A Beast with a Smile

My dreams are starting to become more realistic and it frightens me. I’ve never had anything but nightmares my whole life, but these were different. They were more like a memory than something my mind cooked up.

Tonight’s dream was like I was staring out of the eyes of my younger self; a window into a more innocent time. The first part was about the day my dad found me. I saw the tears in his eyes as he picked me up off the ground of the mutilated car. He pulled me close to his heart and kept saying, “Don’t cry little one... don’t cry. Everything’s going to be ok.”

Sheriff Sims lost his wife that day because he chose to save me from my own demise. They were trying to have a kid and he never got to share the good news with her. I think that’s why he’s so overprotective of me… he’s scared that I’m going to disappear too.

The next dream was when I was eight and I got in trouble at school for fighting. There were three guys picking on Scarlett. They kept hitting her and pushing her while saying she shouldn’t dream about stupid things and that her father was a stupid drunk. I ran at them and tried to fight all three at once, but I got the crap kicked out of me. They threw me on the ground but left me a view of my best friend crying against a locker. I felt the anger begin to boil. My body grew warmer and the hatred took over. I grabbed one kids foot before it could hit my rib again. I pushed it backwards with all of my might and he slid on the tile floors before falling on his back. The next attack was a fist from the head troublemaker, Tyler. He was too quick for me to grab so I rolled. His fist hit the ground where I was, and he looked back up at me with tears in his eyes, “You’re going to pay for that,” he said.

I probably should not have followed with “I can’t pay. You already stole my lunch money”.

He didn’t appreciate my humor. The third guy got back on his feet and rejoined the group. All three ran at me: one punched, one kicked, and the third tried to tackle me. It felt like time slowed down and when I threw my fist forward it felt like I threw the wind. I think the three bullies felt it too because when I swung they all flew back without me physically touching them. One hit a locker so hard his butt print was left on it; one hit the water fountain and broke it, spraying water everywhere; and Tyler slid straight into the principle. Just my luck, right? Of course, they all said I started the fight and that they didn’t even fight back. Although I had gotten in trouble, to this day, I’m still glad that I defended my friend. I’m glad that I hurt them for hurting her. She’s the only one who was ever really there for me, and I need to always be there for her too.

The third really was a dream because I knew for sure that it has never happened before. As Scarlett and I were walking across the street in front of our house a drunk driver swerved towards us. It would’ve run over Scarlett, but I grabbed her, and I felt the air around us turn cold. The wind began to move as fast as a tornado and when I opened my eyes we were on top of the Empire State Building in New York. She looked at me with fear in her expression like she didn’t recognize me.

I woke up to my dad saying goodbye before his morning patrol. I got ready for school just like every other day, but today felt different. I couldn’t get the look that Scarlett gave me out of my head. She was so afraid I thought miserably. She looked like she had just seen a monster. I know it was just a dream but still, it’s a look that you don’t want to get from your best friend.

I finished getting ready and ran out the door. Scarlett was waiting there for me, just like every day. She always looked perfect. Her thick, red hair was swaying in the wind and I couldn’t help the thought that flitted through my head I love you. Whenever I look into her emerald green eyes I get butterflies in my stomach and never want to look away. Every morning I walk out and see her, and it makes me smile throughout the entire day, but this morning was different. I walked out, and I couldn’t get the look out of my head.

“What’s with the long face?” she asked.

“I just saw something last night that kind of hit me like a bullet.”

“Are you ok, Scavenger?”

“Yeah. I just had a bad dream…when’s our ride coming?”

“Late as usual.”

“Maybe he’s lost. He isn’t the brightest,” I said, attempting to hold a smile back.

“There’s that smile I love to see every morning. Feel better now?”

“Yes,” I released the smile that I could never hold back around her.

It quickly faded when I heard the roar of the infamous F-150 that I heard every morning. Tyler was here to pick up his girlfriend and her awkward dorky best friend.

“Hey, hot stuff,” he shouted from the window.

“Why are you always late?” Scarlett hissed.

She really didn’t like being late to class.

“Relax, I just had to pick up something from Martin’s house,” he barked back at her.

“Come on Scavenger. Let’s not be any later than Tyler has already made us,” she said furiously.

She got in and I followed behind. As I placed my foot on the floor of the car I felt a lurch as Tyler floored it. I clung to the handle with all my strength and Scarlett struggled to pull me to safety. He’s always hated me I thought. He hates that I beat him and his friends in a fight, he hates that I’m the sheriff’s son, and he hates that I’m Scarlett’s best friend.

I could hear Scarlett screaming and Tyler laughing, but I found the strength to pull myself in. He slammed on the breaks and I flew into the front seat and hit my face smack dab on the dashboard. My blood felt like it was on fire; it was the same rage from when we were kids. He was still laughing when I looked at him. He shut up really quick when my fist contacted his mouth. He screamed with agony, but I didn’t stop. I jumped onto him and kicked him out of the car. He hit the pavement with a hard thud and jumped up, ready to fight. He threw a punch, but time slowed down, and I was able to move out of the way before it even got close. I grabbed his arm and snapped it like a twig. He began to cry, and I grabbed his throat, ready to free him of his life, but Scarlett grabbed me. She pulled me in close and all of the rage fled. I began to cry in her arms.