I awoke to faint hoof beats that seemed to grow closer. I tried to stand but slid back, and with a start I realized why.
I screamed, looking at my blood-stained white satin dress, the design of running horses was stained with hot, sticky, blood, and my frizzy hair was a mess, falling out of a low bun, also covered in the liquid. I looked around to see the baron hills of my home burned and bloody. The General store was only half standing, and what was once the library was now a heaping mass of ash.
I chocked out a rattling cough, my lungs must be coated with ash also! I looked to my left, and let out a cry of anguish, there, amongst others, was the body of my father, his gray eyes were staring at the midnight sky, and one arm was reaching out as if to grab the stars. I crawled to him, right as the horse I had heard came into sight.
“Ma’am!” the dark man said, taken aback, “Are you alright?” his chestnut wined in fear as a burning building collapsed with a “whoosh!”
“f…f…fine….please, h…help my dad….” I said, finding it hard to talk. The man leaned down, and I saw his face better in the glowing embers. He was dark-skinned with shaggy black hair. He blinked, took one look at my father, and his face softened, he opened his mouth and said, “Rose, Rose, Rose!!!”
I woke to Auntie G.’s relentless shaking and cursing my heavy sleeping,
“hmmm wha…” I mumbled still half in my dream.
“I swear you could sleep through anythin’ child! Now get yous lazy rump downstairs, there’s a special breakfast for you, but eat fast, your already late!” Auntie G. blinked her dark eyes, pushing short and frizzy hair from her face.
“Late for what?” I said, the sleep warring off. Auntie G. pursed her lips in frustration,
“The picnic!” she yelled.
“Oh!” I jumped out of bed, suddenly aware I was in a flimsy nightgown, “umm coming!” I said, pulling the comforter around myself. Auntie G. left in a flourish, and I was left to meditate on my dream as I got ready. I threw on a yellow cotton dress what had little white flowers on the hem, and pulled my hair into a long braid. I looked at my self thought the mirror on the creamy vanity set, and grimaced, my skin looked flushed and my eyes were wider then normal, “that dream was something wasn’t it?” I asked to my dog Joe who was curled up on my comforter.
He “woofed” in reply and I gently opened the old creaky door to let him out, then when down and grabbed a peach for the road. I ran to our horse and buggy and jumped on, realizing I had no shoes on,
“looking for these?” my father asked from the front, handing me my new white shoes.
“Thanks!” I gasped in relief, and we set off. As I was gazing across the landscape, I understood how much the dream affected me, I was tired down to the bone, so I dozed off into a dreamless nap.
I was jerked awake when the horses, who had been at a steady gallop, suddenly stopped at the park. I heard happy squeals of children playing in the lake, and heard the leaves rustled by a soft breeze.
“Rose?” I hear a familiar voice say softly wakening me up even more,
“Anastasia!” I gasped and jumped out onto the soft green grass. I saw her smiling and waving, standing next to a man with ridged posture and light skin much like his daughters. I calmly walked over and hugged Anastasia,
“I missed you!” she said, and I returned the greeting.
“well,” my father said joyfully, “let’s eat!” we had Chicken and Dumplings, and spicy peppers. We then gulped down some milk, and had some peach cobbler. Anastasia and I then excused ourselves from our fathers and walked sown the beach.
“So Rosy, what’s wrong? Didn’t sleep well?” she said worriedly, “well, ya see, I had this dream..” and so I spilled to her my dark dream. Anastasia shuddered and said,
“I couldn’t imagine having that kind of dream!”
“I couldn’t believe it was a dream! I was scared out of my mind! But that man on the horse, his face is sticking out in my mind, what do you think that means?” I twanged like I did when I was pondering something.
“I was wondering the same thing..” Anastasia said quietly. I looked around a few minutes later and didn’t recognize anything.
“Anastasia, where are we?” I asked fearfully
“I…I don’t know…” she grabbed for my arm as the sun started setting,
“let’s just, retrace our steps!” I said shakily, but before either of us could move we heard footsteps from behind, and the sound of many muskets being loaded.
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