Ellie Nash
Ellie is confused about everything in her life. She doesn't know why her karma is out of whack; regardless of what good or bad she does, she's likely to get kicked in the pants for her actions. So, in search of peace from her difficult life, Ellie turns to her dreams. When she's falls asleep, Craig is there, waiting for her. He would stroke her face ever so gently, because Ellie's become fragile. He wants to kiss her, but instead he wraps his arms around her and doesn't want to let her go. Ellie knows he only wants to protect her. In Craig's arms, Ellie can hear her mother and father laughing, and she knows that the two of them are sitting at a table, drinking coffee. Their laughing because it's Ellie's dream, and she hasn't heard them do that together in a long, long time.
But more often than not, Ellie has nightmares. She's afraid to look at Craig when she has a nightmare because she knows she's having a nightmare. She tries to look away from Craig at these times, but she can't; she can't close her eyes or turn her head or wake up. She has to stare while Craig destroys himself with drugs or abandons her for another woman. In her worst dreams, Craig stares at Ellie right back. The familiar look he gets in his eyes when he sees her - the joyous look filled with endless years of memories - is gone. He sees her as a stranger and when they make eye contact Ellie feels her heart shatter. She still hears her parents, but they aren't laughing. They aren't making any sounds, but Ellie can hear the silence between them. She isn't sure what it means, but somehow, the empty echo of silence hurts just as much as Craig's stare does.
After one of Ellie's dreams, she cries because she has to wake up.
After a nightmare, she cries because no matter how many times she wakes up, she'll have to fall asleep again.
Ellie's life has now become beyond repair.
Next: Toby Isaacs
