Strong (A Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys FanFiction)

Dreams

Carson stirred in his sleep, turning over and over. It had taken him hours to finally get to sleep that night, just as it had every night since she'd died. The bed was too large and too cold without her next to him. His pillow stayed wet with unstoppable tears, and his sheets tangled around him as he twisted in his restless sleep. It had been nearly a month, but the nightmares hadn't stopped. He wondered if they ever would.

Every time Carson's exhaustion overtook him and his eyelids finally became too heavy to keep open, his vision went black and he dreamt the same terrifying nightmare again and again. It differed slightly every time, but it was always the same basic dream—his imagination attempting to visualize her death.

He stood by, a helpless bystander, each time unable to move or call out. The dream always went the same way. It started out just as the day had in reality. Carson left for work, kissing his wife's cheek as she stirred the oatmeal on the stove that she was preparing for Nancy when she awoke. Sometimes the dream blurred through his day at work, but it was always clear as he walked into the post office. Every time he opened the door to the post office and stepped through, he found himself standing on the left side of the highway, grass as green as ever, trees swaying in the tender summer breeze. It isn't right, he always thought, the day is too perfect, too chipper, and yet...too still, too calm. He always felt like something was about to go terribly wrong, but he could never manage to remember what until he saw her...

"No..." he whispered, taking a step toward the silver car as it slowly drove past him, "No. No! Elizabeth! ELIZABETH!" His voice echoed in his head, but no sounds escaped his lips. He tried to run to her, but time had slowed and he couldn't make himself move. It was as if invisible bonds held him in place so that he had no choice but to watch the scene play out.

This time there weren't any other cars in sight. That should have been a comfort to him, but somehow he just knew this wouldn't end well. Suddenly, he saw it...just as she passed the exit, a red car flew across grass and road, plowing down everything in its path. The driver of this car wasn't drunk, like the one in the last dream, but this one seemed to be aiming for her.

He heard the driver laughing like this was some cruel joke. The driver winked at Carson as he passed him. But as infuriated as he should have been, Carson could only feel despair gripping him. Carson heard tires squeal as the red car hit the highway, zooming across the left side and onto the right side where his wife desperately hit the brakes, fear capturing her features. Carson could see her scream, but just like his, her voice never reached his ears. He fell to his knees as she raised her hands to her face in the final moment.

Carson opened his eyes, not even bothering to wipe the tears from his face. The police had informed him that the driver of a red Toyota had fallen asleep and veered into Elizabeth's lane. According to eyewitnesses, she'd tried to miss him, but traffic had been too heavy and there was nowhere for her to go. There were a few others who had been injured, but hers were the only wounds that were fatal. Thankfully, the police say that they think she died upon impact. But no matter how it really happened, Carson's dreams always had small imperfections. The driver's face changed, his clothes and hair changed, his intentions changed, his position changed, the way he hit her changed, but the car was always a red Toyota and it always crossed both lanes to get to her.

Carson rolled over onto his side and glanced at his clock. Green numbers stared back at him. It was four thirty. There was no point in trying to go back to sleep. He'd only see the dream again if he did.

~ND~HB~ND~HB~ND~HB~

Shrieks of laughter disturbed the quiet morning air, making Hannah jump. She shook her head, smiling as she flipped the blueberry pancake in the skillet before her. Calling to the family upstairs, she shouted out, "Breakfast is almost ready!" Before she could turn around, Hannah heard the thud of Carson's footsteps as he ran down the stairs. He held Nancy high in the air like an airplane and made zooming noises through his puffed-out cheeks. Nancy squealed with joy, giggling as he strapped her into her high chair.