Broken Nightmare

Chapter 11

 My surroundings are foreign. I feel frightened, but not for myself. Where am I?

I'm desperately searching for someone in a crowded room. The walls glisten from the detailed luxurious living style protruded here. Bustling crowds and groups of people parade up and down the rooms, dancing along to the music.

My heart pounds. Palms sweat. Someone's hurt; I can feel it in the pit of my stomach.

From a distance, I can hear a quiet whisper. "Elana . . . I need you."

I force myself to run. The tension builds in my chest, as if my ribs are crushing my lungs. I press my hand to my heart, but the beating never slows.

Darkness moves in around me as a low, rumbling growl gets closer.

"Hurry, Elana. Where are you?" There's the voice again. It's louder this time. And female.

I stop and try to figure out where I am, but not a single thing is familiar. Where am I?

For the first time I notice the absense of people. Where did they go? Everyone disappeared.

I'm in an endless, shadowy, marble hallway with ceilings vaulted as high as they can go and the picture-less walls so bare, they make me feel as though it's the same room I was in moments ago.

Completely alone, I can hear the voice calling. "I'm here, Elana. Over here. Please, hurry."

The anguish in the voice brings frustrated tears to my eyes. I'm powerless. And unsure. "I can't find you!" I call out. "Tell me how to find you!" Tears stream down my face as I lose control of my emotions.

My heart pounds like a drum. What's happening to me?

I press my hands to my aching chest again, just as a dim light appears up ahead. It's calming somehow. The pain in my chest begins to dissipate.

That's when I see it. There's a faint silhouette, but not enough to know who it is. They aren't moving. They lay on the cold tiles-lifeless. Blood makes a large pool around them as I see the life fading from their body.

"Hurry, Elana. There isn't much time!" The woman's voice is full of more panic than it was just moments ago.

I push myself up off the floor and back on my feet. I have to move. I have to help.

I try to run, but my legs are heavy as lead. I force myself to move, but I'm stuck in slow motion.

"Elana!" The voice cries out. Desperate. Pleading.

"I'm almost there!" I shout. "Hold on!"

I run. But it seems the distance between us never lessens. My frustration doesn't cease as I continue trying to run.

"Elana, are you okay? The voice deepened and got louder. "Elana. C'mon, wake up."

I woke up, gasping and begging for air. It was a dream.

"Elana," someone whispered. "Elana, are you alright?"

I focused on the hand tingling my arm in a strange, familiar way. Focusing my eyes, I followed the hand up to a familiar gorgeous, worried face. Nathan hovered over me, concern filling every aspect of his emotions.

"Wh—what are you doing here?" Great, Elana. You're going to scare him off.

"I—uh—I . . ." He studdered. "I thought . . . Nevermind." Nathan excused himself and headed to the door.