A/N: I'm typing this one up while I'm waiting for my AP scores so I might have a heart attack and die but it'll be worth it.
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"Kara! Kara wake up!" called the voice of my mother. My eyes shot open and I looked around. I was in my bedroom. My mom was holding me. The clock next to my bed read 4:32 in the morning. Wait- why was I awake. "Kara you were screaming, are you okay?"
"Um, yeah mom, it was just a bad dream," I reassured her, shuddering. I had seen Josh. He was strapped down to some type of table. He was in pain I could feel it. There were needles shoved in and out of his skin, wires stuck to his body. Everything hurt. He was screaming out for help and I could see him but I couldn't move.
"Was it about that boy who went missing?" she asked, brushing my hair out of my face lovingly.
"I can't remember," I lied. If I gave her an answer she would start asking questions and I didn't want to relive that. It was just too much.
"Alright sweetie," she said with a frown. "How about you go take a shower and I'll make you some waffles and coffee. It'll make you feel better."
I nodded and followed my mom out of my bedroom. I turned the hot water all the way up to full pressure and got in. It was a routine shower until I started washing my body. Kept pressing the loofa too hard into my skin, turning it red and raw. I needed to wash that dream away. It was so much I- I couldn't handle it. The loofa slipped out of my hand onto the floor and instead of picking it back up I collapsed onto the floor, crying again. I just couldn't get that image out of my mind. Eventually, the tears subsided and I got up, turning off the water and getting dressed.
I came downstairs and sat down at the table. My mom had made a plate of strawberry waffles complete with whipped cream. The waffles were waiting for me right next to a steaming cup of coffee. I slowly at the breakfast and watched my mother brew her coffee. My dad and I drank ours black but she had a much sweeter tooth. We used to joke that she was some type of alien because of it. She didn't appreciate it but my dad and I found her reaction hilarious.
"So sweetie," my mom started as she sat next to me at our tiny little breakfast table, "Did you remember what your dream was about?"
"No," I responded, maybe a little too quickly. She looked at me knowingly but I refused to respond to her question. She sighed and patted my hand before getting up. "You should try to get some chores done before school starts. Your father has been meaning to fix the weather vane on the barn, maybe you could do that for him?"
I slowly nodded and got up to get my coat. I knew that my mother meant well but it was hard to not feel like she was just giving me busy work. Zipping up my red hoodie, I headed out into the cold January morning. It was still early enough that I could see my breath but I didn't particularly care at the moment. I shot up into the air and landed on the roof up by the weather vane. Examining the way it was bent, I wrapped my hands around the base and bent it back into place. Instead of going back inside, however, I laid down on the roof and looked up at the sky. It was still dark outside but all the stars had faded away long ago.
I had always enjoyed being up on the roof. It was one of my favorite places to be when I didn't want to talk to anyone. No one else was actually able to get up there, because, ya know, they couldn't fly. I didn't really know why, but I had certain abilities that normal people didn't have. My parents said I wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it because the world didn't like people who were different. They said my powers were just a part of me that I shouldn't be sharing with other people. It was harder when I was little as I couldn't quite grasp the concept of what I should be able to handle but I knew a lot more now.
"Kara!" called my dad's voice from the ground. "Are you up on the roof again?"
I jumped up and floated down to where my dad was standing, hands on his hips. "I was fixing the weather vane and I got distracted, sorry dad."
"Sorry is right young lady! You're going to be late for school!"
My eyes widened and I grabbed my dad, racing us both to the car at an unnatural speed. He grumbled, buckling himself in. "I told you I don't like when you do that Kara."
"Sorry dad, I don't have time for your walking speed, let's go!" I complained, hitting the dashboard insistently.
"Backpack." I raced out of the car and into the house, grabbing my bag and making it back before my dad could blink. "Got it."
"Okay, let's go."
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Climbing out of the car, I waved my dad goodbye and started to jog lightly towards the school. On the front steps, I was greeted by a frantic Hadley.
"Kara!" she called, trying to stop me.
"What's up, Hadley?" I asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her along with me. I only had two minutes before class started and I wasn't wasting it on this conversation.
"The cops are at school today." I stopped dead in my tracks. "They're questioning kids about Josh."
"Shit," I mumbled. "Do they think someone at school knows something?"
"I don't know, but I thought I'd give you warning in case they pull you out of class or anything." Josh Butler was a few grades ahead of us and had a brother in our class. His brother, Dean, and I had dated for a couple of months our freshman year but we broke up at least a year ago.
