Lady in White

Author's note: I've taken to dream journaling as a way to practice writing quickly, I am a notoriously slow writer. The stories in the Dream Journal series are real dreams, retold as short stories and written in 45 minutes or less. As such, they may be a little strange in the plot department.

Kai was roused by the sound of her son crying in his crib. She rubbed her eyes and lay still, listening to the wailing child. She counted, "One sheep, two sheep, three sheep..." Silently, Kai hoped he would settle himself and go back to sleep or that her husband might take it upon himself to go fetch Bryn. She would have no such luck.

Heavily, Kai slid out from under the warm covers and put her feet on the cold floor. She waved about searching for her nightgown. It was not as close to the bed as she had hoped. Kai found herself crawling across the floor in pursuit of the cotton shift. A brief celebratory smile crossed her lips as she shoved the nightgown on over her head.

Kai righted herself and shuffled along in the dark, hands outstretched, fingertips anticipating the door jamb. She cruised through the inky dark with expert precision: avoiding the squeaky floorboard, sweeping her feet out ahead as not to step on an abandoned dinosaur or out-of-place book. A relatively easy child, Bryn's most egregious fault was a tendency to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning, desperate for breakfast.

She reached the door of the nursery and peered in at little Bryn. A dark shadow pressed up against the bars of the crib, howling at the ceiling. "Hello there baby bear," Kai whispered.

Bryn stopped mid-cry and threw his arms out in the direction of Kia's voice. He sniffed back his tears, stomping his feet. Kai smoothed the toddler's hair and lifted him from his prison. He nuzzled her shoulder, Kai squeezed him and let out a long breath. Bryn was the youngest of Kai's children, and she found that it was much easier this time to soak in these early morning moments, knowing too well that this time is fleeting.

With Bryn held to her hip, his face turned into her chest, Kai set off down the stairs. As they reached the bottom the boy began to kick wildly, ready to run through his morning ritual. Kai flicked on the light and let Bryn down. He grabbed her hand and pulled his mother toward the kitchen.

Kai punched the button on the coffee maker. It gurgled and spat in protest of the hour. She retrieved Bryn's green bowl from the drying rack and filled it with cubes of mild cheese, and a small handful of blueberries. She handed him the bowl, and he padded out of the room to sit at the table.

Kai trailed behind him, watching as he proudly carried his bowl. As they crossed the threshold into the dining room, Kai let out a surprised yell. She snapped up Bryn, sending his cheese and berries to the floor.

There at the head of the table sat an elderly woman, absently stirring a cup of tea. She stared dead ahead unphased by Kai and Bryn's presence in the room.

"Who are you?" Kai demanded, she cradled Bryn's head, holding him tight to her. Startled, young Bryn started to cry. A fearful, balling, distress-filled screech permeated the air. Kai held him

The woman said nothing. She lifted the tea to pink lips and sipped as though completely unaware of her surroundings.

Kai's heart thundered in her chest. She gaped at the woman with her neatly pinned hair and white cardigan. "You need to leave," Kai shouted sternly.

The woman looked up from her cup, dull blue eyes met Kai's gaze. The woman slowly shook her head and continued sipping tea.

Kai, with her heart's thunderous beat roaring in her ears, went red. It felt as though some unseen hand plucked her up, dropping her to confront the intruder. Before Kai could process what was happening, she was standing beside the mystery woman hollering, "I do not know how you got in here, but you are not welcome. Get out of my house. Now." Kai grabbed the woman with her free hand and escorted the woman to the door.

Kai could hear her husband's rapid footsteps on the stairs. Sam, please hurry.

Kai opened the door and shoved the woman out onto the porch. She slammed the door and flipped the lock. The woman did not resist, did not say a word.

A rush of relief fell over Kai, with tears streaming from her eyes and she fell back on the floor rocking Bryn as he continued to scream.

Click. The lock flipped back over. Kai's breath caught and she scrambled back to the door. Pushing Bryn back towards the stairs. Her husband would be here soon, he had to be.

Kai flipped the lock back over. It unlocked. Click. Click. Click. Kai fought to keep the door locked and the woman outside.

The door burst open, throwing Kai back to the floor in a heap. The woman stood over Kai, staring down at her with cold eyes, "This is my house."