Whispers in the Ashes

Chapter 3

                                                                            * * * Miranda * * *

It was a long day. Not an hour after Andrew exited the office, I got a call from the Sheryl at the pharmacy that my prescription was ready. I'd taken the doctors advice.

Begrudgingly.

I'd ate better and started my cold turkey detox from all things caffeine and sugar. Let's face it that one was probably not going to last long but I did make an attempt.

Getting ready for bed, I thought about my interaction today with Andrew. Although it felt like our usual banter, it seemed Andrew held genuine concern when I told him what was going on. As much as I wanted to put it off that it was just his job, I couldn't push aside the way he examined me almost delicately.

I quickly changed into my favorite pajama set, a silk nightie combo that I had spent entirely too much money on, and read over the directions on my sleeping pills.

"Here goes nothing. Bad dreams be gone."

I swallowed the pill and climbed into bed. My body exhausted before I managed to pull the sheets up.

The dream started the same as the others. I was back at Grandma's creek but this time it was different. The smell of fire was vivid. Smoke burned my nose and mouth although I couldn't see anything burning. I was standing in the water staring upstream. The peaceful sounds that I associated with the woods dissipated. Suddenly birds rushed from the trees flying in a panic. Minnows and small fish rushed by my feet, in a rush to make it downstream.

The water changed. The once clear water turned black and grew as thick as oil. My submerged feet disappeared in what seemed like an abyss.

The smell of fire grew stronger.

I could see the small flame in the distance in front of me.

Growing.

Growing.

Growing.

This time I wasn't watching from a distance as the fire raged on. This time the water was on fire and I was standing in the middle of it.

The heat increased as the fire crept closer. Almost as if it was controlled by someone who was toying with me.

I felt a stray spark singe my skin. The pain felt real this time.

This dream was different.

I screamed for help until my throat felt scorched but no matter how much I tried my feet wouldn't budge.

Why wasn't I waking up? I had never had a dream this long.

I continued to scream for help as the fire grew closer and closer. Until it grew into a wall of fire, 20 feet high. I held out my hands. Desperate to stop it from coming any closer. Tears streaming down my face as I tried to figure out how to get out.

But I couldn't. 

I was trapped in the blazing water with no escape.