Chapter 11: Dreams Become Reality

Sera's arms are pumping. Her heart racing as her legs struggle to get away. A small town is zipping past her, she glances around, nothing looks familiar. Her legs can't go fast enough, because she can feel it gaining on her. Something is chasing her, something big. A brick building labeled General Store with a large bush out front comes into view ahead of her. She whips behind it, hiding with her back against the brick wall. Her lungs struggle to catch her breath, but her fear is winning. A cold wind bristles through the bush causing her to take off into a run again. She's attempting to navigate through the narrow cobblestone streets of the strange town, but she can't seem to find a place to hide. It seems like no matter where she turns it knows. It's as if it could feel her. She can't explain it, but she knows it's going to catch her. No matter how fast she runs, the darkness seems to match her speed. Rounding another corner, her eyes meet his. He stands there waiting for her, like he does every night in her dreams, his blue eyes gleaming at her approach. Sera opens her mouth to scream for him to move, but the words are stuck in her throat. He stands his ground, even when she begins to wave her arms. Instead, his hands outstretch for her pulling her to him.

Her arms reach for him, too. They extend trying to push him out of harm's way, but to her surprise, he pulls her into a warm embrace. His strong arms lift her swiftly and place her behind him.

She chances a peek around his back. The cloud of darkness quickly approaches creeping across the cobblestones like morning fog. He never falters, his feet planted firmly in the middle of the street. Sera stands there amazed. How could he be so confident? Can't he feel what's coming? The stranger's arms rise out forming the sign of the cross. He seems to be... glowing. A flutter of wind tickles her cheek. Surprised, she topples backward onto the cold stone street staring up at his back. It's unlike anything she could have ever imagined, before her stands the man of her dreams, and he has sprouted wings. Huge, white, glorious wings extending from the V of his shoulder blades past the tips of his fingers. Her fingertips extend, too, reaching out to them, when her attention is drawn elsewhere. The glow around him increases, slowly at first, but before long, it envelops him in light. The light being strongest at the palm of his hands, but it surrounds him like a bubble. All at once he draws back and pushes it forward. The bubble of light forms a shield of some kind gliding across the street, meeting the darkness creeping upon them. The darkness retreats, shriveling behind the curtain of light until neither are seen again. The blue-eyed stranger turns to her, still lying on the ground, his wings retreating back into his torso. He extends his arms to help her up.

Sera hesitates slightly, finally realizing the man that visits her in her dreams may not be a man at all. Regardless, he did protect her. She places her hands in his and he lifts her to her feet again. His eyes peer down into hers trying to communicate something with her or maybe he is trying to gage her reaction to the real him. Sera opens her mouth to ask him one of the million questions circulating in her mind when hands grab her from behind. Then something covers her eyes, there's a shout from a familiar voice, and everything turns black.

*

Opening her eyes, it takes Sera a few moments to realize where she is. The shape of Amanda's living room furniture comes into view. That's right. She slept at Amanda's place last night. Rolling onto her back, she gives herself a minute to reminisce about her dream. This mysterious dream-man grew wings, angel wings. He didn't have a halo or a huge valiant sword, but he glowed with a power she felt the entire Earth react to.

"Wow." Shaking her head, she moves to her feet, bracing herself for a monster headache. One second, two, three—still nothing.

"How the hell did I get away with that?" she mumbles, tiptoeing her way down the hall to Amanda's room. She knocks once to no answer. Creaking the door open she calls, "Amanda?"

Her best friend is still face down in a pool of her own drool fully dressed, heels still strapped to her ankles. Why do I feel fine? We drank heavily for a Rolling Stone let alone twenty-four year old girls. What was it that Amazing Anna had said? Don't internalize, live your life? She's paraphrasing of course, but this is what she had meant. Sera decides not to dwell on the fact that the amount of liquor used to sedate an entire fraternity has no effect on her and instead focus on something productive—like maybe some work. Amanda's homework emails to her have been piling up, and she's been a little distracted. She should really get going, but first, she wants to get cleaned up. With one last glance into Amanda's room, she borrows a towel from the linen closet and takes a quick shower.

Amanda still hasn't moved an inch since she left her when she walks back into her room, although her snoring has gone down an octave. Sera takes the time to peruse her open closet. Dresses and blouses scatter the floor in front of it from last night. A sweater catches her attention, blue like the sky and soft, too. She plucks it off the hanger and pulls it over her bra; it fits perfectly.

"That looks good on you." Amanda's voice is rough, like someone who had been screaming at the top of their lungs all night. Sera turns to see her friend wiping her mouth. "You should keep it."

"No, I'll give it back." Her eyes glance down at it again; it's the perfect hue for her complexion and hair color.

"Don't worry about it, I owe you one. Maybe two." She mutters, rolling onto her back and rubbing her head. "Now, what the hell happened last night."

"You don't remember?" Sera sits on the edge of her bed.

"Just flashes of light and the guy with the hat, and... was Jack there?"

Sera laughs, "Yeah Jack was there. We drove him home."

"Oh, did you guys..."

"Um, no, but you practically did it with the hat-guy on the dance floor. Where did you find him, Rent-a-Tool.com? Like seriously."

"He was pretty cute, from what I remember." She hides a sly smile.

"Well, you don't remember much. Let me get you some water." Sera disappears, traipsing back down the hall to the kitchen and grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"Where are you going anyway?" Amanda calls out.

"I was just going to read through your homework at the coffee shop."

"Oh, the coffee shop, huh?" She takes the bottle from Sera's hand before winking at her.

"It's not going to work between me and Jack."

"Why?" Her swig cut short with disappointment.

"I don't know; it just doesn't feel... right."

"Sometimes you need a little wrong." Amanda gulps down more water before propping herself onto the pillows.

"Nah, I've spent too much time with Mr. Wrong, I'm looking for Mr. Right." Sera turns to leave.

"Well, when you find him, tell him I'm looking for him, too."

Sera turns in the doorway. "You? Ms. Promiscuous."

"Hey, you wouldn't buy the car without a test drive," Amanda screams after her retreating figure.

Sera shakes her head and grabs her jeans from last night. Shimming into the jeans, she buttons them before her fingers reach for her neck to find her necklace isn't there. Reaching into her bag, she pulls it out and places it back around her neck. She releases a breath. She didn't realize how much she missed it was back where it belonged.

"Yeah, but you don't have to test drive every car in the lot!" Sera chimes back, stealing a pair of Amanda's tan boots from beside the couch.

"Prude," she calls back.

"Whore," Sera returns in jest before adding, "I'll talk to you later, sleep it off."

"Bye, love you."

"Bye."

*