Nightmare

I don't remember ever falling asleep. All I remember is Rodney dropping me off at the apartment, walked in and than blacked out.

When I came to, I found myself on the couch. Surprisingly, my body wasn't aching in pain. I felt like I had the best sleep one could have from sleeping on the couch; red flag one.

I should have probably noticed the second biggest red flag; the total silence, not even the sound of a cricket or the sound of a howling cat in the alleyway but I was focused on the fact I haven't had anything to eat yet.

I walked over to the fridge and opened it, only to find it's empty; red flag three. I closed the fridge, annoyed that I now had to go to one of those open 24/7 convenient stores at three in the morning.

Strangely enough, I didn't even suspect how empty the street by my apartment was, not even a single car parked out. And, when I finally did, I was in the small store grabbing food into the basket and heard a sound, like something scurrying away in the roof.

The store was also empty, just me and whatever creature that was lurking about, not long after the scurrying the sound of crunching filled my ears. It sounded like it was behind me, I quickly turned to see a large dark figure with wings and horns crouching down over an animal, I couldn't tell what animal it was as it was eaten beyond recognition.

I should be scared right now or really grossed out by what I'm seeing, but I'm not. Instead, I walk over to the large figure and crouch beside it. It turns to face me, its bright yellow eyes glaring as it let out a low deep growl. I didn't flinch when it lunged at me and roared in my face, a few blood and saliva getting on my face. I just simply reached out and touched its face, its eyes widen before visibly softening and relaxing into the touch.

I pulled it down towards me into a hug, it didn't protest. Instead, it hugged me back even tighter and as crazy as this might sound, I felt completely safe in its arms as if deep down I knew it wasn't going to hurt me and that made my heart race.

That moment didn't last long when the store erupted into flames and that's when fear made itself welcomed. Within a blink of an eye the creature was gone and I was left alone with the flames and the sound of loud screeches outside the store.

The smoke began to fill my lungs and stung at my eyes, I looked around for the door and when I spot it, I ran towards it and burst right through. I was met with screams and screeches, people in my village running in fear as dark bat like creatures flew overhead. The whole village was on fire and it didn't look like it was ending anytime soon.

I was scared and more importantly I was alone, I couldn't find my parents anywhere and I was on the verge of crying "Anita!" I heard a familiar voice call to me and relief washed over me as I saw the two familiar faces.

"Mommy, Daddy!" I ran towards them and they pulled me into a warm hug, and once again I felt safe. "I thought I lost you," I cried out, happy I got to see them again "Oh sweetheart, you could never lose us not as long as we are still here." Dad pointed towards my heart and mom gave me a kiss on my forehead "We are always with you," she said and tapped my nose "We love you," they simultaneously said and before I could tell them I love them too they both burst into flames.

I woke up screaming and drenched in sweat. Completely shaken up. I hugged myself as I tried to get my breathing under control. I could see their burning bodies every time I close my eyes, I even covered my ears to try and block out their screams but that didn't work.

It eventually became too much for me and I reached for my phone and dialed Rodney's number. It rung three times before he eventually answered, his voice heavy from sleep "Hello?"

"Rodney..." I couldn't finish my sentence as my voice caught in my throat. That must have woken him up cause I started hearing him move around "I'm on my way."

It took him less than twenty minutes to get here and when I opened the door he saw my blood shot eyes. He brought me into a hug and I covered his shirt with my snot and tears.

An hour later we are on the couch, a cup of chamomile tea in my hand. Rodney sat across me, he didn't pry until he was sure I felt a little better "How you feeling?" he asked, his tone soft and gentle.

I traced my thumb over the rim of the cup, looking into the small reflection of myself, hoping that it would give me some form of answer. "I'm feeling okay, I guess," I responded and silence fell between us once again.

"Want to talk about it?"

I'm not sure I want to, honestly. It's not any different from the other times I've had nightmares of my parents burning in flames. There would be times where I'm sitting with them in an open field and they'll just burst into flames along with everything around me. Now, there's these extra details added in, I could still hear those demonic screeches echoing in my ears. I lean my head on top of the couch and close my eyes, I could still see them and it.

For as long I could remember my dreams have been consistent. Its always my parents burning, the two people that I'm closest too. I didn't know anyone else besides my parents, I remember asking them about my other relative and they seemed closed off. Mom told me that they weren't on good terms with their families and moved away. They didn't go into details about and I never asked again, clearly satisfied with the answer.

