Dreamwalkers: The Awakening

CHAPTER 7

I lay in the grass staring up at the cloudless sky, warm air and sunshine gliding over my skin. It's a perfect New England summer day in my dreamwalk and the first one in nearly a week without any drama. Am I really that much of a mess?

The grass shuffles off to my side, startling me. "Well, would you look at this. Using the meadow without me and enjoying every second of it." Zoë's voice rings out like a sonnet. I climb off the ground and rush over to her. "You're back!" I say, knocking the air out of her with the hug of the century. She laughs and hugs me back after regaining her balance. "I missed you too."

"You're officially never leaving me again. These have been the longest five days of my life. I apparently cannot survive without you."

"You look alive to me," she observes as she steps back.

"Barely."

We make ourselves comfortable in the grass and effortlessly slip back into our normal routine. Zoë fills me in on all the details of her trip, leaving nothing out.

"See this face?" I ask her sarcastically. "This is the face of jealousy. Your best friend is jealous."

She laughs as she leans back on her elbows. "I'm just happy I didn't get stung by a jelly fish."

Lying here in the grass staring at her smiling face makes me realize just how difficult the past few days have been without her. My ridiculous, overzealous happiness deflates instantaneously. "What's wrong?" Zoë asks.

"I'm just so glad you're back."

"Me too."

"I stopped interacting with the book."

"About time."

"That's when things got weird." Her brow furrows as I give her as many details as I can remember about the bizarre dreamwalk I shared with the young stranger, before moving on to the issues with my dad. "He's acting so strange. Every time I try to talk to him about dreamwalking, he shuts down and gets really defensive. It's scaring me. I've never felt so alone."

She shakes her head, looking just as confused as I feel. "I don't even know what to say. It doesn't make sense. Why would he hide something about dreamwalking from us, especially when he's been drilling safety into our heads this entire time?"

I shrug, remembering the most puzzling part of his conversation. "He said it wasn't time yet. Not time for what?"

"I don't even have a guess." Zoë hops to her feet. "It's our first night together in almost a week. Let's not waste it sitting here stressing over things we can't control. Come on. Get up."

"What do you have in mind?" I ask, pushing to my feet, feeling hopeful.

A smirk covers her face. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Something at the foot of a nearby tree catches her eye, distracting her from taking the hand I hold out to her. She squints, trying to get a better view. "What is that?"

My smile fades when I see it. It can't be. Walking over to the tree to get a better look sends my heart racing. I keep expecting the object to change into something else, like I've somehow seen a mirage, but nothing is happening. It's happening again. Whatever it is that's been trying to get me is here. It knows enough to infiltrate this place that we thought was sacred to just us.

"Emma?" Zoë calls. "What is it?"

With a shaky breath, I stammer, "it's the bag."

Her eyes dart around the area, searching for signs of danger. The fear is easily readable on her face. She runs over to me. "Let's get out of here," she demands grabbing me gruffly, eliminating my free will.