I stopped to pet the horses and talked to them like they were my old friends. “How you doing, Smokey?” I asked. “You miss me?” Izzy hung her gigantic head over the fence for her share of attention. I leaned over to kiss her on her nose while Smokey nudged my arm. They remembered me and how much I loved them. The mints were in the tack room where they always were. The horses gobbled the two handfuls I took when I emptied the dish before the caretaker came back and bitched about me giving them too much. Her name was Holly and she was very territorial when it came to the horses, even though they weren’t hers. She made the rest of the staff miserable and earned the sarcastic nickname ‘Jolly Holly.’ Remembering her gave me a little confidence boost, since she wasn’t very memorable to many people.
As I continued my stroll, I peeked into the riding arena. I remembered riding the horses with Paige and racing them after Aunt Fay told us to put them away for the night. She was my sidekick and we always got into trouble together. Nothing major, just annoying stuff.
I eyed all the beautiful plantings while I walked toward the stream that led to the river. Pink, yellow, lavender and red flowers, planted in prize-winning formation, sprung out from the sides of every rock. The quiet buzzed in my ears and I looked for a good place to relax and let my mind go wherever it wanted. The huge boulders that lined the stream served the purpose, so I wedged myself between two of them to watch the rushing water. It felt refreshing, in a feng shui sort of way, and I thought my newfound spirituality would have made my mother happy. That’s when the thoughts of the condition of my mind bombarded me. How would I know what was a real memory and what wasn’t? I knew this couldn’t have been my life on that first day in the hospital. How could I have imagined every detail of my recent existence? It hurt my head to think about it anymore. I was chasing down answers that no one had, at least none that I liked. I didn’t really believe I had hallucinated, but was there any other explanation? Before I went back to the house, I tossed a few pebbles into the stream and made a wish on one of them like I was at a mall fountain. I wished for my old life back.
Fay and I had dinner while we looked through more old pictures. My memory was coming back to me, quicker than anyone had predicted. By the next week, I would know enough about every guest to carry on a half way intelligent conversation.
My little journey through time had exhausted me, mentally and physically. As we sat sipping lemon water at the fancy cherrywood kitchen table, I struggled to keep myself from slumping over onto it. With no more energy for good manners, I gave into my craving for sleep at 6:30. “I’m really tired, Aunt Fay. Mind if I turn in early?”
“Of course not. You feeling okay otherwise, though? You sure you’re just tired?”
“Yeah. It’s just been a long day and I think a night’s sleep without my noisy neighbor will make me feel even better.”
Fay smiled. “Yeah, and I probably kept you too busy today. Get some rest and if you need anything, just call me on the intercom or my cell. I’m always near one of them. Good night, sweetheart.”
Chapter 7
Remember Me
I could have lived in my bedroom alone, with its royal-like atmosphere, beautiful views and enough space for everything I ever owned. The Old English décor was interrupted by a few familiar items placed deliberately where I could see them. I guessed Aunt Fay knew I would take this room because of my mother’s affinity for it. At some point, she had gone to New York and taken some things that would make me feel at home.
My favorite picture of my parents and me sat right in the middle of my enormous, antique dresser. It was taken when we were in Florida swimming with the dolphins. The photographer told Dad to kiss the baby one, and Mom and I laughed so hard because he was so afraid of them. Too much Discovery Channel, I guess. He puckered up anyway, mostly for our amusement. It was one of his rare attempts at being a tough guy. My father was more of the fluffy type, but that’s part of what made him such a good man.
On the desk were my favorite books, all neatly lined up alphabetically. I remembered reading each of them at least twice. My eyelids grew so heavy that I didn’t have the energy, or the patience, to look at everything. I would do that tomorrow.
