Escape

Chapter 6

I woke up the next morning, refreshed. Rosemary was already awake, just like I new she would be. She smiled and handed me a cup of tea. Warmth washed over me and I felt happy. I never feel happy anymore, it was so nice to feel good again. " How'd you sleep?" I inquired. "Okay I guess." She looked away. I got the message and didnt ask again. " Do you want to go to the dining car for breakfast? Ive seen there selection it looks good and Its free."

"Sure" I smiled.

She was right. On a table was scrambled eggs, bacon, waffles, fruit salad, and yogurt. Off to the side were two additional small tables. One was a drink bar with Orange juice, hot water, and coffee with baskets of hot chocolate and apple cider mixes, tea bags, cream, and sugar. The other table held a large pot of oatmeal and toppings. . I'm shocked, they really went all out, a full buffet. Who knew trains were so, complimentary? I filled a plate with fruit salad, eggs, bacon, a bowl of oatmeal, and coffee on the side. I am absolutely starving. We sit down and I saw Rosemary had almost the same thing but without the coffee and bacon. She smiled, " Dig in" The food is heavenly, heck with the rumors the train is awesome. We clear our table. On the way out Rosie smiles warmly at the chef, and thanks him for the wonderful meal. Smiling, I shake my head at her small act of kindness, who thinks to do something like that? Only Rosemary would. When we get back we watch movies for the rest of the day in our pajamas, something else I had missed dearly and hadn't noticed. We watched Titanic, Forrest Gump, and the Pirates of the Caribbean. All of our favorite movies basically. Weird that the train happened to have them. Eventually we went out and had a huge spaghetti dinner, or Alfredo in Rosemary's case. By the time we get back to our section, I am content and yawning. We brushed our teeth, make our beds and I quickly fall asleep.

That night I dreamed of something I hadn't thought of for years. I don't allow myself to think about it, my happy place. Memories washed over me , and I saw it clear as day, my paradise. A lush green field with grass that tickled my horses belly, It stretched on for miles and had impeccable footing, perfect for racing, perfect for anything. The air is brisk and the sun shone overhead like gold. I wear no tack, and no helmet, but I'm not afraid, because beneath me is my best friend, my gorgeous, black, apalloosa mare. She is perfect sized, lean and 15 hands. She is smooth, and fast, and smart, and gentle, and perfect. Her name is Raven, and I love her more than life. I don't even hold on, I never give a second thought to falling off. Not here, where I'm perfectly safe. Then we take off like a bullet and I push her as fast as she can go. The wind is howling and we are flying. Freedom, there is no other way to put it, nothing better. I feel so alive. So unstoppable, invincible. All my worries fly away, in this beautiful, incomparable place.

I woke up with tears falling down my face in an endless downpour. My mind had betrayed me again. I know I can't think about that anymore, because it is no longer mine. My beautiful best friend was gone and wasn't coming back. Why did I have to be reminded? That monster was back, my monster, baring its ugly head capturing me with its poisonous eyes. It attacked, and consumed me quickly, suffocating me, surrounding me in darkness. A reminder, no matter how fast I run and how well I fight, there was no stopping it. No way out, I am trapped, for who knows how long, eternity, maybe. Just like that, my gift of sleeping at night, that I had just gotten back and treasured so much, was ripped away from my grasp by my monster. It disappeared into the shadows with it, with no telling when it will give it back. The tears kept falling and I spent the rest of the night, wrestling with my mind, praying for dawn.