by M. K. ROZE
The black shadow moved toward me.
“What the hell.” I ran toward the road, but the shadow moved in front of me at an unnatural speed. My feet came to a halt. “What do you want?”
The shadow slowly moved side to side.
I took my phone out of my back pocket and turned the flashlight on, but it was dead.
The shadow got closer and started to form into a person.
I turned in all directions for somewhere to go. The woods behind the park was my only option, so I ran across the grass and the sound of branches snapping echoed through the woods. I picked up the pace, looking over my shoulder, making sure no one was following me.
I came to a stop with heavy brush in front of me.
“Screw it.” I charged through them like a bull.
Tears filled my eyes as the branches scratched my arms.
Out of the brush, I stopped and stared at the houses that lined the street, surrounded by tall trees.
A young woman walked toward me. “Are you okay?” she called out in the same unknown accent I’d heard before.
I stopped and froze, trying to remember where I heard her voice. A loud growl came from behind me. I looked back, but nothing was there. When I turned around, the woman from my dream on the plane was in front of me.
I gasped and fell backward onto the grass. “Get away from me.”
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
“You’re the woman from my dream. H-how are you here?”
She yanked me up by my arm with her ice-cold hand and stared into my eyes. “You’re lying. Now, tell me how you know me?” she said slowly.
I jerked my arm away and stepped back. “Don’t touch me.”
She grabbed me by my hair and looked into my eyes. “You’re not wearing contacts, are you?”
“Let me go!” I cried. Her face turned blurry—then came back in focus.
A loud hiss came from the woods.
She let go of my hair and whipped around.
I took off running toward the houses, and cold strong hands grabbed me around my waist, lifting me off the ground. I screamed and tried to look behind me, but I couldn’t see who was there or where we were going at such a quick speed. The houses disappeared rapidly into the distance. My abductor abruptly stopped and stood me upright.
“Be silent. It’s me, Mihnea.”
I panted and stepped back. “H-how is this possible?”
Something above us hissed.
Mihnea grabbed me. “Don’t fear me.” He opened his hand and blew red dust in my face. It was the same dust he put on my cut when I first met him.
I inhaled it and spit it out. “What the hell was that?”
“Protection.” He picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder like I was weightless.
“Protection from what? It tasted like blood.” I tried to get out of his firm grip.
“Be still. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Let me down!” I tried to kick but he held my legs tight, so I kept punching his back.
Mihnea ran into the woods so fast—I thought I was on a roller coaster. He set me down. “Viata, you need to go back to Romania and meet with Muma Pădurii. She’s a woman with many gifts, who can tell you important information I can’t.”
Before I could question him, Mihnea rushed in front of me. “Savina, stay back,” he bellowed.
Savina’s eyes turned red, and she charged him.
Mihnea pushed me out of the way, and she flew him straight up into the trees.
I screamed, and I took off running in the same direction I came from.
As I ran for my life, I glanced over my shoulder at the trees swaying back in fourth, followed by growling. Throbbing pains rushed through my head, so I stopped and dropped to my knees, grabbing it. Flashes of an older man wearing a medieval gold tunic was standing in a room that looked like a castle. When the vision stopped, I jumped up and took off running toward the park.
I sprinted across the grass and bolted toward my house, looking back to make sure no one was behind me. My heart pounded against my chest as I ran up my front steps and slammed open the door. “Help me!”
“What’s wrong?” Dad yelled as he came running around the corner.
“The man, the man from my dreams just saved me from the evil woman from the dream on the plane.” I paced the hall running my fingers through my hair. “Oh, and h-he blew dust in my face and told me it was protection.”
Mom came running down the stairs with a towel wrapped around her. “What are you talking about?”
I ignored them and thought about what I said. It sounded crazy, but in my mind it was true.
Dad came up to me. “A man from your dreams just saved you from a woman from your dreams. Am I hearing this right?”
“Yes, and he blew dust in my face.”
Dad’s face turned red, and he grabbed my face, tilted my head back and looked into my eyes. “Are you on something?”
“Bret, stop it,” Mom shouted.
I yanked my head away from his firm grip. “I-I don’t know what to think anymore.” I rushed to the living room and sat down thinking how insane it sounded.
Dad stormed in, yanked me off the couch, and let go of my arm. “You’re going to the hospital. You need help.”
“I’m not going to the damn hospital.”
Mom raced over to me. “Honey, you need to see someone.”
I grabbed my head, sat down, and cried. “It’s these headaches I’ve been having. Maybe I blacked out again.”
“Again?” Mom asked. “When did you black out before?”
I sighed. “While at school. I don’t know if I did for sure, but I had a vision or a dream while having a major headache. And I just had another one of a man when I was running here.”
Dad looked at Mom with concern.
Mom sat next to me and held me. “We need you to see a doctor, honey. This seems serious.”
“I don’t know what’s real anymore.”
