[Todd]
I'm in the field again and the nightmare's taking Viola. But this time, I don't look up at her, no matter how hard it is, 'cause I know the sun'll get me. I just keep running, the rage building up, until I finally get to the wall of cloud, but I look up and she's already gone and I look back down in defeat and I walk forward some more, 'cuz there ain't much more to do, the smoke swirling around me, filling my lungs with soot.
I see the flaming letters on the ground again, but my walking through the wall of cloud has swirled some of it away and so I can read them. And I stop there on the spot, 'cuz I read them and they say NOW. They say TODAY.
And I wake up in a cold sweat as usual, my shirt clingy like always. I try to make sense of what happened, the one thing that was different this time. And I do something dangerous. One of the most dangerous things I could do. I lie to myself. I tell myself that it was just a dream and that it wasn't real, even though I certainly felt real, especially last night when I dreamt it even though I wasn't dreaming. I look out the one window down towards the end of the room above the stairs. It's almost dawn. I look at the sunrise, truly actually, look at it, for the first time in a long time. I see the layers of purple and pink turn to orange and yellow turn to blue, and just after the sun peaks the crest of the hill, casting the shadows of some of the few tents still left up there, I fall back asleep.
I wake up and Vi's leaning over me. "Heavy sleeper much?" she asks sarcastically. "It's almost noon." I laugh for just a split second-
Crap.
"Aww, damn," I say, " We're supposed to meet Lee now." "It's okay, I told him you were still asleep and we'd come over when you're ready," Vi re-assures. "I packed lunch already anyway." "Oh, all right," I apologize quickly, "Sorry for the panic." I sit up and get out of bed. "Better start getting ready." Vi leaves, and as soon as I hear the door close, I grab a pair of swim trunks.
I can't believe I slept in.
I suppress a few thoughts of my nightmare as I slide on my swimsuit and bring my arms out of the sleeves of my shirt in a hurried rush. I keep the right hand through the shirt sleeve as I pick up my boxers, slide the shirt around them, and curl it up into one big ball for the laundry pile in a single motion. I make my way down the steep attic stairs and open the door at the bottom. I stop at the bathroom, but I skip my normal routine and I throw my ball at the hamper basket.
Score.
I head for the kitchen and I say good morning to Ben who realizes I'm in a hurry and hands me a granola bar. I practically inhale it and hustle outside.