Waking Shadows

Chapter 1 Loose ends

Chapter 1

Loose Ends

I was standing, again, at the side of the lake. My legs were stinging by the rough edging of the branches and twigs as they whipped from my speedy exit out of the trees. I stood, my chest rising and falling deeply from the breaths I was struggling to take in. All I could hear were those sounds, like I was under water. My heart was beating— thumping through my ears alarmingly.

   I looked around in search of life. It was daytime, bright and sunny. I looked over across the water as it suddenly started to bubble. There were ripples waving out from something in the centre. I looked on in fearful anticipation of what it was that seemed to be rising to the water’s surface.

   Slowly, a body appeared through, as white as though it could have been made of porcelain. Glistening from the suns reflection was a red heart shaped pendant resting on the body’s chest. The familiar female’s chest. My chest. It was me lying there. Frozen and dead looking, floating on the dark water’s surface.

   I sat up gasping for air. Sweat was dripping down my face and onto my night vest. Drake stirred next to me, fidgeting, but not enough to pull him from sleep. I threw back the covers and slipped my feet into the comfortable slippers I had received as a gift from Summer-Rose on Christmas day. An image flashed in my mind of her sweet little face as she clumsily handed me the wrapped gift, clapping her hands together excitedly as she did so.

   A chill stroked the air. The eerie shadows added to the shudder I gave as I wrapped my dressing gown around me. Quietly, I left the room, closing the door gently behind me. Out in the kitchen, I clicked the kettle on and stood staring out of the window for the few minutes it took to boil. I was so tired and heavy, but it was the same routine every night. No matter how tired I was, I still awoke from the dreams of stuff that continuously plagued me. Over and over her face flashed in my mind. The look in her eyes of fear, the revelation of her forbidden secret, the lack of answers I got, the way Lyric hurried her away, and the way her head turned at every chance in my direction, allowing me to see her tears fall. She wanted to speak. She wanted to tell me. I know she did, I felt it.

At least Lyndon believes me, I thought with a heavy sigh.

   I felt warm arms wrap themselves around me and I jumped, startled by the quick jolt back to the present.

“How long have you been up?” Drake whispered moving in close to me. I could feel his warm breath on my neck.

“Not long. You want tea?” I asked, sleepily resting my head into his warm neck.

“Yeah, go on then. All this lack of sleep isn’t good for you, ya know. Maybe you should go visit that doctor you saw before.”

“Yeah . . . maybe.” I smiled, because I’d already had that thought myself. I knew I couldn’t carry on like this for much longer.

   We finished our drinks and Drake coaxed me back to bed, eventually. We spoke until I dozed off again. I wanted to be with it and coherent because I had planned to meet with Lyndon at lunch time the following day. He had been travelling for the last five months and had now returned. I was hoping he would give me news about Lyric and Fee. Ever since their departure at Skyler’s private memorial gathering, no-one had seen or heard from them. No-one could confirm my suspicions.

   I was relieved Lyndon believed me, even though Drake dismissed the whole idea with a laugh the minute I told him. I knew how crazy it must have sounded. But it was obvious to me exactly who she was the moment I saw that bracelet.

   We arrived at work. Drake grabbed his equipment and went further into the site, after giving me a comforting embrace and a goodbye— for now, kiss. He always managed to warm my heart. I watched him hurry away as he shouted across to another worker abruptly giving an order, or just giving a reason for them to acknowledge he had arrived. Sometimes I thought he took his supervising job too seriously, but he was good at it all the same.