What Next?

January 4th,

I woke up with a start as I wiped beads of sweat from my forehead.

What kind of a dream is this?

Honestly speaking, I haven't had a dream like this in years and I really don't know if this was triggered by the fright I got yesterday morning or if it was actually a dream from God.

I ran downstairs and I met my Mum in the kitchen, humming along to the song that played from the Stereo.

"Mum, I had a dream!" I said, sitting on a barstool as she cleaned the countertops.

"Good morning to you too, Sandy." She said, laughing as I frowned at her sarcasm.

"Okay, tell me about it. I listening." She said, resting on her elbows and focusing on my face.

" Is it about what you saw yesterday?" She asked out of the blues as I stared at her blankly until I understood what she said.

Oh Ray! I knew he'd be the one to blurt everything out.

" Ray told you?" I asked as she nodded.

"Uhm...well...kinda. I think the dream I had relates to the house."

"So, I saw a bunch of kids in a dark room and they looked weak and frail. They were all tied at their hands by the same rope and then I saw a man's shadow, sitting on a swivel chair and holding the rope tightly." I said. Mum sighed deeply and we stayed there together for a while, in silence.

"Mum what do you think it means?"

"I don't know, honey. Have you prayed about it?" She asked as I shook my head.

"No Mum. But I will." I said as she pecked my forehead and smiled.

"That's my Sandy. So what do you say about having pancakes for breakfast?" She asked but as I was about to reply, Ray waltzed into the kitchen with a silly grin on his face. He was a sucker for pancakes.

"That'll be great Mum! Let's get started." He said, grabbing an apron as i rolled my eyes and left.

♤♤♤♤♤♤

I prayed, took my bath and wore my favourite summer shorts and T-shirt before heading downstairs to eat breakfast. Ray looked very girly and funny as he danced in the kitchen while frying the pancakes. Mum had already left for work. Feeling a little mischievous, I took out my phone and videoed his dance. The shrill sound of the doorbell alerted him and he immediately dashed upstairs, not wanting anyone to see him that way. Although he had already caught me videoing him, he couldn't do anything as I walked to the door to open it.

"Antony! Melissa! Come in, come in" I said excitedly in a sing-song voice as they smiled.

"Hmm something smells nice-" Antony said, snuffing the air awkwardly as I swatted his arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his arm as i shrugged, smiling.

"Guys, were here for serious business." I said as Melissa helped me to get some juice out of the fridge.

"Huh? What business? Aren't we on holiday? "She asked.

"No Lisa, not school business. Something happened yesterday-" I said as Antony interrupted me. I stabbed my pancakes mercilessly as I hate being interrupted. I guess he noticed my action because he continued talking with a satisfied smirk on his face before saying,

"Good thing you're venting your anger on your breakfast. "

"I heard another kid's been kidnapped." He continued.

"Again?" Melissa asked.

"Really?" I asked, genuinely surprised. Brookville hasn't been the same for a while now. The rate of criminality had ridiculously increased and the streets were no longer safe- not even for the adults. Two months before Christmas, over 10 children had been kidnapped and even the police couldn't help bring them back. The scenes of my dream flashed through my mind again as Antony explained how he heard the news. Antony and his sister- Melissa were my childhood friends and I knew I could trust them.

"Guys, guys I had a dream."

"Oh what's it about?" Melissa asked, sipping her juice. I went ahead to explain everything to them as we stayed in silence, trying to get the meaning of the dream.

Lord, I ask for your wisdom...

I prayed silently.

"Uhm. . .do you guys think San's dream has anything to do with the kidnappings?" Melissa asked as Antony looked at her thoughtfully.

"I think so-" he said as I cut in.

"I almost forgot to tell you guys that I saw a wierd man peering at me from the window opposite mine from that wierd house." I said as they looked at me, disbelief and shock evident in their faces.

"What?"

"The same wierd house next door?"

"Of course! Honestly guys, I don't know what to do now. "

"Do you think God wants you to act on your dream? I mean, He must've shown you that dream for a reason." Melissa said as I nodded.

"So now I have to ask God to reveal the purpose of my dream."