Dream Catcher

Chapter 3

This drive is already annoying. Mother and Father already started an argument about what will happen when we get there. I don't pay attention, mainly because for most of it I'll be locked in a room, waiting for everybody to get done with their usual tasks through the day.

If I'm being honest? I don't actually know what Father does while he's at the castle doing his...Uh, things. My head hurts from the bumping and bumping and bumping.

It's a repeating feeling. Constant. Jostling us around in here. I sigh, resting my chin on the palm of my hand. This three day trip is going to be the worst.

Once I think that we are out of the village and on the actual path to Graceland I open the curtain again. Trees are passing us in a haze, rain still falling on the window so everything looks blurry. Thunder crashing around. Archie is staring out the other window, and I look at him. His jaw is tense and his hands are clenching and un-clenching. He turns around and catches me staring, his eyes widen and at that moment I turn back to the window. Then the carriage stops, I hear shouts and my Father clenches his teeth, opening the carriage door, splashing rain on me and Mother. I, of course, am disgusted, but Mother screams. I can understand why, her fluffy dress now getting soaked by the wind. "Father!" Archie says, hiding his face with his hands.

"Maybe its best you get out so all of us don't get soaked!" I don't think Father hears him, but he leaves anyway. More shouting and more thunder. I groan, turning to my Mother, "when are we going to get there?" she gives me a stern look.

"Bridget, we both know that it is going to take us three days to get there, plus staying in a few Inns." She pauses for a second, "and then we'll have to get ready in the estate and have a meeting with the King. Obviously he wants to grant us a better home and place to stay there, and he would like to meet your Fathers family. Father wasn't the only one who wanted to bring us." She gives me a pointed look and I keep myself from rolling my eyes. I still think its unnecessary. When Father comes back into the carriage, his eyes give everything away. His face is stern, but his eyes are annoyed, terrified. "What? What is it?" I ask, then wish I could stuff them back in. "Bridget," he snaps, "I was getting to that! And again, you do not speak to a man unless he has addressed you himself." I clench my jaw and force a smile. "Of course, Father, I forget myself."

"Anyway," he says, " unfortunately, the rain is causing the road to be to muddy, and the river in the mountains is flooding, causing rocks to flow down here." Panic flares in my chest, and I can see it in my Mothers eyes too. "But alas, we must keep going. The King is expecting us in two days sharp. No later."

My Mother fumbles for words, "but, wouldn't he understand if-" My Father holds up a hand, cutting her off. "No. I will not have some stupid storm make me seem lazy. I am punctual and I would expect you to understand."

She smiles, but it seems forced. "But of course."

The carriage continues on, but we swerve to the right and left every now and then. I mess with my dress, shifting it between my fingers. The velvet making my fingers heat. I can feel my stomach churn. I don't want to admit it, but I am so nervous.

Oh, so so nervous.

We continue on. Heading foreword and foreword. I close my eyes, tired from everything that happened today. And its to soon before I'm sucked into the darkness.

I'm awoken to someone shaking my shoulder. Archie is screaming at me to get out of the carriage. I blink, staring at him with blurry eyes. "Wha-?" He yanks me to my feet, and I'm suddenly wide awake. "Get out of the carriage!" he shouts, Mother and Father are waiting for me out of the Carriage, yelling at me to hurry up. Our servants are trying to tell our parents to leave right now. I hop out and look behind me, wondering what is so important. Some servants have already started running.

I'm terrified by what I see. Large rocks are hurtling towards us from the mountain, and large amounts of water follow them. I can hear it. "Bridget!" Archie screams, yanking me and running out into the open plains. Mother is trying to run her dress. Eventually she gives up, ripping it, and running some more. I'm trying so so hard to keep up but my lungs burn and the rain makes everything slippery and tight, so tight to my skin. I make the mistake of looking behind me. Now water is just running down the hill, carrying out carriage out towards us. I scream and push myself harder. But were to slow.

The water hits me so hard. Pulling me under, and my face is grazing the ground, and I'm holding holding my breath, telling my brain to just keep it shut.

My face touches the surface before I'm pulled under again. I try to scream, but the water muffles it out. Then a sharp pain hits my face, and then everything just gets darker. So dark until I feel like I'm not even alive anymore. Oh, how could this happen so quickly?