Somewhere In-Between ~ An Adventure in the Afterlife

CHAPTER 5 - NIGHTMARE

Lizzie was in the middle of her best dream yet. She was sitting in the front row of a Lindsey Stirling concert. Lindsey was playing the theme on violin to one of Lizzie's favorite anime shows. After all, she had listened to it about a hundred times over before going to bed that night. Lindsey Stirling wore a red dress, and her light brown hair was loosely pinned up. Lizzie's parents bought her the meet and greet package with a special opportunity to play with Lindsey on stage! She clutched her violin in her lap and waited for the magic moment to be invited up to stage to play alongside her idol. Maybe she could even get Lindsey to sign her violin! Her palms were sweaty. Don't be afraid, she heard a voice say. This is the moment you've been waiting for your whole life! You've been hiding in the shadows forever, afraid to display your gifts to the world. It's time to come out of hiding and show everyone what you're capable of doing! Lizzie's heart raced with excitement.

"Yes!" She told herself. "This is my moment!"

Suddenly, Lindsey Stirling stopped her musical piece, lowered her violin, and looked directly at Lizzie with a great smile. "I'm so glad you're ready!" She said.

Lizzie's eyes went wide, ecstatic. But then her smile dropped. She noticed Lindsey was now wearing a gown made of colorful rags. Her hair was still pinned up loosely, but it was now black and curly.

Oh, no, Lizzie thought. No, not now.

Lindsey's skin color was changing now, too. And then she wasn't Lindsey Stirling at all. The woman stood on stage, hand reaching down to her, her eyes pleading. "You're ready, Lizzie, girl. Just take my hand. Everything's gonna be fine. Don't be afraid, sweetie."

Lizzie noticed a thousand eyes looking at her. She looked around and saw everyone was staring at her with hopeful eyes. Their bodies were transparent, colorless. Her heart raced, terrified.

The woman on stage tried to comfort her. "Just take my hand, girl! Take my hand. It's all good."

"No! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" Lizzie tried to scream, but couldn't. Suddenly her conscious mind was aware that this was just a dream. She shook herself awake, and was relieved to find herself in her own room again. She sat up in her bed and looked around. Her violin was in the corner of the room, posters on the walls, and Manga books on her shelves. She breathed a sigh of relief. Weird lady gone. Hundreds of dead people staring at her... gone! Thank goodness.

Lizzie lay back down and sighed again. "Just a dream," She said aloud to calm herself. "Just a dream."

The room was dark and quiet.

And then Lizzie felt it. It was that all-to-familiar feeling that she had almost every night and every day -- the feeling that she wasn't alone.

"Lizzie?" She heard.

Her heart sped up again. She fumbled at her bedside for her earbuds. Time to turn her music on again, to drown the sound of yet another dead person coming to her for help.

"Lizzie, c'mon! I know you can hear me."

Where are those earbuds? She was desperate.

"Lizzie! Answer me! I saw you today, and I know you saw me!"

She pressed her hands on her ears, the same way she did in the car when she heard Max yelling at her from the street.

"Stop that, Lizzie! What are you doing? Will you just answer me?"

Lizzie, eyes closed and hands pressed against her ears, finally answered. "Go away, Max! Just leave me alone!"