Anastasia
I was freaking out.
No, I was shaken to my core.
There was always a logical, reasonable, sensible explanation to everything, yet I couldn't find one for what I had just experienced.
I had spent my entire morning pondering, trying to tell myself it wasn't real, it was just a dream, but then again, there was a very visible injury on my elbow to prove otherwise.
I tried my very best to carry on with my day, whist still trying to wrap my head around everything. I got ready and made my way to my bakery. I immediately dived straight into work, hoping to rid my mind of all my troublesome thoughts.
Around noon, I started getting set for lunch while expecting Olivia. We always had lunch together during her lunch breaks, sometimes we ordered food and other times, we had snacks that I had made. Just as I was getting our snacks to the table, the door bell jiggled as Olivia opened it and walked through.
"Just in time" I smiled at her and she came to me and gave me a hug.
"Yeah, never late" she joked and we both chuckled. She was almost always late to lunch everyday, but as a loving friend, I always waited for her.
"What happened to your arm?" She said as soon as she pulled away, noticing my bandaged elbow.
I sighed, "you wouldn't believe it if I told you" I said to her.
"Try me" she said, as we took our seats on the table. "Oh no, wait..." she paused and looked at me, "...don't tell me you were trying to play the cow girl and you fell off and injured your arm" she asked and my eyes widened.
"Olivia" I looked around hoping no one had heard her. "Ofcourse not"
"Good. That would have been so embarrassing" she said and I couldn't help but laugh at her craziness.
"I haven't even been with anyone for a while now" I added.
"And it has been a terribly long while" she told me, and I bit my lip because she was right. "Anyways back to your arm" she brought my mind back to my predicament.
"Something really strange happened last night..." I started and she made utmost attention to me, "...I had a really weird scary dream. In the dream, there was a man, he was trying to kill me. He had some sort of magic power telekinesis shit. I was running for my life and I fell, that's where I got this injury. I literally woke up to the same injury"
When I was done talking, Olivia's lips were parted in shock. She was also staring at me like I just said the most insane thing ever, which Infact I just did.
"So you are saying, your injury from your dream suddenly materialized in reality?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I am saying" I clarified.
"That doesn't sound like something that just happens Ana" she said.
"I know, but it did. Trust me I know how this sounds, and I wouldn't believe it too but there's a freaking injury to prove it." I said.
"You're sure you didn't have this before you went to bed?" She asked.
"One hundred percent sure" I clarified.
"Well I know you're not a sleep walker, so..." she trailed off, probably trying to come up with an explanation but failed. "...this is all so crazy but I don't believe your dream suddenly became reality. I think maybe you have everything missed up, I mean, you have been stressed these past few days. Maybe you had it and you don't even remember." She concluded.
I sighed. I definitely didn't agree with her explanation but I didn't have any if my own so I just decided to let it go.
"Maybe" I said.
"Do not overthink it okay" She said and I nodded, quietly. "Besides we really need to fix you, you have been working non stop. Goddamm when last did you attend a party?" She asked.
"You know I'm over those things now" I reminded her.
"Yeah? Remember, all work and no play..."
"...makes Ana a very successful woman" I finished her statement, altering it to suit my perspective. She slapped her palm across her face, shaking her head from side to side and I just chuckled at her reaction.
"Hey" both our heads turned to the voice that was Greg's.
"Hey" I replied.
"My colleague is throwing a little part for his birthday next weekend, he asked me to brings friends, so I was wondering if you would like to come with me. For the birthday party" he asked, ever so politely.
At loss for words, i looked at Olivia who seemed to be very amused by the situation.
"You too Olivia, you're very much invited" he said to her. It was clear that he just invited her so it wouldn't seem impolite, he just wanted me but ofcourse he didn't know how to say it.
"Shit I'm sorry, I will be attending an event with my boss so I can't" Olivia immediately declined. Then Greg returned his stare to me.
