Crescent Bound (35 page)

I take each step lightly up to the pool and glance down.  Apprehension sinks through me as I see my own reflection staring back at me.  For the first time I look at my bitter blue stricken eyes and heartbroken shattered soul.  A faint ethereal whisper whips through the wind, calling out to me. 

He
’
s b
eckoning me to take a step into the relieving cool waters, flutters of promises surge in easing my overwhelming sorrow.  I take a step out and give in to the unworldly words of promise to drown the pain away.  Another barefoot step and realize I no longer feel the water rush across my feet.

I
’
m walking on top of the mystical dark
pool and
continue on till I reach the center
. 
I look around at the surreal frozen trees and the canopy of snow covering the ground.  I slowly begin sinking down into the depth of the blackness. 

Envisioning myself without
him,
I feel parts of me wanting to just let go and embrace the numbness that fills me.  Another part wants to struggle and fight before I
’
m completely ravaged below. 
A
frozen crushing sensation grips me.

I try calling my ice element to me from deep inside, and nothing.  Fear quakes through my spine once I comprehend what
’
s happening, it
’
s not a dream.  Never before
,
have I
felt this utterly helpless.

Through my despair I have just simply given into the wrath of this unknown abyss. 
I am
submergin
g
slowly
into the black vicious waters and m
y heart pounds harder now inside my chest, striving to continue its eternal beat.  The blood coursing louder in my ears, peering up I ple
a and beg to the moonless night,
I
’
m not going to die.
I chant the words every time I try to take in air.  Water soon floods my mouth and nose and I grip my throat in torment. 

Pain begins radiating over my body as the infernal cold tears into me.  I gasp and claw out for any air I can get
, but
it
’
s
useless.  Holding my breath, I know I can
’
t keep this up forever.  With one hand still holding my throat, I reach out to the top of the water, and scream inside,
please
, please, someone help me!

In the mist of this unsurrending havoc I can hear a faint estranged laughter hovering above me.  The kind of laugh that makes my skin
crawl
, like a malevolent child laughing.  The sick, unhinged sou
nd echoes through me and
the murky waters as I glance upward. 

I see a blurry image of a woman standing just on the edge.  She looks exactly like me, wearing a solid black cloak
, but
with blazing
red hair
.  She leans over the pool gazing down at me and sneering when she suddenly raises her hand holding one finger up to her shaded pink lips in a hushing manner.

The gruesome blackness comes and wraps me tightly, like a frozen blanket.  The essence cradles me in detachment and I become tired, so tired of the endless battle. 

This is
I
t
,
I think to myself,
this is the end,
as I continue to slip d
eeper into the black oblivion.

Unexpectedly
I feel something wrap firmly around my wrist.  I believe someone
’
s hand
is
pulling me out of the ominous blackness.  I close my eyes
,
feeling my throat coming alive with fire with each breath, as my body shudders from the freezing ice.

Exhausted I pry open my eyes and I see who saved me.  David is holding me in his lap, on the floor of the guest bedroom in his house.  We are both dripping with water.  His shirt
that
I am wearing and my hair are completely drenched. 

I look up at David to find even he is breathing heavy.  Every time I cough I feel like I can
’
t breathe.  Choking, I try desperately to suck in as much air as I can, clutching my arms around myself.  David holds me tighter and with a concerned tone,
“
I
’
ve got you Alyssa, breathe, just
please
breathe.
”
  

After a few minutes
I
’
m able to lay my head against his chest, closing my eyes as my mind runs with questions and thoughts. 
It
’
s a dream, wasn
’
t it only a dream? No, it wasn
’
t
,
I know
…it was real and some how, some
way David found me. 
I cough again and pain surges through me once more
, but
I
’
m able to say in a weak, trembling voice,
“
You saved me, David.
”

I change clothes and sit back on the bed.  My back is against the headboard.  David has his arm around me and leans his head back as he asks in bewilderment,
“
Where did we go, Alyss?
”
 

I have my head resting on his chest.  I wait several moments before answering him.  I am absolutely terrified of what just happened and answer him hesitantly,
“
In my dream.
”
 

He kisses me on my forehead and replies back,
“
I realize that, but how in
S
alem
’s
night is it possible for me to be in your dreams with you?
”
  

“
I
’
m not
sure;
I
’
ve only had a few other dreams similar to this.  I thought they were dreams and nothing more.
”

Looking at the wet clothes on the floor David says in a weary voice,
“
I don
’
t think
it
’
s
just a dream anymore Alyssa, the
y’re
quite real.
”

“
Two
people were in my dream tonight,
”
I
tell him, rethinking the dream
over.

