Land of Ice

Chapter 2

I wake up with a stifled scream, sweat pouring down my face. I look around my room and realize that I’m no longer trapped in a fiery nightmare.

I have been having reoccurring dreams for the last few months. It’s almost always the same, but each time I see a little more than I did in the last dream. It always starts out the same. I’m in a room and there are flames everywhere. I scream as I watch the walls collapse around me. Just as I start to believe that the fire will consume me too, he appears.

I can’t ever see much of his features. He looks blurry through the heat and smoke, but his eyes are always clear to me. They’re an amber color, with a dark red outline and flecks of yellow and red throughout the iris. I feel peace when looking into those eyes. As I’m held in his pale arms, it feels as though I’m safe, even with the fire still raging around us. He says something to me, but I can’t hear or understand the words coming from his lips.

Just after he smiles, his face goes still and he turns. Thats when I see the dark figure with the sword. He tries to avoid the blade, but it’s no use. The sword comes down and cuts his face. That’s usually where the dream ends, but this time something else happened. I see my hand lift in front of me and I’m holding something shiny. I see a blue light shoot out from the tips of my fingers and hit the dark figure. We fall from the power pushed from my hand.

Then I woke up.

I’m not sure why I keep having this dream, but I almost want it to stop and never happen again. Then I think of him. The shadow who has haunted me for months. For some reason I can’t explain, I don’t think I’d be okay never seeing him again.

Each morning, I’ve taken the time to draw out the dream on paper. As it’s happened each night, I draw the new piece of the puzzle and keep it in my journal. After I finished drawing the newest bit, I decide to get up and go take a shower before breakfast.

I climb into the steaming shower and lather myself in my favorite vanilla scented body wash. I wash my hair with coconut scented soap and try to erase all thoughts from my mind.

Once the water finally starts to go cold, I turn it off and get out of the shower. I get dressed and head downstairs.

“Mmm...is that bacon that I smell?” I say as I walk into the kitchen.

Dad turns around and grins at me. “It sure is, princess. Pancakes and bacon sounded like the best way to start the day. It smells like it too.”

My stomach growls right that second and I laugh. “I think my stomach agrees.”

Mom and April walk into the kitchen and we all sit down to eat. April turns to me and starts telling me about all of the things she wants to do this summer now that school is out.

“I even made a list, Sissy! It’s going to be the best summer ever! Guess all the things we’re going to do!” She says as she squeals.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What’s first on the list?”

“Only the most important and bestest thing ever; we HAVE to ride unicorns!”

I laugh at the pure adorable imagination that is bursting from her. We talk about her list awhile longer and then my parents say my name.

“So, Ava. Your mom and I talked about it last night and you are free to go have fun with your friends this weekend.” My dad says.

Mom chimes in with, “On one condition: you have to promise to be careful and stay out of trouble. And if anything happens, call us immediately.”

I jump up and give them both a hug. “Thank you!! I can’t wait to call Becky; she’ll be so excited! And I pinky promise I’ll be good!”

I run upstairs to get my phone from the charger and text Becky.

Me: B, you won’t believe it! They said yes!

B: OMGGG! This is going to be the best weekend ever. I’m coming over right this second. I’ll help you pack!

Me: don’t you still need to pack too? lol

B: I’ve been ready for a week now. OMW!

I can’t believe I forgot for a second how much Becky likes to prepare. Every simple thing is a big event to her. She always tells me that you can’t be too prepared for anything.

I twirl my snowflake necklace around mindlessly while lost in thought. This was going to be so much fun. I didn’t ever believe for a second that my parents would let me out of their sight for more than a day or so.

Even growing up, I was never allowed to stay anywhere for more than a day or two. It was almost like they were afraid to lose me for some reason. It never made sense. I always showed up early for school, got straight A’s, and never missed curfew.

They didn’t like to talk about it anytime that I brought it up, but it was definitely strange.

I was torn from my thoughts to the sound of the doorbell ringing and not long after that I heard Becky squealing and thanking my parents for allowing me to go.

She rushed upstairs and we danced around for a second before putting some music on and beginning to pack my bags.

What a perfect way to start the summer.