Keeping Her Afloat (Book 1)

~¶One¶~

~Little Miss Nerdy~

Five years later...

The woman appeared again, only that she wasn't burning. This time her lips moved but no words proceeded out of it. Dolores stepped closer to reach out to her but the woman stepped back, slowly shaking her head.

She watched as the woman's eyes went from a display of forlornness into one of horror and pain. She banged continuously on a thin shard of glass as if seeking a means of escape. The effect had her hands peeling open as crimson liquid trailed down to her elbows.

Dolores found herself stuck and unable to break free from the invisible strings holding her bound. She struggled to pull her feet out of what seemed like quicksand but it appeared that the more she moved, she quicker she sank.

"Forget about me." The woman suddenly said audibly to Dolores. In that moment, a veil was torn away and Dolores could see who the person really was. Even though her once perfect skin was tainted with dirt, the startling recognition couldn't be ignored.

"I can't, mom." She replied with torrents of tears flowing down her face. More than ever, she felt more alive than she had ever felt to go and save her. They needed to get back home to her father safely. "I need you."

In another instant, Dolores watched in horror as her mother's face peeled off layer after layer like it caught up in flames. The fire began from below licking every inch of her until it got to her face and shoulders. There was barely any flesh left to be seen.

"I need you, please."

"This is my journey, not yours. You just have to stay strong without me." Then the fire consumed every part of her.

An earsplitting scream tore through Dolore as she jolted awake. She looked around, realizing she was still in her house. She curled back up in a foetal position on the bed, sobbing silently and rocking herself back and forth.

It had been only but a dream- one that refused to unhand her mind.

Luckily, her father, Damian Huerta who heard her scream, came rushing down to meet her. He opened the door as quietly as he could, slid in and proceeded to where she laid.

"Dolores, honey." Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her up to a sitting position. "Amor, what happened again? Don't tell me it's that nightmare."

She nodded against her father's chest without giving it another thought if she was going to get slobber all over him. She just needed to be calm. He didn't seem to mind either.

"It's painful enough that you've not had a fitful sleep for years because of this recurring nightmare. This isn't supposed to be happening to my angel. We need to get help from someone who has vast knowledge about this."

She let out a dry, humourless laugh. "You think?"

"Now, this isn't time to play sarcastic, amor and you know it. We could get help from--"

"A medium?"

Damian laughed at his daughter's suggestions. He would never take her to see a medium. "Not that. Have you tried thinking happy thoughts? Why don't you try to stop thinking about your Mom?"

She pulled away totally from his hold. "How can you ask that? You and I well know that it's the only closeness I can be able to feel with her since I can't see her anymore."

His eyes bored into hers with sadness in them. "So you can cause more harm than good to yourself? Do you think it's easy for me watching you in pains all in the name of seeking closure from your mom? Come on, it's hurting to know that those nightmares have not left and have now printed its psychological scar on you. I can't deal with it."