I must have taken too long to respond cause I could hear Rodney shift and his hand placed on top of my knee, giving it a gentle squeeze "Hey, if you don't feel like talking that's okay, I'll be right here when you're ready," he reassured me and gave my knee another gentle squeeze.

I shook my head "It's not that—" I start, looking back down at my tea which had cooled down and was now lukewarm, intensifying it's flavour "—I was just thinking about my dream."

"Them burning in the fire?" he asks almost cautiously, I nodded in response "But this time it was different, it didn't start like it normally does. You know, being a happy family before it all turns to ashes right in front of me."

Rodney looked confused but didn't say anything and allowed me to continue. I took another deep breathe and explained to him my dream. He didn't say anything, his brow shot up when I mentioned the part about me hugging the creature but didn't comment until I was done.

"That's some nightmare," he commented and I chuckle "You're telling me," I added, staring down at a completely cold tea.

"Do you know any Shifters who have horns and bat-like wings?" Rodney ask, I try thinking of any Shifters I knew in school who could turn into but I couldn't think of any, especially ones I'd just hug so closely. When I can't think of one I shook my head "Why?" I asked wondering why he asked that.

"It seems like you had a vision within your dream and its someone you know," he pointed out.

I downed the remaining tea and placed the cup onto the table. It never dawned on me that I had another vision. Or that I could be someone I knew, I had a vision about Chaviv before but I didn't even know him before the vision. Did it mean I was going to come across whatever that thing was? All these questions made me realize just how much this was going to be a problem and all these scenarios of someone catching me having a vision.

I'll be taken to who knows where and end up being someone's living fortune cookie or worse. I don't want that for the rest of my life.

I buried my head into my knees and groaned. Why is this happening to me? In less than twenty-four hours, I've had three visions and I don't think they'll stop until I do something about it.

"I think we need to talk about it," Rodney spoke as if he knew what I was thinking about. I only buried my face deeper into my knees, I really was hoping to avoid this topic but maybe talking about it might shed some light on why I'm starting to have these visions now.

Seeing as I wasn't making a fuse, Rodney took it as a sign to continue "I went to the library to look into why you having visions, I couldn't find much and the only information I could find was that Seer's have been around for thousands of years, the rest just bragged on about how God-like they are."

I detected a bit of annoyance in his tone, he must have read a lot of books on Fae Seers for him to be annoyed by it.

Since we are sharing information, I decided I should share my own findings as well "I also did my own little digging," I tell him, I peeked through my knees to see him sit upright, waiting for me to continue and I start slowly "We had a lesson on Fae Seers and I asked if it there have been any Seers recorded to be late bloomers." His brow shot up.

"What did they say?" He asked.

"He said no, well not that he has heard of. Honestly, left me with more questions. He also mentioned that there's a fifty-fifty chance of being able to control it," I finished.

Silence fell between us as we digest the information "So he said there's a fifity-fifty chance you can control it?" Rodney asked and I say nothing and just nod "Then let's do that."

"What, control it?"

"Yeah, you said it yourself. It's a fifty-fifty chance, so that means there's a chance you can stop them from randomly happening."

I sat there and allowed his words to sink in. If I can control the visions I'll be set for life, no one will ever know and I can continue my life as normal, I can't believe it didn't sink in before.

I finally felt optimistic and ready to do whatever it takes to keep the visions from randomly happening. And then it hit me and that hopefulness vanished "Where are we going to find a Seer to train me?"

Rodney opened his mouth to respond but than closed it as realization sets on his face "We don't, if anyone finds out you'll be shipped off. I read that once you become a Seer you're taken to some place," Rodney explained, "So we right back to square one," I sighed, leaning my head on top of the couch.

"Well not exactly, I have an idea but we need to find a mage first."

I looked at him, indicating that his a mage. He drops his head and shakes it "An experienced mage," he corrected, "I thought you said you're an experienced mage, you've bragged about it before," I pointed out, remembering all the times he has told all the girls how he is an experienced mage.

"Anita, focus." I raise my hands up in surrender not doing anything to hide the smirk on my face.

"Anyway, you should get some rest. It's pretty late," he said getting up, I didn't know how late it was until I looked over at small clock on the table, it is four in the morning and I have to wake up to pack and move in to my dorm room.

Rodney slept on the couch, just in case I had another nightmare. I said my good nights and managed to fall right back into a dreamless sleep.