Moon Angel

Chapter 23: Another Dream

Chapter 23: Another Dream

I spent the next few weeks recovering. The weird phenomenon of my pain disappearing continued, but only lasting the night, making me believe my assumption that it was related to the moon. I was grateful for the relief as it helped me to sleep.

For the first time in years I could sleep through the night. When I awoke I couldn't remember any dreams- good or bad. I had forgotten how blissful and refreshing sleep was.

Jane found ways to fill my days- to keep my mind away from Omega. I think she was enjoying herself even more than I was, and that was saying something, since I was enjoying myself quite a lot. She got me to teach her the card games I knew and she taught me a few of her favourites so that I could take them back to Omega to show the others. I tried painting with her but I wasn't very gifted in that area.

In the quiet moments, she gave me books to read from their large collection. Apparently they had a lot of downtime to fill. She also got me to help cook all the meals. When she had found out that I had never learned to cook, she made it her priority to teach me 'the art' in her words. So every opportunity she got, she would drag me into the kitchen. We would make shortbread or cupcakes or scones. I admired the way she could create whatever she wanted from scratch. She was the best, in my opinion, and I haven't met anyone to beat her since. She became like my mother. I couldn't remember much about my own one.

Even though the majority of my time was pre-occupied, thoughts of Em floated at the back of my mind. There was still the hope that once I got back, she would be there. That she had survived the explosion. That it had been some horrible misunderstanding.

But somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that she was truly gone, and no matter how much I tried to deny the fact, I wouldn't be able to bring her back.

In moments like that, when the grief started to close in, I found that movement, not stillness was what kept it away. So I would help Jane wherever I could or explore the land outside, even if I couldn't fly yet. I would do whatever I could to keep my mind busy. Whenever thoughts of Em resurfaced, I would try to push them away, scared that if I let them in, let the grief into my mind, I would lose the little control I had left. The pain and heartache and emotions that followed would come flowing out and the stream would never end. I knew I would have to deal with the facts eventually, but not there, and not then.

***

About a week into my stay at the lodge, the dreams came back, but not like the reoccurring dreams that had plagued my nights every time I closed my eyes. This one was new...

LUNAIR FACILITY, ELVIRA

"Selene." An urgent yet hushed voice cut through my conscience. "Selene, we have to go. Get up, we have to go."

I opened my eyes to see Cyra peering down at me. What was she doing in my room? Our cells were always locked. This didn't seem right.

"What is it?" I asked, standing to my feet.

"They're here. They finally made it in. We're getting out. Selene, we're going to be free." She didn't waste any more time explaining, but she didn't need to. It was the day we'd all been waiting for. Even though Cyra's voice had been hushed, I could hear the excitement, the hope surging through. The rebels had made it into the facility somehow and they were going to get us out...

I had never been able to get used to life at the facility. It was lonely and cold, and I was always hungry. The only small hours of enjoyment I found were when we were escorted to the courtyard for our daily meal. It was then that I got to see the other Lunairs, like Cyra. The friendships we had were the only thing worth living for. Some of the Lunairs had lost hope at any chance of a rescue. But not Cyra. And it turned out she had been right. The rebels had come for us. I could hardly believe that after all these years, we were going to get out...