Vivid Dreams

Chapter 1

Looking at her alarm clock, Summer groaned when she saw the time; too early to get up, yet too late to try to acquire any more sleep. Her dreams were becoming more vivid and realistic. Something would have to be done to stop that!

"No time like the present." Summer mumbled as she flung the blankets off her and stumbled to her feet. Reaching into her draw, she pulled some rosemary and sage. Tying them in a bundle, Summer lit the herbs and walked around her room as she smudged the bad energy. Satisfied with her efforts, she opened her window and turning to face her room spoke in a clear voice. "I cleanse the room. Demons be gone from here." Once the words had left her mouth, Summer flicked her wrist and threw the remaining herbs out onto the grass below and slammed the window shut.

Task only half done, Summer returned to her draw and retrieved more rosemary to place in the four corners of her room. The last twig she placed under her pillow, then gathered her frankincense candle and placed it on the bedside table to light before she slept tonight.

Happy with her work, Summer glanced at her clock once more. Pleased to see a fair amount of time had passed, she decided to put on her school uniform. Walking into the bathroom, Summer took a moment to gaze in the mirror. Her long blonde hair was a mass of curls which flowed halfway down her back. There were bags under her blue eyes which pushed her cheeks out a little more than usual. Her lips like the rest of her were full. Summer wouldn't call herself fat, but she was curvy and damn proud of those curves! Women who had no curves should be handed a plate of food!

Summer's house was nothing extravagant , it was just like every other house in the neighbourhood; two story, 4 bedroom, modest dwelling. The only thing remarkable about the house was Summer's intensive herb garden out the back. With the help of her Aunt Helen, Summer had acquired and grown almost every herb there was to grow. The whole back yard was a garden which had been converted into rows and rows of beds for her herbs to grown in, and what space wasn't being taken up with her precious herbs was filled with vegetables. The front yard was a little more conventional, and was designed to stick out a little less from her neighbours, but everything in it was edible. Summer loved her garden, it was her pride and joy. Keeping it thriving was easy for someone with her green thumb, one of the few things she knew for a fact was inherited from her mother.

Walking into the kitchen, Summer stoped at the sight which greeted her. Standing in a pink frilly apron was her father. Being a blond, tall masculine six foot three, made the apron on him a comical image as he was hovering over the stove making pancakes.

"What are you doing?" Summer questioned.

"A father can't make his daughter breakfast?" He said turning to face Summer.

Crossing arms and tapping her foot she demanded, "Who is she?"

"Why does there have to be a 'she' just because I am cooking you breakfast?"

Summer raised an eyebrow in response.

Sighing her father turned back to the stove. "She, is Samantha, and I'll be spending a bit of time with her."

"Time with her, as in?"

"I won't bring her over here, no."

Summer let out the breath she had been holding in. Ever since her mother had died four years ago, her father had been dating a lot of women, thankfully though he never brought them home to meet her. Well not anymore. The first time he started dating after her mother's death, Summer's father had brought her home, not wanting to leave Summer unattended. Thankfully it hadn't taken long to realise what a mistake that was.

"Come eat." Her father ordered, dragging Summer back to the present.

Summer wanted to turn her nose up at the offering, but didn't have the heart to say no after her dad had put in the effort. "Just one, please I have an early start."