That Summer

Chapter 20

I was in a dark room with stained glass windows, glowing candles, and a grand piano covered with a leather blanket. I found myself sitting alone in a chair looking at the front of the ominous room. There was a large, brown cross hanging in the middle of the wall. The room was completely silent until I heard a small voice whispering:

"Our Father,

who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen."

I looked to my left and I saw a small girl on a kneeler praying with a pink rosary in her hands. She must had been around eight or nine years old. She prayed with her eyes closed and hands held so tightly that she looked like she was about to reach some sort of epiphany. When she finished praying, she put her rosary away and stood up. She looked at me but I didn't recognize her and she didn't seem to acknowledge my presence. She then opened the door and left. I followed her out of curiosity.

When I opened the door, the room disappeared and I was outside in a park. I saw the little girl running across the grass. She sat next to a boy sleeping under a tree. She smiled as she watched him sleep. She carefully put the dog tag around his neck and stood up. She looked at me again and ran towards me. When she came closer, I thought she was going to bump into me but she ran right through me.

I turned around to look for her but the park transformed into a hospital room. I saw the girl lying down unconscious on a hospital bed and the same boy stood next to her with tears in his eyes as he held onto the dog tag necklace around his neck. Her eyes slowly opened and the boy looked shocked and overjoyed. She looked at him and didn't recognize him. The boy looked hurt and heartbroken that she couldn't remember him.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Even if you forgot me, I will never forget you. I will keep my promise to you." The boy said as he wiped his tears trying to be strong.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Mirai." I heard a voice say.

"Mirai." I heard it again.

I felt everything around me shake and the hospital room crumbled into pieces. It turned black and I couldn't see anything around me. I felt lost. I looked around and there was nothing. I was alone. I was scared. I couldn't move anymore. I felt everything shake again and my eyes open wide. I saw a glittering pink chandelier hanging over my head and I could feel the satin sheets against my legs. I just woke up.

"Mirai, are you okay?" Hiro's face came into view.

"I'm fine." I forced a smile as I propped myself up.

"I think you had a bad dream." Hiro put his hand on my cheeks and gently wiped away tears that I didn't even notice.

"I'm not sure," I questioned the dream that felt a little too real.