Right Where We Belong
Thea
The first time that I woke up, all I knew was that my shoulder was burning and I didn't know why. It consumed my senses. My mind couldn't function properly for the feel of it. Moans finally reached my ear. Part of my mind wondered who was in pain. Then some other more rational part of it realized it was me. I was moaning. I would have considered being embarrassed if it weren't for the pain that radiated throughout my body raking me with waves of nausea as I tried to move. A weight pressed down on my good shoulder and I struggled against it despite the sickness that clenched my stomach. Something cool touched my forehead and a low, masculine voice whispered in my ear. I couldn't understand what was being said, but it calmed me. I whimpered as I subsided and lay back on the bedding. Yes that was bedding beneath me. Not soft like my own at home, but enough for me.
Instead of dreaming, I slipped into memories. I was seven years old again. My mother and father were being stolen away from me by the big black cars that drove in front of us. Jamie's head was in my lap as she cried while Annie had been biting her lip hard the whole time. We all knew what it meant, but none of us wanted to admit that mom and dad were never coming home. The car we were in turned as the black cars continued forward. I remembered screaming at the top of my lungs even as the man driving promised that everything was going to be just fine. We were going to a new home. We were going to love it there.
Why hadn't he told us he was lying.
I was twelve before I realized exactly why Annie hated our new "father" and why Jamie flinched every time he touched her. I was twelve the day that Annie almost killed him for sticking his tongue down Jamie's throat. A part of me hadn't wanted to stop her. Only our "mother's" threat that Annie would be taken way and never given back stopped me. After all, parents knew best even if they weren't real parents, didn't they? After that, he never went near Jamie or Annie or I again. If he had, I probably would have killed myself, no matter what Annie always thought of me.
The next time I came to, the pain was still in my shoulder, but it wasn't the all-consuming fire I had known before. That was a little comfort, but still only a little. My eyes opened for the first time since I had lost awareness. The ceiling of the room was wood. It looked like something out of a Norse or Medieval movie. My eyes roved the room. I could remember vaguely feeling nauseous when I had moved. I didn't want to risk that again. What I could see of the room was bare and Spartan in appearance. I tried to force out a sound or something. All that came out was a half strangled attempt at a noise.
Someone rushed over to my side and I caught a glimpse of long golden blonde hair and masculine features. Something was taken from my forehead and a gentle hand took it's place. "It seems your fever has broken. We were wondering if you were going to pull through." The hand was pulled away. It moved to the back of my neck and helped me keep my head up. "You need to drink." The man's voice ordered as something wooden touched my lip. The only way I could help was to open my mouth a little. Water poured into my mouth and I swallowed it the best I could. The man was patient with me and gave me water in only small amounts for which I was very grateful. "Rest now. You're safe here."
As I lost consciousness again, the only thought that floated through my mind was that this was the oddest hospital I had ever heard of.
I dreamed something was half memory this time. Annie, Jamie, and I were walking down the trails. The last moments that I could remember before...I wasn't sure what happened after that really. I remembered the mist and the rain. I remembered saying that we should go back. And then...nothing. Silence. My sisters had vanished as the rain poured around me harder and harder making the ground a thick concoction of mud.
I had taken deep breaths trying desperately not to panic, even as I looked around wondering where I was. I had closed my eyes again, concentrating and listening. Maybe if I could find where Annie and Jamie were things would be okay. Maybe this was just a silly prank gone wrong. Instead, I had heard horses and shouting in the distance. Something had drawn me towards it even as I heard what seemed like death cries and clashes of metal. It wasn't real was it? This was dream, not memory. People didn't have sword fights anymore, not like what I was hearing. Even as that thought shot through my subconscious mind, I ran with all my might, finally breaking into the open. A small river and a small group of men. Only one was mounted and the others were on foot fighting ugly creatures the likes of which I had only ever seen in movies. "Hey!" I yelled. I wasn't sure what it was supposed to do for me or anyone, but it was the only thing I could think to do.
Creatures and men turned to look at me, one party recovering first and killing the other to claim victory. A single creature roared in rage. Most of its companions turned back towards the men trying to regain their upper hand. The furious leader didn't. He came towards me instead, brandishing a crude wicked looking sword. I could feel my heart stutter to a stop. I tried to convince my body to move, but I couldn't. I was going to die here. Could you die in your dreams? And if you did, would you stay dead? I didn't know, but I was had no doubt that I would find out soon. A part of me was absolutely scared by that fact. I didn't want to die in a dream or reality. I had to know my sisters were okay first.
Movement propelled me to the side even as the blade came down. Pain ripped through me as the blade glanced off my shoulder. A scream clawed its way up my throat and ripped itself from my lungs as I fell into the water. The creature fell across my legs and lay there. Darkness descended upon me as I breathed in water.
