Out Of Darkness

Chapter Ten

Alea

"Olympia, help me!" I screamed

I kicked viciously through the water. An intense pain throbbed at the rear of my skull. The water pushed down on me from all sides. My arms and legs were numb from the ceaseless movement. The glimmering sunlight on the water seemed to mock me, revealing how vulnerable I felt. My lungs wailed for air as my limbs flailed about. Another powerful wave hit, tossing me in every direction and leaving me unable to distinguish up from down. I fought against the water, kicking and clawing at the surface. The water flooded over my lips, freezing them as it poured into mouth.

Reaching out; only to grasp nothing. I felt as though a heavy blanket enveloped me. As the of feeling panic receded, numbness replaced it, leading to a noticeable slowdown in my heartbeat. My tears mixed with the water and I lost my train of thought. I descended rapidly, struggling to breathe as a painful fire flared up in my lungs.

"Olympia!"

Water cascades swiftly as it travels down my throat. I hesitated, feeling the surging waves pull me beneath the surface. All around me, I sensed the weight of pressure pressing tightly. It resembled a confinement in a separate dimension, rendering me incapable of breathing or fleeing. The tide had taken over me; I was at its mercy. Death lurked around the corner and I lost a hold of my consciousness and drifted into the vast, menacing sea.

I jerked upright in bed. Sweat trickles down my forehead, making my mouth feel parched. With clammy hands, I gripped the bedsheets. The rapid puffs of air from my mouth served as the only auditory disturbance in the quiet room.

My surroundings lay silent and motionless, with only the light from the alarm clock beside me announcing 03:26 AM.

That was merely a nightmare. Yet, that didn't qualify as a nightmare. It caused a powerful feeling of truthfulness.

I reclined onto my moist pillow, allowing the nightmare to circulate through my thoughts again.

The scent of the sea. I can feel the water in my mouth. The chilly wind of ice.

I hastily removed the bedding, realizing that falling back asleep wasn't going to happen. The cool air delivered a refreshing breeze to my heated body, drying the layer of sweat that glistened on my skin.

I cradled my head in my palm. My fingers gripped unto my short hair. The nightmare kept replaying incessantly, as if it was stuck in a loop.

Don’t worry, Alea; you’re safe. Relax, it was all just a figment of your imagination. You didn't drown. No one tried to save you. This is nothing but a ridiculous old dream.

I sigh and ran my fingers through my hair while I expressed my frustration to the universe.

A strange unease creped into my stomach. The remnants of the nightmare sent a single jolt of electricity down my spine.

Returning to sleep wasn't possible for me right now. Not after that.

I rose from bed and softly opened my door, stealthily walked down the hallway and descended the oak staircase. The tranquil old brownstone absorbed the peaceful night, as soft moonlight graced the kitchen area.

I quietly opened the fridge while still on my tiptoes. Shielding my eyes from the intense light that brightened the once dim kitchen. I picked up a chilled bottle of water and gulped it down halfway, relieving my dry mouth.

I was having a vivid memory of screaming and thrashing awake at night, that  prompted Farah to come running to me. Her comforting embrace and tender whispers were the only sources of solace for me when i was younger.