It's surprising what human beings can accomplish when death is staring them right in the face. When things began plummeting, few knew how to react. Most were confused, seeking guidance from the very foundations and institutions that, once meant to h...
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"No!" I scream, sitting up in my bed.
Beads of sweat line my forehead and drip down the sides of my face. My breathing is coming out in short spurts and I put a hand over my constricted chest.
Breathe Adelaide, I urge myself.
I reach up to my neck and touch the spot where the woman had stabbed the needle. It feels slightly sore. I rub my hands up and down my face taking steady breaths.
I'm hot, too hot.
That was the most vivid dream that I have had in a while. It almost felt like it didn't belong to me.
It felt like someone else's nightmare.
I glance over at the clock as my haggard breathing returns to normal. It reads 4 A.M in large, obnoxious red blocks.
I huff in frustration and blow a loose strand away from my face because I promised Declan I would join him for his workout today. With the way I am feeling, I don't think I can wait that long. I really need to clear my head.
Throwing the covers off, I strip out of my pajamas, which are sticking to my sweaty body like a second skin. I put on an old t-shirt and some cropped workout leggings and feel slightly freer.
I gather my hair into a high ponytail and lace up my neon lime running shoes. Grabbing my earpiece for some workout music, I make sure to lock the door behind me as I leave the house.
I begin running my usual route and move to the beat of each song. My feet rhythmically hit the pavement at a comfortable pace and I attempt to distract myself from thinking about the lucid dream.
It genuinely felt like an out of body experience, but I have no clue what it means.
I am about two miles in when I stop to catch my breath and take a quick drink. With the exercise regime Declan has me on, I can definitely go for longer. But, the truth is I hate running. I'm trying to enjoy it and use it as an escape like everyone claims, but I am not at that point yet.
Shuffling through my smartwatch for the next song, I feel someone's eyes on me. I look over to the cluster of trees beside me and catch a slight movement in the shade as the sunrise begins to illuminate the dewy morning.
I pull out the earpiece, which stops the vibrations of my music from sonically traveling ear to ear. I examine the spot a little longer, studying each shadow to place the movement.
But, that uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach returns and my gut is telling me to run.
My limbs feel anxious as I back away from this part of the forest. I hold my breath, trying to make my steps as silent as I can manage.
A branch snaps somewhere to my left and I immediately start sprinting back to the cabin.
It is probably my intuition acting up, I reason. But, I make sure to take an alternate route home just to be safe.
