Forever Finding You

4.

This dream was different. I was scared which is normal but this time I scared and I was withering in pain. It was like I got hit by a semi truck. I saw figures above me and I knew it was him. My breathing sounded gurgled as I reached out to the comforting figure above me, but he wasnt alone. A darker shadowy figure stood behind him looking down on me.

I choked out words in a different language again but I knew what I was saying.

"Wesley," I choked out my voice sounding strained. "Please help me." Wesley moved closer and I saw his brown hazel eyes looking petrified.

"Please!" He sobbed out in the same unfamiliar language. "Don't take Marie from me. I will do anything!"

Everything went black as the other figure reach out towards me.

I gasped loudly awake sucking in air harshly filling my lungs. My whole body was trembling as I gripped my chest. My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears. I felt like I was just being choked to death, but as I looked around frantically at my room there was no one there.

I flopped back down on my bed trying to get a hold on my breathing. What was that? My dreams never made me feel like that before. They never made me feel like I was actually living it. It was always being chased by something that I couldnt see but the comfortable figure, Wesley as I called it always

saved me.

This time I saw a figure of what was after me. I didnt know what it was but whatever it was wasnt good.

But Wesley talked to it and begged for it not to take Marie. These dreams never made sense to me, but now I feel like they meant something more.

My heart beat eventually slowed down and my breathing evened out. I laughed softly at myself as I wondered what the dream had meant. I always tried to look for a deeper meaning in things.

When I had first began having these dreams I thought there was a deeper meaning. Maybe the comforting figure was my dad. I didnt know where he was and thought maybe he had passed on and was giving me a final goodbye.

The man from the coffee shop flooded my mind again. I had thought about that moment for the rest of my shift and until I went to bed. It was beginning to annoy me. I felt like I was being absolutely delusional.

The rest of the day went by sluggishly. Being awoken by those dreams two nights in a row was start to weigh on me.

I had History with Britt and we choose seats next to each other yesterday. Britt was talking about an argument she had with her parents last night about curfew. She was lucky enough to have parents who cared about that sort of thing. There were time I didnt physically see my mom for days between school and our jobs. Maybe she just trusted me to be where I was supposed to be.

I was doing my best to listen to her but my mind kept wandering off.

"Layla are you ok?" Britt asked me suddenly.

I sat up straight before looking at her. She had her head c****d and she looked upset that I wasnt fully paying attention to her.

"Im sorry." I told her as ran my fingers through my hair. "I just havent been sleeping that great."

Britt dropped her voice down to a whisper. "Did something happen again?"

Britt was referring to my Mom. She knew of the stories about my mom and her boyfriends.

I shook my head. Gus hasn't been back yet or at least I havent seen him.

"No its just weird dreams." I shrugged it off.

Britts eyes lit up as her expression changed to excitment and curiosity.

"What kind of dreams?" She asked

I hesitated.

Is she going to think Im crazy? I dont want her to start thinking less of me and separate herself from me.She was my only friend and I cherished that more than anything.

"Come on Layla. You know I wont judge." She urged me.

I smiled softly.

"Well its been going on for awhile now. I have been dreaming about running away from something I couldnt see. Something that wanted to get me. I would run to a guy calling for me but we spoke different languages. I never see the guy but I trust him and he saves me." I stopped and looked at Britt to see her reaction but she was just watching me. So I continued.

"Except for last night's dream. I was choking or something. I begged for the mans help but right behind him stood this scary dark thing. The man begged for it not to take me, but the man called me Marie. I woke up and it was hard to breath, like I was actually experiencing it."

Britt shuddered but her eyes stayed lit up and curious. I took that as an invitation to keep going.

"I called the man, Wesley and yesterday at work I gave a coffee to a man with the same name. It could be just a coincidence but the way he looked at me was...like he was shocked to see me."

Britt chuckled and for a second I thought I had revealed too much. She was going to call me crazy or delusional, and honestly I would agree with her.

"Youve been having these dreams before you met that yesterday?" She asked still watching me.

I nodded my head. "Its been about a year now."

Mrs. Shebby started her lesson at that moment so I was unable to get Britt's opinion.

Mrs Shebby was an older tall women with thick framed glasses and a perm. Her outfit along with her hair made you think she had just stepped out of a time capsule from the 80's. You would originally think she was strict but she was quiet the opposite. She didnt have a problem with you unless you gave her a problem.

I kept stealing side glances at Britt wondering what she was thinking as Mrs Shebby went over her lesson. I couldn't stand the thought of losing Britt as a friend because she thought I was crazy.

"-this bring us into our first assignment." Mrs Shebby said loudly. "Just to get us back into motion and get our gears moving again. Everyone is going to find a partner-"

Some of the other students began turning their heads towards each other. Britt reached her hand across the aisle and grabbed my shoulder, claiming me as her partner. I smiled at her action but also because I knew she didnt think I was weird now.

"-and pick a historic building or event in our town to present to the class." Mrs. Shebby finished her sentence.

"Now you kids have the rest of class to partner up and discuss what you want to do your presentation on."

Britt and I turned in our seats to face each other as Mrs Shebby went to sit at her desk.

"Was the guy cute?" Britt immediately asked me.

It took me a second to realize she was bringing up Wesley. I felt nervous talking about it still but I didnt want to upset her either.

"He was." I said as I thought about his face and eyes. "Honestly, I think he was the most attractive guy Ive ever seen."

He looked so well kept. He must of been from out of town.

"Does the guy in your dream look like him?" She pressed for more information.

I shook my head. "Ive never actually seen the guy in my dream. Just a figure in the distance."

I saw his eyes last night but that couldn't mean anything. A lot of people have that eye color.

Britt stuck out her lower lip like it disappointed her.

"Well maybe there will be more dreams and eventually you will see him." She encouraged.

I smiled and winced at the thought having another dream like I did last night.

"Anyways," Britt said pushing her curls out of her face. "What should we do our project on? Im sure everyone else is picking the same buildings and I want to do something different."

I thought about it as Britt listed off names of building that she is certain someone else is already doing.

I remembered our conversation from yesterday morning and had a good idea.

"What if we don't the Hickory Mansion?" I told her.

She looked confused for a moment but then she thought about it.

"Yeah that could work. The building is at least 100 years old." she said.

"Maybe we can look some stuff up online about it. If not we can try the library in town." I suggested.

She nodded. "If we dont find enough information we could always try something else."

I nodded but I really hoped we would find enough information about it. We were going to have to make time to research it together.