(Notes: Okay, now I wish I hadn't started this setting in summer. What colleges do you think Kim and Ron would go to? This won't be an important part of the story, but I need to know. If you have any ideas, please reply.)
Chapter Four: Kim's Dream
(Walking to Bueno Nacho)
"Hey Ron!'" Kim called. "Go on ahead of me. I need to tie my shoe."
"Okay, I'll save you a seat."
Ron walked away as Kim bent down to tie her shoe. She heard someone come up behind her, but before Kim had the chance to turn around to see who it was, the mysterious-looking man grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth. Kim tried to scream as he dragged her over to an overpass. There he lifted Kim over the guard rails and held her over the top, threatening to drop her. Stupidly, Kim kicked her leg up and hit the man's arm, causing him to let go. She fell into the rushing traffic and narrowly missed being hit by a car.
Instinctively, Kim stood up and ran to the other end of the highway. Her wrist was sore and swolen, but her pride hurt worse. Many people hated her, Kim knew, but no one had done anything this extreme. She sat down, unknowingly at the ege of a cliff, to catch her breath. Kim didn't dare run across the street again, but she didn't know any other way to get to Bueno Nacho. She didn't have to ponder this long, as the ground cracked beneath her and Kim fell into a bottomless pit of mental distress.
Kim recognized immediantly where she was. Not knowing how she got there, Kim found herself in the very back of a wolf's den. It was pitch black and full of sharp, jagged stalagmites growing from the floor. She heard something rustling around near her, and realized it was a wolf pup. Tears brimmed her eyes as Kim lifted the young wolf gently off the cold ground and held him carefully in her caring arms. Suddenly, a low growling emerged from the darkness, startling Kim, but not at all intimidating her. Slowly Kim put forth her, now healed, hand for the protective mother to sniff. In an instant, the usually dominant wolf submissively laid her head on Kim's lap for reassurence. Kim rubbed her neck lovingly, and placed the pup she had been holding near it's mother's belly for lunch.
(Hotel room, 6:28 A.M.)
A tear rolled down Kim's cheak as Ron watched her sleep. He had never witnessed Kim cry without the help of a mind controlling device before, and he didn't really know how to react. Part of him wanted to free Kim from the distressing dream she was having, but the other part told him not to interfere. Grabbing Kim's hand, Ron hoped he could help her through her seemingly hurtful nightmare without waking her up.
For some reason, Kim saw Ron's face in the entrance to the cave. It was drawing her away from her past and bringing her back to where she knew she should be. Kim longed to follow his lead of exiting the only part of her life that she had kept a secret for so long, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to it. Here Kim had no fear, no pain, and no wants. In this peaceful environment, she really felt like she belonged. There was no one expecting anything from her, and Kim expected nothing in return. The only thing she felt here was love and acceptance, but she knew it wouldn't last forever.
Her heart pounded as she slowly stood up to leave this perfect world. Leaving behing the wonderful feeling of belonging and stepping out into the imperfections of the world was the toughest decision Kim had ever made in her life, but she knew it was the right one. As soon as she stepped out of the den, her wrist became broken, and the wait of the world came crashing down apon her shoulders. Kim turned back, wanting more than anything to go back to her perfect world, but all that remained behind her was a highway with many rushing cars near the overpass where she had first fallen.
