Away From The Grey

Chapter 2: Not So Grey Anymore

Dallas opened her eyes, the world still too vivid.

"What the hell is going on?" She demanded. Not knowing if that man she saw running towards her was a dream or not.

Silence.

She didn't want to open her eyes fully again but opened them just enough to let in shapes. She was in her room. But how? She had never had a dream of being in her own home. Now that she thought about it she doesn't remember ever coming back to the house. Somewhere in the house she hears a dog bark. It was her dog Charlie who had vanished 2 weeks ago when the Grey came. Dallas was officially lost. Has she dreamt about the grey or was it real? Where was she? She knew she couldn't lay in bed forever and slowly opened her eyes. After what felt like an eternity, she was able to take in the room she knew just a few weeks ago. Nothing seemed out of place or to have changed at all. It couldn't have been a dream. It was too real and who even dreams of living for two weeks straight. She shrugged it off noticing for the first time she was feeling emotions. Confusion, frustration on even some anxiety. Dallas swung her legs off her bed and noticed the loud squeak that she missed. Her feet touched the cold wood floor beneath her.

What an awful dream she thought to herself.

She wasn't sure which was real or fake anymore but she preferred this world and as she opened her door Charlie pounced on her and bombarded her with affection as if maybe it was true that she hadn't seen him in weeks. She relished the happiness she felt and the soft hairs of her dogs rolling next to her. She was glad to be back and hoped that it would last forever. She heard music from downstairs and immediately knew it was her little brother Jonas. She felt annoyed over his loud obnoxious music. She liked that. She enjoyed feeling even the negative emotions. Excited over it all she ran down the stairs to find her 13-year-old brother playing the air guitar on the couch to a fake audience. He hadn't even noticed her. She tackled him and began messing his hair up. She missed the little brat more than she could have anticipated.

"Dallas! Get off of me! What is wrong with you?" He attempted to shove her away with his weak arms.

"Nothing brat! Where is mom and dad?" she asked.

"At the store buying more food since you decide to eat all the good snacks and never leave me any." His scowl made her laugh.

"Hey Dallas, by the way your friend is waiting for you in the kitchen. I told him you were still asleep but he said he would wait for you."

Dallas was confused. She wasn't planning for any of her friends to come over, not like just a few hours ago she was planning much of anything. The confusion between the two identical yet vastly different words were giving her a headache. At that she let Jonas go back to his imaginary concert. As she walked through the hallway to the kitchen, she ran her fingers along the wall feeling the cold bumpy surface under her finger tips. She crossed through the open entry way there he was. The man from her dream. He wasn't sweating but the look of fear was still in his eyes. Her headache pounded. This is only the second time in her life she had seen him.

"Who are you?" Dallas asked him?
"My name is Hunter and we don't have much time to talk. Will you go on a walk with me and I will do my best to explain it all."

"Uh....Listen I don't know you, my head hurts and I just had the weirdest dream. I'm not even sure if I'm actually awake right now but I would really like to enjoy this all if it is a dream. So if you wouldn't mind I'll stay here." At her words a sad look appeared on his face. He shook his head.

"Dallas you need to trust me. Please."
"How do you know my name?"

"Please Dallas, this world is in danger and I need your help, but we cannot talk about it here because they are watching your home. Your family is in danger if you stay." Nausea hit Dallas. Her skin was turning pale at the thought of any harm coming to Jonas or her parents. She nodded without another word and walked out the front door with Hunter.