gone," I whispered to myself, the words like a dagger to my heart. "She's really gone."

Elias had warned me about the dangers of dwelling on the past, of letting grief consume me. But how could I not? Winnie had been my everything, and her loss left a void that nothing could fill. The dream was a cruel reminder of the life we had planned, the future that had been ripped away from us.

I stood, my legs unsteady, and walked to the window. The night was calm, the rain from earlier having passed. I stared out at the darkness, my thoughts a storm of sorrow and determination.

"I will find a way, Winnie," I vowed softly.