Dream Two
There was nothing.
I couldn't help but become aware of the sudden darkness that surrounded my being despite the fact that I had succumbed to it long ago. The only problem was that this wasn't a normal darkness; no, it was the one that I usually only saw whenever I fell asleep at night. It was the one thing that I saw in absence of where my dreams were supposed to be and the one thing that made me afraid most times to fall asleep. I couldn't stand the dark -- I couldn't stand the inky tendrils that would wrap around me and surround my very being at the one time that was supposed to be my safe haven. I was supposed to feel relaxed whilst sleeping and instead I could feel nothing but worry. I couldn't help the sudden disdain that would envelop my core and make me flinch whenever I had to deal with it.
I could have become an insomniac but for some reason my body wouldn't allow me. I at times thought that it was just a negative effect of the powers that weren't there but I could never be too sure. No one could ever figure it out -- just like no one could ever figure out why I couldn't dream in the first place. The only one who had even become close to cracking the mystery was Danielle with the presumption she had made earlier. I could feel my head hurt. Danielle and the vision she'd had the night before suddenly came ramming into my mind with full force and I couldn't help but want to move away but I couldn't. The pain intensified and I remembered everything that I had forgotten about that had led to my blackout in the first place.
There was breakfast....
And then mother answering the door.....
Danielle informing me that she had something important to talk about....
Her telling me about her dream...
The both of us getting into an argument....
Then there was the boy.....
But that's where the darkness came in and made everything else blurry. I couldn't remember much else past that or even think straight let alone attempt to put all of the pieces together. What was wrong with me? I'd never blacked out a day in my life so why was it that that strange male had been able to hold such a force over me that he had made me lose consciousness at the sight of him? Was his role in my future that strong? I recalled what Danielle had told me about her dream and how he'd transformed back into his original body from being a wolf earlier and then saying my name but that was it. How could I know this boy though? I'd never seen him a day in my life!
"....you've got to....."
I heard those words far off into the distance but I couldn't identify whom they belonged to. And it was odd to me because usually in times like these the only thing I ever heard were my thoughts and that was it. There was never another person that spoke to me. The pitch of the voice sounded familiar but I still couldn't pinpoint the face it belonged to no matter how hard I tried. Who was that...?
"....please.....begging you...."
They sounded desperate. The words were still far off but I could comprehend the emotion that was in the person's tone. They sounded as if they were at their wit's end or that they were crying. Was that Danielle? Was she crying for me? I felt my heart clench at the thought and suddenly more than ever I wanted to leave and become conscious again. I didn't like it when she cried. She was a strong person and it took a lot to make her cry -- I didn't want to be the cause of her breakdown. Making an attempt to rip off the dark tendrils that controlled my unconscious state I continually ripped and slashed to and fro before something bright flashed onto the darkness. It was almost pink and red in color and I could immediately tell that I was looking at the back of my eyelids.
Without even a second thought I quickly opened them and stared up at the four people that were hovering over me. There was Danielle to my right and closest to my head. Tears were cascading down her cheeks and her eyes were starting to become bloodshot. I could tell that she had been crying for quite sometime. My brown eyes traveled over towards the boy that was sitting next to her and I recognized him as one of the three boy's I'd seen earlier. He was the one with the shortest hair. Across from him was the other boy who had much longer hair then the first. But I paid him no mind because sitting directly across from Danielle and closer to me than all three of the boys was him. The one that Danielle had said she'd seen in her dreams and the one that'd had such an impact on me that he'd caused to me to black out. Who was he?
"Aimée!"
I wasn't given a second chance to think on the matter because before I knew it a warm body had suddenly enveloped my own in a tight hug despite the fact that I was still lying on the ground. Danielle had noticed that I had awoken and her sobs became hysterical as she shook. I could only wrap my arms around her before slowly moving and giving her the message that I wanted to sit up. She allowed me to but that didn't stop her from still holding me closely and murmuring words of relief.
"Aimée, are you alright?" Danielle's voice sounded to the left and I turned slowly to look into her silver eyes.
She looked worried and I took quick note of the tears that were trailing down her cheeks. She looked about at her wits end and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for being the cause of such a feeling. Frowning, I nodded my head before replying, "I think so...do you know what happened?" For some reason I couldn't remember much else, other than the feeling of falling and then nothing. There was no way for me to be able to tell how long I had been out and there also was no way for me to be able to figure out what the cause of the whole mess was to begin with. It could have been a multitude of things but nothing came to mind and I realized that if thought about it too hard, then I would only just give myself a headache. I already felt a horrid one coming on at that moment and I couldn't help but wince as Danielle pulled me to her and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
"Thank goodness!" She cried whilst letting her grip become tighter. Any other time it probably would have bothered me at how tight she was hugging me but, for some reason I felt almost relieved at the feeling and I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her.
