The Fringes

I'm Good Without Creepy Voices Please and Thank You - Quinn

My eyes snapped open.

Water.

I was surrounded by the stupid crap. I felt calm though, the way my hair floated around me, and the cold numbness enveloping my body was relaxing.

Was I back on Earth?

The Fringes seemed so far away, just a dream. Was everyone I knew there just a figment of my imagination?

No.

Yes?

Through my clouded, watery vision, I could see the boat looming above me. Kicking my legs, I tried to swim up, but my arms and legs felt heavy and sluggish. Their movements barely propelling me upwards. Once again, I drifted aimlessly down, and I couldn't hold my breath any longer.

Something wrapped my legs, forcing them together. The tendrils slowly wrapping my body. If I could scream, I would have, but my body was on its last shot of adrenaline and it was mostly focused on holding my breath. With my slow, waterlogged movements, I swatted at what looked like wisps of solid smoke.

As I fought (more like flailed in slow motion), the light from above grew faint.

Quinn.

Quinn, stop fighting it.

Just.

let.

Go.

Everything goes black.

* * *

I sat straight up and gasped for air. Aspen and a few of the other soldiers were by my bedside.

"Quinn, what happened?" Aspen asked, sitting next to me.

I stared at her for a moment before answering "It-it was just a dream," I said, but my calm composure broke halfway through my sentence, and a few tears spilled.

"I'm getting Cullen, stay here," she said and rushed out of the room. The soldiers by my bed gave me a look of concern and left, each going back to their cots. I waited in silence for a few minutes, letting tears roll down my cheeks, gasping for air.

Aspen rushed in with Cullen, the candle in his hand illuminating the room, casting shadows against the walls.

"Quinn," Cullen started "What happened?"

"It's nothing," I lie, trying to stop crying.

"Quinn, tell me what happened," he persisted, his eyes locked onto mine.

"I- I had a dream," I say, feeling childish. The last time I woke my parents up after a nightmare was when I was seven.

"About what?" he asked

"I was in the water again." I paused, wiping my eyes.

Cullen sat next to me and hugged me. I tensed up, I barely knew this man. I relaxed and hugged him back, trying to steady my breath.

"Aspen said you were screaming in your sleep. Did anything else happen?"

"Yeah, kinda... Something had started dragging me down," I answer, leaving out the 'hearing some weird voice' part. "I'm okay, though, you can go. I'll come and get you if I need you."

Cullen looked uneasy about it, but he agreed and left the room.

After a few minutes, I laid back down trying to hold in my sobs. My chest felt tight as I breathed in and out, still shaken from the dream. I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the sound of pattering rain hitting the wooden roof above us.