SLAP!

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All she could hear was the rumbling motor. All she could smell was her armpits. Her fingers tingled, sure sign of hyperventilation. She had startled awake in cold sweats after a bad dream too many nights to ignore the signs.

"Shhhhhhh.....calm down."

The road was quiet. Nightmare was only lurking in her mind.

April forced herself to pull away from the shade and onto the road. She could find her way home like a homing pigeon. She just had to trust herself. Herself was her worst enemy at that moment; the phantasm would pass.

When she reached the Vale's place it was deserted. She parked Candy's bike by the garage, congratulating herself on Good Samaritanism. She minced to the end of the driveway, gazed up Forest Lane into the trees that she knew hid her house about a half mile beyond. "Nothing to do but hoof it."

By the time she slouched into her room and collapsed onto her own bed, the shakes had worn off. After only a couple hours of sleep the night before, nothing felt more wonderful than her fluffy pillows and rumpled sheets.

"Thank god for feeling normal again."

Her eyelids drooped, her body was leaden. Her mom called it "bone tired." April smiled, kicked off her muddy sneakers and shoved her hands behind her head.

Her cellphone buzzed on the nightstand.

"My own phone, wow..."

Nothing but a few texts from her best friend Molly. She flopped back down on her bed and felt a scratchy crumple.

"Oh god, another note?" She feigned irritation but her whole body melted.

"April—I've got to get your number! For some reason your brother wouldn't give it to me, ha ha. There's a party at the Matthews place tonight. I'd love it if you could come. —Z."


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