Suddenly I was pushing myself and staring at a lake surrounded by mountains and trees. Annie and Jamie stood behind me talking eagerly, but I wasn't watching them. From the far side of the lake, two figures had emerged from the trees and were coming towards us. I knew them. I knew them both. I just didn't know who they were. They were two of three. I knew that. But what three? What two? And then the answer dawned on me as I called their names, running forward.
I shot up from the bed, pain shooting through my shoulder. My heart was racing as I stared wide-eyed at nothing. Dreams. They were only dreams. Weren't they?
Instead of dreaming, I slipped into memories. I was seven years old again. My mother and father were being stolen away from me by the big black cars that drove in front of us. Jamie's head was in my lap as she cried while Annie had been biting her lip hard the whole time. We all knew what it meant, but none of us wanted to admit that mom and dad were never coming home. The car we were in turned as the black cars continued forward. I remembered screaming at the top of my lungs even as the man driving promised that everything was going to be just fine. We were going to a new home. We were going to love it there.
Why hadn't he told us he was lying.
I was twelve before I realized exactly why Annie hated our new "father" and why Jamie flinched every time he touched her. I was twelve the day that Annie almost killed him for sticking his tongue down Jamie's throat. A part of me hadn't wanted to stop her. Only our "mother's" threat that Annie would be taken way and never given back stopped me. After all, parents knew best even if they weren't real parents, didn't they? After that, he never went near Jamie or Annie or I again. If he had, I probably would have killed myself, no matter what Annie always thought of me.
The next time I came to, the pain was still in my shoulder, but it wasn't the all-consuming fire I had known before. That was a little comfort, but still only a little. My eyes opened for the first time since I had lost awareness. The ceiling of the room was wood. It looked like something out of a Norse or Medieval movie. My eyes roved the room. I could remember vaguely feeling nauseous when I had moved. I didn't want to risk that again. What I could see of the room was bare and Spartan in appearance. I tried to force out a sound or something. All that came out was a half strangled attempt at a noise.
Someone rushed over to my side and I caught a glimpse of long golden blonde hair and masculine features. Something was taken from my forehead and a gentle hand took it's place. "It seems your fever has broken. We were wondering if you were going to pull through." The hand was pulled away. It moved to the back of my neck and helped me keep my head up. "You need to drink." The man's voice ordered as something wooden touched my lip. The only way I could help was to open my mouth a little. Water poured into my mouth and I swallowed it the best I could. The man was patient with me and gave me water in only small amounts for which I was very grateful. "Rest now. You're safe here."
As I lost consciousness again, the only thought that floated through my mind was that this was the oddest hospital I had ever heard of.
I dreamed something was half memory this time. Annie, Jamie, and I were walking down the trails. The last moments that I could remember before...I wasn't sure what happened after that really. I remembered the mist and the rain. I remembered saying that we should go back. And then...nothing. Silence. My sisters had vanished as the rain poured around me harder and harder making the ground a thick concoction of mud.
I had taken deep breaths trying desperately not to panic, even as I looked around wondering where I was. I had closed my eyes again, concentrating and listening. Maybe if I could find where Annie and Jamie were things would be okay. Maybe this was just a silly prank gone wrong. Instead, I had heard horses and shouting in the distance. Something had drawn me towards it even as I heard what seemed like death cries and clashes of metal. It wasn't real was it? This was dream, not memory. People didn't have sword fights anymore, not like what I was hearing. Even as that thought shot through my subconscious mind, I ran with all my might, finally breaking into the open. A small river and a small group of men. Only one was mounted and the others were on foot fighting ugly creatures the likes of which I had only ever seen in movies. "Hey!" I yelled. I wasn't sure what it was supposed to do for me or anyone, but it was the only thing I could think to do.
Creatures and men turned to look at me, one party recovering first and killing the other to claim victory. A single creature roared in rage. Most of its companions turned back towards the men trying to regain their upper hand. The furious leader didn't. He came towards me instead, brandishing a crude wicked looking sword. I could feel my heart stutter to a stop. I tried to convince my body to move, but I couldn't. I was going to die here. Could you die in your dreams? And if you did, would you stay dead? I didn't know, but I was had no doubt that I would find out soon. A part of me was absolutely scared by that fact. I didn't want to die in a dream or reality. I had to know my sisters were okay first.
Movement propelled me to the side even as the blade came down. Pain ripped through me as the blade glanced off my shoulder. A scream clawed its way up my throat and ripped itself from my lungs as I fell into the water. The creature fell across my legs and lay there. Darkness descended upon me as I breathed in water.
Suddenly I was pushing myself and staring at a lake surrounded by mountains and trees. Annie and Jamie stood behind me talking eagerly, but I wasn't watching them. From the far side of the lake, two figures had emerged from the trees and were coming towards us. I knew them. I knew them both. I just didn't know who they were. They were two of three. I knew that. But what three? What two? And then the answer dawned on me as I called their names, running forward.
I shot up from the bed, pain shooting through my shoulder. My heart was racing as I stared wide-eyed at nothing. Dreams. They were only dreams. Weren't they?