Chapter 11: Dream Weaver
Kate ran towards the elevator, ignoring Jack had never been so hard. It didn't help that they worked on the same floor; in the same department… they saw each other almost every fifteen minutes. Kate tried to keep herself focused on other tasks; she tried with all her strength not to look up when she knew that Jack was looking at her. It was easier said than done, she had promised herself that she would no longer speak to Jack, that they would no longer be friends, but her heart disagreed with everything her head said.
"Stop!" said Kate running to the elevator someone held it open for her, by the time the doors closed she turned to see that it was Jack…. And they were alone.
"Hi," Jack said attempting to be friendly. Did she honestly think that she was the only one having problems staying away? He thought about her every single moment of everyday. He was struggling at work because he concentrated merely on her; nothing else seemed to matter.
"Hi," said Kate coldly. It broke her heart to sound so mean to this man. He made her come alive again; she was becoming the person she wanted to be. She had enrolled in school; starting caring about herself, she was volunteering with him every single week… together they were making a difference. It was all because he was there encouraging her.
"Kate?" Jack said desperately, "Can we talk?"
"I don't think that would be such a great idea," Kate admitted with bitter honesty.
SLAM
Kate was thrown forward and into Jack's arms. The elevator had stopped dead; the lights began to blink overhead. Kate back away from Jack and over to the phone. She picked it up and called down to the main desk.
"Hey Mariana, it's Kate. Doctor Shephard and I are stuck in one of the south elevators." She paused. "Okay thanks."
"She said that the fire department has already been called and just to sit tight," Kate said taking a seat against the walls. Jack sat down across from her and looked at her sadly, "Can't you understand why I have been ignoring you, Jack?"
"Yes," said Jack, "I'm sorry I kissed you, I am Kate, I don't want to ruin our friendship. I take full blame for everything."
"Please," Kate said softly, "I wanted it too."
Jack lifted his head up and looked at her… he could tell that she was not lying to him. She had wanted to kiss him just as much as he wanted to kiss her. But he could not let it happen again. She was engaged she was going to be married in a little over a month.
"But we can't," Jack said shaking his head.
"Of course not," Kate said firmly, "I am getting married, but I do want to be your friend Jack. You have been my best friend these last two months, you have meant everything to me…"
"Friends," Jack said nodding his head, "I can be friends."
"Good," said Kate smiling. She stood up and walked over to him. No matter how hard she found it, she would try and forget about the moment they had shared together. "So… how long do you think we are going to be stuck in here?"
"Hopefully not to long," said Jack checking his watch, "I told everyone that I would be right back…they are going to be wondering where the hell I went."
"And me… I was supposed to go to floor eight and talk to the receptionist up there," Kate said twiddling her thumbs, "But I---"
Kate yawn deeply and then rubbed her eyes, make-up washed off onto her hand. Kate shook her head and then yawned again.
"Didn't get much sleep?" Jack asked her curiously.
"No," Kate said, "New allergy medicine, makes me so…drow-----sy."
"If you want to close your eyes and rest I'll wake you up if something excited happens," Jack offered her.
"Yes," said Kate leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes and instantly fell into a deep slumber.
Kate was walking down the middle of the beach, she was wearing her purple tank top and a pair of blue jeans… she was barefoot. The air smelled salty; the water next to her was deafening, waves were crashing right on top of each other, no still water could be seen.
No one else was around her, she heard no human sounds, it was only she and nature. She stopped walking and looked to the trees. They seemed to call her towards them; she was walking among them now. The high canopies shielded her from the blistering sun. Crunch Crunch Crunch, she walked over twigs and grass. She had no destination, but suddenly she heard a loud sound, it was indescribable, it seemed like the growl of a large prehistoric animal. It was coming closer, trees were crashing down all around her, it seemed to be right on top of her, it was about to devour her, take over, but something came running out from the trees. It was shielding her from the creature, taking the things blows. She could hear the man grunting as he was hit repeatedly. As soon as the creature had appeared he was gone again, Kate was laying on the ground, the man next to her…he was breathing slow breaths, blood was everywhere, all over her…all of over Jack.
Kate sat bolt up right and went to Jack's side. It seemed that his entire chest had been ripped open; she felt the urge to vomit as she looked at his chest. Blood was spewing from the wound onto the ground, Kate was kneeling in it; it soaked through her clothes.
"Jack!" she screamed as their eyes met. He was looking directly at her, his lips moved but nothing was spoken. Kate screamed again and again. Jack's eyes glossed over as he died. "No!"
Kate forgot about the disgusting state of his body, she had thrown herself on top of him. She hugged him tightly, never wanting to let him go. She sobbed harder then she could ever remember. She was praying to god to come and take her away as well. She only wanted to be with Jack, in life or in death.
"Kate!"
She could hear his voice; he was still with her. Kate shook Jack's corpse again. She begged him to come back to her. She told him that she could not live without him. But Jack did not move. Something was shaking her; something was making her let go of him.
"Kate!" Jack said loudly shaking Kate's sleeping body. Kate's eyes opened and she looked around crazily. She looked back at him and then sighed a deep breath of relief, "You had to be dreaming something crazy... you were trashing around like mad."
"You could say that," Kate said wiping her sweaty brow. She blinked several times reassuring herself that she was back in reality. The dream had felt so real; the emotions she had felt were so genuine. Kate grabbed Jack's hand; he did not pull away from her. She had to stay right next to him. Her heart was pounding, because minutes ago it had been broken. Broken into millions of pieces… she had to make sure that he wasn't going anywhere. She was scared, afraid that he was going to leave, but then she realized something else, she loved waking up and finding him there next to her.
"Babe are you okay?" Jack asked gently. The elevator had begun to move, Jack stood up and helped to her feet, "Kate?"
"Yeah," Kate said nodding profusely, "I'm okay…"
To be continued…
