Revenge // Midnight Rose Trilogy #1

T H R E E // I S A D O R A

         Shifting my weight from left to right, I pull black combat boots off my feet sore with overuse, peel my tight fit black training gear down, and allow my fingers to carefully loosen the braid my butterscotch hair had been thrown into early this morning. The after-effects of constant stress I'd been feeling, had left bulging purple bags under my eyes and temples raging in pain. So tired, I scrambled to get under the thin bed sheets as soon as my beige pajamas were on.

Then I fall asleep. Something I nearly never do.

       Darkness consumes me, minus a slight illumination behind me. Smoky black clouds swirl around the empty never-ending space. A chill runs through my spine. I have returned - I came back.

       The hair on my neck stands straight up as the shadow pranced around me, like a shark circling it's pretty, with every word the shadow said, I a want to curl up. She continues around me, elogentally, her form melting in and out of darkness. With hair the length to her butt and a sharp voice, Elaine was the only possibility of whom this could be. Am I shocked? No, not at all. It's not like it's her first time intruding in my nightmares after all.

       As Elaine inches towards me, a shear pain rips through my entire body, starting with the pit of my lungs, spreading into my brain; its a tidal wave of pure misery . My heart races. Beads of sweat begin forming, soon slipping down my forehead. "Not again. Not again." I grit my teeth. Why do I have to go through this? Every. Single. Night. The tanzanite encrusted handle of an obsidian blade sword dangles from my un-bleeding chest. How can dreams feel so real, yet be so unrealistic?

      The woman, the shadow of Elaine, came close to my face, her ice-cold skeletal fingers yanking my chin up. "Oh my sweet Isadora Hearst..." she began, " how you have disappointed me. How you have-"

      My eyes fly open. My whole body is trembling. I rush out of bed, grabbing an ebony sweatshirt. Quietly, the dorm room closes and I take off down the hallways. My hands still slightly shake. Soon enough, I plop down under a large magnolia tree outside the building. Taking deep breaths and recollecting myself, I can't help but wonder if this is why I've failed. My fears and emotions are just too much to be an assassin aren't they? I'm-

      "Morning  cupcake!" 

      My train of thought is interrupted... wait cupcake? "Cupcake?" I ask, mid laugh. "I don't ever want to hear you call me that again." 

      Finn grins as he sits down. "No, no, no. I meant I have a cupcake for you." He gently rests a vanilla bean dessert in my palm. "I snagged it for you on the way back last night" 

     "Thanks." I mutter.

    "Nightmares again?" His tone lowers. 

     I should've assumed he'd have guessed. It seemed to be a weekly thing now to meet up under the tree in the mornings. I wish he didn't know about the dreams - he wouldn't have to feel bad for me, but there's no point in lying to him. "yea..."

     "I'm sorry, Iz. I wish I could help you somehow." He places a sturdy hand on my back and we stay silent.