Connected Souls

Chapter 1: The Dreams

Ava's Pov.

* I'm walking. No, I'm running. I can hear the sound of sticks breaking and crunching beneath my feet. The birds chirping and the rustling of leaves as they blow around. I can feel the breeze all over against my skin. It takes me awhile to realize that I'm outside but I can't see. I can feel that my eyes are open but at the same time; they feel closed. I try to open them wider but they won't budge. I try to squint but that doesn't work either.

I'm still running. Why am I running? Is there someone after me? Why can't I see anything? It's so blurry. And colder?

I can feel the change in the air; the way it got chillier. I can now hear the sound of pebbles splashing against water. The noise of someone or something else moving. I feel my body start to slow down but then speed up running again.

"Landon!" I hear someone say. Landon? Him again? His name seems to be recurring in every dream I have.

I was so into my scenes of the things around me that I wasn't even prepared for the water. Why am I in the water? I'm under water! I can't breathe! I try to move to get out, but I can't. It's almost as if this is not my body to control.

I feel my arms start to move and search for the surface. I feel like I'm trapped, trying to escape with no way out. I start panicking. Where's the surface? I can't see. I can't breathe.

"Landon!" I hear the name being shouted again. From the same voice above the water. Who's Landon?

I feel lost. Lost in my own mind of the possibilities. Of who and what could be around me. Where is the surface? And just as I think this; I feel my hand touch the air. And as I come up, I can finally breathe...*

I jump up from bed gasping for air. It was just a dream. A dream like all the others. Where I couldn't see. Only feel and only hear. Who's Landon? Why is it always Landon? Why do I keep having these dreams? These dreams where I'm never able to understand the things that I feel and hear around me. These dreams where it is not my body to control.

Landon's Pov.

As I came out of the water I felt peace. I felt as if I was complete; whole. I don't know where this feeling keeps coming from but as I rose; it came too.

"Landon!" Treavor called as I surfaced. He was staring at me like I was crazy. Well maybe I am. I mean, you should hear about the dreams I've been having.

"What?" I say to him as I start to swim to shore to get out of this now very cold water.

"Are you out of your mind? We go running at nine in the morning, then you disappear and leave me alone in the woods. And you have the nerve to jump in the water to try and hide when I finally spot you. What's wrong with you? What if something happened?" Treavor complained as I got out of the water and onto the hard dry dirt that was now getting soggy.

"I was just playing. Wanted to see how paranoid I could make you," I teased as I started to walk with a smile on my face. He scoffed and bumped me as I past him chuckling.

"Whatever," Treavor said trying to have a serious face. I just laughed at him and turned to continue walking.

"Hey, what's up with you? Where did this smile come from? You were just all serious and upset a little bit ago," Treavor said as he jogged up next to me.

I just smiled and looked down at the ground as we walked. How could I even explain?

Treavor walked in front and stopped me while looking at my face with a smirk.

"Who is she?" He asked.

"Who's who? There is no she," I said as I walked around and past him.

"Yeah sure," He said. "So who is she?".

We stood still in the woods as I said, "There is no she. I am just in a good mood. Something wrong with that?"

"No," He said as we started walking again. "It's just that, well, you know. Ever since that thing with Lea, I thought that maybe you...".

"That thing with Lea? Are you serious? We haven't even seen each other and you think that I'm still not over it? Well I am. I've been over it. Besides, I left, and for a good reason too. Can't a guy just be happy for once in his life?" I cut him off as I said this more harshly than we both expected.

He looks down with no words to say and I suddenly feel regretful.

"Look, " I started. " I didn't mean to be so harsh. I just - it's just that. I've been feeling very, very happy lately. Like I've never felt before, not with Lea or anyone. I don't really understand it. But when I wake up I feel completely; complete. Like now. I'm just happy. I can't explain it."

"When you wake up? Why do you think that is? Not that there's anything wrong with it, I'm just asking," Treavor said.

I smiled lightly and said, "I've been having these dreams. These dreams were I can't see anything but I can feel and hear. I basically have all my senses except sight. These dreams are always different but something in it is always the same. And I think that thing is what makes me whole."

"And what's that?" Treavor asked with a confused yet interested face.

I looked at him with a big smile on my face and said, "Ava.".