Snowfall

Chapter 3

I'm running.

As fast as I can.

There's something chasing me, but I can't tell what.

It's too dark.

Suddenly I'm running through a forest.

It's night time.

Whatever's chasing me is getting closer!

I can feel it.

I try running faster, but I'm already at full speed. The moon's a crescent and suddenly there's a lake in front of me.

"Nowhere to run to now." A dark ominous voice calls from the shadows.

Then, A flash of blue light.

The sound of a struggle.

I'm suddenly in the middle of a frozen lake.

"I've got you." A breathless voice says. I can feel their breath on my ear. Somehow, I feel safe.

I let out a sigh of relief.

White hair.

A chuckle from the shadows.

Darkness...

I wake up in a cold sweat. My room looks strange. Where am I? My breathing's rapid. My mind isn't working.

'Ok. Calm down, Rose. Just think. Where are you?' I think to myself. 'I'm in Burgess. At the Bennett's house. It was only a dream.'

"It was only a dream." I repeat aloud to calm myself.

"Was it?" I hear a whisper from the darkness.

I jump and turn towards where the voice came from. There's nobody there. I'm alone in my room in the dark.
I reach for the lamp and switch it on. Small lights bathe the room in light.
There's nobody else here.

I'm alone, but.. why do I feel like I'm being watched?

Usually when I have nightmares, I wake up and it's light outside. I've never woken up in the middle of the night before.
Rubbing my eyes and yawning, I shuffle back down into bed.

'It's probably just nerves from all the traveling..'

Watching the lights shine throughout the room, I close my eyes for just a second..

I wake up to Sophie jumping on my bed. I see some light shining through the crack of my curtains. It must be morning..

"Hey, Sophie. What's up?" I say with a yawn.

"Breakfast time!" She says cutely, pulling me out of bed and through the door.

I'm lead out of the room, down stairs and into a dining room. Still half asleep, I plop down on the chair Sophie guides me to.

"Hey Rose! Wow, you sleep really late!" Jamie laughs. "We've all been up for hours!"

"Did you have a good rest, Sweetie? We just left you to sleep, you seemed exhausted." Emily says flipping something in a pan.

"I guess I was more tired than I thought." I smile gingerly "Can I help you with anything?" I hop up out of my seat, suddenly awake, and start towards Emily in the kitchen.

"That's so sweet of you. You can help me carry some stuff to the table, just grab that plate of pancakes right there."

I pick up the plate of piping hot pancakes and add them to the selection at the table, before going back into the kitchen to get another plate. This one filled with bacon.

"There we go. Dig in, but Jamie," Emily glaces at Jamie, sitting down "Leave some for the rest of us. Take whatever you like, Rose."

I look at the table and there's a selection of pretty much everything. Eggs, Bacon and Toast. Sausage, pancakes, muffins. I don't even know where to start.

*Time Lapse*

"So, Jamie can take you into town today to get textbooks and anything you need for next week." John says, washing the dishes.

"Oh, ok sure." I look at Jamie with a smile. "I'll go upstairs and get ready."

After hopping out of the shower, I open my newly packed cupboard to find something to wear. So neat. So not going to last.

'Jeans work everyday of the year. What color? Maybe black. Obviously with my sneakers. I'll just wear it with my blue top.'

Once I get dressed and brush my hair, I do a little makeup and head downstairs.

"Ready to go?" Jamie asks, standing by the door.

"Yep, lets go." I say following him outside.

"That's my friend Pippa's house, and that's Caleb's house and that's Cupcakes house. We used to be afraid of her but she's actually pretty cool!" Jamie goes on as we walk into town, telling me all about the neighborhood.

"That's just because Jack threw a snowball at her and we started to hang out. And that's Claude's house and oh oh oh!" Jamie continues as we walk down the road, never taking a moment to breath.

"This is where I knocked my tooth out after Jack made an awesome sledding path for me! Then, I met the rest of the guardians that night when the tooth fairy came to get my tooth and-"

"Who's that?" I ask, gesturing to the group of kids trying to get our attention.

"Oh! Those are my friends!" Jamie shouts, speeding towards them. Me on his tail.

"Hey guys!" Jamie greets "This is Rose, she's staying with us for the next few years so she can go to the university. She's from Africa!"

"Wow that's so cool!!" They all yell in unison.

"Do you have a pet lion!?" Exclaims a little boy with red glasses and blond hair.

This is it.

Decision time.

Do I mess with them or tell them the truth? Decisions, decisions..

"Yep, her name's Kiara, but they're super high maintenance. You have to feed them 4 to 5 times a day! And they mess with the Zebra's quite a bit. They're way easier to take care of than the leopards though." I respond, trying my best to stop the amused smile from spreading across my face as their little faces light up.

*Time Lapse*

"So, what do you think Jamie? Will he come this year?" Asks the girl I've come to know as Pippa.

"Of course he will! He promised!" Jamie exclaims.

"I think we should all start heading home.." I say, glancing around the dark streets "You're parents may be getting worried."

"Nah, nothing ever happens here. The most exciting thing was when we had to fight the Boogeyman!" Caleb yells, wiggling his fingers spookily at Claude.

"That was scary.." Monty backs away from Caleb.

"But then Jack helped us! And the guardians made sure he wouldn't be back!" Jamie exclaims triumphantly.

"You all have a great imagination!" I giggle "and when did this all happen?"

"We didn't make it up. It did happen!" Cupcake chimes in "Right after Easter a year or two ago!"

"Easter, huh?" I ask "so, did you see the Easter Bunny? Is he as cute as everyone makes him sound?"

Although I don't believe in them, I've always secretly hoped and dreamed that the old fairy tails were real. Every story has some truth to it.

"He's not cute! He's huge!" Jamie yells indignantly.

"And he has boomerangs!" Pippa adds.

"And exploding egg grenades!" The twins exclaim in unison.

"He sounds awesome!" I smile at them. It really would be amazing if he were real.