The Golden Rule

Nightmare

" L-leave her alone. She didn't do anything to you. "

Mia finally recognized the voice as she caught her breath.

" This wasn't part of the plan. I was just supposed to befriend her. We never talked about hurting her."

She heard footsteps moving away from where she was and realized that Alfred and Dominic had left her side and was walking to where the voice came from.

" I will pretend that I didn't hear that, Romualdez." Alfred said in a savage tone.

There was a moment of silence and Mia could only hear her ragged breathing.

" Let's get moving, " Alfred commanded in an authoritative voice. " Bring the girl. "

Mia sucked in her breath when she heard this. To her horror, she felt hands closed in on her feet and within seconds, she was being dragged further inside the garden. Her arms scraped over the dirt and rocks on the hard ground. She felt pebbles poking through her shirt and digging to her back. She knew without seeing that she was bleeding.

They dragged her through every thorny bushes, through stone-filled grounds, through her cries of agony. They didn't stop until Mia saw a clearing filled with freshly planted grass.

They halted and Mia felt her legs dropped to the ground. She felt rough hands pulled her up and someone placed a cloth on her mouth tying it behind her head. She felt her hands being clasped together behind her and felt the pressure of the ropes against her skin. They forced her to stand up, one person holding each of her arm.

They brought her in front of Alfred, who was busy cleaning a sharp knife with his hands.

" I didn't want to hurt you, Mia " Alfred said in a low voice that Mia couldn't almost her.

The glint of steel reflecting in his dark eyes. " But your brother has been so difficult. He needs to be taught a lesson."

Mia eyed the sharp weapon fearfully as she bit on her gag.

She was really going to die, she thought frantically. Alfred was crazy enough to kill her!

Her eyes never left the knife and she followed it as Alfred rubbed it against his pants looking at her with a savage expression on his face.

In one swift motion, Alfred thrusted it towards her, the sharp pointed edge of the knife aimed towards her torso.

" Noooooo! " Mia heard Jason scream at the same time.

" Mia! " Mia heard someone called out her name as she slowly fell to the ground. " Mia!"

" Mia!"

" Mia, wake up! "

Mia snapped her eyes open and saw Marco standing beside her bed, his hands on her shoulders.

It was just a dream, she realized as her eyes roamed the four corners of the hospital room. It was just a dream.  Just a dream. She wasn't there anymore.

She saw a big duffel bag on the table which Mia identified as Melissa's and also saw Robby's jacket resting on the couch.

She was safe. She thought in relief. She was in the hospital. She was safe.

" You were having a nightmare, " Marco told her as he reached for a towel on the side table by her bed and wiped sweat off her forehead. " You were screaming."