The uncomfortable quiet came back and I tried to drown it out with my iPod. Most of the music I had there reminded me of happy times, but listening to those songs now turned them into painful memories. I pulled the plug and flung open the window over the stream. Something had to help me sleep since the drugs were out of my system. The warm breeze stroked my face and carried the fragrant smell of the flower garden to my room. After quickly running through my nightly regimen, I crawled under my fluffy comforter and closed my eyes. Thoughts of my parents rushed through my mind. Thoughts of William, whoever he was, quickly followed. Those beautiful green eyes and that handsome smile escorted me to sleep.
˜ * ˜
I sat on the biggest rock near the footbridge and scooped up a handful of pebbles. The crickets chirped louder when I tossed the little stones into the stream, trying to change the direction of the water. As I leaned over to see if I had been successful, the reflection stopped me from breathing. I saw him. William. At first, he said nothing and stared back at me with the beautiful smile that had never left my mind. And then he spoke in that unmistakable British accent.
“Lexi, I’m here. I’m right here with you. I miss you so much. I can explain everything in time, but you have to believe that your life with me was not a hallucination. Remember me. I love you, Lexi girl.”
My eyes popped open when I tried to talk to him, and I was back in my bed, which had become disgustingly saturated with sweat. “Holy shit!” I screamed and dove out of bed and over to the window to see if William was really there by the stream. Of course, he wasn’t.
A whirlwind of partial images, thought slivers, dreams, and possibly even nightmares spun around my mind and I tried to stuff the rationality back in like it was a pimento in an olive. “I know him. How do I know him? How could I know him?” It was so damned vivid. The last time I dreamt something that real was—the dragonflies. This was no different. His scent teased my nostrils as the breeze blew it past my face. The warm smile on his face crept inside me so I felt his warmth, too. I heard the inflection change in his voice as he spoke each word. That couldn’t have been a dream.
“Stop!” I mumbled to myself. “You’re smarter than this. Fight it.” It was just a dream. The friggin’ dreams are back, I thought.
The covers were still warm, but too moist to find any comfort. I threw them over the sheet and sprawled myself on top. My pillow had managed to make it through the journey without getting wet so I bunched it up and shoved my arms underneath. I contemplated telling Aunt Fay, but she would definitely call the doctor and he would drug me up again. Part of me thought that might not be such a bad idea. Being numb for awhile might be a good break from reality.
I lay on my bed, digging deeper in my mind for anything that could explain what just happened. It didn’t take long before the notion rushed in, as if an old Italian grandmother was chasing it with a broom. Was it a sign? If my mind was playing tricks on me, and I didn’t imagine the last part of my life, then maybe the dreams were my brain’s way of letting me know what was real and what wasn’t. Was William real? Somewhere? Some time?
I bolted over to my desk and fumbled to find the switch on the old-fashioned desk lamp. The floorboards creaked a little when my feet pounded over them, but not enough for Aunt Fay to hear. Paper clips and thumb tacks spilled on the desk and I knocked a few on the floor as I ransacked the drawers until I found a pen and notepad. I scribbled down everything William said to me as best I could remember and slipped the book under my bed. I would deal with it tomorrow when I was in a better frame of mind.
˜ * ˜
“Morning, Lex,” Aunt Fay called when she heard the thump of my footsteps coming down the stairs. “How did you sleep? Were you warm enough? I saw you left the window open. Were you too cold?” She poked her head out of the
dining room.
“Morning, Aunt Fay. Oh, I slept pretty well,” I said confidently. The house was so big that I was pretty safe from having her hear any talking I may have done in my sleep. “What’s on the agenda today?” I asked, while I walked toward the kitchen for some very much-needed coffee.
“We’re going shopping for your party dress!” That sounded as fun as, well, nothing. No one had to tell me that I didn’t like shopping, especially when my mood had gone from hopeful to lousy, thanks to the weird night I had.
“Great!” I squeezed from my lips. “I’ll go get ready,” I said and headed back for the stairs, juggling my oversized coffee mug filled to the top.
“Hey, Lex, wait,” she called after me. “What do you think about getting some extensions today, too? You must miss your long hair. They look really good these days. You can’t even tell.” She held up her mug in a cheers motion and took a gulp.
