WAIT FOR ME

Dreams

Isn't it annoying when you're having a really good dream, and then something wakes you up?  Just the smallest thing can pull you back to reality.  A person in the next room.  The floor creaking in the floor above you.  Your brother opening your door to check if you're dead.

"Are you still alive in there?" He whispers.  "It's almost 10 already.  The gathering's going to start in 30 minutes."  I whimper, and pull the covers above my head.

"Are you sick?"  I hear panic in his voice.  He can be a bit of a bully at times, but he really does care about me.

"I'm not sick," I sit up.  "Just tired.  And- I was having a good dream."  He leans on the door frame.  "And the dream was...?"

I open my mouth, but nothing comes to mind.  "I can't seem to remember, now that you ask."

He shakes his head.  "That's the worst part about dreams.  No matter how good they are, I can never remember them.  Or, if I can, only bits and pieces."

I glance at my clock.  "And now that we're done talking, it actually is 10.  I better get dressed, but don't leave without me.  I don't like going into town alone."

"Don't take much longer than eight minutes, alright? The car broke down, so we have to walk." He turns around, and closes the door behind him.

Where I live, I'm not too sure.  But, it's pretty crappy here.  My brother, Liam and I live near the edge of town.  We never knew our mom, and our dad died pretty recently.  Every year, there's this thing called 'The gathering' where every single person has to meet at town square (hence the name 'the gathering'), where the authorities count everybody.  If there are too many people, they take some away, and they're not seen again.  We can all guess what happens to them after that.

Also, when I say everybody needs to come to town square, I mean everybody needs to come to town square.  If a person in your family dies, guess what? You gotta turn the body in to them.  There's no use hiding a sick or injured person, because they'll know if they're not there, search your house, and take them away.  You don't even get a chance to say goodbye to them.
Sounds great, right?

I crawl out of my bed and pull on the outfit everybody has to wear to the gathering.  A gray tank top and black knee-length shorts.  Simple black slip-on shoes.  Through the window, I can see Liam waiting for me outside.  I glance at his face, which is the same as always.  Though, I guess I would never know for sure, because everybody's faces are blurry, like they're covered in mist.  I see that same mist every time I look at someone.  I see that same mist every time I look in the mirror.

"IONE! HURRY UP, OR WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" Liam yelled, vaguely in my direction.  I walk through my doorway, then out of the house to meet up with him.  He pats my head.
"You look nice," He smiles (I can tell that much).  "How would you know?" I pull his hand off my head.

"I can tell."  We start our walk into town.