The Dome

Chapter 3

"Oh my god, Ash!" Dally says. "You're bleeding."

"What's going on?" Nick's voice booms sleepily.

"Ash's bleeding. Somebody get the first aid kit!" Dally seems kind of frantic now, but I'm too shocked to say anything. My grey dress is soaked in blood and my dream is still vivid in my head. A burning sensation shoots through my arm, but I also feel an odd numbness. I know I should be in more pain.

Nick brings us the first aid kit, and Lachlan starts to stir on the ground. Victoria is getting untangled from her sleeping bag, saying something in a quiet, concerned voice.

"What happened?" Nick asks, sitting down.

"I- I don't know. I was dreaming," I falter, remembering Victoria rushing towards me with the knife. I make a split second decision to not tell them about my dream. "And then I woke up, and there was blood everywhere."

Dally and Nick exchange looks, while Victoria comes to stand among us.

"Someone must be following us," she says, breaking the silence.

"I'll go look around," Nick gets up, kicking Lachlan lightly, who has just gotten up. "Come on sleeping beauty." I watch as the two boys disappear into the dark.

Dally dabs at my arm with a rag, and I realize just how bad the cut is. It starts at the inside of my elbow, and makes a jagged line three inches long. If I would have been cut much deeper, I could've bled out by now.

The pain starts to subside when Dally rubs a numbing cream onto my skin, and then he carefully bandages it.

"Are you sure you didn't see anyone when you woke up? Hear anything weird?" Victoria asks, her face troubled. She seems so concerned, and I feel bad for not trusting her. My subconscious was probably just overwhelmed, and I had a crazy, stupid dream. Nothing to be worried about.

"I definitely didn't see anyone, but that doesn't mean anything. I was too surprised to think straight."

Just then the boys reappear from the trees.

"Didn't see anybody, we walked all the way around the campsite. If anyone was here, they got away," Nick says, frowning. Lachlan looks exhausted but he places a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ash. We should've took turns staying up and taking watch."

"I just don't understand.. Who would be following us? Who would just randomly slice me open while I'm sleeping. They could've killed me."

I clench my jaw, waiting for someone to answer.

"I don't know, but someone's definitely toying with us. Trying to freak us out," Victoria says, licking her lips nervously. She glances down at her watch. "The sun is about to rise, so that's good. The truck should be here in about two hours."

"I guess we should make breakfast, then," Lachlan notes cheerily, and as if on cue, his stomach growls.

Victoria grumbles something about how Lachlan is always hungry, and Nick volunteers to go get firewood.

While we wait, I let Dally take a look at my swollen ankle. He decides that it's not broken, but I need to be careful when I walk on it. Victoria gives me a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to change into, and I take the clothes gratefully. I feel a little more than awkward as I make everyone turn away so I can change, but I immediately feel better in the oversized, comfy outfit. It is much more comfortable than my blood soaked dress.

A breeze billows through the trees, and it blows through my messy, tangled black mane. My bun came out in my sleep, and I don't bother putting it back in. Goosebumps run down my arms.