*1*

Everything was lit to life. All her senses taking the scene before her; the smell of smoke filled her with fear, the chanting of her death made her angry, the splintering wood and the excruciating heat made her skin tremble, her tongue could taste her salty tears as they poured out, and her eyes witnessed the madness around her but out of it all was the man on the ground. His deep cerulean eyes bore into hers; full of sadness, fear, practically begging her to live, yet within them there was love, hope, and adoration. She smiled once more at him and whispered inaudible words and then the world became dark as screams echoed and the fire burned her once more.

Brie sat up out her bed, the early dawn light dusted into her new flat in Paris. The nightmare still replaying in her head, the same one that has plagued her since she was a small child.

Gathering herself, she switched her table light on and got out of bed and grabbed the aloe bottle next to it. Making her way to her stand-up mirror and looked at the damage upon her skin. Sure enough there were small red patches reaching from her feet to her shoulders, her cheeks and neck a slight pink. It never changed nor ended for her.

"Your body might be reacting with something in your diet or how you wash your clothes. Could also be environment." The Drs. always told her.

She knew better though; they were from the nightmare. Always have been, always will be.

Indila's S.O.S filled the room as Brie's cell went off, only one person would call at this hour.

"Salut?" she answered as she dabbed the gel on her leg.

"Szia, Brie!" her Hungarian friend replied on the line.

"You do realize it's about five in the morning Elizaveta?" Brie chuckled finishing her legs.

"Yes, I know but I also know you quite well." She replied, "So where are they now and do you need my help?"

Brie gave a deep sigh, she kept the nightmare away from most people along with what it did to her but Elizaveta was one of the few along with her lover, Roderich, that knew the whole truth.

"I feel some on my back and shoulders, that's all." She replied knowing her friend would come over anyway.

"About time you answered truthfully." Eliza giggled.

"The usual, non?" Brie asked.

"Well of course. I'll be there in ten, see you soon." She said, the phone going silent.

Brie placed her phone on the counter, gently rubbing more of the relieving gel on her aching skin, she placed the kettle on the stove and started her normal routine. She looked outside her small kitchen window and saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance, her mind far from the world that was around her. Paris was a beautiful place in her mind, full of so much beauty and wonder.

She moved to France to spread her wings to life and to find a source of her nightmare. It all started when her family visited the graceful land, business and family time they told her. She was four and barely remembered the trip, except the nightmare. It all started there, no reason to it but that it began. She only told her closest friends, Mattie and Alfred, about it. Neither of them were sure why but both suggested the trip out. Mattie helped her out the most, between teaching her French and helping her find a place, she owed the boy deeply.

The buzz of her door and the hiss of the kettle brought her to reality. Pulling the steaming water off the burner, Brie made her way to the door. Not even a second passed when she undid the bolt, Elizaveta rushed in, bag in one hand and a box of treats in the other.

"My treat!" She exclaimed at her.

Brie laughed at her friend and her cheerful kindness. She was thankful for finding her and Roderich online last year as well, both of them had helped her move here and give her work as well.

Brie pulled the mugs out and poured the steaming water over the small tea bags she placed inside them.

"All right, we are both women here, up with it." She said nibbling on the sweet pastry she brought.

Brie laughed and did as told, a hiss pulled from her as the t-shirt passed a burn. Eliza picked up the bottle and flipped the large overhead kitchen light on.

She mimicked Brie's hiss as she saw her back, "Wow, that's bad."

"Told you, they vary at times." Brie explained as Eliza's finger gently traced her spine.

"Hand me my phone." She demanded Brie.

Brie reached over the table and handed the device to her. A moment of silence passed when a click and shutter sound filled the kitchen.

"That bad?" Brie asked.

Eliza made her way over to her, "It's not all a burn. Look."

She jammed the glowing device in Brie's face, grabbing it Brie took a better look at the picture of her back. Small patches of pink burns covered her spine, but what stood out was the deep pink and red scratches that covered her back. The space between her shoulder blades, all the way down to her shorts was covered in the burns and cuts.

"A part of me wants to ask if there were any splinters?" Brie said staring at the picture.

"Not that I saw. It looks like a wooden board on your back that splintered due to the heat of a fire." Eliza stated.

"No, not board. A stake." Brie said sending the picture to her own phone. "In the dream I'm being burned alive on the stake."

"Has it ever been that bad?" She asked.

Brie shook her head, "Worst I've had was rope burn on my wrists and ankles."

"Anything new in it?" She questioned.

"Non." She replied.

Those eyes flashed back into her mind once more. So many emotions, so much love.

"Elizaveta." Brie sighed.

"Hmm?" She replied, biting into another pastry.

"Would you find me mad if I... never mind." Brie stopped.

"No, no, continue." She ushered.

Brie sighed, "In all honesty, would you find me mad for, well I don't know how to phrase it. In truth, is it wrong of me to want to find the man in my nightmare? I know it's a dream but, there seems to be something so real about him. Am I crazy for that thought?"

"Why do you think yourself crazy?" She asked her.

Brie gave Eliza a confused look, "Quoi?"

"From what you've told me Brie, he's the only one in your nightmare that is actually afraid of you dying." She explained. "Besides, you told me last time you were going to describe this man, so explain."

Brie chuckled at her, remembering the conversation well.

"I can only see bits and pieces of him. Most of it is blurry, like opening your eyes underwater. But when I see him, he's being held down, practically being forced to watch me burn. He's crying, I can see the sobs come out I him yet I hear nothing. I can see a glow of blonde that covers his head, I think it's pulled back but I can't tell one hundred percent. But his eyes are the only thing so vividly clear. So much sadness and heartache lies in them, like everything he has ever loved is dying with me. Yet in those eyes, there's so much love that the world goes silent as I look in them. It's like he is the key to it all."

Eliza stared in awe at Brie, her mug gripped tightly in her hands, "My god."

"Told you." Brie laughed.

"Find the man. Don't just say it, do it. Like that weird internet video with that actor, just do it" Eliza said grabbing Brie's hand.

She shook her head, "How am I to find a man that only exists in my nightmare?"

"Well, since it started in France for you maybe he is French. You said he had possibly blonde hair, another point and you have a vivid detail of his...wait, you never said the color?" Eliza stated.

Brie leaned her head back, the man's eyes came back to her, as if he was standing right above her, "They are the deepest of cerulean blue you could ever imagine. I've never met anyone with those eyes and I doubt that I ever will."