Mom hugged me then held my face. “I want you to calm your breathing and listen to me.”
I took two deep breaths.
“Do you honestly believe that a man and a woman from your dreams were here?”
I sighed. “No.”
“See. It’s all in your head. Do you want to go to the hospital so we can have you checked out?”
“Can we go tomorrow?”
Mom looked at Dad.
He shrugged.
She turned back to me. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you have a headache anymore?”
“I’m fine. My head doesn’t hurt. I’m just in shock.”
Mom kissed my forehead.
Dad helped me up and hugged me. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. You’ll be okay.”
“I’m going to bed.” I walked off to my room.
Mom and Dad started talking among themselves. I’m sure they thought I was having a nervous breakdown.
I sat on the couch and called Liam.
Like always, he answered on the first ring. “Hey,” my voice trembled.
“What’s up?”
“When I left your house earlier, did you see which way I went?”
“Are you being serious?”
I sighed. “Yes, Liam.”
“I saw you walk across my front lawn toward your house—then I went inside. Why?”
“Would it sound crazy if I told you I just saw people from my dreams?”
“You’re messing with me, right?”
“Can I say no without you flipping out?”
He sighed. “Viata, I’m going to give it to you straight. Ever since you came back from Romania, you haven’t been right.”
“I know. Something’s wrong with my brain. I feel like I’m dying.”
“Don’t talk like that. Just go to the doctors or talk to your aunt. She will know how to treat you.”
“I don’t think they can help me.”
“Sure, they can. Please promise me you’ll see one of them tomorrow?”
“I will
. I’m going to go to bed. Thanks again for listening to my crazy life.”
“Okay. Call me if something else happens.”
“I will. Night.”
I ended the call and cried. I was certain I saw Mihnea and Savina, but the more I thought about it, I knew it was impossible, but I still believed it was real, and I wanted to find out if it was.
CHAPTER SIX
PSYCHIATRIST
Following my encounter with Mihnea and Savina, I stayed up half the night thinking about what Mihnea told me. To make sure I wasn’t going nuts, I looked Muma Pădurii up online. It read that she was Romanian folklore. Her name meant mother of the forest. Muma was an old witch who took children, enslaved them then ate them.
Eighty percent of my brain wanted to believe Mihnea was telling the truth, but the other twenty percent was screaming at me to get help.
I grabbed my backpack for school and walked out into the kitchen. I stood in front of the breakfast bar to the right of my parents. They didn’t see me because they were reading a newspaper at the table.
“Good morning,” I said.
They looked up at the same time. “Hey, hon, are you okay?” Mom said.
“Yes, I feel much better.” I began picking a sticker off the book in front of me.
Dad shot a smile and continued reading his newspaper.
“Um, can I talk to you guys about something?”
“What’s up?” Dad said, still reading.
I took a deep breath and stood there biting my bottom lip.
“Well, what is it?” Mom asked and took a sip of her coffee.
I walked over to them, pulled out a chair, and plunged onto the seat. “Would it sound crazy if I wanted to go back to Romania alone?”
Silence filled the room for a moment, but it didn’t last long before Mom and Dad yelled out, “What?” I’m certain they woke up the neighbors.
Mom looked over at my dad then she got up from the table. “Why in the world would you want to go back there, especially with all that’s been going on with you?”
My brain wasn’t awake enough to answer her without getting the third degree, so I looked away.
“Viata?” Mom shouted as she waved her hand in my face. “At least tell me what makes you want to go back.”
I slammed my hand on the table. “The man from last night makes me want to go back.”
“Are you referring to the man in your dreams?”
Dad covered his face while shaking his head.
I sighed. “He told me to go there and meet someone. I want to see if it’s true.”
Dad threw his paper down and scowled at Mom. “I’m going to work, and while I’m there, maybe now would be a good idea for you to take Viata to see your sister, Jessica. And if that doesn’t work, take her to the damn mental ward.” He grabbed his keys, charged out of the room, and slammed the door on the way out.
I flinched and rose from my seat. “I’m not seeing Aunt Jessica. I don’t need a psychiatrist. I’m only following my heart.”
Mom gave me a piercing stare. “Your heart? You mean your imagination, right?”
“Mom, I’m serious.”
She grabbed her coffee and knocked it over on the table. “Dammit!”
“I’ll clean it up.”
“I got it. And you’re not going to school today. I’m taking you to your doctor.”
“No, I’m not going.”
“Yes, you are.” She took my keys out of my hand and stormed up the stairs.
I sat on the couch until she came back down. “Let’s go. I made an emergency appointment.”
I exhaled and followed Mom out to her truck.
On the way there, I thought about what I told my parents, and I knew it sounded crazy. I wished I would’ve never said anything.
Mom didn’t say one word to me on the way to the doctors. I looked out the window until we got there.
