The Panther Uncaged ✔

Chapter 3

When I woke, the sun had not risen yet. My clock showed me that there were ten minutes until five am, quite an early time for me to be awake. Bernie was curled up beside me and I smiled, glad for my protective companion. Knowing I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, I padded barefoot to get a glass of water. It wasn't until I stepped on a sharp shard that I remembered the mess I had left. Cursing beneath my breath, I hopped backwards until I was out of the danger zone and sat down on my chair. Luckily it wasn't very deep, though it did sting when I pulled it out. After a few seconds of blowing on it, I was quite fine and set about cleaning up the hazardous mess before Bernie hurt his paws. Once finished, my belly full, and Bernie fed, I sat down in my office and settled in to write up a storm, with plenty of new experiences for inspiration.

By noon, my flow was starting reduce and I decided to take a break. Unlike Bernie, who was always willing to eat and whom I had to let outside to leave me alone, my stomach was still content with the breakfast from this morning. My body, however, was calling for a quick nap due to the early wake up time. I sat down on the couch with a book, knowing I couldn't go to sleep with the chance that Xavier would be stopping by today. Despite this, not even three chapters into my book, I felt my eyes drift close and I soared into sleep blissfully.

The hospital gown... This place. It's empty but so familiar. I walked past a still steaming cup of coffee on a nurse's desk. There. That shoe. It had slipped off a patient and must have fallen there. Making me jump, the air conditioner whirred to a start and panic began to ensue when I noticed the red tinted sweat beginning to sheen on my body. It's so hot in here. The echo of a door closing invaded my ear drums and had me jumping to face the opposite direction. The door I must have come through started to open and a hand, wearing a silver ring on the left hand could be seen as a black shoe came into view-.

My stomach clenched just as my surroundings changed. A lone car, stirring up a whirlwind of dust, zoomed along the track below the stands, like the ones my dad used to watch on tv, NASCAR. Something about the earthy smell of the dirt, the constant whirring sound of the car speeding by, and the smell of the people around me, the invisible ones, was as comforting to me and my mother's hot chocolate. The tired suddenly screamed in protest, as the car turned headfirst into the the wall surrounding the track. My throat tightened as the car burst into flames and began to melt everything around it. A small figure dragged himself out of the car and landed hands and knees near it. There was no helmet, a foolish decision on the driver's part. All I could see, with their face aimed towards the ground and breathing heavily, was short dark brown hair that reminded me of someone. On the other side of the track, I heard something, like a match being lit. When my eyes moved to find the sound, I could see a black, blurry figure holding the match. A black trail of some kind of liquid led from the driver all the way ominous figure. The figure raised his match and though I could see no face, I knew he sneered. I watched as the match slowly fell to the liquid, knowing the driver would die. Knowing he would die-.

Dirt walls, complete with worms burrowing and tree roots forcing their way through the soil, rushed past me. Or, to be more accurate, I rushed past them, falling at a speed one could only reach on a plane or on a car. Looking up, the blue sky highlighted a faceless figure chuckling down at me. My stomach lurched. Below me a torch flickered with a small, weak light. It was barely strong enough to show the slumped, bound figure on a chair. A whimper escaped my mouth when I saw that dark hair I was growing fond of. They looked up, maybe hearing my voice. My food threatened to leave my body as I got closer and closer until-!

The shaking of my shoulders startled me out of my dream. My heart quivered with fear and while my body was awake, it took a few more minutes for my mind to realize it.

"Soralyn. Soralyn, it's alright. Calm down."

An earthy scent filled my thoughts, clearing out the last bits of that dream stuck in my head. The strong hands of someone belonging to that scent cradled my head and I forced my eyes open. Though my gaze normally goes straight to his eyes, they instead went to his hair. His dark, very recently seen hair to be exact. Hair that I had seen in my dream just seconds ago if we're to be very specific.