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Authors: J. R. Johansson
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of a different life make me feel better instead of dreading the disappointment it inevitably brought with it.
This one wasn’t quiet, like her first dream. I could hear waves crashing violently, but it still soothed me. The water rolled over my frayed nerves and the knots in my back. The air tasted like the ocean, salty and wet.
My eyes opened on an angry sky above a cliff. The churning ocean was far below. Across the bay perched a beautiful white lighthouse. The small windows were framed in navy and the light cut through the fog like a scalpel.
My sense of touch came to life and I felt the stone beneath my feet settle into place. Even though the scene was entirely different from her previous dream, it still only had one layer. Everything felt so real without all the other layers creating chaos in the background. It was so similar to reality that I was almost certain I’d be able to sleep again.
Then the diluted sadness flowed through me.
I turned, searching for Mia. She stood behind me, again wearing the same white sundress. It whipped violently around her legs in the wind. It was a different setting, but everything else was the same. Strange … everything about her dreams seemed to break the rules I’d learned.
An easel, identical to the one in her previous dream, stood before her. She squinted at the lighthouse and bit her lip, then picked up a paintbrush and stuck the end in her mouth with a sigh. I moved to see the painting—again, blank. She stood motionless.
Her expression held so much frustration, it was almost painful to watch her. For a moment, I wished she could see me so I could ask her what was bothering her, but it was a dream. Her irritation and sadness probably weren’t even based on an actual life problem. Besides, I knew why I was here, and I needed to know for sure if it would work again.
I looked around for a place to sleep. Excitement flowed through me, washing bits of Mia’s gloom away. The most likely spot was near a rocky overhang where dark green vines covered the ground. They curled and twisted in around themselves, hiding from the rough weather. I felt them experimentally with my feet. They were soft, with no needles or thorns. I reclined on the vines, the overhang shielding me perfectly from the wind.
The sight of Mia, frowning at her painting, was the last thing I saw before exhaustion crashed over me like one of the rough waves far below, and I tumbled into the deep sleep I longed for.
eight
After two nights of Mia’s dreams, I felt fantastic, better than I remembered feeling ever. Her dreams could be the best thing that had ever happened to me. I was beginning to believe I might even be able to survive this curse with her help. Seeing her, making eye contact, her dreams … it was all I could think about. And now that I’d passed my re-take of Mr. Nelson’s exam, it was all I had to think about.
I leaned against my car, the chill from the cool metal sinking through my shirt and into my skin. I thought about throwing on my jacket, but I liked being a little cold. I liked feeling so alive.
Occasionally I waved at one of the people passing me, but my attention was on the door to the school. I hadn’t seen Mia all day, but she had to come out this way. I wouldn’t miss her. At least I hoped I wouldn’t. But already the parking lot was nearly empty. Some guy with a black leather jacket was standing at the bottom of the stairs into school, blocking my view. Lately, that dude always seemed to be in my way. Our school wasn’t that big, and I knew most people by sight if not by name. So why didn’t I recognize him? My hands shook and I moved a step to the left so I could see around him. Could I have missed Mia because of him?
I jumped when Addie grabbed my elbow, nearly breaking her nose.
“Watch it, Parker! Geez!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Addie.” I shifted my position so I could see her and the stairs at the same time. Reaching out, I put my hand on her shoulder until she
This one wasn’t quiet, like her first dream. I could hear waves crashing violently, but it still soothed me. The water rolled over my frayed nerves and the knots in my back. The air tasted like the ocean, salty and wet.
My eyes opened on an angry sky above a cliff. The churning ocean was far below. Across the bay perched a beautiful white lighthouse. The small windows were framed in navy and the light cut through the fog like a scalpel.
My sense of touch came to life and I felt the stone beneath my feet settle into place. Even though the scene was entirely different from her previous dream, it still only had one layer. Everything felt so real without all the other layers creating chaos in the background. It was so similar to reality that I was almost certain I’d be able to sleep again.
Then the diluted sadness flowed through me.
I turned, searching for Mia. She stood behind me, again wearing the same white sundress. It whipped violently around her legs in the wind. It was a different setting, but everything else was the same. Strange … everything about her dreams seemed to break the rules I’d learned.
An easel, identical to the one in her previous dream, stood before her. She squinted at the lighthouse and bit her lip, then picked up a paintbrush and stuck the end in her mouth with a sigh. I moved to see the painting—again, blank. She stood motionless.
Her expression held so much frustration, it was almost painful to watch her. For a moment, I wished she could see me so I could ask her what was bothering her, but it was a dream. Her irritation and sadness probably weren’t even based on an actual life problem. Besides, I knew why I was here, and I needed to know for sure if it would work again.
I looked around for a place to sleep. Excitement flowed through me, washing bits of Mia’s gloom away. The most likely spot was near a rocky overhang where dark green vines covered the ground. They curled and twisted in around themselves, hiding from the rough weather. I felt them experimentally with my feet. They were soft, with no needles or thorns. I reclined on the vines, the overhang shielding me perfectly from the wind.
The sight of Mia, frowning at her painting, was the last thing I saw before exhaustion crashed over me like one of the rough waves far below, and I tumbled into the deep sleep I longed for.
eight
After two nights of Mia’s dreams, I felt fantastic, better than I remembered feeling ever. Her dreams could be the best thing that had ever happened to me. I was beginning to believe I might even be able to survive this curse with her help. Seeing her, making eye contact, her dreams … it was all I could think about. And now that I’d passed my re-take of Mr. Nelson’s exam, it was all I had to think about.
I leaned against my car, the chill from the cool metal sinking through my shirt and into my skin. I thought about throwing on my jacket, but I liked being a little cold. I liked feeling so alive.
Occasionally I waved at one of the people passing me, but my attention was on the door to the school. I hadn’t seen Mia all day, but she had to come out this way. I wouldn’t miss her. At least I hoped I wouldn’t. But already the parking lot was nearly empty. Some guy with a black leather jacket was standing at the bottom of the stairs into school, blocking my view. Lately, that dude always seemed to be in my way. Our school wasn’t that big, and I knew most people by sight if not by name. So why didn’t I recognize him? My hands shook and I moved a step to the left so I could see around him. Could I have missed Mia because of him?
I jumped when Addie grabbed my elbow, nearly breaking her nose.
“Watch it, Parker! Geez!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Addie.” I shifted my position so I could see her and the stairs at the same time. Reaching out, I put my hand on her shoulder until she
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