Keeping Her Safe

Catching Tara singing

“Nicole, are these yours?” Tara asked the next morning when she walked in holding the letters. “They have your name on them, who are they from?” she asked as I took them. The top letter said to read it first so I opened it.

Dear Nicole,

            It’s hard to explain how you got these letters since I don’t have your address but the time will come when you will find out how they came to you. I know what you have been through. No one your age or any age should have to go through such a hardship and have to deal with the nightmares alone.

            Like your friend said in your dream, yes I know what you dreamed about, read a letter that is labeled how you are feeling whenever you feel that way. If you need another letter for the same feeling, place the old one under your pillow and the next morning a new one will be there with the old one. Through this, I hope to be able to help you get over your fears and get rid of your nightmares.

            Until the next letter, I hope you have a great day and that nothing happens that the EMTs have to come back.

                                                                                    Until then,

                                                                                                ??????

“Who is it from? How do they know about this?” Tara asked as Kennedy walked into the room. “Did you sleep here last night?” Tara asked looking up at her.

“No, came over to work on the door when Ms. Jane went out this morning to run to the store,” she explained.  “What are those?”

“We don’t know, someone knows what happened and sent these letters,” I explained counting 7 letters.  “Where did you find these?” I asked Tara as I turned to her.

“They were on the bed side table, they weren’t there last night when we put you on the bed,” she explained. “By the way, how are you feeling?”

“Ok, feel good really, had the first good night sleep in a while,” I said sitting the letters down. “I had a dream but no one died, you had these posters with sayings that apply to my life. My favorite one was one that had Misha on it, said something like if I ever needed him to call, like Dean did when he needed Cass,” I explained.

“Yeah you would like that one,” Tara picked on me.  “Come on, we need to unpack and get ready for school Monday,” she said as she left the room and started to unpack her bags in the room we shared last night.

I sat down at the table and grabbed a green apple from the middle of the table and took a bite out of it. Without thinking about it, I started to scratch my arm where I had cut myself yesterday. “Nicole, stop,” Kennedy said grabbing my hand to stop me.  “Just don’t think about them ok, you have school to think about right now. Speaking of school, I can give you two rides Monday since I’m going by the college anyway for work.”

“Where do you work?” I asked as she let my hand go.

“I own my own photography business,” she said.

“How old are you?” I asked surprised because she looked to be 25, she couldn’t have her own business.

“I’m 24; I know what you are thinking. With some help from a rich uncle who cares about me a lot, he helped me get a studio and now I run my own business down the street from the college,” she explained.  “If you guys ever get done early you are welcome to come by and spend the day with me and leave with me,” she offered.