What Would You Choose
He watched the girl from a couple of tables away, sunshine glistening on the streams of water slowly sliding down the sides of his untouched water. The room was bustling with the lunchtime crew trying to catch up and converse before having to get back to the workplace. He decided that it would be best if he confronted her while it was loud; hopefully the noise would be enough to drown out any outbursts that could draw attention to them or their conversation.
"Hello, Hayley."
The girl almost jumped when she heard the voice. She did not recognize him; very few people would. "Ummm, do I know you?"
"Who I am is not important."
"Okay, well... um... what do you want?"
He was getting better at communicating; many years had taught him how to speak and what to expect. "What would you say if I told you there was a way for you to see your brother again?"
"What?" That was how people reacted ninety-nine percent of the time. From experience, he figured this could end in a few different ways. She could think he was crazy, make a scene and leave, believe him and agree, or leave undecided. In his opinion, those who left undecided were the most sane.
"I can make it so you can see your brother again."
"You can?" Hayley asked, but he could tell she was still skeptic, not that he blamed her.
"Yes."
"How?"
"I have powers." Hayley just stared at him, and when she didn't say anything, he continued. "If you say yes, know that it comes with a price."
"What's the price?"
"I can't tell you now. If you choose to accept, you will find out when the time comes."
"Is this some kind of joke?" This was another popular line, though instead of sounding angry, like it did when most people said it, Hayley sounded doubtful, and he guessed that she would be one of the sane ones.
"No, this is real."
"Yeah, right."
"I'm serious."
The girl paused, and he could tell that she was thinking. After a minute she said, "I-I can't."
"Are you sure?"
"I need to think."
He nodded. "Okay, you'll know where to find me if you want to." He waited for the girl to turn away, and by the time she looked back he was gone.
* * *
The conversation with the stranger haunted Hayley throughout the remainder of the day, and she was relieved when she laid her head on her pillows, knowing that sleep would put a hold on her thoughts. Unfortunately, her dreams were worse than her thoughts.
All she saw when she slipped into unconsciousness was her brother, Reid. Images of their childhood flashed within her mind. It was like a recap of her life, ending with the horrible image of her brother's lifeless body.
She woke with a start, her scream muffled by the pillow that had somehow found its way to her face. She threw the pillow to the ground and was surprised by the mess that was already there. It looked like someone had just thrown everything off her bed; stuffed animals were tossed clear across the room. I guess even my body didn't like the dreams, she thought as she began to straighten her bed. She hadn't dreamt about Reid in over a year and she had somehow managed to forget the last time she had seen her brother, or at least weaken the memory. Now, with it fresh in her mind, there was no way she'd be able to sleep, especially not with her entire body shaking and tears steaming down her face. She climbed back into bed, curled into her blankets, and thought, into the early hours of the morning.