I liked that idea. At least I wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable with my appearance. The discomfort inside my head was enough. “Sounds good to me,” I shouted back.
“Perfect. I’ll make the appointment.”
The Short Hills mall, filled mostly with rich and beautiful people, was a place I had only been to a few times in my life. I felt a little out of my element at first, but after Aunt Fay introduced me to a few of the salespeople at her favorite shops, I felt like one of the girls. She bought me a gorgeous dress to wear for my homecoming party, which cost more than my father used to earn in a week. Guilt—the one emotion I avoided, dropped by, but the visit was quick. Buying that dress for me made her happy and that was enough to feel good about.
My hair extensions were a huge success too, and I could even twirl my hair around my fingers again. I almost felt like my old self, minus the self-pity. Being busy all afternoon kept my mind preoccupied and I didn’t get much of a chance to analyze the prior night’s events, real or imagined. I needed that time to take a mental siesta instead of trying to remember things all the time. Knowing Aunt Fay, that was probably her plan.
Nighttime came and I managed to make it to 8 o’clock before I excused myself and dragged my weary ass upstairs. I changed clothes and got ready for bed, keeping my mind busy thinking about the party. Visions of my old friends, what I would say to them, and what they would think of me, kept my mind focused on reality. Sort of like my mother used to suggest when I dreamt about the dragonflies. My eyes got droopy and I never even felt myself slip off to sleep.
The cool breeze touched my face, waking me up to the sweet smell of the flowers outside my window. I scrunched up my eye and looked for the clock on the nightstand. It said 2:30 a.m. At least I wasn’t having any of those weird dreams, I thought. I rolled over, snuggled myself in my comforter, and went back to my very peaceful slumber.
˜ * ˜
“Lexi girl, open your eyes. You have to know the truth. I promised you I would remind you. Please, Lexi.”
My head felt dizzy when the blood rushed from it and I could feel that knot weaving itself in my stomach. My eyelids fluttered and I found myself back at the stream with William. “This is completely in-friggin’-sane!” I tried to force myself awake from what I thought was just a dream, but he started talking again and something in my head told me to listen.
“Come and sit next to me.” He motioned for me to join him on the rocks, and of course, I obliged. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” he said with a laugh. “Let me give you the short version.” I sat there quietly, maybe in a bit of shock, not knowing if I could talk in whatever state I was in. I listened to what I somehow knew was the truth.
“It was June first, twenty-ten, when your family was in the accident. Your mother and father were killed instantly. You survived, but were in a coma for a few weeks. During that time, you went to another world. My world. Your life continued as if the accident had never taken place. My world is the alternate universe to yours, where time goes so fast it almost stands still. In your world, you’re taught to rationalize and think things through, hindering your natural instincts. Because of that, the natural balance in your world has been altered. Things happen there that shouldn’t. Fate has been thrown off by the human rationale. In other words, your parents weren’t meant to die in that accident. In fact, that accident never should have happened. Your mother and father were brought to my world where they will live their lives as they would have if nature were not defied. The balance there is perfect—the way your world should have been.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, or seeing, or dreaming, or imagining. It wasn’t the first time I’d questioned my sanity, so I continued listening to this beautiful image tell me what I had thought the day I woke up—that it was real.
“You, Lexi girl, were a different story. If you had been killed, you would have come with your parents. But since you were stuck in a coma, you couldn’t go to one world or the other. No one knows exactly how you got to my world. There have only been instances of crossing over while comatose by those with a type of sixth sense. You obviously have that. Your parents love you immensely and wanted you to stay with them. You must remember having a bunch of fainting spells and blackouts?” He asked as casually as asking me to pass the salt.
I nodded.
