The Hunted

Dreams

                                                                                          Lyra

One Month Before

         Thundering footsteps chase behind me as my feet push themselves further ahead than the other two girls that are with me can go. One was close behind me while the other, while injured, trails further behind. My lungs freeze as I breathe the crisp air in, then burn as I push the air out. My heart dances to the rhythm of the paws that swiftly hit the ground. 

My white dress is drenched in sweat and feels cold and wet like it had been doused in water before I started running. My calves brush against dirty fabric with each stride in my step. Tears in the dress make me feel unkept and the situation in which I've been placed is much more frightening. I don't know how I got here nor the people that run with me.

My mind races for the next solution to the problem I've been placed in. Trying and failing to help the people I feel depend on me, the warmth of the tears that gently fall down my face grow more frequent. How do I help them, and myself? How many girls are going through the same thing as me? A dullness settles in my heart at the thought of failing those who depended on me when I was needed most.

No!

There's a way out of this mess, there's gotta be a way for me to help these strangers following me. They think I have a plan, so I will have a plan!

Think, think, THINK, THINK, THINK!!!

I close myself and force myself to think outside my body and this situation creeps up on me while exhaustion seeps into my bones. The sound of water falling takes my attention for a moment. 

We can jump. 

Fear eats at me at the thought of anything that has to do with heights, but it might be the only way I can save them.

With a slight turn, I head for the sound that might be our only savior. In queue the girls behind me turn with me and so do the wolves that are so eager to capture us. With a huff, I pick up the pace and surely enough I see the river that leads to our inevitable jump. Our pace starts to match the river beside us, splashing, crashing, and whipping around rocks that slowly erode to the pressure of the rapids we follow like a wildebeest in a stampeding head. 

My thoughts rush with the waters that move with me. What if the fall kills us? What if there are rocks at the bottom? What if the wolves are just as crazy as us and jump too? Too many what if that once the cliff does enter my eyesight I slow down to a stop. Gasping for my breath and hunched over because the sudden light-headedness was too much to handle. I walk over to the edge of the cliff once I catch my breath and look down. It is far down, that much I expected, but not as much as I thought it would be. The water is clear and in any normal circumstance, I'd think the view is beyond beautiful. Gathering at the bottom before a much smaller river than the one I'm standing by takes the water downstream.

I turned back and the wolves that had been chasing us slowly crept up on us. They don't think we are gonna jump. Fools. I look to the girls beside me and give a quick nod before I lean back into a backflip. I stretch out my body, cross my legs, hold my breath, and shut my eyes. The force of which I keep them close hurts but I find myself enjoying the pain as it takes away from the fear of jumping.

I gasp awake. Practically jumping out of bed I take a quick look around me before my gaze lands on the full moon peeking into my room. Curious as to why my curtains are suddenly wide open and my windows are ajar to let the cold air in, I cautiously make my way toward the windows. The moon feels different tonight when I look up to it. An electric buzz seems to draw me toward the face of the moon, whispering to me as if to tell me exciting news. With a huff, I look up to find myself in a tunnel vision. The moon is all I see and I feel as if the moon is looking me directly in my eyes.

Somehow I know it is telling me something. Telling me to prepare, for what though... I am not sure. But I blink myself out of the haze and make my way back to my bed. The pillows are all thrown off and you can clearly see the puddle of sweat I was sleeping in. I cringe and look down at myself. I'm soaked from head to toe and my pj's are clinging to my skin in an uncomfortable weight. I roll my eyes in frustration and stomp my way back over to the moon before motioning to my clothing and flipping off what is likely the reason behind my strange dream and buzz that I felt. 

Turning back I yank off my clothes and find myself another pair of pj's. Growing more frustrated I grab my blankets and make my way to the living room before throwing myself down on the couch.

Take that moon.