CHAPTER ONE
It was an amazing feeling to run through the naked forest free of scratches from errant tree branches; to be invincible. I felt free. Glancing down, I thought how strange to be wearing a flowy, pink and white ruffled dress with a high collar. The feeling of running carefree vanished. Without warning my joyful mood transformed into one of desperation. The sound of wild dogs snapping at my heels prompted me to run for my life. There was no one here to save me. My heart raced as my legs grew sore. I struggled to breathe, desperate to survive. So desperate, in fact, I knowingly jumped off the edge of a cliff. Time slowed in free fall: my heart jumped into my throat and my stomach flip-flopped. I kicked all the way down hoping the effort would break my fall and landed on a boy lying still; as stiff as a corpse in a coffin. My fall did not affect him in any way. I immediately rolled off, horrified by what I thought was true. My eyes grew wide, so wide I expected them to pop. Recoiling, I noticed he was dressed in a black suit with a single red rose placed carefully in folded hands upon his chest. Rising slowly, I nervously looked around. There, in the tall grass, stood a little girl with long, blond hair tied back by a blue ribbon. She stared intently at me.
Waking with a start, beads of sweat rolled off my forehead, dripping onto the bed sheets. Clammy, I felt like throwing up. Glancing out through the bedroom window, I guessed it to be after midnight. The brightness of the summer solstice moon created shadows through the maple trees that danced across the bedroom walls, taunting me upon awakening from my most horrific nightmare. I fell back into a troubled sleep until morning.
**********************
“Paige, Paige, didn’t you hear me?” mom asked, abruptly, shaking me. “You were supposed to be up half an hour ago. What happened to your alarm?”
Warming sunlight poured in through the bedroom window, forcing thoughts of last night’s wicked dream to fade.
“Sorry, mom, I guess I didn’t hear it?” I responded lazily, rolling towards her, my eyes closed.
I wondered why she was so agitated. Parents! Suddenly, I noticed a putrid smell in the room. It was disgusting! It must be my gym clothes. I shrugged it off making my way into the shower. A vision of the little girl vividly popped into my head; she was a little waif with intense blue eyes and blond hair. Who was she and what did she want? I tried to dismiss her as I dressed hurriedly for school.
Scrambling downstairs, I grabbed my backpack, a pear off the kitchen table, and yelled urgently, “Mom, don’t forget to remind dad to meet me after school with Madame Darling.” There was no response. Great!
As usual, the search for mom was on. I found her in the main floor laundry room at exactly eight a.m. She turned and smiled and I realized just how pretty she was. Her smile could light up any room. We both had an athletic shape and the kind of curly hair people came up to touch even though it disgusted us. Oddly enough, we both had moles to the right of our mouths. My friends often commented on how much I looked like her. The only difference: she was a girly-girl and I, on the other hand, was a tomboy.
“Oh, he won’t forget, dear. Your dad’s really looking forward to speaking with the class. Have a great day at school, Paige!” On that note, she turned to finish loading the washer in our newly renovated laundry room. The bay window dad had installed was a bit over the top but he deemed it necessary for re-sale value.
Happy she was distracted; I quickly exited our Tudor style home. I did not want to tell mom about my nightmare or most recent vision, fearing she would analyze me, again.
