The Chime of Bluebells

13

Run.

I ran for my life, shards of glass exploding in a cloud of shining colours cascading an aura of light around me. I felt the ground wobbling beneath my bare feet as they made way across the slippery hallway.

I didn't dare turn around. I didn't know why, but the pounding in my chest told a story of keeping my focus pinned on the end of the hallway.

Dark brown hair.

Dark green eyes.

Broad shoulders.

A slow pace. And still, he seemed so far away although I pressed my legs to their fullest capacity.

He got further away.

No.

No!

Turn around.

No...

🌸

"Malachi!"

I burst upright, breaths coming in short, pearls of shimmering sweat beaming my forehead—my sheets soaked beneath me. My eyes roamed the bedroom, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything was in usual order, except it was still dark outside.

Suddenly the creak of the door alerted my senses.

"Noli?"

I pushed my blankets further down, revealing my panicked expression and watery eyes.

"Mom."

"Oh, honey..." She hurried the small distance over, a groggy Dad right on her heels. She swept me in her arms, stroking my hair calmingly. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." I bit my lip. "Nightmare."

"That doesn't sound like nothing." Dad took a seat beside Mom, reaching for my hand. "Some nightmare, huh?"

I nodded.

"It's alright now," Mom said. "Just a little nightmare." It sounded more like confirmation for her sake rather than mine. Dad and I couldn't resist tilting our lips in a shared smile behind her back.

"You think you can fall back to sleep?"

No.

Mom let me go. "I can stay with you until you do."

"It's alright. I'm not that tired."

Mom smiled sadly. "It's only three thirty."

"Well..." Dad spoke. "Come to think of it, I'm not that sleepy either. Perhaps we could watch Fish with Teeth?"

My eyes expanded. "They've released a new episode?"

"Two," Dad smiled. "You up, kiddo?"

"You have to ask?"

Mom gave him a glare and he shrugged: "I'm off 'til ten."

"Uh-huh... And school?"

"None—independent studies Tuesday-Wednesday."

After an exchanged glance between the two, she smiled at me, then pointed a warning finger Dad's way. "Try get some sleep before your meeting."

Dad saluted as Mom left and then headed downstairs. I slipped into my comfy one-suite and fluffy monster slippers, before following. With Dad's famous hot Belgium chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon, we settled in front of a brand new episode about the giant great white shark.