The Ambrose Clique - now published on Amazon

4 - Aftermath of Dreams

- updated -

She was running through the trees. Her breathing was audible above the snapping of branches as she crashed through the thick foliage. She was acutely aware of the thundering, primal sound of animals baying. Wolves. She knew the danger, it was obvious in her desperate panting and wild eyes as she spun round, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She was completely lost.

There was blood running down her cheeks from a sticky wound on her forehead, already clumping together and matting her hair. Her arms were covered in bite marks, causing more blood to drip down her body from the puncture wounds dotted all over her neck and chest, even her collar bones. She had to keep stopping to wipe blood from her eyes, but freeing her vision wouldn't help; she was being chased and she was going to be caught.

Another primal howl erupted from not far behind her.

* * *

I shot up.

It was a nightmare. I'm okay.

That felt so realistic, I could still hear the girl's panicked breathing and the howls. I could still see the blood and her tears. The sheets moved beside me as Aurel stirred.

"What's wrong May?" Her voice was sleepy and slow, but concerned. I turned to her and smiled, trying to play it off.

"No, nothing. I had a bad dream, that's all. Don't worry."

I couldn't stop thinking of the blood. It was there now. I could feel it.

"May, you're bleeding."

I reached up to touch my forehead, where I thought I could feel the blood. My hairline was damp and sticky, my hair clumped together. My fingers came back stained red.

"Come on, get up. We need to look at your head." Her voice had become commandingly business like. I was vaguely aware of Aurel pulling me up and leading me to the community bathroom. I hazily remember her sitting me down on one of the stools by the mirror and dabbing gingerly at my head, my neck, my arms. She even had to clean my collarbones, I was completely covered. I kept recalling the dream, the girl. I had her blood on me, I had the same marks. Was I involved? Had the stress of moving made me sleepwalk?

We returned to her room, and I lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling as Aurel woke Skye. They both came back over to see me, Skye crouched down next to me so her head was resting on her arms. Aurel climbed back into bed. She was whispering to me, things I didn't hear. She slapped me. The aftermath of the slap cut through the thick barrier my mind had created, the sting she left behind had brought awareness with it.

"Aurel! She's a human!"

"She's in shock , it's how you help them." Aurel nudged me gently. "May, are you listening?"

I nodded.

"You're going to go back to sleep now, just forget about this. It doesn't matter any more." Her voice was soothing but her words made no sense. Just forget? I woke up covered in blood.

She started humming gently and pulled the covers up to my neck. I felt two different hands on my head, Aurel's stroking my hair and Skye's on my forehead. The skin under Skye's hand went ice cold, so cold that it burned. She muttered one word:

"Somnium."

Aurel pulled me closer, her arms were warm and I soon fell asleep.