Was It Just A Dream

Chapter 28

"Make sure you pack all of the food. And don't forget the map either, that's kinda vital." I was standing above my friends, my arms crossed and a grin on my face. They were all looking up at me, eyebrows raised and waiting to see what I'd do next.

They all had stopped fighting after my little outburst, even though Jimmy couldn't look Cali in the eyes afterward. Other than that, we all were working together again to gather our stuff and compose some sort of plan.

"We'll have to wait until the morning to leave," Lincoln rumbled, his head down and looking at the map. "We can't leave now, it's already late afternoon. We'll get stuck walking in the dark. Who knows what's out in this forest. I've already seen enough of the Lower Clandestine to know the Upper won't be much better."

"Good idea, Lincoln. We'll leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow, so we all should head to bed as soon as the sun goes down." He nodded, finally looking up to meet my eyes. I could tell that he wasn't used to not being in charge. Lincoln the Leader had been replaced by me, and I knew that made him uneasy. But it seemed that I was the only one that could get us on our feet and moving out of those dreaded ruins. Everyone else was too preoccupied with their own affairs to realize that we had a time limit on our days in Ebony. If we didn't get to the Warrior's castle soon and save the Monk, then we'd end up at Ebony's Heart to forever play melodies about our failure.

We all got to work, managing to fit our last bits of food in one of the baskets, and folding up the picnic blanket. Other than that, all we had was our map of Ebony and ourselves. Cali and I then went to a small creek that she had found when she had walked off to clean up.

I was probably in the dirtiest state I had ever been in my life. Sleeping on the ground, in the dirt and the leaves had left my once blue long t-shirt almost brown in color, with all kinds of stains, holes, and debris. My previously light blue jeans were also covered in smudges and grass stains, and they smelled quite foul. 

"I still can't believe him," Cali sighed, shaking her head and running her hands through her wet gray hair. "Why would he do that? Especially at a time like this; we have to get home, no one has time for romance."

"I guess he was looking for something to comfort him after everything he experienced with the Monster of the Masks. It was definitely uncalled for, though. Trying to kiss you, I mean. Jimmy should have just told you how he felt instead of throwing it onto you." I untied the braid that held my red locks, letting my hair down for the first time in awhile. 

"I don't think...." Cali paused for a second, taking a moment to think. "I don't think I'll ever be able to have feelings for Jimmy. He's not my type. Plus, he said all of those cruel things to me when we first met. I love him, but not in the way he wants."

"Y'know," I said after a second, washing some dirt off of my arm. "You're a lot nicer to talk to when the boys aren't around. You're usually so defensive, but now you're just freely talking to me. I guess we just don't get that much time with each other around the boys."

"You're right. I'm just used to being tough around guys. Especially my dad. He hates how hard I work, telling me that I deserve to marry a man who will work for me, unlike my mom did. He wants me to find a man the opposite of him, a guy who'll make the money for me." Cali rolled her eyes. "Joke's on him. I don't think I want to ever get married."

"You're going to do great things, Cali," I grinned at her, waggling my eyebrows. "Unlike a girl named Mira, who can't make decisions or solve problems."

"Please, Mira. You're going to end up doing something amazing. Something creative. I'm going to go into something that uses intelligence, working with my brain. But you, you're going to make art that comes straight out of your heart." Cali was pulling her socks back on, finished with bathing.

"Did you mean for that to rhyme, or did that just happen magically?" I laughed, also getting out of the water.

"Another great thing about you," Cali was smiling bigger than I'd ever seen her smile. "You make this whole thing- everything that's happened to us- and turn it into something happy. In every situation, you find something good. Jimmy does that with humor, I guess. He finds something funny in every situation. He hasn't really been doing that lately, however..."

"You're not wrong." I sighed, shaking my head. "Sometimes I feel like he's getting better, but I doubt everything that happened with you two is going to help. He lost himself when he was alone with the Shadowed Clan. He had no one to laugh at his jokes, so I think they faded away."

"I can't help him. I can't give him what he wants. That's not me, Mira." Cali looked at me desperately, having completely stopped trying to dry out her hair. 

"I know. You don't have to, Cali." I gave her a small smile, trying to reassure her. "We can help him, as his just friends. Everything will be okay."

"I really do hope you're right Mira. You've said that so many times, and now more than ever do I want it to be true."

~

"I need a break, Lillian. It's almost morning." I yawned, looking at my older sister.

"I need to know what happens next, dumbo." Lillian was calmer than I'd ever seen her, an almost tranquil look on her face. "This story is really interesting. I need you to keep going."

"I need a nap."

"Well not everyone can get what they want in this world, can they, Mira? Someone has to suffer, and today, it's you." Lillian had an evil grin on her face, and I rolled over on my bed, groaning.

"I'll only continue on one condition."

"What is that, Mira Mira on the Wall?"

"You tell me you think I'm telling the truth and this all really happened."

Lillian rubbed her hand on her chin, thinking. "But I thought you didn't want it to be true? I thought you wanted it to be a dream because something happened to Lincoln?"

"I know. But I'm starting to get the sinking feeling that there's no way I dreamt this up. It feels real, like a memory. And I'm going to go to school tomorrow and find out. If Lincoln's there, then the whole thing was a dream and I should probably go see a doctor. If he's not..." My words trailed off, and Lillian watched me. I turned to stuff my face into my pillow, hiding away the tears that threatened to spill all my secrets.