Because of Them

            I run through a field of red roses. I'm running from something... From someone. My feet are moving so fast that it feels as if my heart is beating up to my throat, practically begging for freedom. Something rustling in the weeds and flowers behind me causes me to turn my head. Standing in the thorned flowers, stands a man. He was tall, probably around 6'3 from what I can tell. My vision blurs with every beat my heart makes, but I can make out his broad build and the fancy black suit he was wearing. "Jewel! Jewel come back!" he yells, but it was as if the breeze carried his cries away. Tears start to roll down my cheeks. Why is this happening? Why am I crying? I continue to run to the top of a hill when suddenly gravity pulls me under and what felt like the pressure of the world caused me to collapse. As the pain comes over me, I can't move a muscle. I am frozen with fear. I start crying even harder, "Jewel." a man whispers softly behind me, "I'm so sorry. I didn't do anything. It was all her." I slowly stand up and face him; his face is blurred by the darkness of the night, "It's all your fault. It's all your fault! You let it happen! You didn't stop her!" I yelled at him, my voice cracking because of the anger I felt. I turned around, my back facing him. I could feel his gaze upon my shoulders as I looked over the cliff a few steps ahead of me. I stepped closer, curious as to what lied at the bottom of the dark abyss. I saw nothing but darkness for what looked like miles and miles. The sound of footsteps let me know he is moving closer to me, "Jewel, please come back to me." he reaches out his hand for me to grab, but I ignore it. I looked back at him for a second, just a second. His face was blurred, but I could see his tan hand reaching out towards me.The hand that I used to know so well was now nothing to me. Maybe I'm reacting in a weak way. No, no I'm not. I loved the man standing behind me. I loved him so much that I would do anything for him. Anything. Yet, he didn't love me. I turned back to the cliff, my back once again facing the man. My chest rose and then fell with every breath I took. I took a step and the ground crunched underneath my feet. I took another... What was I doing? I close my eyes and inhale one last time. My chest rises and my chest falls. I lean forward, not once opening my eyes. The weight of the world was lifting off my shoulders. I gulped and just like that, I jumped.

            I gasp for air as I wake up. I pull the covers off and my feet hit the cold, hardwood floor. I tip-toe across my room to my bathroom got a drink and splashed my face with water.These dreams have been haunting my mind for the past week. I run from a man, he tries to talk to me, then I die. That's the thing that haunts me the most. This man- this figure appears in every single one of these horrific nightmares. All I want to know is who he is and what he did to me. People say that all dreams have a meaning, but it's finding the meaning of the dream that makes me want to explode. I know these dreams have a meaning, I just do! I crawled back in my bed and cover my head with the toasty blankets as if they were going to wrap me up and save me from the stress and pain of this world.

            BUZZZ BUZZZ I groan. It's 7 o'clock in the morning on a summer day and my best friend is calling me? Gosh, only she would do something like this to me.

            "What do you want?" I ask a bit angrily. My grouchy morning voice was nothing new to Adalie and it definitely wasn't new to me either.

            "We are going out for the day!" she practically screams in my ear. "I'll be there 20." I throw my phone onto the pillow beside me. "Oh! And look cute!" a muffled voice giggles and before I could even argue, the long beep indicated that she hung up on me, of course. I drag myself out of bed and walk over to my closet. I got a casual red dress out with black heels and put them on. I wobble into the bathroom, still half asleep. I look into the mirror and jump at the sight of the bags under my eyes and my wild hair. By now, I should be used to this look, considering how little sleep I've been getting recently. I brush and straighten my long brown hair; I only apply black mascara and red lipstick, knowing that Adelie will be in my driveway any minute now. I make my way outside and walk through the garden. I reach the front gate as soon as Adalie drives up in her yellow convertible.

            "Hey girl! How are you?"(Hey girl! Comment allez-vous?) Adalie smiles as I slide into the passenger seat.

            "I am good. How are you?" (Je suis génial. Comment allez-vous?)

            "I'm fantastic! Are you excited for a fun filled day of good food and hot guys? Cause you know I am." (Je suis fantastique! Êtes-vous excité pour une journée remplie de plaisir de la bonne nourriture et des gars chaleureux? Parce que vous savez que je suis.) I roll my eyes out of annoyance and she pulls out. Adeline is my best friend and I love her so much but sometimes she can be hard to handle; and by sometimes, I mean all the time. She's boy crazy and can't get enough of any man she sees on the street. We can't do anything without having to include a guy in someway. It isn't hard for her to get the guys either... She is literally the prettiest girl in our school, she has long blonde hair, big crystal blue eyes, and full pink lips. She is the definition of beautiful. I tug my hair behind my ear. Why is she so perfect?

            "So, where are we going exactly?" (Alors, où allons-nous de toute façon?) I asked Adaline curiously.

            "We are going to the annual Bastille day!" (Nous allons à la journée annuelle de la Bastille.) she glanced over to me before turning onto another road. Bastille day is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison. It has giant parades all day and then a beautiful firework display at night. I have only ever been once, a long time ago, when my parents were actually getting along. It's such a vivid memory. I really do miss times like that, they were so simple. These days we can't even have a peaceful dinner without some sort of fighting. I haven't told anyone about their fighting. I really don't want anyone to know either. I just want to keep everyone thinking that we are perfect. I want to think that too...

            "So, guess what!" (Alors devine quoi!) says Adaline excitedly.

            "What?" I say chuckling at her.

           "I heard that the cute Dubois brothers are going-----" I look out the window, zoning out while trying watch the people that walked on the sidewalk beside us. Yet, I could only think about one thing. My dreams. These dreams are always on my mind. I can't think of anything else! I just keep playing them in my head over and over, like a record player. It's like i'm stuck in these dreams and there's no escape. They're slowly erasing my line of my reality and thoughts. Every dream is the same. Every single one of them, and that itself scares me. There is one thing that always throws me off guard and leaves me in a cold sweat when I wake up. My death. They're all different. Not once in any of my dreams have I died the same way more than once. I run through the city, I get on a boat, the boat sinks. I run through the woods, I hide, yet something attacks me from behind. I run down a tunnel of darkness, the sounds of laughter and crying ring in my ears, but I can see a light a lantern when suddenly I see the things turn towards me and raise their-----

           "Are you listening to me?!?!?" (Est-ce que tu m'écoutes?!?!?) Adaline exclaimed, looking at me with her mouth wide open. I snapped out of my daze. I look around to see that we have arrived at the Bastille day festival.

            "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night; I must've zoned out for a bit." (Oh je suis désolé. Je n'ai pas beaucoup dormi la nuit dernière; Je dois avoir un peu échoué.) I said apologetically. I mean, I told her the truth, but I don't want anyone knowing about my dreams. I shake it off once more and smile at my best friend.

            "Whatever, let's go." She sighed, aggravated as she got out of the car. I lean my head back on the seat of the car, "Why me?" I whisper to myself. I open my eyes to see my friend waiting on me. I scramble to unbuckle, then follow Adaline to the festival ahead of us.

            We have arrived at the enormous Bastille day festival. It was beautiful there were people, food venders, and small business' everywhere. You could go to any of these vendors for delicious traditional French meals and beautiful French clothing, jewelry, toys, and so much more.