“
Yeah
, you and
I
.
”
H
e pauses and shakes his head
.
“
A
nd I still don
’
t know how I was able to follow you into your dream.
”

“
No, there was someone else in the dream too.  I think I saw Naomi.
”
 

“
Naomi?
”
h
e says in shock. 
“
I didn
’
t see anyone else, Alyss.  When I awoke in your dream I was laying beside you on a snow covered ground in the middle of a forest.
”
  He pauses and clearing his throat,
“
A
t first I thought I was in my own dream.  I tried talking to you
, but
it was like you couldn
’
t hear me.  So I quickly followed you through the woods, I lost you once
, but
I came to a couple of faint footprints left in the snow, which lead me to the water.
”
  He tilts my chin up to him,
“
Alyssa… we need to tell someone about this,
and maybe
your d
ad will know
something, he might know
what it means or how to stop you from having them.
”
 

I look away from
him;
I can
’
t handle everything that
’
s been going on.
This is just an after affect
,
I
tell myself,
no need to add more problems to my life.
“
No, I can handle this
alone;
it
’
s
my problem, no one else
’
s,
”
I try sounding
convincing. 
             

“
Alyssa.
”
he says my name in a grumbling tone.  I know he is warning me.
“
Tell me this…when you experience a dream like the one you just had, do you fall asleep alone?
”
  I think about it for a moment and look up to him.

“
Yes... Why?
”

“
Well, my theory is that if
you
’
re
alone and fall asleep, you a
re opening different dimensions, and w
hen this happens
,
you
’
re
able to bring along anyone that is in physical contact with you.
”
  I lean closer to him and shiver.

If he had not been here with me, I would have died in that black pool.  David and I sat awake the rest of the night talking.  As we go over t
he dream
for the
hundredth time I force my voice
to sound unconcerned and more assertive,
“
I don
’
t want to talk about this dream thing again, David. Please,
it
’
s
something I really want to keep private.
”
  The very thought sends a fear like no other to my very soul.

Chapter 25

Later in the day
,
Lisa and Megan drop by and give me some of my clothes to wear. 

Lisa says quietly as she hands me a T-shirt,
“
Marc never showed up for graduation, Alyss.
”

That makes me worry a bit, sitting down in the chair a litt
le harder than
I had planned, stunned
. 
I can
’
t believe that I have been at David
’
s house for over three wee
ks now.  Megan grabs a chair,
sits next to me
and comments,
“
Lisa and I have both seen Marc sitting outside your house a couple of
times;
he even came by Lisa
’
s house and mine asking about you.
”
  Megan shoots an abrading glance over to Lisa with an uncertainty to her
.
Now they both have
my full
attention;
if Megan is
compelled with indecision then something is up. 

“
Yeah
, he looks pretty messed up and he keeps asking where you are and when you
’ll
be back.
”
Lisa adds, I watch her place my t
hings neatly back in a suitcase, she never looks up as if she too has misgivings about Marc and the whole prom incident.

Megan crosses one long leg over the other
as she leans back in her chair
and looks me straight in the face, her tone is reserved
,
“
The movers came by the house to box up your stuff,
it’
s
lucky Lisa and I snagged the things we did before they took it all.
”

I turn and stare blankly out of the window as I absorb her words.
My father bought another house in
Wyoming
,
which is closer to the Arcane, actually just an hour away
.
Retaining my own voice
, hiding the pain etched in it
,
and guarding my hear
t
,
I change the subject and ask,
“
My
car
,
is it still at the old house?
”
I begin fidgeting and pull
ing
my hair back
in
to
a
high
ponytail and pretend I’m completely unaffected by what they
are
say
ing
regarding Marc
.
He made his choice, and there’s nothing I can do about it, end of story.