Fire & Ice

ch. 15

JAMIE

We were at the store, sitting on the edge of the cliff. For once, he was letting me have fun, and I was finally able to show him how magnificent this view was.

"Jamie!" someone called from behind me. It was a warning.

I turned my head just as the earthquake began. This tremor was ten times worse than the last one, and we were beginning to slip off.

"No!" I yelled, and I managed to get myself up onto a stable ledge, but he was still falling. I reached out to grab his arm, and he took it. I had no idea how I summoned the strength to pull him up, but I did it, and we were safe.

Until we weren't.

The Stormtrooper came out of nowhere, driving its blade through his chest and tossing him over the cliff's edge. The last thing I saw was his dark brown eyes. They were just like Mom's.

I screamed, and my internal flame exploded inside of me, lighting my entire body on fire. There was someone behind me, pulling me back from the ledge. But this time it wasn't Marco.

It was Jordan Keel.

"It's time for your close up," he growled, grabbing the back of my shirt. As he dragged me away, I kept hearing the same phrase, over and over and over...

"Wake up, Jamie! Wake up!"

I jolted awake, gasping for air. I immediately smelled something burning, and as I looked down, I saw that the top layer of the couch underneath me was smoking and my clothes were soaked. 

Daniel was hovering above me, panting and looking as exhausted as I felt. I noticed a fire extinguisher next to his knees and I realized he'd taken my ring off and placed it on the floor beside his own before spraying me down.

"Thank God that worked," he said, kneeling next to me as I sat up and struggled to catch my breath. 

"Did I--"

"Yep," he answered. "I had a feeling it was going to happen."

How did he know? I wondered briefly before the humiliation and guilt set in. I could've killed everyone tonight... 

"What is wrong with me?" I whispered, placing my trembling hands over my face. "I hate this. I hate myself."

He placed a hand on my arm. "Stop, don't say that. No one got hurt, and everything's fine--"

"It's you," I blurted suddenly, looking up at him.

"Huh?"

"You're the one that's been dying in my dreams," I admitted miserably. "It's been you since we moved in here." 

I couldn't keep the secret anymore. My nightmares were back and they were more terrifying than ever. And the more times I saw Daniel die, the more I believed it would eventually come true, especially if we kept staying here. 

His mouth fell open. "Jamie..."

"I just want to sleep, Danny. That's all I want," I begged, and before I knew it I was crying. I hadn't cried in front of him in years, but I just couldn't hold it in anymore. 

He moved to sit beside me on the couch, gathering me in his arms. "It's okay, Jamie," he soothed, holding me close. "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." 

I realized then how much I'd missed his comfort, but I knew I needed to get it together. After a while, I straightened, wiping my face on my sleeve.