Autumn (Wolf Children)

Chapter 11 - The Nightmare

Aki
I'm walking on the mountain, when I see a wolf with shiny, auburn fur. Her eyes are a beautiful mix of blue and green. She's an adult, and a human man that looks familiar crosses paths with her. She shifts into a human woman with long, flowing hair and a white dress. They hold hands and twirl in a big whirlwind. Now, a gunshot rings through my ears and I wince. The man is holding a toddler, the wolf nuzzling his leg, but the wolf is transparent, like a ghost. The toddler and man are dressed in black. The toddler shifts into an older version . . . me. Then, the screech of tires and the sound of glass breaking fills my ears. Tears pour down my face as the man becomes transparent as well. He drops the girl. I reach out to catch her, but a boy with dark blue hair catches her first. My mouth forms a small "o" shape as I watch. They both turn into wolves. Another gunshot rings and the wolf shifts back into a girl, falling down again, almost hitting the ground. The other quickly changes into the boy again and catches her . . . again. She looks distant as he wraps his arms around her in a hug. After that, he shifts back into a wolf, laying his head on her lap like a dog, then standing up and circling around her protectively. He comes and nuzzles her hand with his nose, and they lock eyes. He starts to fade away, becoming transparent . . .

    "AME!" I scream, shooting up. Hana and Yuki jolt awake with a gasp. My breath quickens and I feel myself break into a nervous sweat as I look around the room. "H-he's gone! No! He's GONE!" I grab fistfuls of my hospital gown, my breathing fast. Two nurses come rushing in.

    "Honey, calm down!" one nurse says. "You'll pass out!" They come over and start tending to me, but nothing helps. I squeeze my eyes shut and clamp my hands over my ears, shaking my head. "He's gone, they're all gone, all of them! GONE!"

    I hear the door slam open, footsteps padding the floor quickly. I feel so light-headed . . .

    "Aki!" a familiar voice says. "AKI!" A pair of soft hands hold my hands, trying to pry them from my ears. "Aki, listen, it's okay, alright? I'm here!" I open my watery eyes to see a pair of amber orbs. My grip on my ears loosens, my breathing still fast.

    "I'm here, it's okay," Ame says calmingly. "You need to calm down." I slow down a little bit, my arms going limp. A nurse holds a cup of water to my lips, which I keep pursed shut. Ame frowns.

"Drink," he insists. I hesitantly open my mouth, and the nurse slowly pours the cold water into it.

"Good, good, she's calming," the other nurse sighs. "Hon, can you tell us what happened?" My voice comes out in quiet stammers.

"N-night . . ."

"Nightmare?" Ame suggests, looking at me. I nod. The nurse scribbles something on a clipboard hanging at the end of my bed. She speaks again while tapping her pen against it. "Do you want to tell us what it was about?" I bury my head in my hands, and she takes it as a "no." She scribbles down something else before tearing the sheet of paper off and walking out. The other nurse double checks me to make sure I'm okay before leaving.

    "Are you alright?" Hana asks, rushing over and embracing me. I lean into her arms, the woman who's become so much like a mom to me. No one could ever replace my actual mom, but Hana comes pretty close. I start to cry, and she hugs me the whole time, rubbing my hair.

    "It's okay, we're going to get through this," she says softly. "It's going to be fine."

    I hope that's a promise.

     *    *    *

    I wince from sleeping at a weird angle - now there's a knot in my neck. I give a small whine and re-adjust myself, rubbing the back of my neck in an attempt to remove the pain. I hear something stir to my left.

    I glance over to see Ame curled up in a chair, but he sits up. I just watch him for a minute, not even talking.

    "Yes, I'm awake," he says calmly. "I didn't want to be in a deep sleep if something happened to you."

    I don't say anything - I just rest one hand in my lap while the other still tries to get rid of that knot. Ame pushes himself up and out of the chair, then comes and sits next to me, folding one of his legs underneath him. He reaches out and massages the bothersome spot on my neck. At first I wince, but I relax in a moment or two.

"I'm not mad," he says, his voice quiet and monotonous. "I'm just worried. No matter what, you always have us here, okay?" I don't reply. He sighs wearily.

    "Take care of them for me."

    I don't know how much I can do to help. I sigh and close my eyes.

"Okay," I say quietly. "Thank you." I feel some tension leave the air.

    "No problem."

    I try to get my mind off of everything that's happened by focusing on the good things: I'm alive, I've been accepted by a small group of people, and no one is mad at me. My thoughts still wander to the thought that I'm the last person carrying my family's mixed-species bloodline, not to mention I have a bullet wound that's still healing.

    "Do you miss the mountain?"

The question takes me by surprise, not to mention it came out of no where. The room seems a little quieter now, and I can hear my heartbeat thumping in my ears. I already said I don't want to be a wolf, and I don't, but . . .

    "Yeah," I say simply. "I can't cross out my love for nature, no matter what. I'm just questioning if it's instinct or if it's an actual hobby, but I really do love it."

    "Okay."

    He stands back up and curls up in his chair. "Good night." I blink again, a little confused, but I yawn and lay down, tugging the blanket to my chin.

    " 'Night."