Another Life, JenniferNewman [short story to read .TXT] 📗

a cat? Oh hell do I know!
“Rose. Rose. Rose” I heard that bloody annoying voice repeating my name over and over again becoming move frantic by the second.
“Rose where are you? Get your freaking ass over here!” well thanks Parker Waitago with the ‘do not boss you girlfriend around’ well okay he had good reason especially since I really didn’t not want to be in the situation I am in now. Backed against what I think is a ghost that wants to kill me. Well okay let’s do what Parker says for once.
Well crap how do I ‘get your ass over here now’? where the hell is here?
“Parker you know it might help if you told me where here was. Quick would be appreciated as well.” I yell back starting to panic again. The feeling of dread was seeping in again and it wasn’t bugging easily. Was I ever going to get a brake here?!
“Rose?” I felt hands on my back and spun around into Parkers arms where he pulled me out of the mist and onto the other side of the pavement. I could hear the courses being uttered at my departure. I clung to Parker tighter and he pulled me to his chest kissing my forehead.
“I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. Sorry it got close it won’t again.” He whispered into my hair. I didn’t reply instead just hide my face. I did not want any of them to see how scared I really was. It really had been close.

Five minutes later the mist started to clear as rapidly as it had come. We were soon all back in the house. All of us packed into our living room with its many settees and tables placed randomly around the room.
I lay down on one of the many settees and pulled one of the pillows over my face. My Mum was acting like nothing out of the ordinary had happened and was asking Parker and Sophie if they wanted drinks. Typical Mother.
“No thank you Mrs. Smith.” I heard Parker say before hearing My Mum bustle out of the room and Parker come and pick up my feet before sitting down with them on his lap.
“Rose you can come out of hiding now.” I peeked through the pillow at Parker and pocked out my tongue.
“Oh yeah she’s still as mature as ever.” I heard Sophie say before she sat down with her head resting against the bottom of the same settee I am sitting on. I turned my head and rolled my eyes at her. Before taking a deep breath and sitting up pulling my feet to the ground and leaning back against the soft cushioned settee. Parker pulled his arm out from behind him and pulled me to him by putting his arm around my shoulders.
“Seriously could you get any taller?” I ask looking up at his. Yes looking up. He simple just laughed leaning down so that he was the same height as me.
“Oh yeah that makes me feel better look how far you have to bend.” I laugh because really I could not stay scared or freaked out when Parker was around. He somehow always managed to make me laugh even when I have the worst news ever. Memories of what my Mum had told me this morning about her phobia. My smile faded and I looked away from the others and to the kitchen where Mum was busying herself with drinks and sandwiches. I sighed and closed my eyes thinking of any possible way that I could break the news about Dad to her easily without it making anything worse. I couldn’t I couldn’t do that to her.
“Hey! Don’t you dare make that face!” Parker commanded pulling my face towards him. I screwed up my eyes but let him anyway.
“Don’t worry about her. From what I can see she’s strong she’ll get through it. Phobias are always easier if the person with the phobia knows about it and has help getting over it. Which your Mum has both. So please get rid of the puppy dog eyes they are driving me crazy.” My laugh had no humor in it at all but I somehow managed to bring myself to look away from Parker and to Sophie who was looking at me confused.
“I’ll tell you later.” I mouthed as Mum came back in the room holding a tray of sandwiches and drinks in the other hand.
“So are you staying for a sleepover tonight Sophie?” Sophie looked at me and I shrugged so she said in her pushiest voice,
“If that’s okay with you Mrs. Smith.” Mum simple clapped her hairs like this was the best news she had heard all day and nodded that it was fine with her. By this time I was very aware of parkers arm around me. This was not a pose I would have chosen to have with my old fashion Mother in the room. Somehow Parker picked up on this and loosened his arm so I could lean a little bit away taking my hand instead.
I had known Parker for what a week and a bit now and already relied on him too much. I mean it’s not every day you place your life in a strangers hands. Well not really stranger anymore but still.
“You okay? You look really pale.” I turned to face Parker again and smiled a little and nodded before leaning my head down on his shoulder. My Mum would just have to cope with that much. Closing my eyes I could see the silhouette of shapes just beyond my reach. Trees I think. Before I knew it I had started to fall asleep again I started to freak out but it was too late to come back to the surface of the dream land I was now entering.

