Unpredictable

Chapter 25

I had another nightmare. This one more terrifying then the last. Evil machines had come to power and terrorized humankind. If you approached them they could take over your body until you became one of them. In our safe house in the dream, an elderly woman had become infiltrated by one of the machines and was trying to hide it but failed eventually. The machine took over and began to feast and turn the other humans to the machine side. In my dream I was panicked and looking around until I turned and saw the elderly woman about to jump on Elliot, but Axel pushed him out of the way and got attacked by the woman instead. I screamed and tried to help but my feet were glued to the floor. Axel was being turned to the machinery side when Elliot grabbed the woman in an attempt to save Axel, only getting turned himself. I screamed until my throat felt raw and sobbed until there was no more water in me. At last the woman turned to me, my brothers on the floor. Her mouth opened and sharp, metallic teeth were shown as she crept towards me. It was then I awoke with a shriek of terror.

Sweat soaked into my bedsheets as I sat up and took in my surroundings. When I had flicked on a lamp and shook my head to make sure I was awake, I pulled my knees to my face and cried. Tears spilled on already wet cheeks when two people came busting into my room. "Opal! Opal are you okay?" I looked to see my brothers, both looked extremely worried, hair sticking up in all directions. But they were there, they were not machines, and they were alive.

With one swipe of my hand I tried to wipe away the tears. "Come here." I said, voice thick with fear and cries. Both cautiously stepped towards me, Axel's eyes on me, Elliot's eyes on Axel. He was watching him so he could copy what he was doing. I stood and quickly wrapped one arm each around their necks, bringing them to me and crying some more. "The dreams........ you were gone........ I couldn't save you......" All this came out between shaky sobs. Then they understood that I had had another nightmare. "It's okay. We're here now."

It was then Axel lightly pushed Elliot away and scooped me into his arms. He told Elliot to sit on my bed, and he did as he was told. Axel then lay my head on Elliot's shoulder and had him hold me for a second. We then assumed the position of "Opal is having a meltdown", where I lay with my back against Elliot and my legs resting on Axel's lap. Elliot rubs my back and Axel lays one hand on my leg and uses his other hand to hold mine. He then makes me list off all the good things in my life, why they're real and why they're good, until I fall asleep.

I'm generally a happy person. "A Cockeyed Optimist" is my theme song, and I always try to smile. Where my nightmares come from, I don't know. One thing I do have is a vivid imagination. I'm always daydreaming, so I guess that's maybe where they originate. It's not a fun time, especially when the day afterwards I have to go to school. I'm a night showerer, so I'm kind of sticky the whole day because of sweat, my eyes are all swollen due to tears, I feel groggy all day due to lack of sleep, and it's just not a good day. My friends keep their distance, because last time Bea tried to comfort me I snapped at her and swatted at her arms which she had wrapped around me.

At lunch my friends awkwardly small talked around me while I nibbled on my sandwich until I claimed not to be hungry and went to the library. There I kind of just curled into a ball on a beanbag and stared at nothing. The librarian walked up to me. "Are you okay sweetie? Sweetheart?" I didn't answer her. "I get it. You want to be alone. I'll leave you alone." Her heels clicked softly as she walked away. What I was trying to do was forget my dream, get the image of my bloodied brothers out of my head. I tried closing my eyes, but then it was all I could see.

Someone walked in and approached the librarian. "Hello Mrs. Amanda. Um, I received an email that I have a fine. I'd like to pay it off." The smooth voice sounded familiar to me. "Of course Park. It's about time. Tomorrow it would have reached an even ten dollars. You never cease to amaze me with your procrastination." The sound of a wallet being removed from a pocket, change being exchanged. "What can I say? I have skills in that particular department." Light laughter and footsteps leaving.

He was almost gone when his steps stopped, and the silence could've been cut with a knife. My name echoed through the library. "Opal?" His voice sounded throughout the room. Mrs. Amanda took an uncomfortable breath and said, "I think they need me in the office for a while, there's some paperwork I needed to turn in." She clicked out of the room.

Park suddenly came into my line of vision, and I gave him the strongest smile I could, which turned out to be one of my weakest. "I'm not going to put this lightly, you look terrible." I wanted to tell him that he always knew just what to say, to be sarcastic and roll my eyes, but instead I said barely above a whisper, "I know." He seemed to notice I wasn't myself. "What's going on? You're not being sarcastic with me." I sighed. "Don't you worry your pretty little mind, I'll be better by tomorrow." I wouldn't be totally better, but I could definitely wear a mask to show people I was okay. I said this to try to get him to leave me alone, be he didn't. He made himself comfortable on the ground, and I knew that he definitely wasn't going to leave.