At my family doctor, I told Dr. Lendon about my dreams and visions. Also, about my sudden headaches and the wild animals that kept me up at night. After millions of questions, Dr. Lendon had my blood drawn and gave me a referral to get a sleep study done.
In the truck, Mom called a neurologist and scheduled an appointment for the following night. When she ended the call, she looked over at me. “Don’t you want to get back to normal?”
“Yes.”
“Are you okay to drive or do you want me to bring you to school?”
“Mom, I’m fine.”
“You told your father and me you wanted to go back to Romania based on a dream. That’s not fine, and I have every right to be concerned.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
She leaned over and hugged me. “I love you, honey.”
“Love you too.”
After Mom dropped me off at the house, she left for work. I went inside, grabbed my bag and drove to school.
I parked in a space and stared at the building. I couldn’t convince myself to go in, so I sat there for a long time, crying because I felt different and out of place.
The police officer at the school saw me sitting there and gave me a weird look. I grabbed my bag and walked inside. At the office, I gave the woman at the desk a doctor’s note, and she handed me a late slip.
In my math class, everyone looked at me when I walked in the door. I continued to an empty seat that was next to a new girl my age.
She leaned toward me with her long blonde hair and big brown eyes. “I love the contacts,” she said in a southern voice.
“Thanks.”
I wasn’t in the mood to talk.
“What’s your name?” she asked me.
I hesitated because I was still upset. “Viata.”
“I never heard your name before. It’s beautiful.”
I looked forward. “Thanks.”
“I’m Maria Jewell.”
“Nice to meet you. We’ll talk later, okay?” I didn’t want the teacher to hear us chatting.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Before I knew it, the class was over.
As I was walking out, Maria came running up to me. “Can I walk with you?”
“Sure.”
“Did you grow up here?” she asked me.
“Yes, where are you from?”
“Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My mom and I just moved here.”
“I’ve never been there.”
“A lot of people don’t even know where it is.”
“Good. I don’t feel like an idiot now.” I stopped at my next class.
She giggled. “Would you like to exchange numbers?” she asked.
“Sure.”
I programmed my number in her phone.
“I’ll text you later,” she said, grinning.
“All right.” Her bubbly personality made me feel normal.
As she walked away, Kaylee approached me. “Who was that?”
“Her name is Maria. She’s a new girl, and she doesn’t know anyone, so we exchanged numbers.”
“Oh, how sweet. She’s very pale looking. Is she sick?”
I shrugged.
“What’s wrong with you today?”
“I had another dream, I guess. I think.” I shook my head. “I just don’t know anymore. I’m going nuts, and I believe in my dreams.”
She hugged me. “I’m sorry, Sis. Is there anything I can do?”
“Can you believe I asked my parents if I could go back to Romania, based on a man from my dreams?”
She stepped back. “Now I’m concerned. Why would you want to go back there?”
I looked at the floor. “Because the man from my dream told me to. There’s something about him I just can’t kick. I feel like I know him somehow.”
“It’s only a dream, Viata. And why didn’t I see you in class earlier?”
“After I told them I wanted to go to Romania, Mom got mad and took me to the doctor. Now she wants me to get a sleep study tomorrow night.”
“That fast?”
“That’s a good thing. Maybe they can find out what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”
I smiled.
“Come on. We’ll talk about this after class.”
“I don’t want to until I’m ready, okay?”
“That’s fine. Oh, and you better not dis me for your new friend,” she said.
“I won’t. You’re irreplaceable.”
“I better be,” she joked and continued inside.
It seemed to take no time at all before all my classes were over. Kaylee and I said goodbye, and I drove home.
Friday, I went to school. Right after that, I went home, and I had dinner with my parents. I didn’t speak much because I felt like an outsider. After we ate, I packed an overnight bag for the hospital.
Before we left, Dad hugged me longer than usual. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Dad. See you tomorrow.”
When we arrived, I filled out paperwork. Some of the questions I didn’t know, so Mom filled out the rest.
After an hour of waiting, we checked in, and they put a hospital band on me. Shortly after that, a medical assistant came out and brought us into a room on the second floor. “Please change into your pajamas, and the nurse will be in shortly.”
“Okay,” I said.
She smiled at me, walked out, and shut the door.
Mom sat on the chair near the window.
“This is a hospital room. I thought it would be different and not so big and ugly.”
“Sorry, honey. It’s only for one night.”
I took my night clothes out of my bag. “I don’t think I can sleep in here.”
“If you are too restless, they’ll have to do this again.”
I moaned, then dragged my feet into the restroom near the window.
Someone knocked.
“Come in,” Mom said.
When I walked out, an older female was reading paperwork.
I hurried over to the hospital bed and covered myself up with the white blanket.
She turned to me. “Hello, I’m Anna. I’ll be your technician for the night. Are you Ms. Vandell?”
I nodded.
She scanned the wrist band I had on. “Would you prefer I called you Viata?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Beautiful name. Does it mean anything?”
