Claredot 【ON HOLD】

3| That was a Dream... Right?

Song Of The Chapter: Hymn For The Weekend~ Coldplay

♆Jake Landers♆

"Rachel!" I yell, as she falls to the floor.

I run up to her and check her pulse. Faint. Very faint. She needs help. She could have broken an arm, leg, or have gotten a concussion. Jake, calm down. It's probably nothing. Maybe she's just playing a joke on me. That's it.

I wait for any movement from Rachel, or at least a sign. Nothing. I hear a whoosh from the bush a few meters away. I pick up Rachel, run out of the park, and speed as fast I can to shelter.

If I didn't have the panic look on my face, I would look like a true warrior. I would just need my favorite boots, which I told Caleb to grab on Sunday from the shoe shiner! I can not rely on him anytime!

Oh sorry, you're still here. Anyway, on Creak Ave., a shop with the roof collapsed is the closest near me. I sprint over and observe the fallen building. It looks bad, but the metal rods are holding up the roof, which is in very good condition. Inside, I set Rachel on the floor and check her pulse again. It's still faint, but worse than last time.

I scan the room again. On my right, there's a counter where they must've checked out at. It has a cash box, so I'm just going with the flow. On the left, a rack of clothes catches my eye. There's a dark green t-shirt with slashed writing that says, Hang On! and a pair of sandy shorts. And then on the floor.... yes! A pair of combat boots! And they were brown! On the side, a sticky note says, For Jake Landers, give to Caleb Kurl. My boots!!! Stupid Caleb! He gave it to the wrong store!

I quickly slide them on and open a door off to the left. First Aid. And an AED! I took Health and First Aid in 8th grade as high school credit, but... I got a D- in the class. Probably because the girls kept flirting with me... or was it me always talking doing class? I forgot.

I grab the defibrillator and set the amount the electrical energy to 200 Jules. I run the two pads together and press them lightly on Rachel's chest. Her chest jumps but still no response. I turn it up to 300 Jules, and try it again. Still no response. Last try. I turn the electrical energy to 400 Jules. I rub the pads and press them lightly again. Still no response. Please Rachel, don't leave me, I thought.

Rachel open her eyes and takes a huge breath. "What the... Where am I? Jake! Jake! Where the heck am I?!" She reaches out and touches my cheek.

"Rachel, you're okay." I soothingly touch her face smiling, but frowns when my scar starts to burn again. I sit up and look down at her. She tries to stand up, but I gently push her down and put my jacket around her, protecting her from the cold. "You need to rest."

"Jake..." Rachel croaks.

"Yeah?"

"I had the weirdest dream... we were in Crane Park and three evil spirits attacked me, and then I blacked out... And... you were mad at me?" Uh oh, she remembers...

"That was a dream, right?" She asks, innocently. "Yeah, just a dream." I look away, afraid of Rachel finding out that I'm lying. (BTW, I'm really bad at lying.) Fortunately, she believes me. She puts her head in my shoulder, silently talking and crying about her mom.

Man, I wish we were at my house, but I wouldn't want her to find out...

Our necklaces clinked again and suddenly we we were both suddenly in my room, on my bed. My mom and dad suddenly walked inside from the door. My mom's eyes grow wide and my dad has a smirk on her face. "Um, Jake?" My dad questions. "Who's this 'lucky girl'?" My dad makes air quotes and quivers his eyebrows. I groan. My dad can be such a child sometimes. My mom slaps him in the arm and glares sternly at him. "Henri! You are not a child! Stop acting like one!"

Rachel, who I had forgotten that she was smothered in my jacket, giggles from under my armpit. Her red, dyed hair is peeking out from my jacket, so it looks like I have a small stuffed animal. She pushes my jacket away and looks at my mother. My mom says, "Please excuse him. He doesn't know when to not talk." She is still glaring at him.

"It's fine," Rachel replies.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Rachel Palmer."

"Well, Rachel," my mom is smiling now, "would you like some tea?" Rachel and I take a quick glance at each other and look back at my mom. "Uh, sure, Mrs. Landers."

"Please, call me Carol."

                       ·ψΔΨΔψ

By now, Rachel was crying. We had explained the whole situation, and then the part about seeing her mom lying in front of their store... Everyone's (which equals me) mood was down like a lightning storm struck a man.

My mom has her arm around Rachel's shoulders and my dad is giving her tissues. (Orders by my mom obviously.) But, there is one thing I don't understand. How come Rachel, my family and I are the only ones alive in this town?