Another Day in Paradise

Chapter 21

~ Just a heads up! This chapter may be slightly confusing, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. I know it's kinda rough around the edges, but I do plan on editing soon. I'm actually alot further than this in actual writing (on chapter 37ish?)  and my writing is slowly coming to a close....

WARNING: CHAPTER 23 IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE BOOK. : '( Sad right? Lol. Well, enjoy the chapter(3

Chapter 21

Dakoda

 

            I knew I was dreaming. I seemed to be somewhere warm, somewhere sunny and it was stunningly beautiful. It was a beach, a white sandy beach, with sea green waves rippling across miles ahead of me. I was on a blanket, sitting up. For some reason, I was wearing shorts, and a madras shirt tied in a knot at the front instead of buttoned, revealing most of my bruised and scarred skin. I turned my head, feeling confused to see Marc sitting there, with a small, nervous smile on his face.

            "Where are we?" My dream-self asked. The dream Marc frowned, tilting his head.

            "Why are you changing the subject?" He asked me.

            "I'm not." I protested, glancing around the beach. The colors seemed exotic almost, unreal. Bright. Blindingly so. "I just… I don't know."

            "Then answer my question." He told me, brown eyes glimmering in concern.

            "What question?" I sighed, not sure what else to say.

            "Why did you do it?" His tone wasn't impatient, or annoyed, just generally concerned.

            "Do what?"

            "Hurt yourself." He quipped, leaning over to me "Why did you hurt yourself?"

            "I didn't hurt myself." My dream-self frowned, tilting my head in confusion. What was he talking about?

            "Dakoda," Marc said softly, reaching forwards and twining his fingers into my own. I glanced down to our hands. For some reason, it seemed so right, yet so wrong. "How else did you get these?" He whispered, twisting my arm around so the bottom of it was exposed. I gasped, eyes drinking in the straight cuts that sprinkled my arm in angry red lines.

            "But I didn't-"

            "Shh." Marc hushed me, pressing a finger to my lips. "It's ok. You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to." His eyes were sad. "I understand. Would you like me to leave now?" His grip was fading from my fingers, his outline growing fainter.

            "Wait, no. Don't go-"

            "I'm sorry if I upset you." He murmured, disappearing completely. The beach no longer seemed so welcoming. The sun was cold, the sand turned to hard rock, biting my exposed skin. The wind was dry and hurt my lungs. The water drained, leaving an exposed wasteland.

            "Wait!" I cried, my voice echoing around the empty landscape. No one answered me. "Marc!" I yelled, my voice strained. "Somebody? Anybody?" Squeezing my eyes tight, I willed myself awake, it didn't work.

            "Why'd you leave me?" A little voice asked. I spun around to see a small boy looking at me, his gray eyes filled with tears. I didn't know why, but a sudden ache filled my chest.

            "I never left you." My voice swooshed out as I kneeled to the boy. "I would never leave you." The voice that left my lips seemed strangely warped, distant, not my own.