Dreamcatcher

10

'Liam, they aren't returning back to the UK til next week,' I say. Is my brother alright, are his injuries driving him insane?

'No. No. No. No!' My brother's brow crinkles with worry. 'Oh no, no, nononono... They heard about everything that's happened here. They booked another flight back as soon as they could... Haven't you checked your texts... They told us and they should be here now but the people have told us the plane crashed but nobody knows where anyone is and-'

'Hey, I'm sure it's going to be fine. Planes have lots of safety procedures so even if they did crash I'm sure they'll be fine and people will be looking for them. It's going to be fi-' I catch myself. Rambling on to myself for comfort is not going to help the situation. And he is right - why, oh WHY, WHY DID I IGNORE MY PHONE? I reach into my pocket for it then remember - it's still face down on the desk in my dorm. Just like it's been for ages.

Looking back over to Liam, I see another tear gently roll down his cheek. As much as I hate physical contact, especially with family, I desperately needed the hug that Liam gave me. Enveloped in warmth, I force the dark thoughts that cloud my mind out and focus on anything but my parents.

Ben and Magnolia enter the room as silently as they can and join in with the hug. I guess they know too.

After we pull away, Ben looks all of us in the eye and says, 'I'm here.' I don't know if he's imitating to be some Uber Driver like 'I'm here to collect you' or attempting to be supportive. 

'Well, they could be alive.' My hopeful tone has no effect on my siblings' solemn faces. 'I do have something though: chocolate chip cookies!' I present my tin of carefully baked cookies and Liam immediately takes one, his pleasured expression clear on his face. Ben and Magnolia take two each, stuff them in their faces, and I eat one too. Oh my god, I haven't made some in ages. They taste sooooooooo good.

'The boy in your year wants to see you,' Magnolia tells me through a mouthful of cookie.

 Oh, right. For some reason, my soulmate, who hates everyone, suddenly wants to see me, out of the blue.

'Right... What room?'

'Eleven, on your left,' my sister says, swallowing the cookie. 'Linn, can I have one more? Please?'

I laugh and hand all of my siblings another cookie. They really are irresistible. Maybe Lapo would like one? At the thought of him, I look at my left arm to see the black opal set in gold, chained around my wrist. So, his is exactly the same.

Leaving the Liam's recovery room, I hold the cookie tin in front of me. Room 11 is on my left and I'm still completely unsure of why Lapo wants to see me. But I send a sharp knock through the door and open it.

I head in with the cookie tin in front of me like some sort of shield? What am I thinking? I should say something riiight...

'Uh Lapo, you asked for me?' Crap. My voice sounds so shaky. Why am I so nervous - its literally just a boy in the same class as me.

Well... more like a boy who I'm certain is my soulmate but hates everyone on the planet.

'D'ya get visions?' I hear him ask.

'What- why- do you- no- um maybe-' Ugh, Aislinn, stop acting like a complete dumb idiot.

'So you do...? Or not...' He interrupts me.

This is officially like the longest conversation I've ever had with him.

'Yes I do, why? Do you get them too? Like as in the end of the world. With all the cracks and the plague burning through the Southern Hemisphere. With the ruins of your boarding house. How did that happen? Do you also have a Dreamca-'

'Yes, yes, yes. Now shush. Speak quietly,' Lapo orders.

'May I, may I see your-'

'Bracelet.' He sighs but beckons me over to the bed where he sits up straight. He lifts up his left jumper sleeve and I see a glistening golden chain wrapped around his wrist. He turns it over so I can see the black opal completely identical to mine.

'How long did you know?' Is all I could ask. It's clear he knew longer than me.

'I once had a vision of you, the night after we first met.'

'And-' I so badly wanted to ask why he'd just ignore everyone, and me, not even speak a proper conversation with someone who was just trying but I suddenly remembered something very important. 

We have all the power to destroy or save.

'Yes,' Lapo says. Wait did I just say that out loud? 'I fear that the accident happened when you found out that we have the same bracelet. With both of us knowing, there was bound to be consequences.'

'Do you hate me?' I had the courage to ask that. Really?

'No.' His reply is immediate and certain.

'Can't say I thought the same.'

'I know.'

'What do you not know about me, Lapo?'

'Come closer,' he says suddenly. I obey, and he takes my hand in his. The touch makes me uncomfortable but I feel something.

Hello, Aislinn.

What? That was Lapo's voice, but in my head. Did he just sort of telepathically communicate with me?

Answer, Lapo says in my head. Just think it to me. I'll know.

I'm trying! I think very hard.

There, Aislinn. I suddenly am overloaded with information that comes naturally - everything that Lapo shares with me seems like I already knew it. I feel like I've known Lapo for a lifetime, now.

He releases my hand. Maybe this communication only works when we touch?

Suddenly the thought of Lapo smiling enters my head. Wow. I can't believe this works.