Dream Bound: Book One | ✓ [COMPLETE]

Dream Bound - Chapter Ten

                                     Dream Bound

                                      Chapter Ten

                                        day four

Colton didn’t come back. I shouldn’t have spoken so soon, however, with his absence still fresh; there was still the unyielding chance that he could return any moment. I stood dumbstruck, feet nailed to the ground. An hour had passed, maybe two, before my feet decided to carry me forward.

    I realized in my haze, that I was moving in the direction in which Colton had left from. I followed the inner city to its outskirts, keeping to the sidewalk. I could smell the salty ocean before I heard its waves smashing against the high cliffs.

    Soon, I could see it, too. The waters were gray and murky, keeping everything below the surface hidden and locked away. I searched the skies, eyes riveting over every cloud and every thin ray of sunlight. I looked for a speck -- the flash of his wings.

    I was alone, though, it seemed. A frown remained on my lips as I stood rooted in one place yet again. The tips of my shoes were just inches from the edge. Below, the waters frothed and roared, chipping away at the eroding earth.

    The air was chilly, but it seemed to hug my body in a case of humidity. My hair began to frizz, popping up all over the place as if I had rubbed a balloon across my head. I rubbed my hands down my arms as I leaned toward the cliff.

    Instantly, I grew lightheaded. The drop was much farther than I had first anticipated. Mist dotted the air, a result of the waves slamming into the rocks. Something invisible seemed to push the space between my shoulder blades, urging me forward.

    With a sharp intake of breath, I took a step back. Then another. And another. Robotically, I moved away from the cliffs. I returned to the tranquil silence of the woods. I perched on a damp log, listening to the ocean behind me.

    Lowering my head into my hands, a small moan escaped my lips. What had I gotten myself into? This was ridiculous. I was supposed to be at the peak of my senior year -- deciding where I wanted to go in life. Life...life seemed to be on hold at the moment.

    It was like I couldn’t decipher my dreams from reality. I was stuck halfway in between, swimming through a web of lies and falseness. Suddenly, I was beginning to doubt Colton was anything he claimed to be.

    There were many sides of him I didn’t understand, and possibly never could. That alluring side of him that urged me to trust him, and yet I held onto the thread of caution. I couldn’t allow myself to fall into his mysterious ways.

    It was too late now. Everything I had in my past life, I would never get back. Things were changing, and in this moment, I wasn’t sure if it was for the better...or for the worse.

*  *  *

    Another hour of the morning slipped from my fingertips. A quick glance at my wristwatch showed that the day was nearing its peak: lunch time. The word spoke for itself. My stomach rumbled loudly, nonstop. I stood from my position on the log, stretching my arms and legs.

    An idea came to mind, momentarily pushing aside all thoughts of food. With a sudden eagerness, I practically ran through the wooded area. Branches scratched at my clothes, roots tauntingly trying to trip me. As soon as I reached the edge of the forest, I slowed my pace.