We The Hunted (Rewrite of The Jerk I Gave My Heart)

Bad Dreams

    The room was so dark that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I could feel my stomach twist into a million knots as I blinked, trying to make my eyes adjust. Every second that I didn't know what was going on was another second I could be taken. Taken? Taken by who? Why would I think that?

    I heard a female voice speaking quietly above me, "I just don't want her to grow up the way we did Russell." Russell? Dad?

    "She won't. The leaders promised. Evelyn cannot be found. She's too important." I tried to open my mouth to protest but my jaw locked in place like it was being held closed. A baby's coo was interrupted by the sudden noise of a little girl crying.

    "Daddy they were after me."

    "Who Evelyn? Who was?" My father deep voice soothed me. But I didn't feel soothed now. I remembered that dream. Men had been chasing me and yelling my name. And one stood in the back shouting not to let me get away. My parents had taken me to a dozen sleep therapists before I would trust myself to sleep again.

"We can't tell her Bev. She wouldn't understand. You know how headstrong she gets. If she found out that she's- Well let's just say she wouldn't stick around to hear our apologies."

"I know," my mother cried with a soft voice, "I hate this. She thinks she's crazy..."

A loud explosion of glass erupted in my eardrums. I screamed but I didn't go to cover my ears. I had to know what was happening. I blinked again with no luck. It was like I trying to see past a blindfold. My parent's voices were strained and frantic. They kept yelling something over and over. What was it? I forced myself to listen harder. And then I heard it clear as day. "Run Evelyn!" This wasn't a memory. My parents never let me drift too far. I was always supposed to be attached to their hip no matter what. It had taken forever for them to let me go to public school. For them to be telling me to run... I tried to lift my legs but couldn't. They kept screaming at me. Run. Get away from here. Save yourself. I wanted to save them to. I just couldn't see them.

Dread grew in my stomach when everything went quiet. I blinked some more and this time could make something out. The forms of a man and a woman crumpled on the floor and the dark laughter of a stranger.

I jumped awake. Looking around the light pink colored room,(my parents still thought I was 12) I slowed my heart rate and checked for crumpled bodies. My stomach was still clenched and my cheeks were wet. I wiped them quickly and took a deep breath, popping a pill from the night stand in my mouth. I had gotten these pills when I was 9 years old and couldn't sleep. My parents used to tell me they chased away the monsters. Now at 17, I knew they were just made to make it so I didn't dream when I slept.

I rolled onto the soft carpet beside my bed and made my way to the bathroom. I shuddered from my reflection. Don't get me wrong, I had my good days. Days when my brown-red hair had just enough volume and curl to make it look decent and when my amber eyes were bright enough to draw attention. Today was not a good day. My hair was curled on one side and flat on the other from sleeping on it wet. My skin was blotchy red from crying. And I couldn't bring myself to calm down enough to do a sarcastic half-smile to make it seem like whatever mess I looked like was on purpose. I stuck my face under the faucet and ran the cold water. Checking in the mirror again to make sure my face had gone back to its usual pasty, I sighed and decided makeup would have to work for the day.

My alarm sounded loudly in the other room. I jumped and glared at it. 6 o'clock. I had one hour till school to fix myself. This would not be a good day.

    45 minutes later and 2 failed attempts at nice eyeliner and I was headed downstairs for a rushed breakfast.

"Morning Honey," My mom kissed my forehead and handed me my usual meal, eggs, and bacon shoved between two pancakes. I chewed on it and thought about the dream last night.