Chapter four
I screamed at the top of my lungs. Each screams burning. I just had to let it all out. I couldn't get it. What was so bad about that dream? Oh, wait, just about everything!
My lungs were burning. My heart was aching and beating so hard against my chest that I thought I might explode. My breathing was so fast, that I doubted I was breathing at all. I was a total mess. I was sweating and panting so hard from that nightmare. And I thought I was going to start crying.
But I held it in because I heard footsteps coming closer to my room.
The door suddenly swung open, and my dad stepped in holding a fake raccoon.
"What's going on?" he asked, looking around the room. "I heard shouting."
"Nothing," I assured my father, still breathing hard. "I just had a bad dream." And then, realizing what he was holding, I said, "What were you gonna do? Raccoon him to smithereens?"
My dad looked down at the raccoon. "It was the first thing I grabbed by my bedside table."
"You have a raccoon on you're bedside table?" I asked, my breath returning to its normal strength.
"Honey, Buster's also a light bulb. I bought it on the internet," he explained. "I don't know how people used to live before the internet."
"I don't know what's weirder," I told him. "My dream, or the fact that you paid for that thing." I eyed the raccoon weirdly. God, where did he get that thing?
"You wanna talk about it?" Dad asked me. "Your dream, I mean?"
I hesitated. I didn't know if I should tell him the truth, or just lie like I always do. I decided to do a little bit of both.
"No," I finally said. "It's kind of a girl thing."
"Ah," He said understandably, sitting beside me on the bed. "Boy problems?"
I nodded, looking down at the sheets.
"Look, darling," He said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
I looked at him and smiled gently. "Aw," I said. "Thanks, daddy."
I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed my face into his chest.
"It's gonna be alright," he said into my hair. When I let go of him, I saw Lillian storm through the room with a giant fake polar bear in her hand.
"What's happening here?" she said, looking around the room. "I thought I heard shouting."
What I said, was the last thing I should have said. "Why does everyone have a lamp-shaped critter but me?"
My dad chuckled quietly at my remark, got up, and dragged Lillian out of the room.
"Try and sleep, honey." He told me before he, too, got out of the room and shut the door behind him.
I did try. Sleeping, I mean. But when the dream started sinking into my memory, the waterworks started.
I really don't know what the hell I should do.
I buried my face into the pillow, and wept quietly. When I was sure that all of it was out, I sat on my back, staring at the ceiling. When I realized I couldn't sleep, I got off the bed. I made my way to the bathroom to change my Band-Aids.
When I was done, I decided to take a walk. I mean, I knew it was six thirty in the morning – on a Saturday morning – but I needed to walk around a little.
I went to my closet and got out another high-necked pullover – blue this time – and wore some trainers to go with it. I pulled out a note and wrote: out for a walk, be home soon. Cornelia.
I taped the note on the fridge once I was downstairs, took my cell phone and my keys, and went out.
The sun wasn't out of the clouds yet. And the morning fog was burning my eyes. I had no idea where I was going. I was just walking to wherever my heart told me to. I realized where I had gone when I stopped in front of the valley where the girls and I had had our first Guardian practice.
It was also the same place where I first saw Caleb's face.
This is where my heart has led me. The place where I first met Caleb. My heart was really affected by that dream.
Tears were coming back into my eyes. God, what was that, anyway? I've never cried this much before.
I rubbed my hands over my eyes, wiping away the tears. That's when I saw something familiar standing in the shadows.
Without thinking, I found myself walking towards the figure. I didn't recognize it at first, thanks to the fog. But when I got closer, the pieces started fitting into place. Because standing in front of me was…
The Demon.
"You," I said, walking closer to him. I saw the same smile he gave me the last night we've met creep into his demonic face.
"Yes," he said. "It's me." He pulled his arms from across his chest and held them in front of him. Like he was going to give me a hug, or something. Which would have been a little weird.
"I'm gonna tell them, you know." I warned him. "The other Guardians, I mean."
That faded the smile off his face. And, moving faster than I ever saw anyone move before, I was pinned to the block wall behind me, his hand on my throat, and his other hand holding a knife to my heart.
"You will not speak of this to anyone," He demanded. "You will keep this a secret. Or else I'll make you pay."
"I'm not afraid of you," I choked out. I sounded more brave than I felt. I was a little frightened. This time, he had a knife to my heart.
His grip on my throat tightened, and I was panting, trying to breathe.
"You will be," He promised, his voice as tight as his grip.
Before I can disagree, he disappeared. Just like last night. When I realized I could breathe again, I put one hand on my throat where the demon held it. And my other hand beneath my chest. I was trying to catch my breath. I'm really getting sick of that damn demon. Oh, how I wish I could give him a kick in the gut. Or punch him in the face. God, he deserved it. I mean, who the hell would hold a 15-and-a-half-year-old-girl to a wall and try to choke her to death?
You won't even be able to name one person. Except in the movies, of course.
When I started walking again, I found myself shaking. And not because I was cold, either.
God. What was wrong with me? I needed a rest. And apparently, sleep was not the answer.
I walked a few more who-knows-how-many-miles, and then gave up, and decided to go back home. I was halfway there, when something hit me on the head. Literally.
I was sent crashing on the floor on my stomach, my face to the dirty ground. I groaned in annoyance.
When I sat up, and looked up at the thing that hit me, I found Peter – Taranee's brother – running towards me.
"Oh, hi," He said once he got closer. "Sorry about that." He was holding a basket ball in his hand. So that's what had hit me.
"Cornelia?" He asked when he recognized me. "What are you doing here? Here, let me help you." He held his hand in front of him, and I took it gratefully. He helped me up, and I cleaned the dust off of my pullover.
"You okay?" He asked when I was done. I nodded.
"So," Peter said as we started walking to my house. "What brings you here?"
"Just taking a walk," I replied automatically.
"At seven in the morning?" he asked questioningly. "On a Saturday?"
I shrugged. "I couldn't sleep."
We walked in silence for a moment.
"Hey," He said suddenly. "Wanna have dinner with me tonight?"
My eyes widened as I stared at the street in front of me. "Um…" was all I could say.
"So?" He asked when I didn't answer. Peter and I? Together? Peter? Taranee's brother?
"I really can't, Peter," I replied, still staring at the road in front of me.
"Tomorrow night, then?" He offered. God, was he ever gonna give up?
"I don't know, Peter," I said, finally looking at him. "But I'll think about it, 'Kay?"
I didn't wait for him to answer. At the sight of my house, I waved at him, and ran towards my home.
I opened the door, and closed it quietly behind me. Nobody was awake, good. I went over to the kitchen, and ripped off my note off the fridge.
I walked quietly up the stairs. I went to my room, and closed the door behind me. The only thing I could do know was waiting for someone to wake up.
I went over to my bed and pulled my headphones on. I stumbled on the sheets and closed my eyes as the songs started.
I felt a tear slide down my cheek as a slow, romantic song started playing.
