Between (First Two Chapters Only)

Chapter 1:3

It was a perfect summer day, sunny and warm with a slight breeze. Only a few fluffy white clouds dotted the brilliant blue sky. As soon as Dad parked the camper at the site, Jimmy and I ran for the lake. We swam and splashed in the freezing water until our skin wrinkled and our lips turned blue. To Jimmy's delight, I was the first out of the water, ensuring his reign for another year as King of the Polar Bears.

While Dad fished off the dam and Mom read a book on the beach, Jimmy and I built sandcastles and chased each other around the jungle gym until Uncle Greg, Aunt Evelyn, and Emma's older brother, Evan, came to picnic and party with us. It wasn't the same without Emma, but I was determined that Jimmy was going to enjoy every single minute of his birthday.

For lunch, we had all of Jimmy's favorite foods: ham and cheese sandwiches with honey mustard, sour cream and onion chips, and grape juice. After we sang happy birthday and Jimmy blew out his candles, we ate chocolate ice cream cake, and Jimmy opened his presents: a jungle lego set and dominoes from Mom and Dad, a stuffed jaguar from me, match box cars from Uncle and Aunt Gray, and the remote controlled truck from Emma and Evan.

Emma was right: Jimmy loved that truck. I followed behind him as he drove it all over the beach and the hiking trails. After the fifth battery change, the clouds started to drizzle. We took refuge under the picnic pavilion. Jimmy played with his new toys, while the rest of the family sat around the picnic table playing dominoes and reminiscing about summers past.

"Remember when Emily tried to stop me from swimming in the lake," Evan recalled. "She freaked out, because she thought I would be attacked by jellyfish. She kept trying to pull me out of the water. I got so mad at her. I told her to leave me alone; there weren't any jellyfish in the lake. Then when I went out to the deep end, I got tangled in a fishing line and got the hook stuck in my leg. You took me to the hospital. I had to have stitches where the hook ripped out. Emily kept saying, 'You should've listened to me. I told you to stay out of the water'."

I had forgotten about that eerie incident. Emma and I had just turned seven that summer, and Evan was ten. I had had a horrible dream the night before. Images flashed through my mind like a power point presentation. Evan surrounded by jellyfish. Their tentacles wrapped around him. I tried to pull them off, but I couldn't. They just squeezed harder. They started to sting him. He screamed in agony.

The next day, I warned my family that Evan would get hurt if he went swimming. No one believed me. They thought I was suffering from temporary insanity, even Emma. She told me to stop being so silly. According to Evan, jellyfish only live in the ocean. I was to stop bothering her brother immediately. 

So I did. I hid underneath the slide and cried until Evan started hollering and my fears were justified. Needless to say, I was quite smug about my premonition, but I never again had another ominous nightmare like it, until last night.

"You should listen to me, Evan," I declared. "I can predict the future. For instance, you are going to bring me a copy of the talent show."

Evan had recorded Emma and me winning the Spring Fling talent show in April. He had finally finished editing it at college and had promised that he would bring it today. While Evan went to the Jeep to get the DVD, I watched Jimmy construct a ramp out of legos. 

 As the toy truck flew off the ramp over the line of match box cars and landed on a miniature black sports car, I was reminded of my recent nightmare. The green monster truck had landed on a black Trans Am. Bryan drove a black Firebird Trans Am. Was it just a coincidence?

A cold chill ran down my spine, and I gasped. My mom looked at me with concern. I shook my head. I couldn't explain this overwhelming feeling of impending doom.

 Evan returned with the DVD. I thanked him, and we all resumed our domino game of train. I didn't have any twelves in my pile, and I couldn't draw any out of the bag, so I lost the round and the game by hundreds of points.

My lack of luck and the steady rain contributed to my gloomy mood. It was too wet to build a fire to roast hot dogs and marshmallows. Instead Dad made grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup on the portable camp stove for supper with homemade chocolate chips cookies and hot chocolate for desert, but not even comfort food and chocolate could cover my foreboding.

Everyone else decided to play crazy eights after supper. Since I was having a losing streak, I opted out. I needed a quiet place to think. I got my bag out of the camper and went to the rest room to brush my teeth and to shower off all the sand and suntan lotion.

A decade ago, I dreamed about Evan, and he ended up in the hospital. What did my current dream about Emma mean? I contemplated many different possibilities: flat tire, engine fire, car crash.

I finished getting clean and went back to the pavilion. Desperate, I asked my Mom, "Can I borrow your cell to call Emma? I have something very important to tell her."

Mom shook her head. "Whatever you have to tell Emma can wait until tomorrow."

I wanted to protest, but what could I say? 'Remember my dream about Evan. Last night, I dreamed that Emma was crushed by a monster truck tire.' I tried to determine the best way to tell my family about my dream without being labeled a lunatic, but it was futile. My family would never believe me.

Before it was even dark outside, Jimmy fell asleep on the picnic table with his head resting on top of the stuffed jaguar that I got him. His thick hair was as black as the jaguar's fake fur.

 "I'll stay with him in the camper so you all can finish your card game," I offered. "Goodnight, everyone. Thanks again, Evan, for the DVD."

Mom kissed Jimmy on the cheek and lifted him into Dad's arms. I followed behind as Dad carried Jimmy to the camper, took off his shoes, and tucked him into bed.

"Sweet dreams, birthday boy," he said as he kissed him on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Angel," he whispered to me and then shut the door of the camper.

If only my dreams were sweet and not scary.

I put the DVD in my backpack and pulled out my pajamas. Just in case Jimmy would  awaken, I slid under the sheets of the other bed to change.  After dressing, I fluffed my pillow and laid on my back, staring at the nylon ceiling, listening to Jimmy's soft snoring.

Emma should be here. We should be laughing and talking about everything, remembering the past, and planning for our future. I felt utterly helpless. There was nothing I could do except wait until morning to see how my dream would manifest into reality, so I prayed that God would keep Emma safe. 

Worn out from all the worrying, I soon fell asleep. I never heard Mom and Dad come back to the camper for the night.