The Sadian Chronicles: Book 3: Deeds of the Unforgiven

When Dreams Become Nightmares: Part 3

When she finally decided she was going to speak, the boys bolted from the bedroom. They were playing airplane. It made both mothers laugh.

"M.J., please, stay," Hillary pleaded. "If for no other reason than for the boys."

"I'll think about it," Marianna said.

Marianna knew once she said it that she was being deceitful, but she didn't want to argue with Hillary. She had been such a good friend to her and Reese. She couldn't bear the thought of hurting her, but that's what she was about to do. For so many reasons she did want to stay, but she knew eventually they would have to leave, but for now she and Reese would remain.

Marianna had the night off from her job and decided she would stay in. She had the worst case of fatigue and Reese had picked up a slight cold. He fell asleep at about eight o'clock which was a sort of salvation for Marianna. She didn't bother making herself any dinner. All she wanted to do was shower and go to bed.

Almost immediately she fell asleep. It was restful for a while, but things changed quickly. She heard a voice, someone calling her name. It was Dusk. His voice echoed. She couldn't see anything, only a blinding mist.

"Fanta," she heard Dusk's voice again. She felt her skin burning. She screamed as she saw flames all around her. "Fanta, I'm coming for you."

"No, Dusk, get out of here! Get everyone out and forget about me!" She looked around for a way out, but there was none. She saw herself go through the flames. Her body ablaze, she screamed out in pain. A dark stranger appeared, his eyes glowing red.

She woke with a gasp.

"Momma, momma," Reese cried. She realized she was back in her apartment. Her breathing was heavy, still shocked by the nightmare she awoke from.

"Reese," she said. "It's okay."

She slowly sat up and saw the tears running down her son's face. "Momma have bad dream."

"Yes, baby, just a bad dream," Marianna said still trying to get a hold of herself. "Come on. I'll take you back to your room."

"Momma okay?" he asked.

'"Momma's okay," Marianna said, hugging her son. She arose from her bed and led her son back into his bedroom. The shiny innocent face that once was part of her son had vanished. She noticed that while tucking him into bed.

"Reese, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Momma, are you going away?" he asked.

"No, honey, why would you say that?"

"In bad dream, Momma on fire," he said with a tear in his eye. "Momma die."

"How did you know?" she asked. He knew exactly how her dream ended. She knew that it couldn't be just a coincidence.

"I see... don't go, Momma," Reese said holding on to her. "Please, don't go."

"Never," she said, comforting him. She rocked him until he fell back to sleep.

She walked into the living room with an uneasy feeling. Marianna didn't know what the dream meant. If it prophetic, she feared she would probably die. Though she woke before the dream brought about her death, it didn't make it any less true.

All she really knew was that she must leave here. Someone or something was moving her forward. East, but how far east? She knew what lied at the far end of that direction, the past and the unfinished business that remained there.