Dreamland Dimensions

Chapter Eight: Impossible

Discarded bottles strewn about the frontyard, a few unconscious people lay in the grass, small clusters of people litter the porch chattering and making out. There was a boy, he looked too young to have been drinking as he stumbled across the yard and tripping over an already unconscious body. We entered the house, inside was hot and sticky with the loud mucis thumping. The house was barely lit but I could see the trash littering the wooden floors, people were clustered grinding up against each other while others were still drinking and a few couples hidden in corners were kissing.

There was a large hall in the hallway, Dudley laughed pointing at it and tapped the guy in front of him.

Parties weren't my thing, I only came because Anastasia invited me but I didn't understand why she'd want to do any of this. Anastasia danced in front of me, twirling and bouncing. Her hair bounced loosely upon her head, the relight in the hallways was almost like a spotlight and beamed on her. Her moves were graceful, sensual and smooth. The dance was enchanting, my eyes locked on her and followed her movements. Anastasia glanced over her shoulder, making eye contact as her hips swayed, "Dance with me Quin". She grabbed my hand, pulling me out into the cleared space and started to grind against me. I just watched her, my hands rested on her hips as she pressed her back against my chest and slide down slowly. Anastasia was a tease, I didn't know what that meant but I heard a few guys say that. I didn't think she was, she just wasn't meant to be touched just admired from a distance but people destroy her.

Touching what isn't meant to be touched and smudging the masterpiece. It was crazy that someone could look at her and think of ways to shatter her.

The calm of the night was peaceful, it felt as if it was just Anastasia and I. For a moment we could be free, the fear the controlled us evaporated and we danced like we were under the stars. Her marble-like eyes sparkled, a shine I haven't seen in her eyes since the day we met. Anastasia was put together again, she glowed and she was found the little girl she lost. I stepped back watching her, marveling as she twirled and the music carried her. Her beauty was undeniable, she closed her eyes and her long-curly sandy brown hair bounced around her. No one else stopped to admire her beauty, there were just lustful and grimy stares. I walked up to her, putting my hands on her hips and stopping her. Our eyes locked, Anastasia stared up at me with big innocent eyes and a big goofy smile. This was a look I haven't seen since elementary, it was proof of how broken she really was until this moment.

"I wish I could dance with you forever" She breathed, wrapping her arms around my neck as she stood on her tip-toes and kissed my cheek, "I love you".

Love, what is it? Did we really know or were we just tossing a word around loosely? I loved her with all of me but I wasn't sure if I loved her at all. It was a feeling I was unfamiliar with, I haven't felt such things since I lived with my grandmother and those memories were clouded with time. "I love you too" I replied, kissing her forehead. Was I lying? Or telling the truth? I wasn't sure how two people whom never felt love knew how to love but perhaps it was something else. Maybe it was deeper than love or maybe it was just us depending on the one person who didn't hurt us. Anastasia continued to dance in front of me, the party had carried on the way I suppose parties were expected. The music blaring, the dim redlight snuck into the cleared space from the hallway and painted us in flames almost. It was magical almost, I wish I could stop everything and we could stay in this moment forever.

A loud cracking tore through the peace, screams erupted and people rushed through the doors.

I grabbed Anastasia's hand, my heart racing in my chest as we weaved through people into the hallway and met up with Dudley. "What the fuck was that?" Asked Dudley, pulling his piece out of his waistband. I shrugged, pulling Anastasia upstairs and looked for an unlocked door. "What you doing, Quinton?" Questioned Dudley, trailing behind us. I couldn't respond, my mind was scrambled and I could hear anything but the loud rattled downstairs of the gunshots. This couldn't have been happening, I thought I'd snap out of this ridiculous nightmare and Anastasia would still be smiling. Her face was painted with terror now, I didn't know what to tell her so I didn't say anything. It sound like an explosion, sudden pressure in my ears and everything went silent. I looked around seeing Dudley laying on the floor in a puddle of blood, Anastasia was screaming but no sound reached me. It was like those slow motion moments in the movies, the only sound was the pounding of my heart and my heavy breathing.

I stared at Dudley, lying lifeless in the hallway with a large hole in his back and blood pouring from him.

My hearing returned but I couldn't move even when the sound of sirens started to approach. Anastasia cupped my face in her hands, making my eyes meet her's, "We have to go Quin, please we have to go". I nodded slowly, opening the window and helped her out. We climbed out on the roof, I could see the police pull up to the front. The red and blue lights flashing. I looked back into the window at Dudley, his dead eyes staring at me and the pain was real. I jumped down, catching Anastasia as she leaped down and we ran off, disappearing into the alleyway. "But your the only one that treated me like a human being...I appreciated that". Those words were bittersweet now, I remember the look he had on his face when he said it and I felt tears sting my eyes. He was a kid just trying to find a way out, lost and forgotten.

So I cried for him because he was a kid that felt just like me.