The Wall and the Flower

Chapter 8: Not So-Goodnight (Wanda's POV)

For some reason, I was outside. It was dark and the air was muggy and the streets were wet, clearly showing that it had just rained. Claire was nowhere to be found and neither was the familiar layout of my campus. But there was something...eerily familiar about this empty country road. A chill ran down my spine as I looked up and down the road, looking for any sign of life and finding none. Where was I? Why was I here?

Bright headlights appeared down the road to my left. I quickly zoomed by me, and dread and foreboding filled me. Something was wrong about that car and where it was going. I continued to watch it go, it never leaving my line of vision. It kept going and going and going, not really...going anywhere, which confused me. Suddenly, the car spun out, spinning fast in a circle before ramming fiercely into a large tree. I quickly ran over to the car, desperate to try to save whoever was in there.

I gasped loudly and clamped my hand over my mouth upon seeing the driver and passenger. My father's head laid against the steering wheel, eyes wide open and blood pouring from a large gash on the side of his head. Broken shards of glass pierced his hands and his legs were squished between the seat and the bottom of the car. My mother's head rested against the headrest. Her arms were broken a twisted at weird angles and glass pierced her skin too. A large bruise formed on the side of her face and blood was soaking through her white blouse. Both of them sat unmoving and silent. They were gone, no way to save them.

The deafening sound of crashing metal and glass breaking filled my ears and echoed through my brain, making me cringe and cover my ears. My eyes slammed shut as I tried to escape the noise, but it didn't work. Tears streamed down my cheeks and my body shook as loud screaming haunted me. I folded in on myself on the wet grass beside the car, tucking my head between my knees, my hands still covering my ears. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening.

"Wanda?" A voice called out to me, but I ignored it. The frightening screaming got louder.

"Wanda! Wanda!" the voice called again. I felt someone shaking me, but I didn't want to leave. I couldn't leave. I had to stay. For them. I wasn't with them last time, and now, now I had to be here.

"Wanda, please. Wake up! Wake up!"

My eyes shot open to see Claire's worried face staring at me, her hands firmly on my shoulders. She breathed out a heavy sigh as her eyes met mine, and her hands moved onto mine. She backed up away from my face and sat on the edge of my bed. I sat up in bed, trembling and moved closer to her, wrapping my arms around her. Her hands flew to my back and she held me while I cried. She pulled us further onto my bed and crossed her legs and pulled me into her lap, running her fingers through my hair.

"It's okay, baby. It was just a nightmare. You're okay. I'm here."

"I saw them, Claire," I said as I tried to calm down. Claire's hands faltered for a second before quickly resuming.

"You saw who, Little Red?" she asked gently. "Who did you see?"

"My parents." Claire continued to stroke my hair, though she was quiet for a little bit.

"Do...do you want to talk about it?"

"I-I don't know."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Claire said as she leaned her head against mine.

"I saw them. In the car." My breath hitched and shuddered. "They were dead."

The tears came back and my body shook once more. Claire's arms tightened around me and her chin rested against my head. She whispered a soft song into my ear and rubbed my back, doing everything to calm me down. Claire laid us down on my bed, resting my head against her chest. She pulled the blanket over us kissed my head and continued to hold me. I clutched the fabric of her shirt and buried my face into the stray strands of her curly red hair.

"It was just a dream, baby. Try to get some sleep."

"Please don't leave me," I cried. She held onto me tighter and turned her head to face me, resting her cheek on top of my head, nuzzling me.

"I'm not going toleave you. Go to sleep, Wanda. I'll be here when you wake up."