Lupine

5.

Anders opened his eyes to a familiar forest he'd never been before. Trees wider than three men stretched into the sky beyond what he could see. Pine needles and yellowed leaves coated the ground with the promise of fall while the air was hot and thick with the final push of summer. Bees floated lazily in the early morning light all at once to big and too loud to feel real.

He stood from his resting spot at the base of one of the great trees and followed the sounds of gentle waves and a child's laugh. The path was so familiar he was almost surprised there was no trail to follow.

But this dream never changed.

Sunlight glowed across the lake as Anders broke through the trees and looked around, following along the shore. Details sharpened here and there begging to be noticed while other bits faded away like a hazy memory: a lodge comprised of small cabins lines up nearly in a row shining in a vibrant red against the forest; a copse of trees with leaves that shuddered like they breathed; and there, seated at a picnic table, was the mirage of a man bright and a washed out like over exposed film. Anders could never make out any details, but his eyes traveled over the man nonetheless.

The laughter drew Anders' attention again and he turned to watch the girl. She was chasing something in the water and leaning so low her nose kissed the surface. A whistle cracked through the air causing her to whip around, grin wide on her face as she scanned the lake shore. He knew she'd find nothing .

He watched as she waded out of the water and grabbed a neon pink backpack before setting off on an unknown mission. Her path brought her so close to Anders that he could smell the watermelon shampoo in her dark hair, see the mustard stain on her shirt, and count the scratches on her knees, but she couldn't see him.

Stop! he wanted to scream grabbing for her arm.

Go back to the lake, he tried to plead as his hand passed through her arm like smoke.

No words actually came out of his mouth and Anders was forced to watch the scene play out. The girl, because she couldn't be more than twelve or thirteen, paced the beach and inspected the surrounding area in search of something he didn't know. He trailed behind her like a shadow while she started into the forest to walk back out a moment later again and again. She looked beneath some picnic tables and benches before setting her sites on the man sitting alone.

She always hesitated here before setting off confidently toward the mirage of a man. Anders could see each coming action before it played out having sat through this so many times before.

But for the first time, the little girl considered the man and began to make her way toward the cabins. The dream world shifted around them, redirecting her toward the man again and again as she appeared to grow frustrated. The girl let out a frustrated yell before letting the dream resume its natural path. Anders watched confused while she made her way forward like usual, her face a little more frustrated than he'd ever seen before.

They approached the man at the table who shifted around as they neared. Anders squinted to try and make out any features he could, but they were lost in the dreamy haze. The girl asked him a question that was silent to Anders. The man stood and gestured back into the trees where Anders had started from and in a blink—

The girl was being dragged by a dog the size of a small bear into the woods, her screams cracking the air—

They were in the trees now, out of sight from the red cabins and the dog transformed into a darker beast practically grinning as it stood over her bleeding and trembling on the forest floor. Useless as it was, Anders grabbed at the beast to pull it away but was left helplessly watching as it systematically tore into her limb by limb and—