U.H Book One // Hegemony {ON HOLD}

• Chapter Eight •

"Everyone has nightmares." Star said the next day at lunch as she slurped up some Chinese noodles.

"Yeah, but-"

"Yeah, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Leila smiled.

"But-"

"Beatrice you worry too much." Violet said, silently stealing one of my California Sushi rolls, thinking I hadn't noticed. I was too stressed to worry about it.

"I don't think you guys understand! I-"

"Hey..." That familiar soft voice came from behind me. We all spun around to see Silas holding a huge container of muffins. He had bandages wrapped around his side.

"Mind if I..sit with you guys..?" He asked, shyly. I had the feeling he had been working up the courage to ask. Everyone let him sit with us enthusiastically, I was too busy stress eating a Sushi roll.

"So..to thank you guys for saving me from Cedric and them...I made Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. I made enough for each of us to have three!" Silas said, smiling at us.

"Wow thanks!!" Leila exclaimed.

"You really didn't have to." Violet said softly. Silas popped the lid off the container, and a delicious lemon aroma filled the table. Without hesitation, everyone took one. Except me.

"Ok! Now that everyone's mouths are full, so nobody can interrupt me, can I please talk?!" I exclaimed, rather aggressively.

Everyone nodded contently, mouths full of muffins. I sighed.

"Ok, most hybrids who have an element of 'time' dream about the future. Literally and figuratively. We never have normal dreams or nightmares. And in my nightmare last night, all of you died."

Everyone stopped and looked at me. I suddenly felt bad for being so aggressive and blunt.

"B-but that doesn't mean you all will die." I stuttered.

Starella swallowed, "So only some of us will?" I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not.

"No! I mean....sometimes the nightmares can be figurative. As in maybe you'll all figuratively die...like mentally or emotionally o-or something..." I babbled. I felt even more stressed now that everyone had wide eyes aimed at me.

"H-how did we..die?" Silas asked.

"Uh..I really don't think I should tell you guys..." I said, my eyes darting from one expression to the other.

"Aw c'mon. It was just a nightmare. You said it yourself, it's probably figurative. So you can tell us." Star said, forcing a smile.

"Yeah, it's not like we're going to find the way we died and..." Leila began then trailed off with a nervous grin.

"Come on...please." Violet said.

"Well..." I whined, "Fine. But just please...try to avoid these at all costs. It's got me pretty paranoid."

"We know." Star said.

"Yeah...We'll be careful." Silas looked at me. I swallowed.

"L-Leila you were covered in scars...like you had been whipped or something." I noticed Leila flinched slightly, "And then purple vines impaled you...and the same thing happened to Star except you weren't covered in scars and the vines ripped you apart." Star's eyes widened.

"Silas..you-your head was sliced off.." He put his hand gently on his throat. "And Violet..." I paused, I knew I was going to regret telling her but I couldn't leave her hanging. She looked at me with four interested, and nervous eyes. "You...committed Suicide. You s-slit your wrists." I cringed and covered my wrists. Violet covered hers as well as she swallowed and looked down at the table.

"Yeah..." Leila said slowly, "You are too innocent to be dreaming of things like that. It definitely means something."

I rested my elbows on the table, holding my head.

"I don't know.." I mumbled. "Usually I know everything about my magic and elements because I used to study it so hard but now I just don't understand."

Starella laughed, which caught us all off guard and we looked at her.

"Welcome to the real world."