Dreaming

Chapter 17 - Visions

Cass breathed in and out.  Listening to her breath had always calmed her before but standing in front of an explanation expecting Parris was taking her breath away.

"Parris, wow this is hard. I've been having visions of you for years now."  Her face was flushed.

"Really?"  His face relaxed somewhat.  His eyes were crinkled with concentration trying to take in what she was saying.

"The thing is...it's not good.  Every night before I wake, I see your blood poured out all over the ground."  Cass bent her head, unable to look at him.  He was going to get on the first plane away from her.  Why hadn't she told him before?  

Chicken, she was a chicken.

Parris stood and crossed the veranda pulling her into a hug.  "That has got to be so hard on you." 

"On me?  What about you?  You're the one who dies." She buried her face in his chest.  He smelled like oranges.

"And you have to watch it."

"Well yeah,  but it's only the two of us there.  I'm pretty sure I'm the one who slits your neck."

He only hugged her tighter.  "I doubt that very much."

"I don't know, mom thinks that you are my soul mate and somehow your blood will...I don't know help me control my visions."

"So do you need to drink it?"  He said it like he was asking if she'd like a glass of water.

"You'd let me?"  This was getting crazy, and gross.

He tipped her chin towards hers.  "Of course.  I know it's sounds strange, and it might not work.  But if it would help you, or us... Cass you've got to know I'd do anything."

Things had gotten intense.  "What about the soul mate thing?"

His beautiful face filled Cass's vision.  "I don't doubt it.  Not for one second.  I know it's soon, I know we are kids but when I saw you...something in me shifted.   I wanted to be around you. I practically stalked you, just wanting to be near you."

"You did!  I was so mad at you."  She didn't sound mad, not even a little.  "I was trying to stay away, so my vision wouldn't come true."

Parris dipped his head and rested his forehead on hers.  "We will figure it out, whatever your visions reveal, we will find a way to help Ann and to keep you from slitting my throat."

The sun was getting lower.  The day was slipping away.  

Helen took Cass through some mental exercises with limited success.

Mostly she had to focus on Ann.  Could she see what she was doing, what she felt, who she was with?

"This is so frustrating.  I've never been able to make the visions happen, they just over take me."

"You've had a long day.  How about we break and you sleep.   We will need to be at the alter before sun rise tomorrow."

Sleep, even with the visions - sleep had never sounded better.