Peculiar Dreams

Chapter 3

"CHLOE!" shouted Jaden as he could see the truck approaching fast, he could hear the brakes squealing as the driver tried to stop, but it was too late. Jaden reached her just in time, diving at her to shove her out of the way. Then he heard a horrible thud, and felt the most searing pain in his side that he had ever felt. He could hear Emily and Joey screaming. He tried to look around but everything was blurry, and began to fade away.

"Chloe..." he managed to whisper before everything went black.

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"Wha.. what happened?"  Jaden thinks to himself.  He tries to move but cannot.  All he can hear are distant echoes.  "Chloe" he tries to speak but the words will not come.  He can feel the cold hard concrete on his back.  He tries to roll over but his body will not respond.  "Oh my god, what is going on..."  He blinks a few times as things begin to come in to focus, and he starts to hear a voice moving closer.  But he still can't make out the words.  "Hello..." he tries again to speak but again, nothing.

"JADEN!" screams Chloe "Oh my god, wake up!  Please wake up!"  She is sobbing uncontrollably as she wraps her arms around his lifeless body.  "Why did you do that, WHY?!  I love you so much, please please God don't let him die."  She begins to shake as she continues to cry.  She leans down and rests her face next to his.  "I can't live without you, Jaden, please don't do this to me."  She slowly lifts her head and turns slightly to look at his face, then she softly kisses his warm lips.  To her amazement, she feels him twitch.  "Jaden?"

"Chloe... is that you?"  he manages to speak as he coughs quietly.

She pulls him close and hugs him even tighter. "Oh, thank God you are alive, I was so scared!" 

He coughs a few more times.  "Are you okay?" he asks as he starts to feel blood running from the corner of his mouth.  "I just saw that truck coming and I... I don't remember..."

"Yes, baby, you saved me."  says Chloe with tears still streaming down her face.  "I love you so much, you have no idea."  Jaden's eyes begin to slowly close.  "Please stay with me.  Remember you promised me we would be together forever."  she whispers as her voice begins to trail off.

Jaden suddenly realizes something is completely different.  He opens his eyes slightly.  "Now what the hell is going on?"  He thinks to himself.  "Am I dead?"  He feels soft fabric beneath him.  All he can see is white.  He tries to move but feels a terrible pain shooting through his body.  "Ohhh" he groans loudly.

Emily and Joey quickly run to his side.  "JADEN!  Are you okay?"  Emily shouts.  Her eyes completely red from crying.  She leans over and hugs him.

"Aghhhh" Jaden winces in pain.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry" Emily apologizes.  "I was just so scared..."

"It's OK, I'll be fine," mutters Jaden. "Where are we?  I really don't even remember how I got here.  Is Chloe OK?"

Joey and Emily look at each other in confusion.

"You're In the hospital, you've been here for three days." Joey answered.  "We've been pretty worried. The doctor said he had no idea how long you might be in a coma.  You got banged up pretty bad.  A few broken ribs and a skull fracture.  Man, it's a miracle you're still alive!  You are one tough son of a bitch!  What were you thinking anyways, running out in front of that truck like that!?"

"You haven't moved in days." added Emily. "Oh, and who is Chloe?  You said her name over and over awhile ago.  We just figured you were dreaming."

Jaden looks at Joey and says, "Chloe is the girl I was telling you about the other day, from that dream.  I told you there was something different about that dream.  Something much more real.  And that day by the stoplight, I saw her.  She IS real!"

Joey and Emily again exchange a confused look.

"Dude what are talking about, are you sure you're thinking straight?" Joey asked.  "Where did you think you saw her?"

Jaden gets a shocked look on his face.  "Wait a minute, you guys are trying to tell me you didn't see her?  She was right across the road from us.  Why do you think I took off like that?  Apparently she didn't see the truck coming and started crossing the road right in front of it!  I ran out there to save her!" 

Emily looks at him and shrugs.  "I didn't see anyone, Jaden.  I just thought you were trying to show off or play some chicken game or something.  But it made no sense, I have known you for so long, and you have never been the type of person to do something that crazy.  I was just completely stunned."

"Yeah buddy, " added Joey "I mean, I've seen you do some crazy shit, but NOTHING like this.  I tried to stop you but it was too late.  All I could do was stand there and watch.  It was the most horrifying thing I've ever seen, I really thought I was watching my best friend die right in front of my eyes.  I've been replaying it over and over in my head the last couple days.  I couldn't imagine why you would do something like that.  Suicide maybe?  But you have shown no signs of that at all, just nothing about it made any sense at all."

"No way, " Jaden said with complete dismay. "How could you guys have not seen her?  She was right in front of us!  She looked exactly like she did in my dream.  I am not making this up!  And I am not losing my mind!  Well... at least I hope not.  I have no idea what is going on anymore."

Emily walks over and sits on the side of his hospital bed.  "Hey calm down, Jaden, we believe you.  Whatever is going on, we will figure it out, okay?"  She reassures him as she softly runs her fingers through his thick brown hair.

"Leave it to you, when you finally find a girlfriend, she's not even real!"  Laughs Joey as he walks over to the other side of the bed.  "But seriously, like Em said, we are all in this together, we always have been and always will be, whether you like it or not." 

"Thanks guys."  Jaden says as the doctor walks in the room.

"Glad to see you are finally awake." The doctor says. "Your friends told me what happened, you are one lucky guy that you survived!  How are you feeling?"

"Well, I guess I pretty much feel like I got hit by a truck..."  Jaden tries to laugh but cringes from the pain in his side.

"Hmm well it's good to see you still have a sense of humor," the doctor says with a smile on his face. "Just don't overdo it, those ribs will take awhile to heal.  I will go get you something for the pain, and send the nurse in with some food, you must be starving."

"Okay, buddy we will let you get some rest, I need a shower bad, it's been three days, I must smell terrible!"  Joey says as he lifts his arm up and leans toward Emily.

"Ewww you sicko, get away!"  screams Emily as she shoves him away.  "Wow I need one too... I must look like complete crap!"

"No way, babe, you always look beautiful no matter what."  Joey says sweetly to her as he kisses her on the cheek while he brushes her red hair away from her face.

Jaden rolls his eyes. "Just get outta here you two, I know what you're really wanting to do... can't believe you haven't done it in three whole days!"  Jaden says with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, ha ha very funny Jaden!"  Emily giggles as her face turns a bit red.  She walks over to Jaden and carefully gives him a hug.

"Okay, we will be back to check on you later, don't go anywhere!"  Joey chuckles as he puts his hand on Jaden's shoulder. 

Jaden smiles, "Okay guys, see ya later." 

A nurse walks back in as Joey and Emily are leaving.  She smiles at Jaden and sets down the tray of food on the stand beside him.  She hands him the medication.  He quickly swallows the pills and leans back in the bed.  He really didn't feel hungry at all.  There was just way too much going on in his head.  All he could think about was Chloe.  Why was he the only one that saw her by the road?  Was he really losing his mind or was there more to it?  She had to be real, there was no other explanation.  He immediately started feeling drowsy from the medication.  He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.