Taken

Chapter 6

            "Ms. Grace. I'm glad to have you back. I know history is not interesting to most, but if you fall asleep again I will send you to the office." Snickers follow my teacher's words, causing my cheeks to tinge pink with embarrassment.

            I bow my head as I stare at my hands.

            "I'm sorry. I understand, it won't happen again." I say, glancing up through the curtain of my hair that has fallen around my shoulders. My teacher watches me for a moment before she clears her throat and continues the lesson.

            A small sigh of relief escapes me when the burning gaze of my peers drifts from me to the teacher. It reminds me of what happened in chemistry a few weeks ago.

            Shaking this thought out of my head, I grab my pen and rest my chin in my hand as I doodle in my notebook, not paying much attention to what my teacher is saying. It all goes in through one ear and out the other. I'm too focused on the strange dream I just experienced to concentrate.

            After the almost-encounter with my parents in Father's study, I haven't tried to do anything about Nina's disappearance since I have no other leads besides her bedroom which is still locked. Despite this, my nightmares still haunt me. I haven't gotten much sleep lately and I feel as if I'm becoming an insomniac. I never seem to have those nightmares in school, thank God, but this dream I just had intrigues me. It's different from all of the others.

            Not only was I a completely different person in the dream, but I recognize the room I was in as well. The 'library' is the same room as the study in my house. The book cases that lined the walls in my dream are the same shape and color as the ones in my Father's study. Even the large oak desk that he uses―

            The desk.

            In the dream I was that girl, Cassandra. She knew how to open the hidden drawer where she stashed that red journal of hers. I think if I do the same trick Cassandra did, the drawer will open and I will be able to get that key―if it's even hidden there that is.

            I think back to the conversation that Mother and Father had in the study; how Mother wants to send me away if I show any 'signs'. Would the dreams/nightmares consider as signs? If so it's not like she'd be able to find out that I am having said dreams, right? I quickly shake that thought out of my head. She won't do it, Father won't let her. I have to find out what's going on. I have to find out what happened to Nina.

            I have  to.

.                           .                         .

Click.

            The door closes to Mother and Father's room, the creaking floorboards slowly subsiding into silence. The only sound that can be heard is the ticking of the Grandfather clock down stairs.