Waves

CHAPTER 09

NORA

Nora woke in an old, much more familiar bed than the one in Mouse's home. She knew immediately that she was in a dream, but the sheets felt so scratchy against her body as she stood from under the covers that the thought of her own, much more normal reality, passed faster than a blink of her eyes.

She stepped as silently as she could onto the old, splintery wooden floor, hoping that it wouldn't creak. She was supposed to be up early, since it was her turn to cook breakfast. But who was she kidding? It was almost always her turn. Then again, she was the only one who could cook more than burnt toast.

"NORA!" A voice roared from below her.

Nora shuddered, glancing to her nightstand. Her clock showed eight in the morning. Much too late for her to be up cooking breakfast.

She picked up her pace, not even caring to put her worn out slippers on as she skidded through the orphanage hall. Not that her slippers would have benefited her much, anyway. The soles were so thin that Nora felt every bit of cold and every splinter underneath her foot whether she wore them or not.

Nora sprinted down the stairs, skipping the third one from the bottom because last time someone had used it, they had fallen through the stairs.

"NORA KANE GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!!" Mr. Harsche, the orphanage's manager, screamed her name again.

"I'm here, sorry!" Nora gasped as she raced across the hall, landing right in front of Mr. Harsche.

"Where were you two hours ago, though?" He asked aggressively, spitting in her face as he overpronounced his words.

"I-I'm sorry," Nora responded softly, not knowing what to say.

Mr. Harsche started to advance on her and Nora backed away quickly until she felt the cool brick of the fireplace and the uninsulated wall against her sides. She crouched down immediately, curling into a ball as Mr. Harsche began to yell at her.

Nora screamed out as she covered her ears. She didn't know why she needed to scream, she just needed to drown out Mr. Harsche. She just needed space and peace.

And then suddenly there was heat next to her back. Nora's head shot up in alarm. It was never warm in the orphanage. "Fire!" Some kid shouted.

A scream followed.

Nora jumped up, running straight past Mr. Harsche and into the flaming kitchen, not caring if she was burnt.

"NORA!" Someone yelled. She thrashed, but hands caught her and pinned her down.

A familiar face was trapped in the flames, and Nora didn't know if she could help her. "MADISON!" She screamed, "MADDIE!"

"NORA WAKE UP!!!!"

Nora eyes shot open and she gasped. Two familiar faces stared down at her, both filled with concern.

"You were having a nightmare," Mouse murmured from beside her. He was standing next to the bed, his hands on her left arm and leg, still pinning one side down.

"Are you alright?" Jesse was holding her right side down. He sounded just as concerned as Mouse was.

Nora smiled weakly and shrugged off their grips. "I'm okay," She said, gritting her teeth when her hand exploded in pain. It was probably just a phantom pain from her nightmare.

"Do those happen often?" Mouse asked her worriedly.

Nora turned to him and said, "They were every night before I started staying here. I don't know why they stopped."