Dream Walkers

7:18 p.m. -- May 14, 2014 It was dark ouside as she desperately ran in the middle of the road. Her eyes getting heavy as her breath laboured. Athala had to get away from the Addison's house as fast as possible. Her adrenaline rush absent as her asthma attack burdened her from getting away from the family's murderer. With no house in plain sight, she has to run another mile and a half to get to the nearest neighboring houses. Athala was running towards the safety highway barrier to catch a breath and reaching for her inhaler in her backpack when she thought she outrun her pursuer. She's mistaken. She's running in a slow pace and that made her pursuer caught up to her. She struggled free from the strong grip of an unidentified man and pushed her to the cliff side. Horrified from the sound that's coming from below the cliff, she hoped that the man would felt mercy and decides to keep her alive. But it seemed impossible. She thrashed and scream for help and even begged the man for her life but she knew that effort is going to waste. The hands that was holding her shirt had finally released from the grip. And the next thing she knew, she plummeted down into the source of the crashing sound on the boulder. Nineteen years of her life flashed before her eyes. A telltale sign that she's going to die, she guessed. But the lingering hours that focuses before her eyes was when she dreamed about her death. 18 hours ago... It's a peaceful day as the sound of the waves rushing towards the powdery white sand and underneath Athala' feet as she slowly walked alongside the coast. Noticed how a peach-colored light looked nice on the ground, she looked over the horizon over the sea. The warm tones played in the sky as if you can't decide whether it's an indication of a sunrise or nearing sunset. But one thing is for sure, "It's pleasing." she whispered to herself. "I thought you'd say beautiful or gorgeous or wonderful or you know, synonymous to those words." a man's voice chuckled beside her. She turned her head to looked over to the owner of the voice that seemed so familiar to hear. It's her father Hariel. He also walked beside her. They both stopped walking and she stared at his ever familiar face. Just as she remembered him, a face that as kind and warm as he was. Her father died when she was 10 years old and he showed himself once in her dream and it took him 7 years since she last saw her father in her dreams. He died when she was eleven and last dreamed of him was when a year after he died. 7 years and she missed him so dearly. She hugged her father and tears started to fell on her cheeks. His warmth embrace felt real on her cheeks as if he's still alive and well. "You don't know how much I missed you, Dad, so much and you didn't even visit me on my dreams just when I need you." She brawled as the words spat out of her lips. He smiled as he patted her head to console his now big girl. He still can't believe how his small girl that once embraced his hips then, and can now pull him into a bear hug. "You know, daddy's been busy watching over you and your mom, pumpkin. You know how much I love you both, right?" He felt a slight nod to a sobbing girl. "Although, I've seen you how hurt you are, I can also felt your pain. You're not alone, pumpkin. Daddy's been always with you." Athala broke from her hug and stared at her father with a hint of seriousness on his face. She seemed to notice that he wanted to tell her something but she ignored it. What's more important is that he's finally visiting her in her dreams. They carried on walking along the coastline and she kept on talking about what happened in her life and with her mom. His dad can't keep his eyes off of Athala. His eyes showed sorrow for a split second. He didn't know she noticed it. "Dad, what is it?" she finally questioned his sudden expression. His tears finally fell as soon as she asked the question that he wished she wouldn't asked him. "How I begged for you to live a peaceful life. For you and for your mother. I managed to stop the disasters that may fall upon my precious wife and daughter but why can't I still do it now? Why?!" He fell down on his knees and finally broke down. He raised his hands to cover his face. "Dad, what's happening? What do you mean by that? And what disaster you are talking about?" She kneeled down to her father's height. Her face evident with worry and concern, her father finally removed his hands and proceeded to hold his daughter's shoulders as he looked at her eyes closely. "Fate's unforgiving for me and you. Fate's not fair either for your mother. All I asked was to leave you alone and let me suffer the consequences." "Dad, what are you talking about? Please, don't scare me." Athala trembled as she looked at her father. "Don't be scared, baby. Daddy's gonna do anything not to let you completely gone from your existence." Just after he said that, he forcefully hugged his daughter and he dissipated into a white smoke and ashes. Surprised by what happened to her Hariel, her eyes looked down on where her father's ashes fell down. She scooped the ashes up with the sand with disbelief still evident on her face. She has left speechless as she looked around for her father. Is he gone? She asked herself in her mind. The skies and the surrounding suddenly became dark with just the waning half moon illuminates the surroundings. The gently rush of the waves was replaced by the violent crashing of water to the boulders that surrounding her. The white powdery sand became rough pebbles and rocks. The coastline uneven in the plain beach. She's soaking wet and the ashes that she scooped up washed down by the water splashed from the waves that slapped the boulder beside her. She looked up to the moon but she noticed from up above the ravine a small figure moving. She can't peel her eyes above. The small figure then threw something in her direction. She covered her head with her arms. As she heard a thud a yard away from her. She uncovered her head with her arms and looked over from where that thing was thrown. When she looked down in front of her was the pale face of a girl that looked like she fell down the ravine. The girl's eyes closed shut and her breaths faint. Athala couldn't make out the face since the hair covered most of her face. When she pulled the hair out of the girl's face, she became horrified on what she had seen. The bag, the clothes, the glistening necklace on her neck, and her face. That girl was... Athala.