"You were out for about a full ten minutes." The boy that had been kneeling next to Danielle answered the question that my cousin had left hanging in the air and I turned my brown eyes to look at him. He was one of the boy's that had given me a confused look earlier -- he had longer hair then the other -- and he looked almost familiar. I might have had a class or two with him the year before in school but I couldn't quite remember his name. "We were actually about to call the ambulance until you came to. You stopped breathing once we hit about the nine minute mark -- is that normal for you?"
I wasn't given the chance to reply.
"Whether or not it was normal doesn't matter." The final nameless boy that had the shortest hair stated aloud what he was thinking before the other one could get more information out of me on the matter. "What does matter is that you need to go to the hospital. People just don't suddenly faint out of nowhere and stop breathing. You probably feel fine, but there's plenty of cases where a person could feel fine and be wrong about it. I'm sure we could get you a lift if you needed one."
I turned to look at Danielle to see what her opinion on the matter was. I could still feel the intense gaze of the male that had originally caught my attention still on me but I had opted to ignore it and silently inquire what my cousin thought we should do. I had to admit that the point that had been made had been valid. Things like this weren't normal, but at the same time our tribe wasn't normal either. First priority would have been to go see Grandmama before anything else, so that she could clear the case of not having anything to do with our powers before it was decided that we should go to the hospital. We didn't just let anyone know of our family secret -- the only way you'd figure out was if you were either kin or blood by marriage. It was a fierce rule that had ruled our family for generations; we didn't allow outsiders and these three boys witnessing it all was borderline crossing that sacred rule. Danielle would have had a clearer head than mine and I assumed that she would know what to do.
"Thanks for the offer but we'll be fine." Danielle smiled as pleasantly as possible but I could tell just from hearing her voice that it was strained. Here we had three teenage boys that attended the same school as us -- and another that could possibly lead a big role in my future -- and it was very doubtful that they would let the both of us roam on our own. Dani and I were about the same weight but it was nonetheless hard to imagine that she would carry me all the way back to my home without much trouble. We were quite a whiles away and if she had to support me then it would take even longer. Whose to say that I didn't black out again and cause even more of a catastrophe? The possibilities were endless and I could tell without even having to read their minds that those thoughts were going directly through all three of those boys heads.
"Are you sure?"
For the first time he had finally spoken and I couldn't help but suppress the small shiver that overwhelmed me at his voice. It wasn't the smoothest and deepest of male voices that I'd ever heard but for some reason I couldn't help but love it no matter. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me but this boy was about to drive me crazy and I realized that I had to get away from him -- and fast.
"We'll be fine," I murmured in reply before shakily standing up and ignoring the arm that Danielle held out to steady me. I shot all three of them a small smile. "Thanks for your help but you should get going now. Don't want to be late for the first day of school do you?" The words were meant as a final goodbye and a sign for them to leave, but even as all three of them stood up it didn't look as if they were going to go anywhere anytime soon. I had to suppress a groan at their chivalry. Any other time I suppose that it wouldn't have bothered me -- well; actually it would have, but that's not the point, what I'm getting at is that, though I appreciated their care, I was finding that it was more annoying than anything else. I understood that they just wanted to help but couldn't they take a hint?
Danielle tensed and I could tell she was getting just as exasperated as I was. "You three should go now! School starts in less than twelve minutes and it's like Aimée said -- you don't want to be late! Her house isn't that far off and her mother is at home so we have a ride to the hospital. Really, I'm a lot stronger than most people give me credit for." Her laugh that followed was convincing enough to where it caused me to give a weak one of my own. The three of them still didn't look convinced -- particularly the boy whose gaze I was trying to avoid -- but the one with the shortest hair nevertheless shrugged his shoulders and looked as if he was going to throw the white flag down.
"Alright then, but don't say we didn't offer," he said before adjusting the strap of his bag and turning towards the school, "Come on, let's go." He didn't bother to wait for them and instead took off towards the school. The one with the longer hair stood there for a moment longer, before following after the former but the boy with the intense gaze was still standing there; stalk still. I could feel his eyes on me again and it was making my vision swim for some reason. I almost felt as if I was about to black out again but before I could someone yelled something.
"Embry, come on!"
"C-coming!"
I couldn't help but feel my eyes widen at the reply.
Author's Note: I edited the start of this chapter. ;D
