The Beautiful Monsters

The Dreams

Standing in the yard behind the house, I look down. There is a hole. It is under the oak tree where old swings hang. Someone's father built them. The hole is deep. So deep that if I stand at the bottom, the top is still over my head. But at the bottom is a box. Six feet by one foot. It is twelve inches tall. From within it, I can hear her. Pounding to get out. She is knocking on the wood, but only I can free her. It is odd, seeing how she is so much stronger than I. I wonder what it means, but then-

My alarm goes off. That dream is one I have had ever since I have been eight. I have no idea why, or what any of it means. My name is Laura Hollis. I am 19 years old. My Mother died when I was 7. My Father lives in Toronto, where I am from. I go to college at Silas University, in northern Austria. I major in Journalism.

It is seven in the morning on a saturday. I have some work to do, along with chores. My best friend, Lafontaine, is stopping by. They're a bio major, and really good friends with our floor don, Lola Perry. We just call her Perry. Then there is Danny Lawrence. Six two, bright red hair, and president of the summer society. She's an athlete, archer, badass, and really pretty. I better get started on my chores before I get distracted.

A knock on the door a few hours later signals that Perry and Laf are here. I know Laf isn't alone because A, I can hear them talking to Perry through the door, and B, Laf just walks in. Perry knocks. Danny taps and then walks in. I guess it's odd to associate entrance patterns with people, but Silas is a weird school. I go over and open the door. Perry walks in, Curly red hair and bright mothering eyes looking at me. Laf follows her. "Hey Laura!" "How are ya Hollis?" they ask. "I'm good! What's up with you guys?" Perry looks down at her brown shoes. She does this when she's nervous. "Well Laura. You know how the Dean has been looking for a new place to house the new visiting professors, right?"