The Dream

While I was on my walk back to my home I couldn’t help but think about my mom and what she has to go through taking care of my dad. It will be two months since he found out he had an untreatable disease and the doctor only gave him four months to live. They were married for nearly forty years, to think that this day would be coming around the corner like this. I shook off my worry when I heard an extra pair of footsteps behind me “now that I think of it .. I have been hearing these extra footsteps for about four blocks now” I thought to myself. I took a left onto the street across from mine to make sure it is a coincidence that they are walking the same direction as me. I made the turn quickly and another left into the backyard of mister Johnson’s house “thank goodness he is out of town for a few days for his daughter's wedding” I thought as I sighed in relief. I heard the footsteps past the house in a state of panic, I peeked around the corner to see if they were far enough down the street to make a run for it *gasp* he was laying on the ground in a puddle of blood with his head bashed in “I did not hear anything how could this man be dead?” I thought suspiciously. *rustle* *rustle* my heart skipped a few beats as I held my breath and slowly took some steps back away from the bushes. *oof* I look up *gasp* *scream* “NO! Please NO!” I panic as I see the killer standing over me with a knife in their hand a different murder weapon than what was used on the dead guy.

I panic. I don’t know what to do. I never got to see my dad since last year I have to be able to tell him goodbye..I watch the person as they tighten their grip on the knife. The killer speaks in a rough heavy breath “take your glasses off” he laughs in a creepy way out of breath. I take my glasses off but I can’t see everything's so blurry, I see a blurry shadow walk towards us, I smile in relief but my smile fell as soon as it rose when I saw them walk around us towards my head and bend down to land on his knees and grabbed my wrists and held them forcibly over my head. “Oh my god I’m going to die how could I not have noticed this person when I looked around the corner” *slice* I felt a sharp pain in my chest *slice* *slice* I felt pain on my stomach and again on my legs “oh my god he’s toying with me” I thought as I winced and started screaming and begging for help. I saw the blurry figure lift their knife high into the air and threw his hand down into my chest. *gasp* I wake up breathing hard covered in sweat holding my chest.

I look over at the clock that reads 4 am. I get out the bed and walk to the kitchen to get a cold glass of water “I have this dream every week at the same time I wake up panting and gasping for air” I said to myself in a whisper. I never understood why I kept having that dream it always began the same way but each time I got to the ending a new person is added. My heart is still beating rapidly I can not seem to calm it down so I walk to the glass doors and open it to the balcony to get some fresh air. I sit down looking over the city being kissed by the moon as I sipped on my water. *buzz* *buzz* *buzz* I look over towards my phone that is laying on the living room table.

“I wonder who could be calling this early in the morning”, I pick up the phone and answer “hello?” “Hey honey your dad is not doing too well again this morning, did I wake you?” Oh it’s my mom this must be her new number “No I was already up drinking water” “ooh I see early morning thirst?” “Yeah something like that, so what is going on now with dad?” “His chest is hurting again” I took a moment to think about the coincidence that I woke up at 4 am and he wakes up at 4am and we both have the same problem.

“Is he calmed down now?” “Yeah he is catching his breath still before he goes back to bed, you sound wide awake shouldn’t you be ready to get some more rest before your shift today?” “I will be back asleep soon” my mom seemed to always worry about me being up so early in the morning even when I was 16 but here I am 26 and she still worries 10 years later. “Me and your father need to talk to you about something important, dinner tonight?” “Yeah sure I will be there at 8” *click* *sigh* my gaze walked over to the clock it read 5am I really should go back to sleep, my rest is needed for this shift at 8.

I wake up at 7:30 “oh no I overslept!” I jump out of bed and get ready for the day. I dart my eyes at the clock 7:40 “yes new time record” I say to myself in a proud voice, I run out the door locking it behind me jump into my car and proceed to speed race out my neighborhood and to work. I pull it I only have five minutes to clock in and get ready for this busy shift. “Hey just getting in I see, Cynthia chewed our butts out again for the other day and she wants to see her in her office” said mark my coworker. “Crap” I said under my breath, “just the way to start my morning” I thought to myself. I walk over to her office “you wanted to see me?” She looks up with a straight face waving for me to come in “close the door” oh no it’s going to be one of those talks again today.

“So I noticed you did not come in ten minutes early like I requested you do .. again” I slumped in my seat turning my eyes to the side a little to escape from her scowl “I’m sorry I overslept had a bad night” she glared and then softened her facial expression. Before she could say anything *buzz* *buzz* it’s my mom, I look up at her “well answer it or decline it do something with it” she says waving at me to do something. “Hey m-“ “he’s dead Sam” my lungs left my body and I felt the blood leave my skin. I jump up like the seats hot lava “my dad died I have to go” I said as I rushed out I don’t know how I made it but I did. I grabbed his hands and cried. “He wanted you to have this” she hands me a little black book” after my breakdown I head home and after five hours and ten missed calls from Cynthia I opened the book and out fell a $20,000 dollar check.

“To my darling Sam I love you with every cell in my body and although we hadn’t spoken in years due to that fateful day I don’t want you to ever believe I don’t love and miss you each day. I heard you were so close to your dream of being a investor finally so I thought I would give you a big boost to show how much I believe in you, don’t forget we both love you to the stars and beyond. Love dad” In surprise I call my mom it never rung before she answered “I know you have plenty of questions but I have no time to explain all of it just know it’s yours, he didn’t want to leave without you getting his I’m proud of you gift, I have to go I love you baby” she hung up and I sat for hours with so many unanswered questions to I went on a walk to clear my head. As I was heading back to my home I felt a strong wave of deja vu.

I run as fast as I could to my house remembering the recurring dream. I made it back home and locked everything up and collapsed onto my bed not able to calm my breathing. I take a shower, step out and walk to the room forgetting my clothes *oof* I run into my dresser “man I really need to keep my glasses on” I dry off and get ready for bed. I hear a creek and my heart stops, I slowly walk to the door *boom* *oof* *scream* *gasp* *slice* I stare at the ceiling and notice the figure walking over to me, they clean my glasses and put them back onto me, they remove their facial covering *gasp* “it’s yo-“ my killer stabs me again and everything goes black. *gasp* I look around and notice a monitor and hear my mom sobbing “god I asked you to protect my baby! I told you to protect her from the life her father lived! Why?!” She prays aggressively. “Mom?” She gasps and jumps to kiss my forehead and hug me softly. “Why did uncle try to kill me?” “I will explain everything to you”.

The End