I pushed it open. Stepping inside, there was a blinding light which forced me to close my eyes. I held my hand up to shield them.
Blinking them open, I found myself in a cage suspended from the high ceiling of a stark white room. Below me a girl was tied to a bed. The water level around her was growing higher and higher.
‘Oh my god! Help me!’ Her screams brought tears to my eyes, and I recognised the frightened voice.
‘Rose!’ I shook the bars of my cage but couldn’t break free.
I was trying to reach her by stretching my arms towards her. I was so high and far away, all I could do was watch and listen as my beautiful friend was slowly consumed by the rushing water. Defeated, I fell back into my hanging prison, weeping uncontrollably.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
‘Amelia! You’re okay. I’m here. Joe’s here.’
His voice pulled me from my dream, and as I rubbed my eyes, I discovered they were wet with tears, as was my now damp pillow. Trying to breathe through them, I sat up leaning my back on the bedhead.
‘Wow that was intense.’ I laughed uncomfortably, wiping my face with the front of my loose pyjama top.
‘Are you okay?’ He sat himself beside me on my bed.
‘Yeah, just a crazy dream.’ Running my fingers through my messy hair, I realised I must have looked a wreck.
My dreams were coming back with a vengeance, trying to make up for the weeks I’d spent unable to hear them. Despite how frightening and confusing they were, I’d missed them. I’d missed feeling like someone or something was trying to give me clues and guide me.
‘We’re getting ready to rescue Rose.’ I could sense his eagerness. ‘Are you coming with us?’
‘Really? Yeah, I won’t be a minute.’ Absorbing the enthusiasm he exuded and excited he had decided to let me go along, I rushed to get dressed. Climbing out of bed, I found a pair of black shorts and a grey singlet. After pulling them on, I brushed my hair back into its usual ponytail and slid my thongs on as I headed out the door smiling once again at how good it felt to dress as I liked.
Everyone was sitting around the table under the gazebo, eating scrambled eggs topped with ham. As I sat down, Dawn slid a plate in front of me. ‘You will all need your strength today.’
She enjoyed having us sitting together, her mismatched family.
After breakfast and running through our plan once more, I climbed into Joe’s old Kingswood with him and Sarah. Yvette and Andrew rode in an old green car that I doubted would actually start. After a few turns of the key and a shudder, it roared to life, and we waved to Dawn as we left. Concern was written across her face.
Did she know something we didn’t, or was it her worry for us that made her look so sad?
In that moment, I told myself that it wasn’t a sign something might go wrong, that I was reading too far into things once again.
On our way into town, we stopped back at my rescue vehicle. After Joe removed the old license plates and replaced them with new ones, we took off towards the city, leaving the Kingswood behind. Joe hoped that even though they may look for the new car, the different number plates would throw them off. At least long enough to get in to the facility and out with Rose. The drive was long and quiet. A nervous tension filled the car, and I thought it might suffocate me until Joe wound down his window as though sensing my claustrophobia. My knees bounced anxiously. I tried to take deep breaths of the fresh air that bellowed through the window and focus on the bright blue sky above us. Finally, we arrived at the MMC facility and pulled into the parking lot alongside the enormous building.
I’d never sat back and taken in how big the building was. The floors reached into the sky, made of glass and mirror to reflect the buildings and traffic around it, as though they had attempted to make it invisible. It wasn’t, though, and the sight of it planted a seed of dread deep in the pit of my stomach. Memories I’d tried to push aside came back from the day I’d had my whispered conversation with Cameron and had been dragged off to the Psychiatric Ward. It felt like only yesterday I was forced to stay in the ward, and the thought of being put back inside petrified me. For this reason, Joe decided that although I didn’t have to wait at home, I was to wait in the getaway car. I was thankful he had made that decision.
Joe and Sarah climbed out, and as they did, I grabbed a hold of Joe’s left hand. ‘Please be careful!’
‘See you soon.’ His smile reassured me, and for a moment, my fear fell away.
