Silvia had another nightmare, this one about her parents.

Silvia lay in bed on Saturday night. Her lights were off and it was after midnight but she was awake playing computer games and listening to music. She heard the front door open.

"I didn't think Brittany was coming home tonight." she thought. Footsteps came quietly up the stairs. That's when she knew something was wrong. There were too many for one person. She closed her laptop and moved to the door where she could peek out. She saw two dark figures walk into her dad's room. Then came the gunshots. Silvia froze. Then she moved and hid in a corner. Her door opened slowly.

"Kid must not be here tonight." said one voice, male.

"You said she would be." growled another, also male but lower and gruffer. Then they stalked out and downstairs, not worrying about the noise. Silvia grabbed her cell phone crept out of her room silently. She walked into her dad's room. He was slumped in bed. The sheets were turning red and he was covered in blood. Shuddering, Silvia walked silently downstairs. She turned a corner into the kitchen. The living room was visible. The murderers were sitting on the couch talking. Instead of doing the sensible thing and calling 911, she opened the knife drawer and pulled out two large ones. She took the one in her right hand a hurled it at one of the men's head. It hit his shoulder. The man cried out in pain. His partner stood up, turned around, and fired a shot all in one smooth motion. Silvia dove around the corner and felt the bullet hit her shoulder. She made no sound and ran to the front door. She turned around and threw the knife back and heard a moan. Then she yanked the door open and ran to the neighbors' house. She hid in their yard and dialed 911. The thieves were already racing away in their car. When the cops got there, it was too late. Her mom arrived and took her to the hospital. The bullet had gone all the way through. They gave her pain medication and bandaged it up. She ignored her mom and cried in her room. Sunday passed and she only came out of her room when her mom was at the grocery store. Then she retreated back to her room. She went to school on Monday but pushed her friends away. Everyone had heard about it. Some people tried to comfort her but she just walked away. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Her teachers didn't call on her and left her alone. By lunch her friends knew that she needed space. There was one boy, a senior and the football team quarterback named Caden, who came to sit by her at lunch. He didn't talk, just sat with her. She let him stay and didn't move. When the bell rang, he told her he was sorry and left. She finished the day and didn't go to soccer practice. She watched the football team practice. Caden had hurt his leg and couldn't work out. He sat with her and watched.

"Thanks." she said after a while.

"I know how it feels. I lost my mom when I was in fifth grade." he said.

"Oh. I'm sorry." she said shocked. He had always seemed like a nice, happy guy.

"It's fine. If you need anything, I can help." he said. Silvia managed to smile for the first time since her dad died.

"Thanks." she whispered.

"No problem." He smiled at her. Then they sat in silence for the rest of the practice. Silvia's mom came to pick her up and she left.

Silvia woke up shaking. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 2:48. She leaned back down and closed her eyes.

"Nothing else to dream about." she thought, which she knew wasn't true but was hoping that thinking it might help. Soon sleep took over. Her positive thoughts didn't help.

Wednesday night. Silvia was up late on her computer, this time reading the news reports about her dad. Then she heard the sliding glass door in her mom's room open.

"Probably just letting the cat in." Silvia thought. They had two cats who often stayed outside all day and came in at night. Then a scream came that was muffled in a second. Silvia rolled out of bed and went to her mom's door, which was open a crack. She saw the same two men who had killed her dad dragging her mom out the door. Silvia did nothing. As soon as they were gone, she closed the door and locked it and all the other doors and windows. She didn't call the police. She walked to school the next day. Caden smiled at her in the halls and she forced herself to smile back. She walked through the day as if in a dream. The teachers still let her sit quietly and her friends left her alone. After school she watched the football practice. Caden was doing some work today so she watched by herself. Then she walked home. She grabbed chips out of the pantry and went to youth group. Everyone there had heard too. Her best friend tried to comfort her, but Silvia just shrugged her off. She played foursquare like normal. When asked where her mom was she always said that her mom was too tired. Then her best friend got nosy.

"Is your mom okay?" Sarah asked. Silvia nodded. "Where is she?"

"At home." Silvia said with an annoyed tone.

"Why can't she come?" Sarah asked not getting the hint.

"Busy." Silvia said trying to end the conversation.

"Doing what?" Sarah asked, pressing anyway.

"She's out with a friend okay?" Silvia growled. Then she stormed away. Group time came and she sat by herself. Then the boys came in. A boy named Michael sat across from her. His best friend Jacob came too. She talked little. The meeting ended and Silvia walked home. The next day, she went to school as was usual now. After school she decided to go to soccer practice.

"Are you living with your mom now?" One girl asked.

"No." Silvia accidentally said.

"Are you living with anyone?" someone else asked. They were grouping around her now.

"No." Silvia sighed.

"Shouldn't you be in foster care or something?" the coach asked.

"Probably." Silvia said. And with that she bolted. The cross country team and the football teams were just coming out.

"Get her!" shouted the coach. Two boys from the football team chased her along with two of the cross country coaches. Her feet pounded as she ran across the field and to the sidewalk. The football players were right behind her. She turned a corner and stopped. They came around, and she punched both of them. Then she continued running. The cross country coaches were catching up. They did have better endurance than her. The closest one caught her and grabbed her arm. She tried to hit him with her free hand but he caught it. The other coach was soon there too. He was her history teacher as well. He was shocked to see the hate in her eyes. The first coach marched her back. They came to the football players. One of them named Jeremy took one of her arms. When they arrived back at school, the cops were already there. Silvia glared at them. Caden came limping up. She looked to him for support but there was nothing he could do. She moaned and went with the police. They took her straight to the station. She fought back.

"No!" she shouted.

"No!" she shouted, waking up in a cold sweat. Steve came rushing in.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried.

"Just a nightmare." Silvia assured him. He went back to his room. Silvia pulled her iPod from her pocket. She put in headphones and stayed awake, not wanting another dream.