Sang Sorenson, the darling of the universe, is the sweetest, nicest person you will ever meet. Her parents are wealthy and kind to all, including their beloved daughter. Sang is sheltered, living in a bubble of kindness and light. What happens when...
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Screams fill the air and I try to find my way around in the dark. I can't see, even in my dreams. I'm surrounded by heat. I believe I am in a burning building. The confusion, the unknown, it only adds to the fear of the dream. I try to find my way around, but I can't. I am hopelessly lost with no way out of the fire.
With a scream, I wake up and continue screaming. I scream and scream and I hear the boys burst in, but I can't stop. Terror is filling me.
Finally, I stop, gasping for air, and trying to gain my bearings. That is when I notice that the boys have been trying to get my attention this whole time. Embarrassment burns my cheeks and I duck my head, desperately wanting the sash to cover my eyes and protect me from the stares that are burning through me.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, setting off a chorus of shouts.
Whimpering slightly, I clamp my hands over my ears and try to block them all out. Warmth surrounds me as they try to calm me down and get closer. When one tries to hug me, I freak out. The warmth, the heat, they remind me of my nightmare and the fear that came from it and from waking up.
I scramble back and try to escape, but find instead that I am surrounded by them.
A small scream escapes me as I thrash around, panicked. Their smell surrounds me and all I hear are their shouts. The warmth sets my skin on fire and I fear I am burning, burning up in the house with no escape. And this time, I am not alone. I am surrounded by people trapping me in.
Finally, they all file out of the room except one and I slowly begin to calm down, curled up in a ball, I shake with fear and begin to hyperventilate as I gasp for air.
"Sang, darling," A voice whispers, calming me down. "I need you to breathe, okay? Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in..."
Soon, I am able to relax until I am almost back to normal. The smell still lingers, though, keeping me on edge.
"Sean," I whisper. "Who was in my room?"
"What do you mean?" He asks, and I can hear the confusion laced through his voice.
"The smell!" I sob. "Someone was in here!"
"What does it smell like? Is it familiar at all?" Sean questions, a new urgency in his tone.
"I-It smells l-like... death," I stammer.
It truly is the only way to describe the terrible smell, as cheesy or ridiculous as it may sound. I don't know how Sean can't smell it, but it is all I can smell now. At least with the boys, the smell was somewhat faded.
Sean inhales sharply.
"Sang, let's get out of here, okay?" He says with forced happiness, trying to calm me down and cheer me up. How odd that he is trying to pull me in two different directions.