Loosening my grip, I waved nervously as they both walked away. I had wanted to get Rose out desperately, but now, the reality of what I was asking of my friends caved in on me. I prayed no harm would come to them because of me and my new-found selfishness. It was a fine line between doing things for yourself and being selfish, a line I’d been stepping too far over time and time again. Ignoring my negative thoughts, I ran through the plan in my head. Although it sounded simple, my personal experience of escape told me that not everything always went to plan, another thing I was learning as I tried to explore the world looking out for myself.
Sarah, dressed in a Nurse’s coat, was to scan the Wristochip I had taped to my left wrist to travel up to Level Ten. The first scan of her wrist would show if it would get her all the way up to the Psychiatric Ward. After the initial worry of whether or not the Wristochip would work, she was to ride the elevator to Level Ten. Meanwhile, Joe would go to Dr. Muller’s office and keep her occupied while Sarah asked to speak to Rose in her bedroom. Once they were both inside Rose’s room, she would instruct Rose to pack her bag and then proceed to discharge her from the ward and take her down to Level One. On Level One, Yvette and Andrew would distract the guards and everyone else by conducting a peaceful protest against the MMC. Then, fingers crossed, Sarah and Rose would arrive at the car, closely followed by the others. She would finally be free, and everyone I cared about would be safe from the MMC.
Although it sounded easy, I knew that things could go terribly wrong and my head battled between excitement and anxiety and fear.
‘Please let them all be safe,’ speaking aloud, I looked towards the sky, my hands pressed palm to palm.
I’d never had any religious preference, but at that moment, I would have followed any god who could have promised my friends’ safe return. Wishing I had taken note of the time they’d left, I sat tapping my foot on the floor of the car, my knee bouncing vigorously. Looking out at the people and traffic as they went about their business, they appeared completely oblivious to what was going on in the prominent building they passed everyday on their way to work or shopping.
Despite the car still running with the air conditioner on, the heat was stifling. Sunlight poured through the windscreen onto my left thigh, and although I tried to move out of its way, the temperature combined with nerves got the better of me. It couldn’t hurt to stretch my legs. I would stay close to the car.
The air was still warm when I climbed out, but I found myself a spot of shade that wasn’t too far away from the car. The sheltered area was cooler, but didn’t help time pass any faster. To kill time, I watched a crow as it foraged through a large industrial bin with a warped lid across the car park. It carelessly threw its contents to the ground, its mind set on one thing, food.
Strangely, it reminded me of the MMC, rummaging through our minds and ignoring the mess they were making with their eyes set on one prize, money. It was hard to imagine that a company, or rather a group of companies, who already had so much of it were willing to go to such lengths to make even more, even if it meant hurting the people who provided their wealth.
Money had never been very important to my family. Mum and Dad always had enough to pay the bills, but they never splurged or spoiled me. Sometimes I would become jealous of Sarah’s brand-name clothing and the expensive gifts her mum bought her. As I grew older, I appreciated that my parents hadn’t spoiled me and I’d learnt to value what I had. Sarah had been lucky she wasn’t a Dreamer. She needed her good paying job to afford her spending h
abits, which always had her crying poor and left her broke days before her next paycheque. From new dresses to the latest technological trends, Sarah always had to have the best.
A scuffle of feet alerted my attention to the front of the building. Sarah and Rose ran towards me.
‘Amelia, in the car!’
Quickly, I clambered into the front passenger seat. My heart raced with excitement, and both of the girls pulled open a door and climbed into the back.
‘Are you okay?’ They were looking nervously towards the front of the building.
‘We’re fine. Everything went to plan.’ Sarah smiled, high on adrenalin after her risky adventure. Rose sat, stunned, trying to take in the whole situation. Reaching my hand out, I took hers, and she forced a smile, her eyes still wide.
Soon after, Yvette and Andrew walked around the corner and approached their car, giving us a wave as they flung open their doors.
‘Where’s Joe?’ Nervous tension clung to my voice.
‘He should be out by now.’ Sarah’s eyes reflected my feelings. ‘There he is!’
