Chapter 1 [New York—Modern Day; Five Months following "Covens"]
After a particularly brutal winter, the Five Boroughs began the inexorable slog from Winter's icy grip toward Summer's welcome heat. The chinook's warm caresses coaxed steady water flows from still snowy curbs and icicles toward the street's drains below. A few birds sang welcoming notes. A couple of brave joggers hustled toward Central Park for some exercise.
And one young woman was dealing with things in particular….
A young woman tossed and turned in her bed buffeted by nightmares. Sweat dampened the sheets and pillowcase under her head. Her tense movements and spasms bunched the sheets and comforter about herself. Her mind's eye flashed images of old historic scenes at her.
…pieces of images really….
Certain figures blurred their way into the scene. Through the haze, she could make out a kindly slender red haired woman who was associated with warmth and comfort at some point and at others fear. Cloaked figures encircled them in a village of some sort….
A door floated in midair before shattering to reveal a Stygian wooded scene beyond…
The woman screamed in horror before vanishing into the wood.
Then the strange fog enveloped her making everything else disappear….
She sat up hard on the bed. Her eyes were opened wide. She sucked in precious air in order to calm herself and assuage her pained gasps. She grimaced while rubbing her temples. "So much for the therapy sessions." She swung her feet around until they rested gently on the thinly carpeted floor underneath.
A loud knocking came from the door. "Kate? Hey, you okay in there?"
"Yeah! Give me a minute," Kate assured. She forced herself to her feet and padded across the expanse to the dresser by the door. She surveyed the small bedroom. Besides the bed and chipped oak nightstand, it represented the only possession she had left from her childhood….
…such a wonderful one at that…spent in the System….being shuttled from foster family to foster family…mental hospital to mental hospital….
…It was a wonderful life all right….
She stared at the tortured reflection seeing years of troubling nocturnal buffetings defying psychological analysis. Her skin remained pale. Her own auburn hair matted with Fear's damp. "What the Hell?" She flung the orange vial into the wastebasket and grabbed her blue bathrobe. She pulled the wrap on and cinched the waist tie. Then she slowly made her way from there into the main living area of the two bedroom apartment. "Sorry. It was another of those nights."
"The pills aren't working, are they? Damn, Kate. What's the deal?" a slender Hispanic female wondered almost in frustration. She poured a cup for her roommate. "Creamer's in the fridge. Sugar's over there. You need that."
"You bet I do. Thanks, Elena," Kate expressed gratefully. She fixed her coffee and offered it to her grateful taste buds. "I'm tired of these nights. You know? Was Antonio okay?"
"He wasn't here last night. Even so, he's worried about you. So am I, Chica," Elena admitted honestly. "You've been through more doctors than sin. What hit you anyhow?"
"I wish I knew." Kate glanced at the clock and grimaced. "Got to hurry! If I grab a shower and get dressed, I'll just make class!" She gulped down the rest of her coffee and hustled toward the bathroom to their right.
I hope you find out what this junk is, Kate. It's too much! Elena shook her head while setting her roomie's mug in the sink. For the two years they'd known each other, the nightmares would come and go in her friend. The shrinks and their attempted treatments refused to work.
Answers definitely were in order. So was patience…..