Road to Evergreen | #Wattys2016

f o r t y - f o u r

Songs for this chapter:

In my veins - Andrew Belle
A drop in the ocean- Ron Pope

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He's there. Sitting on the bench in the same exact park. His back is facing me and his chestnut brown hair is shimmering under the moonlight. It's dark and cold but all I feel is numbness. My heart rate is increasing, my palms are sweating and I might faint any second. I'm afraid. Never mind, scratch that. I'm terrified. But I have to face him one day or another. It's now or never.

I take a step forward but struggle to get my leg back up. I look down to find my leg half way through a puddle. It's stuck. I wrap my hands around it and pull it up. But instead, an agonising pain jolts right through making me fall completely on the ground. I let out a cry.

I'm shaking uncontrollably and I'm unable to stop. I bite down on my lip to block a scream from escaping. Instead, I rub the back of my palms across my eyes but my vision goes blurry as I remove them. I can't see anything but the colour of red.

My hands are bleeding.

What I'm drowning in isn't just a puddle; it's a puddle of my blood. A lump forms in my throat and I swallow the hot tears threatening to leave. I need to be strong. I need to find a way out. Think, Lesley. Think.

His face jerks to my direction and I meet his consuming green eyes. He's lacking the usual heartwarming character he usually is. Instead, it's replaced by pale skin and eyes that can send arrows right through your heart.

I'm drowning and I can't swim.

"Help me," I beg and beg and beg, again. His gaze never leaves mine and I find myself terrified more than ever.

"Please!" I cry out. He starts walking fast toward me, the sound of leaves crushing underneath him. I try backing away but I can't. I can't stop bleeding out and sinking down.

He's scowling as he stares at me with anger. I feel his pulse ramp up from over a distance. Slowly, he raises his hand, a dagger pointed in my way. It's sharp. Too sharp. I purse my lips to swallow down a scream. He thrives the dagger toward my chest and I prepare myself for what's coming. This is it. He finally won. He turned his own brother on me.

I close my eyes and whisper his name one last time, "Adam."

I scream and automatically pull my hands toward my chest as I sit up. My eyes bolt wide open as I suck a sharp breath in, welcoming air back to my lungs. I look down and rapidly touch the place where the dagger should've hit me. But I'm alive. I sigh in relief. It was a dream. It was a dream. It was a dream.. I keep repeating it over and over in my head, as I rock back and forth. I then wipe the sweat on my forehead and wrap my arms around myself, trying to reduce the shivering.

"Lesley," Adam thrusts the tree house door open. I flinch, startled. His eyes are wild as he frowns, "what happened? Are you okay?" He makes his way toward me and kneels. He cups my cheeks with his hands as he searches my eyes. His eyes send me back, making me squint, remembering my nightmare.

"I need some air," I break from his hands and head toward the door. As I step outside, I almost fall due to the lack of a platform. There's a tiny board that lays on the left. I jump there and tighten Adam's hoodie closer to my body, blocking the coldness of the weather. I try controlling my unsteady breathing. Inhale. Exhale.

This can't be right. He will haunt me everywhere at any time. Last night, I fell asleep in Adam's arms and I felt so light. I was relaxed and too be honest, it's the best sleep I had for years. But then Lucian found a way to creep into my life again, turning it into a living hell.