Live to Dance

Prologue

Laughter rung out down the street as Alyssa and Tristan were walking home from the movies. They didn't know what was coming to them. At the same time, they left the theatre, a drunk driver got into his car. When the two arrived at the stop lights, just a block away from their house, they pressed the button and waited for the light to change colour. It was moments after that that they first heard the squealing tyres. They both looked up and towards the noise. The moment Tristan looked up he knew they couldn't both survive so he did the only thing he could think of at the time. He grabbed Alyssa and pushed her behind him hard enough so that she was far enough back so she was safe from the car. The minutes that followed are some that Alyssa will never be able to forget. She watched on as the out of control car flew into her brother and delivered the deathblow as she watched on. The laughter that was before filling the streets was traded for Alyssa's screams as the events unfolded. It's was in the following minutes that Tristan called her over to him and whispered "Aly I need you to promise me not to blame yourself for this. You are my baby sister and losing my life to save you is something I'm happy to do. I love you. Never forget that my little dancer." With that he drew his last breath and Alyssa's screams sounded throughout Sydney.
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I knew I was dreaming from the moment I fell asleep. It's a dream; well more like nightmare, I've had before. Even so, it's a memory my subconscious mind wants me to remember, even though its one I'd love to forget. When I was twelve I went out with my brother to the movies. It was the last night I saw him alive.
When it first happened, I'd get nightmares all the time. Imagine that. A twelve-year-old girl waking every night with screams filling her ears as she was scared awake in the early hours of the morning. Now I only get them once every few months on my really bad days.
When the dream started I tried to wake myself up. Seeing the same thing over and over again gets boring but that never stops it from happening. It never stops the pure terror I feel every time I dream about it. It never ends the blame I feel every night it happens. That night I lost one of my favourite people in the world. My brother was my best friend, besides Kaylah and Kat, my older sister. He was there every time my parents were away. After every incident with the bullies that plagued my childhood. He was my rock.
I've tried not to blame myself. Kaylah and Kat have helped me a lot with the issue and some days it's easier and I remember what he said. Others it feels as though my depression is winning.
As the dream progresses, I try harder to wake up knowing what's coming at the end. As the dream reaches its climax, I wake.