Shadow at the Water's edge.

Vivian

Alex was too shocked to move for a minute. There was a girl standing ten feet away, she was very beautiful, but that's not what caught his attention. She was dressed in a torn and dirty white gown, and she was barefoot. She stumbled forward and he quickly stepped forward and supported her.

"Help...me..." He barely heard her, he was staring at her, his eyes searching hers. They were so deep and they seemed almost alive. different shades of green swirled together, mixed yet separate like the colors of the ocean. Her gaze locked on his intently.

"Help me..." Realization hit him and his eyes widened in shock as the memories were released and came flooding back. He didn't have time to dwell on any of them though, because the girl's eyes fluttered shut and she collapsed in his arms. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and slid his other one underneath her legs. He could distantly hear Squints shouting at the students who were starting to crowd around them.

"Back up! Give her some air!" Alex lifted her in his arms, noting that despite her height and well toned body, she was surprisingly light. her head rested against his shoulder, and he could barely feel her warm, shallow breath on his neck. Squints shoved an aisle through the students and pulled Alex through.

"Come on, we have to get her to the nurse." Alex followed him to the room designated for the nurse, to stunned to think about how everywhere their skin made contact tingled. Squints held the door open for him and he ducked quickly inside.

"Nurse!" Squints bellowed as he went to search the back room. Alex moved over to a bed lying in the corner, and gently laid the girl on it. He looked over her, and felt sick when he saw her legs. From the knee down there were long cuts and dark bruises in a criss-cross pattern. How could he not have noticed? She was bleeding heavily, and Alex saw that he had quite a bit on his shirt.

"Oh my goodness! The poor dear, what happened?" Mrs. Cummings, the middle aged school nurse said pityingly. Squints quickly explained what he knew, as Alex was still stuck in a trance like state.

"Well, let's start with getting those terrible wounds cleaned up." She said professionally, producing some antibacterial cleanse and a wash cloth. She handed them to Alex, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Here, clean her legs up while I go prepare some things." Alex took the washcloth and dampened it with the fluid before gently wiping the blood off her legs.

"Who is she?" Squints said quietly, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he looked at her limp form. Alex shook his head.

"I don't know."

"You don't know her?" Alex shook his head again. "Well then why did she go straight for you? There were any number of people that could of helped her at the other end of the hall." Alex shrugged.

"I...this is going to sound crazy but..." He trailed off, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Well?" Squints said expectantly. Alex looked up at him.

"She's the girl from my dream." Suddenly her eyes opened and she sat up with a sharp intake of breath. Alex grabbed her shoulders quickly to steady her.

"Hey, are you alright? What happened to you?" She turned her wide eyes on him, fear in her voice as she gasped.

"She's coming for me." Alex shook his head.

"Who? Who's coming for you?" She shuddered, and stared at the floor.

"The dark one." She suddenly seemed to notice her legs and she whimpered. Gingerly touching her leg, pulling her hand back quickly and wincing as if her skin had burned her.