I tuned back around to continue opening the door. The thin line was giving in and I could almost get my fingers through to prie the door open.
Hurry, hurry, hurry! was all I could think.
I could feel my nails breaking, my fingers shook. I had never had a personal friend as a Dreamer before, I didn't know what I was supposed to do if I failed.
You are not failing, I needed to remind myself.
"Jay," Alice's voice said behind me. I didn't have time to pay attention to her, I had to get Caja out of this elevator. "Jay!"
DING!
The doors opened. I looked around to see how that had happened. Alice stood two feet away from me, her fingers on a button.
"Th-that wasn't there before," I was able to mumble. I looked down at my hands to see the bruises that were now coloring, and in shame. How could I not have seen the elevator button?
"Oh my-" Alice said before rushing into the elevator. I looked up to see her craddling Caja.
"Caja!" I made myself stand and go by her side. I felt my eyes sting. "I was too late."
Alice put two fingers to my german friend's throat. She sighed with, what sounded like relief,
"She still has a pulse."
Caja's eyes blinked open and she smile at us.
The light started fading and I woke up.
I felt a cold sweat on my forhead. My arms were shaking and my eyes were still damp. Caja was safe, why could I not calm myself down? I went to the bathroom and took a shower. The whole time I wondered why I was feeling so worried.
I could not help but wonder about Alice. She was not a projection like they were in all the other dreams. She somehow felt more alive than anyone else had ever been. She wasn't a part of the dream. She knew what was going on. She also wanted to save Caja.
My alarm clock went off soon after I got out of my shower.
I looked out of my bedroom window to see a grey sky. Clouds blanketed the sky and made everything look dark and gloomy.
After drying off and getting dressed, I went outside to do some working out. I realized that I need more exercice.
"Why would you take a shower and then work out?" Gwenaelle stood at the door to our backyard. She was dressed in a neon green dress with a black leather jacket, and black stilletoes, and rings of black make up around her eyes.
"Why are you up anyways?" I didn't feel like responding.
"I had to pee, and then I realized that you were in the shower," she had a smug look on her face.
"You get dressed and put make up on to pee?" I was annoyed. I knew that my sister and I didn't have the best relationship, but I really did not want to have to bear with her this morning.
Instead of answering, she just grumbled and turned around. I watched her go into the dark building. I looked up to see the sky still grey, only a little bit lighter.
I went inside to have breakfast. I still felt jittery over the dream. I thought about how everything had played out. Caja and Alice had not been together. All of the other Dreamers had their projections with them before I arrived, it just did not make any sense.
In my room was my old journal that I wrote dreams in. I decided that I could try to use it again. I still had time to spare before going to school, so I sat down and opened it up.
