AWAKENING

'What should I do?' This was what went through her brain as she looked at the unconscious man in her backyard. 'Should I call 911?' Another crack of lightning made Amara make up her mind. She pulled him to his feet and half carried him half dragged him towards the house.

Amara closed the door with her foot and laid the stranger down on the couch. Quickly she did the first thing that came to mind, called her friend Brittany. Her fingers trembled as she dialed the number; the last thing she wanted to do was be alone with a total stranger.

"Hello?" A groggy voice on the other end answered.

"Brit, it's me Amara. Look I found this guy in my backyard. He was out like a light bulb so I brought him inside. Could you come over? I don't want to be alone."

"Where are your rents?"

"Outta town. Could you pleeease come over?" Amara whined.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Amara glanced at the clock which read 2:14 "I know I know can you come?"

There was a pause. "Alright I'll come. I'll just have to climb out my window."

"Hurry up." Amara hung up the phone and took a deep breath, once again she was soaked. She turned around to view the person again. A bow was clutched loosely in his hand and she saw a quiver of arrows strapped to his back.

Amara hadn't noticed the bow before and started to get nervous. What if this person was some deranged lunatic or worse a murder? She crept towards the man and took the bow from his hand and skillfully removed his quiver. She leaned the items against a chair and sat down. Some how this person was not like any other, this person was strangely different.

Thirty minutes and the man hadn't made a move nor had Brittany arrived. The time gave Amara moments to think. The man who was lying on her couch had to be from her dream. This wasn't making sense. How could someone she dreamt up be real? Ever since Amara could remember her dreams had always been vivid but never had this happened. She wondered if this man had pointed ears, if he did it would confirm that he really was from her dream or her nightmare.

Amara noticed the scratch on the man's forehead when the doorbell rang. She quickly hopped off her seat and answered it. An averaged height red haired girl walked through the door in a night shirt and jeans a scowl on her face as she shook out her umbrella.

"Oh Amara you owe me BIG time. You know how dangerous it is to climb out my window?"

Amara closed the door. "I know but I didn't know who else to call."

Brittany eyed the stranger on her best friend's couch. "Did you try calling 911?"

Amara ignored her friend and looked over at the stranger. Brittany did the same.

"He's cute, how did you land him in your backyard?"

Amara never looked at the person lying on her couch enough to think he was cute or not, too much being on her mind and all.

"Well...yeah he is kinda cute I guess."

"Kinda..." Brittany muttered. "He's got a scratch on his forehead."

"Yeah I know. I think I've got a first aid kit in the bathroom." She went upstairs while Brittany stared at the poor guy on the couch, a dreamy look on her face. Moments later Amara came down with the first aid kit and took out a pack of cotton balls.

"So you just found this dude in your backyard?" Brittany sat down in a chair.

"Welp." Amara dabbed the cotton ball in peroxide and gently applied it to the man's scratch. "Like I told you he was unconscious…and."

Brittany shook her head," And...and what?"

Amara stopped dabbing but did not face her friend. "I've been having strange dreams and there is always a guy there. It's hard to explain but this guy looks a lot like the guy from my dream."

Brittany looked beyond confused. "Explain."

Amara thought for a moment how could she explain? "Well, the guy in my dream is tall with blonde hair, blue eyes-"

"Dude sounds like a hottie, what's so strange about that dream?"

"I haven't gotten to the strange part yet. This guy has pointed ears and I look down at myself after I have changed dramatically cause all my dorkish features were gone and I had pointed ears too. Anyway I was bleeding. The really freaky part is that this is the guy from my dream."

Brittany looked at Amara like she had sprouted arms out of the side of her head. 'Is she going mad?' She thought. She had always known Amara to have her occasional bad dreams because Amara would always share them with her. It seemed like Amara would have more nightmares than any other kid Brittany knew and she would always describe them down to the last detail.

"It's probably just you imaging things."

Amara shook her head and threw the cotton ball back into the kit.

"It isn't my imagination; this IS the man from my dream."

Brittany thought for a minute. Amara was desperate for her friend to believe her. If she could see her dream then she'd believe.

"You said the guy in your dream had pointed ears, well I don't see pointed ears on this guy. Show me pointed ears and I'll believe."

Amara nodded and turned back to her charge. He looked at peace; it wouldn't change anything if she just moved a couple strands of his golden hair enough to see his ears.

With a trembling hand and a gulp she brushed back the blonde strands to reveal a pointed ear.

"Oh my god." Brittany gasped. She fumbled in her pockets and finally pulled out her inhaler and breathed deep. It is the man from my dream. Her hand again reached to touch his ear but then the man had awoken and grabbed Amara by the wrist.

Amara again gulped and winced as the man held her wrist in a tight hold. When his fierce blue eyes met hers she knew instantly for sure the truth. His features, what looked often to be soft held confusion and a bit of fear.

"Ya Lle?" Who are you He spoke in a demanding voice.