“They weren’t really fainting spells. It was the people in your world trying to pull you out of the coma. We counteracted their efforts by giving you drugs that your mother was able to get on the black market. They knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, but they love you so much, Lexi. They didn’t want to let you go. But it started becoming too dangerous for you. Fate was intervening. You were fainting for longer periods of time. We were afraid to hurt you or, even worse, kill you. None of us wanted you to leave, Lexi. I begged your father to let me try to keep you with us. It was against our laws of nature, but I knew it had been done before. I was able to contact the right people, only it was too late. You left our world sooner than we expected.” He stared at my expression, which was that of fear and confusion, and waited for me to say something. It took a while until I finally came up with a few words, none of which formed a complete sentence.
“You mean... all of... everything I remembered since... it was... it was... REAL?” I stammered, caving into my insatiable need to have my memories validated. “How did you get here? Are you... alive?” I shuddered at my stupidity.
“I am alive, Lexi, and so are your parents. In my world,” he assured me. “I know you have so many questions and it’s hard for you to understand all of this. It goes against what you’ve been taught. But you have to keep an open mind, Lex.” He threw his arms around me and held me tight. He smelled just as I had remembered. I leaned my head into his shoulder, hoping and praying it wasn’t a dream. I wanted him… no, I needed him to be real.
“I know it’s hard to believe and this is a lot for you, especially now, but I couldn’t wait anymore. I had to tell you so I could follow through on my promise of bringing you home. You have to trust me, Lexi,” he pleaded. “Whatever you do, you can’t tell anyone about my visit. They don’t know about my world. I can bring you here, to live a good life with your parents and me. You just have to have a will that’s strong enough and I can help you cross over to my world.”
As his impossible explanation started to creep around my mind and poison my brain cells, my genius took over. I pushed him away, defying my thirst to stay in his arms until the day I died. Maybe even after. “That’s impossible!” I screamed and wobbled off the rock to my feet. “This is just a nightmare. I... I don’t believe you! You’re just in my imagination. I... I’m completely nuts! I don’t know why you’re in my mind but... Get out of my head and...”
“Look at your hand, Lexi.” William interfered with my breakdown, lifting my arm to my face. “Look at your hand, and then if you still want me to leave, I will.”
I looked down at both of my palms, which were shaking and wet with sweat. “Yeah, and?” I said sarcastically.
“Turn them over.”
I turn
ed my palms over so that I was staring at the tops of my hands. Warily, I held the right one up to get a closer look. The scar across my knuckles made me weak, as memories of how it got there flashed in front of me. William caught me before I hit the ground.
“Remember how you got that?” he asked.
I didn’t know what to believe at that point, and I tried to be rational, or at least a little realistic, about the whole thing.
“The accident was bad. I would have gotten cuts and bruises.” I didn’t really believe a word that came out of my own mouth.
“Could have been.” He tried to force my brain to come to its own conclusion and asked, “But why are there no other marks on your arms or legs? Don’t you find it odd that you have only one clean slice across the knuckles?”
The minute he said those words something inside me clicked. I remembered saying those exact words when I cut my hand in the Bahamas. I looked at my hand again. It was one clean slice across the knuckles.
“The Bahamas?” I was floored.
“The Bahamas,” was all he said.
I loved him. Without question, I loved him. I knew then that his story was true and I was a rare breed that had gotten stuck between both worlds. Having tasted that one, I could only dream of going back. If I knew how to do that, I would be with William and my parents and all would be right with the world. Their world.
We stayed together on the rocks while the water swirled around in the stream below. I had so many questions and I knew he had so much more to tell me, but that didn’t seem to be the time. I wanted to just be with him. I didn’t want to think anymore, or hear anymore, or know anymore. I just wanted to be.
I woke up peacefully, a little after 3:00 a.m., in a foggy, twilight state of mind. I didn’t want to forget a thing, but I knew I would once I went back to sleep. I slid my hand underneath the bed, pulled out the notebook and scribbled all I could remember about my incredibly strange meeting. As I did, I could feel the disbelief being forced out of my mind by my new reality. My memories were real. He was real.
The Dragonfly Prophecy Page 5
