The Dreamer

Chapter 14

Fridays were the days when Sarah usually took some work home to have something to do over the weekend. But now it just felt wrong in a way. Why not use the weekend for something else. This was the first Friday in years that Sarah decided to mark a clear distinction between when the workweek ends and the weekend begins; she felt like she was living a whole different reality out of the sudden. Moreover, after her meeting with Damon, she was not much interested in engaging with anything that would remind her of him. It didn't work. He was in her mind every single minute.

By Monday she was back at work, keeping her door closed most of the day. Once in a while Tania would knock the door and bring in some documents from other departments. Most supervisors within the company sent their assistant to deliver paperwork to Tania. Supervisors rarely interacted other than in meetings and Christmas parties. Damon was the only supervisor who had interactions with her. No more!

She took a look at the time. 3:48PM. Soon I'll be out of here. It was puzzling to think that she went from overachieving employee; the one the company could rely on 24/7, to another one pawn that was eager to escape on Fridays the system that they resented so much but also needed so much to survive.

She wondered how Ali was doing. Sarah considered texting her but it still felt awkward, and yet so familiar and natural. She pulled her phone and started typing, Hi Ali, how are you? But then she realized small talk felt incredibly fake and deleted the text.

Tania knocked on her door. "Here, these need your signature." Tania walked in and handed Sarah a pile of folders.

"I'll get them done on Monday. Thanks," Sarah replied while placing the folders in a growing pile.

Tania stared at her head tilting to the side. "Monday?" Her voice revealed surprise.

"Yes," Sarah replied. Tania studied her for few more seconds before nodding and walking away.

By 5:30, she was walking to the subway station. It was crowded like usual. She observed with ease the intense emotions the people surrounding her felt: anger, sadness, exhaustion, and a plethora of in-betweens. However, unlike earlier times, she felt very much in control. She smiled to herself to realize she was not affected by anyone's mood as she had experienced before. The ride home was just as usual. She stopped for some groceries and then continued home.

Days went by until it was Friday again, and she was still behind with work. Instead of worrying about work, tonight, she made some dinner, then streamed a comedy and felt fast asleep by nine. Sleep was unusually restful tonight. Her body and mind needed a break from so much stress. However, sleep didn't last as long as she would have preferred.

By 3:30 in the morning she woke up gasping for air and struggling to recognize her bedroom. She pulled the little notebook from a drawer and with a shaky hand reached for a pen.

Where was I? Yawning, she scribbled down a supermarket.

Yes, I was at a supermarket. I was looking for, for, for... She put the pen down and closed her eyes trying to picture the scene again. Meat. And then my car bumped into someone's car and I saw that person's face. And it looked like. She put the pen down again. She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands, this time not because she couldn't remember but rather because she could. Sophie. She was bright, filled with life, happy, like Sarah remembered her. Then the next minute, Sophie's face was covered in blood, one of her eyes was closed, her nose was bleeding, and she had a scar on her forehead. Sarah held back tears. God damn it, how much longer do I have to dream things like this? Then she remembered Ali's words. This is how it needs to be. I guess! In the dream, Sophie grabbed Sarah's hand. Even her arm was covered with blood. Sarah tried to free herself as a sense of panic invaded her. Sophie's hand was painfully icy. The lights in the store started going out alley by alley, until the only light remaining was the one right on top of her. From the shadows she could hear footsteps and giggles.