Houston (ON HOLD)

Emma

In my dream, I'm back in the square, seven months ago on that terrifying day things went sour. This is the nightmare that plagues me most nights, the reason why I don't sleep often or soundly.

Soldiers chase me down the streets and through the alleyways, inescapable. The more corners I turn, the more soldiers join the pack behind me, their footsteps growing louder and louder. I don't dare turn my head and look, because that will slow me down.

I trip over something and go tumbling down to the ground, landing painfully on my elbow. I turn to look at what I'd fallen over and gasp in horror.

The bodies of my family lay on the ground, their eyes all trained on me. Alice has a bullet in her chest, as does my mother. Blake's forehead has a hole in it, blood dripping down his face. My father stares emptily with a halo of blood around his head. They're all still at first, just staring at me, but then they all begin to cry and reach their hands out toward me, calling out to me for help. I scream and push myself back, kicking at them frantically.

When I wake up, I'm screaming. I kick at the sheets and sit up, pushing away at things that aren't truly there. As always, Alice is there to comfort me, crawling into the bed with me and holding me in her small arms until I calm down. I'm always amazed at how calm she is whenever I wake up like this. I hug my sister tightly, feeling guilty for having her see me this way.

"I get them too," She says quietly.

As I begin to calm down, I look out the window. The soft light shows me that it's the early hours of the morning, but I know I won't go back to sleep. Alice might if she sees that I'm okay, but she sometimes stays up with me.

"Thank you, sis."

We both get out of bed, softly walking across the floor as not to wake Mom. But, when we get into the lounge, we find that she's already awake.

"Mom?" I say quietly as I spot her sitting on the chair in the living room.

My mother looks up at the sound of my voice, looking at me with tired and sad eyes. Still, she's awake and has moved down here on her own, something she hasn't done in a long time. It's refreshing to see her like this again, but I can't help but wonder when the next time she zones out again will be.

Alice runs to her and hugs her, crying out, "Mommy!" Our mother hugs her back, shutting her eyes and burying her face in the crook of her daughter's neck. I don't make a move to hug her. I'm too angry at her to do that, and she knows it.

"Bosh said something about a meeting today," Mom tells me. "Figured I should go."

"We just had a meeting yesterday," I reply, furrowing my brow. I haven't ever heard of Alexander calling for a meeting right after he's already held one.

"Something about an urgent meeting," Mom says.

I nod. "What time?"

"Noon."

I figure out from the clock on the mantle that it's seven in the morning, still five hours until the meeting, five hours where things can go wrong. I can't wait for the five hours to be up so I can get out of this house.

Mom and I make breakfast in the kitchen while Maria gets ready in the bedroom. My mother silently peels an apple at the sink while I crush wheat to make bread with in a bowl. The silence is thick enough to cut with a knife.

"You're feeling better then?" I ask, unable to stand the tension anymore.

Mom doesn't look at me. "Yes, thank you for asking."