Chapter 13: Heart to Heart
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Josh sat up in bed gasping for breath. He felt as if he had been held underwater for a long time and had just come up for a breath.
"I've got to get my brain fixed." He said to the walls of his room, "Why'm I tortured by these dreams." Josh swung his legs over the side of the bed and let his feet hang. Charlie walked into his room.
"What was it about this time?" He asked.
Josh sighed. "It was different than most of them. This guy was lying in a hospital room first. The suddenly I was in his place, I felt what he felt and saw what he saw." He paused.
"What'd ya see?" Charlie asked.
Josh stared for a moment. "Blackness. Empty blackness. But a little light. I thought I heard someone talking. And then I couldn't breath and my heart..." He touched his chest and could not continue.
"Stopped."
Josh looked up at Charlie. "How'd you know?"
"Wild guess. Did anything else happen?"
"No, I woke up after that. I just don't understand. I really couldn't breath, and I really felt my heart stop." He put his head in his hands. "I'm so confused. Why do I keep having these dreams?"
"Are we having a party in here?" Pearl asked walking in.
"Come on in Sigmund Freud, Josh had another dream." Charlie said.
"I know, I've seen that look before. Plus I heard him explain it to you." She crawled up on the bed beside him and put an arm around his shoulders. "You OK bud?"
"No, I'm going for a walk." He stood and walked out the door, in his night pants, wife beater, and slippers. The stairs creaked under his weight and the door protested against his opening it. Goose bumps ran over his arms as he walked into the night. Then he ran. The icy wind cut into his skin. But at the same time his heart leapt up on wings and his mind cleared. Trees ahead. He faded into the forest and ended up in the park.
"Jack?" Jack lay on one of the benches staring at the stars. He sat up at the sound of his name.
"Oh hey Josh. Little cold to be going for a jog isn't it?"
"Well isn't it a little cold to be sleeping out on a park bench?" Josh sat next to him trying to catch his breath. "I thought you'd be tired of sleeping outside."
Jack leaned forward and lit a cigarette. "I just like the stars. They help me think. Now what's your story?" He sat back and rested an arm on the back of the bench.
"I had another dream and had to get away from it."
"So you ran?" Jack asked. "I didn't know you could run from dreams."
Josh laughed and put his foot on the bench. "Sounds kind of dumb doesn't it?"
"Naw. I've run from worse things."
They sat in silence for a moment. A band of crickets performed for them somewhere unseen and the trees played a game with the wind.
"So Josh," Jack said resting an elbow on his knee. "What's your story, I mean, your whole story? Why are you here? Where are your parents?"
Josh drummed his fingers on the bench. "I have no idea, or I don't remember rather."
"How do you not remember?" Jack asked. The smoke from his cigarette curved up to the sky and slowly dissipated.
"Apparently, last year Bethanie's family and mine, got into a car accident. Our parents..." he paused, but then continued. "died and we both got amnesia. I suppose the accident triggered our powers."
"What is yours?"
"I have telepathy, and Bethanie breath underwater and fly. I don't know why. Most people get powers that help them out of a situation, but..."
He shrugged.
Jack nodded.
"Life sucks sometimes."
Jack looked over at Josh. "Wow, I didn't expect that to come out of your mouth. Why does life suck for you?"
"I'm an orphan, completely alone, I have these dreams that drive me up the wall, and...I really don't have much to complain about do I?"
"Nope."
"Well you certainly are honest." Josh laughed.
"Sorry, don't know any other way to be." He paused. "So what are your dreams about?"
"These two people. A guy and a girl, both of which are dying or being killed." Josh explained.
"Your parents maybe?"
"I have no idea. Both of them were too young to be my parents."
"But if they died and you don't remember them, wouldn't it be logical that they would be young?" Jack said.
Josh put his elbow on his knee and sat in silence for a moment.. "Not really. The accident happened last year, and besides, I don't remember them so how come I see them in my head?"
"If I were you I'd ask Darron. He would probably know right? I mean if you were brought here when you were a little kid then he'd have to know."
"You're right, I think I will go talk to him." He stood, then sat again. "What about you? Why'd you run from home?"
"I didn't run. I took a train."
"A train? I thought you said you took a bus." Josh said.
"Oh yeah. I meant bus."
"So why'd you leave home? How 'bout that?"
The corner of Jack's mouth reached for his ear. "I came down here to get away from the crowded streets of New York."
Josh shook his head. "You're not gonna tell me are you?"
Jack stood. "You know, it's gonna suck livin' here. A guy can't hide his past. Much less run from it."
"If you don't want to tell me you don't have to. I didn't read your mind. I can just tell your lying." Josh said.
"I'm goin' to bed, see ya tomorrow Josh."
"Bye Jack," Josh said. Now for some sleep.