It Was of Ash

Ch. 5: May the Truth Set Her Free.

I woke up the next morning; I could feel where my tears slid down my cheeks, it felt like when you drool in your sleep. Crusty and gross.

I sat up and looked at the cane that Axel got me; it was no longer across the room but next to my bed. He really wants me to use that cane. I stood and walked out of my room and into the dining room; Lori looked at me and smiled, “Good mornin’, Ash! How’d ya sleep?” she asked.

“Well.” The module answered.

“Don’t ya lie to me.” Lori warned. I looked up at Lori, how did she know? “I can see it on your face; you didn’t sleep well at all. You had another nightmare.” Lori told me. How did she even know that I had one? “Every mornin’ ya wake up and come in here with a horrified look on your face, it’s obvious that ya haven’t been sleepin’ well, sweetie. What happened last night? Axel looked a little tired when he came in.”

“I thought someone was watching me last night…it was really bad. Axel held me so I could go back to sleep.” The module said.

“Oh sweetie, that’s horrible. I’ll get you some water, that’ll wake you up.” Lori smiled and walked back into the kitchen.

I sat down roughly as Desmond walked into the room; he looked down at me and smiled. He had this smile, it was crooked and was barely there, yet it seemed to light up his entire face. “It’s good to see you up so early, you usually sleep through breakfast.” Desmond said to me. I smiled back at him, trying to seem happier than I really was. I really didn’t want him to worry about me; I didn’t want anyone to worry about me. “So, about yesterday,” Desmond sat down in front of me, my eyes followed him as he moved into a comfortable position in the wooden chair. “You had a look in your eyes; I couldn’t put my finger on it until now.” He said. I followed every word he said. “It was a sparkle, you never have that sparkle in your eyes I’ve never seen it. Mind telling me why it was there?” Desmond asked.

I sat up a little more, “Well, what do you think it was?” I asked.

“Well I wouldn’t be asking you if I knew, would I?”

“I don’t know.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“Well now I know.”

“Yes you do, now why did you have that look in your eyes yesterday?” Desmond asked a little more sternly. I didn’t want to say anything; I didn’t know how he’d react. “Its okay, whatever it was I won’t be mad.”

“I had a dream about a doctor.” The module said.

“A doctor?”

“Yes.”

“What about a doctor?”

“Well, he was testing how well I could shoot and apparently I’m a dead eye.”

“Oh, well. We’ll see about that.” Desmond smiled and stood up, I watched him move over to me and help me up, he and I walked to the garage like room. He took a pistol from the wall.

“I’d like the 9mm please.” The module said. I didn’t even notice that I typed that, I just did.

“Really, you want the 9mm instead of the beret? Alright, then.” Desmond chuckled and handed me the 9mm. I immediately checked the clip and saw it was full; I cocked the pistol and held it by my side. “When I throw these pennies in the air, I want you to shoot all of them.” Desmond said, taking five pennies out of his pocket. I didn’t think I could do that, actually no I could not do that. I was going to fail; he was going to think I was a liar. “Are you ready?” he asked. Subconsciously I nodded, I wasn’t even ready. “Here we go!” Desmond threw the pennies in the air; I shot five times and dropped the gun on the table.