The nights breeze was crushing against me cheeks. Sending deep chills through my body. I quickened my pace as I ran away from the monsturaouse cliffs face. It’s taunting features following me with every step I take. Grabbing every opportunity to speed up I reach the opening.
The trees around me looked to me like they were caving in. surrounding my frail body with their huge limps.
I stopped. Stopped running. Stopped breathing, it had followed me. Twisted it’s gruesome self out of the waves.
Leaning against the giant body of one of the thousands of tree trunks I stayed. Breathing deeply and steadily. Even this was not enough to save me.
Every little noise sounded deafening in these woods. Coursing me to nearly jump right out of my skin. I took several steps away from the tree I had claimed as my hide out.
The night air was still blowing playfully at my face and hair. Strands of red kept flying into my face every time I turned my face in the wind.
I turned wildly tis way then that changing speed and direction when the feeling took me. The wind suddenly started to pick up, pushing me to the left. Closer to the cliffs. No!
I glanced behind me quickly noticing the approaching mist. My pace sprung up. Away from the mist I must get.
Closer and closer it came. My vision was clouded with the lick of thousands of pieces of the mist all around me. No!
I scrambled around looking for a way out of the growing darkness. Nothing! How could there be nothing?
Darkness.
Darkness.
Nothingness.
Safe.
ROSE!

Someone was shaking me. Shaking me gentle.
“Wake up.” An urgent voice shaking me again. I open one eye to see Parker and Sophie hovering over me. HUH?
“Huh? What ? When? Why?” my voice sounds sleepy and really all I could think about was the last thing I had seen in the dream. Red hairs flying in my face. Do I have red hair?
I pick up a piece of my hair and bring it down to see the color. Nope still brown. Wait why am I acting so retarded? What!
“Rose snap out of it!” I looked up to where Sophie was hovering and blinked several times.
“Okay what the hell?” I say sitting up and blinking again trying to get my balance. I have no idea how blinking helps with balance but it does. Somehow.
“Rose you fell asleep again. Your Mum just went upstairs saying something about how sweet it was or something…..” I raised my eyebrow at Sophie. My mum had called me falling asleep sweet. Oh god I am really still her little girl which of course made me groan and lean back against the settee.
The sad thing is I'm actually getting used to the strange dreams that are now haunting my every sleeping hour. I could still feel the fear and dread inside my body but I just tuned it out. Unlike when I'm facing the situation it is just a memory that can be forgotten but with Cody right in front of me you know not so easy to forget. Well great now that’s put that in my head…….
Parker looked around the room and then put his arm back around me pulling me to his side. Where I closed my eyes and settled in.
“Okay you two are way too sweet together its ridicules!” I turned my head away from parker’s chest and looked at Sophie who was now backing into one of the other settees fully convinced that the danger was over. Like it had never happened. “What you are!”I laughed and hid my face again letting the soothing of Parkers hand on my hair relax me. Not making me sleepy but just relaxed.
“Quick question before you two become even more glued to each other. How long do I have to put up with this? I mean I am becoming very concourse of the fact that I am single and please do not get me started on that!” I laughed again and leaned a little bit away from Parker so I could roll my eyes at Sophie and settle myself back against the cushions that where all around me.
“You know you are crazy right Soph?” I smile at her while she just sits on the settee and glances at the clock doing a very bad impression of not hearing me. I laugh and then look at the clock myself well crap its ten to midnight. I roll my eyes when I hear Mum yell from upstairs,
“It’s getting late Rose Honey.” In other words time to say goodbye to Parker.
“That’s my cue to g right?” he whispered in my ear making me jump a little.
“Good guess.”
“You’ll be okay with Sophie right?” I rolled my eyes at him. He took that as a yes and told me to just call him if well he used the word ‘anything’ I would have said Cody but anyhow. We were both standing by the door. Sophie was still in the living room and my Mum was somewhere upstairs.
“So….” I said just before Parker bought his lips down on mine. My arms went around his neck keeping him to me while his hand were once again on the small of my back. His tongue was making little circles in my mouth as his had came up from my back and knotted itself into my hair.
When we finally came up for air we were both out of breath and I swear it was not even possible for my cheeks to go any redder. Which of course made me blush just that bit more.
“I’ll see you soon. Take care.” He said just before letting go of my waist and hair and stepping out