Seven Summers Ago

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I am falling through darkness.  Everywhere I look there is black.  When I finally hit the ground my head slams onto the pavement, but this time I don't wake up, I keep dreaming. 

I open my eyes and see that the darkness has disappeared.  I am now looking up at the sun.  I shield my face from the sun with my hands as I slowly get up.  I am at the beach.  There is no civilization in sight, I am alone. 

            I start to hear someone calling my name, but it keeps getting quieter and quieter.  I run to the sound but I can't move.  I am stuck in the sand.  I scream, and cover my eyes.  When I open them again Landon and Nate are standing before me.  Landon is looking at me in a way I have never seen before.  His eyes are full of hope and admiration.  I look over at Nate and his expression is unreadable. 

            They both hold their arms out to me, but I don't know who to go to.

"Jess, come here," they both say.

"I can't go to both," I say back.

"You have to choose."

"But I cant, I don't want to," I yell.

"You can't have both," Nate says.

            As I look back and forth between them, their faces start to change.  They begin to come distorted and inhuman.  Their faces start turning into something unnatural.  I cover my mouth with my hands and scream. 

            I wake up screaming and thrashing around.  I am drenched in sweat and my heart is beating incredibly fast.

"Whoa, Jess, calm down," Nate says grabbing my hands and stopping my thrashing.

            I am breathing heavily as I try to shake the disturbing images from my head.

"Are you okay?" he asks concern clouding his face.

            He runs his hands through my now drenched hair.

"I.... I don't know," I stutter.

            He holds me tight as I try to slow my breathing.

"You want to tell me about it?" he whispers into my hair.

            I shake my head, no.  He releases me and looks into my eyes.  He strokes my cheek and kisses my forehead.

"Do you want to try to go back to sleep?"

"Sure..." I whisper before laying back down.

            He wraps his arms around me.  But I don't want to close my eyes.  I don't want to see their scary faces telling me to choose because I can't.  I don't know what I am feeling for Landon all of a sudden.  Maybe it has been there all along and I just haven't seen it.

            When Nate's arm starts to loosen around my waist signaling he is asleep, I quietly slip outside.  I walk down to the waters edge in my pjs and stare out at the sea. 

"Are you alright?" I hear someone ask from behind me.

            I turn around and see Landon's amazing emerald eyes staring at me intently.

"I'll be fine."

"But you're not fine right now?"

            I shake my head and sigh.

"I saw you outside my room looking at me and Nate," I say.

            I can see his back stiffen a little but he recovers quickly which makes me think I imagined it to begin with.