Sighing with relief, I grinned as he approached the car and climbed into the driver’s seat.
He turned to Rose. ‘Happy to finally meet you, Rose.’ Then he put the car into drive and left the parking lot, closely followed by Yvette and Andrew.
Everyone in the car was quiet considering what we’d just achieved. There was such a sombre mood, you’d have thought that instead of rescuing Rose without a hitch, the whole plan had fallen to pieces and one of our comrades had fallen. As I looked at them one by one, they were focused on the blur of scenery that passed us, and deciding that everyone must need a moment to collect their thoughts, I followed suit. I sat silently through the trip home, trying to ignore the excitement that bubbled inside me and disappointment at the lack of celebration.
After changing cars, we proceeded towards the comfort of the farm, and I hoped the awkward silence would be over once we reached it.
***
We climbed out, and I wrapped my arms around Rose. She embraced me back, and we both cried tears of not only relief but of understanding.
‘I’m so sorry, Rose.’ My feelings of betrayal and regret surfaced.
‘You got me out, Amelia. Why on earth are you sorry?’ She genuinely looked confused.
‘You’re such an amazing person and were so kind to me, but I left you in that horrible place when I promised I would look after you.’
‘But you came back and got me.’ She held my face up to look at hers like my mum would have. Then she held me in her arms again, and I knew she wasn’t angry at me but grateful.
Of course, she was. I couldn’t imagine Rose being angry at anyone.
Everyone greeted her excitedly. After thanking and hugging Sarah over and over for her part in Rose’s rescue, I linked Rose’s arm with mine and led her to my caravan which we were going to have to share.
Opening the door, I gestured for her to enter. ‘Welcome to your new home. I hope you don’t mind sharing with a roommate.’
‘Of course not. I’m sick of being in a room by myself. I miss sharing.’ She sat on the end of the queen-size bed with a content expression.
‘I’ll give you time to yourself to rest and get your head around everything if you want.’
She insisted that the last thing she wanted was to be alone, so we walked towards the farmhouse so she could meet Dawn.
Dawn was standing with the screen door open as we arrived excited to meet this girl who was so important to me.
‘Rose, it is so lovely to finally meet you.’ She held her arms wide open and gave both Rose and me a big bear-hug. ‘I’m so glad you got home safe and sound. I knew in my heart you would, but my mind still had its doubts. Amelia, I’m sure the last thing you want to do is let this one out of your sight, but do you mind if I steal her for a little while? Only if you are comfortable, Rose sweetheart.’
Rose nodded already at ease, so reluctantly, I agreed and headed back up towards the caravans, leaving her to speak with Dawn.
Why was Dawn whisking her away when I had only just gotten her back?
Irritated, I reminded myself that Dawn only ever did what was best for the people she cared about. An empty hollow ached in my chest. I was disappointed and upset when all I wanted to do was celebrate that my beautiful friend was free. No one else felt the same, so I made my way to my caravan to let the tears that were beginning to fill my eyes flow in private.
I lay on my bed. It was hot except for a soft cool breeze that flowed through the small window above my head now and then cooling my face. The happiness from freeing Rose drained away and was replaced by an immense confusion. Slowly, I looked around at the large tree silhouettes that stood in front of me. It was still and silent, and for the first time, I didn’t feel as though I was being tracked or stalked by a giant beast.
Still the fear crept in as I heard a cry. ‘Amelia!’ I couldn’t tell whose voice it was, so I headed in the voice’s direction.
Lightning stung the sky, and in response, it grumbled deeply. Heavy drops of rain pounded the dirt floor, growing heavier as the streams of light and angry grumbles grew louder and more frequent.
‘Amelia!’ A violent wind howled through the bending and rustling trees. Light bounced off their wet leaves deceiving my eyes.
Following the voice as best I could, I proceeded through the soaking rain, wiping damp hair from my face and straining to hear for another call. Looking down, I realised the muddy floor had become a river; it was rising swiftly already pulling at my calves.
‘Amelia!’ I heard the voice behind me. I turned to press on towards it.