"I don't think I can make it too, I'm sorry" I said to him.
"Oh it's fine, maybe another time" he said, probably disappointed.
"Yeah, another time" I said to him. I watched as he turned around and went back to counter where he previously was.
"My god, he is trying so hard, it's embarrassing" Olivia commented.
"I know. I'm beginning to feel bad for him." I said truthfully. The fact that he still hadn't gotten the hint that I didn't like him like that was unbelievable.
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After the days work, I retired home as usual.
I had my bath, got into bed, grabbed my fluffy friend and went to sleep. Once again, I started dreaming and I found myself in front of a castle, the same castle as the previous night.
No. Not again.
I freaked out, and my heart started racing but unlike last time, I didn't wait to be killed, I started running.
I had no idea where I was running to, hell, I had no idea why I was having the same dream again or why I was here, all I knew was that I had to run for my life. I ran past the bridge and turned to different paths, hoping to get as far away as possible. As I was running, I got to a garden and I halted.
The garden looked so familiar.
It was the very same garden that I found myself in, the first night the dreams started.
What the hell was going on?
Bemused, I slowed my steps as I walked into the garden. This time I wasn't all fascinated, I was spooked. Where was i? How could I be dreaming of the same place for three days in a row? What even was this place? I had a lot of questions but no answers.
"Hey there" I heard a tiny voice and I jumped in fear, spinning around to look towards the sound of the voice. It was the same tiny fairy, Aelita. "Its you again" it said, floating in mid air, matching my eye level.
"Oh oh!" It exclaimed, just like the other day. "You need to leave, you're not safe" it said. This time, I was pretty much freaked out by its warning unlike the last time.
"What is this place?" I asked.
"There is no time, they're coming" it said and flew away leaving me there, unanswered and speechless. I wanted to scream at it but I decided against that as it seemed futile.
I bit my lip, trying to figure out what to do but then, I heard sounds and I turned around only to see about three guards running toy direction. How the hell did they find me? I instantly started running again.
They were coming at me fast so I picked up my pace and ran faster, but then two more guards came up in front of me, blocking my path. I halted with wide eyes, then turned around but there were guards behind me too.
I was surrounded.
I looked around in search for an alternate path to get away from them but before I could make another move, they came at me, grabbing my arms tightly. I felt cuffs being wrapped around my wrists as I struggled to get out the their hold.
"Let go of me" I yelled at them but they didn't even as much pay me a glance.
They dragged me while being handcuffed, all the way to the castle and into the living room, where the man who almost killed me stood, watching as they pulled me in like a criminal awaiting trail.
"You" he said, staring at me intensely. He took a few steps towards me and stopped a few inches from me. My heart was pounding against my chest, knowing fulling well he was capable of killing me and wouldn't hesitate to do so. My mind was in a scrambled mess as I tried to figure out a solution to my predicament.
"Please let me go, I didn't do anything. I don't know what I'm doing here or how I even got here, I just want to go back home" I pleaded. That was probably the only way I would get out of here alive.
"Her hands?" He turned to the guards beside me.
"Nothing" One of the guards answered and then he turned to me again.
"Where is it?" He asked, and just like the previous time he asked me this, I had no idea what he was talking about.
"Where is what?" I asked him.
"Do not play dumb with me!" His voice rose an octave making me flinch, "where is the ring?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, I don't have any ring" I told him truthfully, hoping that he would believe me. I saw his jaw clench and a chill of horror ran down my spine, his calm anger was frightening.
He was silent for a minute and then he turned to the guards again.
"Lock her up" he ordered them.
"No, no please" I begged, just as they started dragging me once more. "Please you have to believe me, I don't have any ring" I kept on pleading but he didn't budge. None of them budged.
They finally dragged me to a what looked like an actual dungeon, and pushed me into one of the cells, locking the gates with me in it. They totally ignored my begging and walked away leaving me there, helpless.
What sort of nightmare was this???
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