In Our Dreams

Once upon a Dream

Aris was terrified as sleep overtook her. She knew what she saw, even if no one ever believed her. She was never wrong. She had pleaded and begged for her parents to believe her, she cried, she was hysterical, and now she had been drugged. Her parents had been taking her to a psychologist for as long as she could remember. she had what they called "behaviours". Outburst of fear from things she didn't understand, of anger, of frustration, her visions..and all the ways he had abused her... She had been tricked, by her mother. Horrible night, they were all going to die in their beds tonight, and no one seemed to care.

Aris's mother pretended to listen while Aris had drank her tea and continued to recount how unsettled she felt, and what she perceived as impending death. Kate did not believe for one moment that any obsertity coming from her daughters active imagination was true. Aris made so many things up. Why would anyone be coming to murder them? Aris's mother had made her daughter a nice cup of tea. Lavender, with two Xanax and a heap of honey. Kate watched her daughter slowly drift off into a peaceful rest. What an imagination indeed, scared to go to sleep because they would all die in their sleep. She was such a scared child.

Ted knocked lightly on the door. "Is she asleep?" he asked. Kate nodded her head as she rose gracefully from the bed without disrupting the covers. She was a classic sort of woman, long elegant features. But she did not feel like those things, she was quiet and shriveled inside and infact lived solely for her children.

Kate softly closed the door, and reluctantly gave her husband the kiss he was asking for with his lips and body language. He pressed upon her fiercely. His rough beard grating her creamy, soft, silken skin. Inside she shrunk away, but her body pressed back into his. His hands were greedy upon her, cupping her breast roughly in his hand, squeezing it firmly, making her legs shake. His love hurt. Kate was a gentle, quiet woman who liked softness and sweetness. Ted felt her energy pull away from his, even if her body didn't. He was observant. He wanted to possess her like he possessed all other things he desired. He pushed her up against the wall outside of Aris's bedroom.

"Ted..." He pinned her arm above her as he lifted her up of the ground, pinning her body to the wall with his hips. He was ignoring her. "Ted Aris has me really upset. The things she says, somehow they are also kinda right... ." She pressed her palm into his chest, creating space between them. He took her hand and slammed it against her already pinned wrist. He trucked her wrist under his large hand, pinning them together. He didn't like the word no or the indication of no.

He presses his hips into hers deeper, kissing and biting her neck, making it sting, leaving small red splotches on her unmarked skin. She hated when he did this. She retreated further. He bit her collarbone, and she cried out in pain and also in satisfaction.Ted, of course, took this ecstacy and suckled her deeply, teeth still in flesh. He lifted her to him completely, carrying her down the hall. 'Where are we going?!?!" Kate asked. "To bed." said Ted, as he kicked open the door to their room. It slammed shut behind him

***

Alex breathed in and out. In and out. Deeper and deeper until he felt his consciousness fall into his heart space. He opened his third eye as if it were nothing. He loved to open his eyes there. He took in the surroundings. It looked like there was a storm raging a few miles off the coast. He had seen the storm before, but it was never this close and never this intense. He wondered what it was.

He lifted his hands to the sky and willed the storm towards him like he was pulling in a boat from the sea. He drug it with his bulging muscles that trembled from the labor of his efforts. The storm was now raging overhead, rain pelting down on him, thunder rumbling. He connected, he felt, he observed. This wasn't his storm.... this wasn't his storm!

The moment he thought of Aris she fell from the sky, arms and legs flailing. He opened his arms to cradle catch her just in time. She thudded into him hard. It took both their breath away and the sheer force of velocity bucked his kneed. He was laying on the ground with her panting for breath beside him. He wondered if the sudden transition of reality didn't take her breath away.

He turned to lay on his side and looked at her. She had grown older in the eight years that had passed. She was a teenager now. Beautiful long, soft, curly brown hair, a soft light completion with a small hint of natural tan. Her arms and legs were long and lanky like a teen. She looked like she was wearing pajamas again, just like the last time he had seen her... Rainbow cheeta print running shorts and an oversized track tee shirt that nearly swallowed her. She touched her hand to her chest. He breath was very slow and steady. perhaps she was sleeping out in the world.

"It's nice to see you again." Alex said as he got to his feet, offering his hand down to her. "I hope you are well." She didn't reach up for his. "You have to help us!" She said. She didn't seem right to him, something was definitely off. He dropped down to his knees to kneel beside her. Panic overtook him, was she okay?. She did not seem paniced. She seemed sleepy. "I'm here beautiful, I'm here." what the f**k just came out of my mouth he thought as he took her hand. Where was this coming from.

She smiled up at him, she had a glazed look on her face. She looked like she was on drugs. The thought disgusted him, was it a choice she was making? Did she do drugs? Was she forced into this. He let go of her hand and checked her pulse. It was way to slow. She could be over dosing. He shook her firmly. "Aris, Aris wake up honey." She looked so small. She opened her eyes. "I can't wake up Mr. Angel. I am dying again."

He could send an ambulance if she could tell him where she was. He jostled her again. "Tell your angel where you are beautiful and I will come protect you."... she sighed out, her eyes closed. "I am at home." She said dreamily. It was not okay, even in her sleep, she should be awake and alert here. He gave her shoulders a firm squeeze, and her face limply fell to the side. She had passed out and her pulse was gone. He didn't waste a moment before his lips were over hers, blowing his deep deep breath into her. She shot up. "Baby tell me please what is your address!" He begged as she took a ragged breath. "3930 Bridge Street, Louisville!" She barked. Her voice was cracking. "I have to leave you to call for help baby. I am coming for you" Alex said. "Hurry! someone is trying to murder us!" Alex wondered who us was, before he flashed away back into his own mind. He grabbed his cell phone and made the call.

****

After a miracle and a late night trip to the hospital, Ted stretched his arms over his head. That has been close. Ella hadn't made it. Kate was on life support, the damage to her brain looking irreversible. Aris was groggy but okay...somewhere else in the hospital he had been told. He remembered paramedics dragging him out of the house. Carbon monoxide leak. How did they know to come? He had slept most of the time. He felt tired. He didn't feel such a loss, but he was glad to be less burdened. How did Aris know something bad was going to happen? There was something strange here. Ted opened his phone to pull up his home security app. He looked on in horror as he watched a highly skilled man in camouflage sneak into the venting on the side of his house.