Dream Scenes: Secrets

A chill ran through me as I drove through the woods to the beach house. I could feel their glowing eyes staring at me from between the trees. They'd been watching me all my life, which is why I'd started calling them the Watchers, but lately there had been more of them then usual. They'd never come close enough for me to see them until they attacked me today. I could still see the pointed teeth and fiery eyes in my mind.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the beach house came into view, but my relief quickly ended when I saw Teresa sitting on the steps of the front porch with her head in her hands. The truck had barely come to a full stop when I was running to her side. She looked up at me through tear filled eyes and said only two words.

"He's gone."

I didn't hear myself cry out in anguish as I ran for his room, hoping he would be sitting there lost in his own world like usual. Instead I was greeted by an empty room. I looked at the unmade bed, the clothes-strewn floor, the dusty window, and everything seemed to scream Brandon. On his nightstand was a picture I had taken three years ago of the two of us on our first date. Our smiles were hidden by a web of broken glass.

Next to the picture was his journal; an old black leather book given to him by his father before he died. The journal lay open, the page covered in a messy scrawl that was nothing like his usually neat writing. I picked up the journal and sat on his bed. A cool breeze drifted into the room and I pulled on one of Brandon's sweaters as I flipped through the pages. I saw my name and stopped to take a breath before reading.

April 17

Things are starting to change. Paige is starting to change, although she doesn't realize it. She doesn't know who she is, or who I am, or what's about to happen. I'm starting to change too. Soon I'll have the power to fulfill my purpose. Cameron is excited and eager, but I can tell that mom doesn't share the feeling. She's scared, but whether she's scared for me or of me I can't tell.

The next few entries were the same, talking about changes and things starting to happen. None of it made much sense to me. He kept writing about gaining power and fulfilling his purpose. I found my name in several entries, often accompanied with talk of me changing and my destiny. It seemed important, but I couldn't make sense of it. Then I reached the latest entry.

May 3

It's happening. I can feel the power in my blood growing to unimaginable levels. Everything is clear, everything is new, everything is right. Now I know what Cameron has felt for the past five years, and I can see why he loves being what we are. Still, I don't know if I can do what I must do. Although I'm no longer human, I'm still in love with her, with Paige. If I turn my back on my purpose, I'm turning my back on everything I've ever known. Is she worth it? Will I have the strength to finally tell her the truth? No matter what the answer, I have to leave her for a while. It's the only way to save her.

I will save her.

I traced my fingers over those last four words as chills again ran down my spine. I will save her. What did it mean? Brandon was hiding something from me, and I had to know what. I had to find him and convince him to tell me the truth. Something was going on and I needed to know what.

"What are you doing?"

My head snapped up and I saw Cameron standing in the doorway. Normally he was happy and carefree, but today there was something about him that terrified me. I watched his eyes darken as he saw the journal in my hands.

"You shouldn't be looking at that."

When I didn't reply his eyes darkened further and I stood up, looking around me for some sort of escape.

"What did you read?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"N-nothing!" I stammered.

"What did you read?" he asked louder, taking a step towards me.

His lips had pulled back in an animalistic snarl, his eyes glowing like the ones that had followed me in the woods. Without thinking I ran, darting around him out the door, through the house, and into the forest.

The trees seemed to reach out in a desperate attempt to trip me. Small twigs and branches tore at my skin. They didn't deter Cameron though, because I could hear his footsteps getting closer. The sun had set and everything was dark and frightening. My mind was void of rational thoughts, focused only on my primal instinct to survive. I ran faster than I ever had before, until I felt arms wrap around me and pull me to a stop.

I screamed and struggled until I realized my captor wasn't Cameron. The grip loosened and I turned to look into Brandon's blue eyes. For a moment I was stunned by how bright they were, but then I remembered what I had read and took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Brandon asked, his voice a mix of confusion and worry as he noticed the scratches that covered me. "What happened?"

Before I could answer Cameron appeared out of the darkness and leaped for me. Brandon quickly pushed me out of the way. As I fell to the forest floor I watched Cameron land as gracefully as a cat, and saw blood drip from the cut that had appeared on Brandon's forehead.

Then I hit the ground, my head snapping back against a tree. I tried to get up to make sure Brandon was okay, but I couldn't make my limbs move. Fog clouded my vision, and I could barely hear muffled voices through the haze. My last thought was: Save me.