‘Amelia!’ This time back the way I’d been heading with a masculine voice.
The water pulled at my knees and thighs, trying with all its might to pull me along with it as it flowed rapidly into the darkness beyond the trees.
‘Amelia!’ It was louder and closer, I made out the voice of Rose.
‘Rose, where are you?’ I yelled over the roar of thunder and rush of rain and water.
‘Amelia!’
‘Joe!’
‘Amelia!’ ‘Amelia!’ ‘Amelia!’ Rose, Joe, and the last one was Cameron.
Fighting the current that pushed hard on my chest, I took a deep breath before calling each name. The only reply I received was my name. As I took one more deep breath to call out to Cameron, I was swept up and plunged beneath the water. I tumbled around and around in the darkness until I didn’t know which way was up or down. Thwack!
Something heavy slammed into my stomach pushing the air out of me, and I clutched my ribs in agony taking shallow breaths desperately trying to refill my lungs. The familiar feeling of running out of air ...
***
‘Amelia!’ I woke, gasping.
Sarah placed her hands on both of my cheeks gently. ‘It’s okay, Amelia. You were just having a dream.’ She pulled me towards her and held me.
Sarah’s cuddles always made me better when I’d had a bad dream and until that moment, I hadn’t realised how much. My dreams were coming back, but my body wasn’t used to them anymore.
‘Lunch is ready when you are, Dawn and Rose have brought it up. To be honest, I was surprised you let that girl out of your sight after how badly you wanted to rescue her.’
‘It wasn’t my choice. Dawn insisted I leave them alone together.’
Sarah’s face read ‘weird’, and without further questioning, we made our way to the marquee where everyone feasted on chicken and salad. Everyone except Joe.
‘Joe’s not joining us?’ I questioned Dawn.
‘He has a few things to sort out.’ She smiled but I could sense something was wrong. ‘He’ll be okay by dinner. I’m sure. In the meantime, we’ll give him space.’ She patted my shoulder and smiled sympathetically.
Across the table Sarah was pulling the ‘weird’ face again. Shrugging it off, I ate uncomfortably, with the sense of jealousy I’d sensed from Sarah. Maybe it was just m
y imagination. Would Sarah be upset that I cared so much about Rose? I’d never thought how it would affect her. Sarah had always been friends with Tracey, and it had never bothered me. I always knew I was Sarah’s closest friend. But knowing that Rose and I had experienced something together that she could never understand might have made her envious of my new-found friendship.
They were both important to me. I would have loved for them to sit together laughing and telling stories, but for the moment, I was happy they were sitting around the same table. I’d shared so much with both of them. Only Sarah understood my past and who I had been through high school and since. But she could never understand what it had been like inside the MMC Psychiatric Ward or being a Dreamer the way Rose did.
After we’d eaten, I took Rose on a tour around the farm. I introduced her to the two pigs that had grown from cute pink piglets to fat dirty pigs and the chickens in their pen. After checking for eggs and finding that someone had beat us to it, I led her up to my favourite spot behind the shed.
‘So what did Dawn have to say?’ I questioned, the disappointment from earlier resurfacing.
‘She explained why you’re here and about the corporation stuff I’m sure you’ve heard.’
‘It was weird that she didn’t want me to come with you. I could have been there to help explain it all.’
‘Not sure, why? Joe seemed to be in a bad mood. He tried to be nice to me, but I could tell he wasn’t happy. Is he normally like that?’
‘No ... I hope nothing happened to him while he was in the MMC.’
If something had happened, I was sure he would have said something. We had an unspoken trust. We could tell each other anything, well, almost anything. Maybe I would talk to him at dinner if he decided to join us.
Joe did join us for dinner. He sat on the other side of Rose, and it was obvious that the one person he had an issue with at the table was me. He spoke to everyone, even smiling when he answered in his usual calm tone. Anytime I spoke, he turned cold and wouldn’t say a word, only to have Dawn speak for him and thus proving that she knew what his problem was.
Dawn of the Dreamer (Dreamer Trilogy Book 1) Page 12
