Authors Note: This is an AU story, an in this timeline Peter Pan never met Wendy. This story takes place in the 21st century.
Disclaimer: Peter Pan was created and written by J.M. Barrie - I only own a few characters in this story.
-Sweet Dreams-
CHAPTER .TWO.
- Awake-
Lerin woke up gasping, a cold tingle coating her body from head to toe. Her heart pounded hard against her chest, her breathing rapid and frantic as her fingers clung tight to her bed sheets. Lerin took deep breaths as she tried to calm pounding heart; she gulped down air and tried to moisten her dried mouth and throat…
"It was a dream, only a dream" she said between deep breaths "Come on Lerin, calm yourself!"
Lerin tried to move from out of her bed, but her legs were tangled within the sheets; pillows were scattered about the floor around her bed with her comforter lying among the "pillowy" mess. She sighed out the last of her nerves and started to untangle her limbs from the sheets. "This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself, "You'd think after having the exact same dream! For the past 17 years! I would have my own nerves under control!" she finished with a humph and stood up from her bed. The cream carpet was plush beneath her feet, Lerin moved wearily around her bed picking up the disheveled bedding and pillows and piling them back onto her bed. She sighed once again and glancing over to the digital clock on her bed stand, '7:04 A.M.'
"Great!" she said sarcastically; Lerin moved across her room, heading towards her bathroom. The cool tiled floor felt good on her feet, she flicked the light switch, the artificial light filling the room; it was reasonably sized bathroom: a separate shower and bathtub, toilet, sink with a large mirror with a rococo designed wooden frame. The floor tiling is marble checked in black and white, with specs of gold scattered within the marble slabs. The walls are cream colored with gold relief floral designs vining across its spacious walls. The ceiling was painted a solid black with a crystal chandelier hanging down from its center. Lerin moved into the bathroom and over to the shower; she opened the clear glass door and turned a silver knob. Like rain, water sprayed down from a showerhead in the ceiling, she discarded her clothing and stepped in to the shower. The warm water felt good on her skin; it soothed her aching muscles and washed away remnants of the dream.
As the warm water glided down her body, she relaxed slipping into a slight daze; the noise of the shower was becoming distant until she heard nothing at all…there was complete silence. 'Silence? Why is it so silent?' Lerin dreamily thought. She stood lax, running her hands through her ebony hair; she could feel her fingers graze through her dark locks and she could still feel the water hitting and running down her flesh. Lerin twisted and turned about in the shower, looking for anything odd or out of place, 'What's going on?' she thought; she peered down at the shower floor and froze. Colors, so many colors; Lerin whipped around and gazed up at the ceiling. A vibrant wash of colors poured out of the ceilings showerhead.
"No! No, no, no, no! I am awake! See I am awake! You're not suppose to do this to me when I'm awake!" She pleaded to the absent cause of this torment. Suddenly there was a presence behind her followed by its heavy breathing. The presence inhaled and exhaled so deeply, its ice cold breath fanned across her neck and down her bareback. Lerin stood frozen, her body crippled from the frigged air; she was overcome by the same feelings she had always felt in her dreams.
There was a need within this presences breathing, as if it wanted or needed something from her. Lerin lips parted, her bottom lip quivering from both fear and the over whelming chill that ran through her entire body; she could see her breath mist the air around her part lips, it blended and dissipated with the warm steam around her. 'How is there steam in here? It's freezing cold!" Lerin nervously thought; however this small detail had seemed to snap Lerin out of her frozen state. She gazed downward, seeing the color washed water swirl around her feet and then spiral down the drain. This sudden movement seemed to have angered whatever presence was behind her.
Its breathing became rapid, as if the presence was angry or enraged by something. 'Run, Lerin! You need to get out of here!' she exclaimed to herself, but before she could move a low husky growl vibrated down her spin; "Miiiiine" it growled into her ear.
Lerin began to panic and she felt the presence closing in on her, she was about to scream, when she heard a knock. Lerin whipped around and pressed her back up against the shower wall, her eyes rapidly darting to and fro. But there was nothing there, no wash of colors and no dark presence of any kind.
"Miss? Can you hear me in there?" came the sweet voice of a woman from behind the bathroom door. Lerin did not answer the voice, clearly to confused and shaken by whatever occurred in the shower moments ago.
"Miss?" said the women's voice, laced with slight worried and followed by a few more knocks.
"Yes" Lerin said her voice cracking; she coughed, clearing her throat, "Yes, I'm here Twilla," Lerin said with a shaky voice, she hesitantly reached out and turned the silver shower knob, cutting the water flow off. Lerin stepped out of the shower, grabbing a large black towel from off the shower rack.
"Miss, I insist you finish up soon or you'll be late for school. Mrs. Thornwood has packed you a breakfast to go" came Twilla's sweet voice, slightly muffled and more distant. Lerin could hear the women moving about the room; no doubt she was remaking that disaster of a bed.
Taking a moment to herself, Lerin stood in front of her mirror, gazing back at the reflection – she was reasonably tall at 5'7", she was thin with a layer of lean muscles, her complexion was clear with porcelain white skin, thick black lashes frame her bright blue eyes, her ebony black hair was shoulder length with bangs. "What is wrong with you?" Lerin asked her reflection
"Miss, is everything all right in there" asked a concerned Twilla, her voice loud and clear; she must be right up against the door.
Lerin snapped back into reality, "Yes Twilla. I'm fine" she said, " I'll be out soon". She started to dry herself off, deciding to focus on getting ready for the day.
-To be continued-