"Thanks, but I gotta go, Kwan doesn't appreciate it when kids show up late. See you at lunch?"
"Yeah bye!" she waved and then scurried off in the opposite direction. I jogged up the stairs and made it into Kwan's classroom just as the bell rang. Relieved, I sat at my desk and got out my notebook, nervous for the day to come.
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Halfway into my third-period class, my teacher's phone rang. She answered it, stating the usual okay's and of course's. After she hung up she scanned the classroom and her eyes stopped on me. Great. I got up, grabbing my stuff and headed down to the office. There was a police officer outside the door. I waved at him as I walked in but he didn't respond. Shrugging it off, I greeted the receptionists and asked them where I was supposed to go. They pointed me towards the principal's office and quickly went back to their work. Pulling my hair up into a ponytail, I walked down the small hallway. I stopped at the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.
"Come in," called Principal Powers. I walked in to see Powers sitting behind her desk with the Sheriff standing to the right of her. "Take a seat, Kara."
I sat down across from her and looked up at the Sheriff. He smiled at me and then nodded to Powers who started talking again. "So I understand that you were romantically involved with Dean Butler last year?"
"Um, yeah, we dated for a few months," I said awkwardly, trying to ignore the looming figure of Sheriff Wilson.
"While you two were together did you ever notice anything strange going on in their home, particularly with Joshua Butler?"
"Not really? He usually wasn't there when we hung out. I didn't really know him that well."
Powers looked over at Sheriff Jackson, almost like they were having a silent conversation. Then she turned back to me, "Have you noticed anything weird going on recently, especially pertaining to Joshua."
The images from my dream last night filled my head. The screaming. The pain. Oh god, the pain. I shuddered. "No, I haven't."
"Well then," said Powers, standing up. "I guess we are done here!"
She smiled and shook my hand. I cautiously smiled back and turned to leave. As I closed the door behind me I lingered for a moment, listening in on their conversation.
"Well, she can be checked off the list-"
"Not so fast," the Sheriff cut her off. "I think she knows more than she is letting on. Call it Sheriff's intuition."
"The kids are scarred Jackson, nothing like this has ever happened for them before-"
"Just don't cross Miss Danvers off. Let's move on."
I hurried away after that. I couldn't believe I had been so obvious. Now he's going to look further into my past and who knows what he will find out. All because of that stupid dream. Why had I even dreamed that? I had no reason to believe that Josh was in any type of danger. For all I knew he just ran away. I sighed running my hands through my hair. I needed to stop worrying about this. It had nothing to do with me.
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"Kara! I know my class is boring, but try to stay awake," called Mr. Kwan from the front of the classroom. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and glared at the kids giggling next to me. They shut up and I went back to trying to understand what was on the board. It had been 3 days since Josh had gone missing and I had been having the same dream every night. Well, not the same one. They were always in the same place but the same things never happened. I had woken up screaming every night and my parents were getting really worried. Since I was waking up so early I hadn't been getting my normal amount of sleep and that fact was really hitting me this morning.
Finally, the bell for second period rang and I made my way out of the classroom. Gavin caught me in the hallway and pulled me over to the wall. "Is everything alright with you? You were falling asleep for the class."
"Yeah Gav, I'm fine," I said, trying to brush him off. I had gotten away with not telling about my dreams so far and I wasn't starting now. I started to walk away but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
"You're never like this Kara. What's going on?" he had a look in his eyes that said that he wasn't going to let this go.
"Lunch. You, me, Hadley. I'll tell you everything, okay?" Looking satisfied, he nodded and walked off to wherever he needed to be next. I yawned and rubbed my eyes again. Hopefully, I could make it to lunch.
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I watched Hadley and Gavin from across the courtyard. The twins looked absolutely nothing, Hadley taking after their mom with sharper feature and Gavin after their dad with a much more soft face. The only thing they had in common was that they were both born with light hair but neither of them had liked it very much. Gavin now kept his at a consistent dark brown while Hadley changed hers constantly. She was currently sporting a very natural looking red but she'd probably change it soon. Their mom was a professional hairdresser so their hair always seemed perfectly natural.
I was secretly hoping they didn't see me so that I could avoid telling them. The fates were not in my favor. Hadley spotted me and waved me over, Reluctantly, I walked in their direction. As I sat down, Hadley leaned excitedly over the table.
"So Gavin tells me you've got some secrets to tell us." She had the twinkle in her eyes that always appeared when she was learning something new. Hadley wanted to move to the big city and become a reporter one day. Everyone in Midvale knew that she would be amazing at it as she someone always knew everything about everybody.
"Well. Ever since Josh went missing I've been having these weird dreams-"
"Of you two having sex?" she asked raising her eyebrows suggestively.
"No! Hadley that's disgusting!" I responded. "They have been of Josh though."
"Ignore her Kara, what have you been dreaming about?" asked Gavin, leaning forward as if it would get me to open up.
"Well- um, I- uh," I took a deep breath and then told them everything about my nightmares for the last few nights. The metal table. The straps. The pain. When I was done they stared at me, dumbfounded. "Well?"
"Jesus, Kara, I'm so sorry you've been seeing that, that must be horrible," said Gavin, taking my hand and giving it a loving squeeze.
"Did you tell the cops?" asked Hadley. We both turned to her and I raised my eyebrow quizzically. "What?" she asked, offended at our questioning. "I've read a lot of stories about people actually having premonitions through dreams and that actually helping the police investigations!"
"I don't think implying that what Kara is dreaming is really happening is going to help this situation Hadley," Gavin said, giving his sister an annoyed look.
"Besides," I said. "I don't think the cops will feel that my possible dream premonitions are useful to their investigation Hadley."
"Well I think they are, and that's why I'll start my own investigation using your dreams as evidence!" she stated excitedly. Gavin and I shared a surprised look.
"Do you think that's a good idea though?" asked Gavin, trying to talk her down, but once Hadley had an idea she stuck with it to the end.
"Yes! It's a wonderful idea and you are both going to help me with it." I sighed but agreed and Gavin tried to protest further but eventually gave in. We decided to meet at my house after school to "discuss the investigation."
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"Let's go over the facts again," Hadley said, looking at the pegboard on the wall. I groaned and threw myself back onto the bed. We had converted the guest bedroom into our base of operations, Hadley bringing a pegboard to create an investigation board like they had in the movies. She had also set up a whiteboard and a filing cabinet. I had a feeling she was going to try to start up some kind of Nancy Drew business out of my house which I was not very excited about.
"Okay, so we know that he is being kept in some sort lab in an unknown location being experimented on by an unknown person for an unknown reason."
"Hadley, we've been doing this for hours," groaned Gavin. "I want to go home."
"We aren't going anywhere until I- we have a lead!"
"It's a school night!"
"Too bad!"
"Hadley, come on," I interjected. "We don't have anything. Let's call it a day."
"No, I-" Hadley was cut off by Gavin's phone ringing. He picked it up and rolled his eyes.
"Hey, mom what's up?' he asked, mimicking her speech with his hand as he listened to her. We laughed but he quickly stopped, a worried looked in his eyes.
"What?" He listened for another moment before wrapping up the call. "Okay, we'll see you soon mom."
Hadley and I exchanged a confused glance and stared at him expectantly. He looked scared.
"Sheriff Jackson just sent out a town-wide curfew. They found Josh's body dumped in the forest."
Hadley choked back a gasp, hand swinging up to cover her mouth. She quickly recovered, however, wiping away any stray tears and asserting herself. "If I'm gonna investigate this I can't get all emotional. Let's go, Gavin."
We all hugged and I walked them to their car. When they were out of sight I flew up to the roof. I stayed up there for hours, just thinking. Josh was dead. Someone I knew was really gone. Tears started to fall down my cheeks but I didn't brush them away like Hadley. If she was right and I really was dreaming about what was really happening to him then- then-. I screamed. I wrapped my hand into a fist and slammed it onto the roof. It went straight through. I didn't care. I completely broke down right then and there. I didn't care who heard me I just wanted it out. I could hear my parents calling my name. I just kept sobbing. I couldn't stop. I felt my dad's arms around me. He held me for a long time while I cried.
Slowly, the tears stopped coming. My throat was sore. I wanted to go home. "I'm sorry I broke the roof."
"It's okay baby girl, we'll fix it," he whispered. After a while, we got up and he led me over to a ladder on the side of the roof. We climbed down and my mother caught me in her arms, smoothing down my hair. "It's okay," repeated my dad. "We'll fix it."
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A/N: Well that was a lot. I do hope you all enjoyed it! I'm excited to get this thing going!
