Anilia Richardson
#16

I stare up at the smooth ceiling in boredom. So, with my power, I reach out. I hope to find anyone dreaming, or thinking for that matter.

I pass by Sam, who was dreaming nothing but of himself. From his messy hair, to a hole in his shirt. So hot. Occasionally, I would get dreams of him rock climbing. He was amazing at it. I got to see a special dream of him winning nationals. I also saw him getting captured.

I pass by Lindsey, whom thought of her parents each night. Each dream as tearful as the next. Each one laced with regret and disappointment. Each one hit a hole through her heart. I then until why she put up such a hard shell. I should mention it to Andrew one time, hopefully he'll stop pissing her off.

I pass by Lincoln, who dreamed his fantasies with Eliza. Eliza, who wants nothing to do with Lincoln, is in Lincoln's dreams. I don't want to mention any details, but he clearly has a thing for her. If only she knew.

I pass by Daisy who dreams about a little girl sitting next to a dark, dreary jail cell. She is waiting for someone, or someones. Tears streak down her cheeks, leaving raw red paths in their wake. A little girl sad. Abandoned.

I pass by Katherine who dreamed about her amazing life before, her amazing education and everything. She dreams about being a teacher and teaching. Each morning she wakes up with tears coating her face because she wants her dreams so badly to come true. Sometimes, I see the images of a dead elderly man, her father I would assume. So sad.

I return to my own mind and think of the life I had, the nerd life, and the successful life.

When I was younger, I was a book worm; teacher's pet, nerd hybrid. I was the perfect little girl, a cute littlest nerd. Everyday durning recess, I would climb to the top of the tall green slide and read. I only read to escape. I have no friends, but I was okay with that because I knew one day, they would want to be friends with me. And they did.

When I was sixteen, I became the CEO of my own company. In a month, it became the top grossing company in the entire world. I became a billionaire in just a few months. I was one of the richest sixteen year olds on the planet. All the people from my school contacted me, all of which said that they were sorry. None of whom which meant it. I was okay with that though, too. Because the past is the past and it should stay behind us.

I shake away the thought before I got any deeper into it. I reach out to a few others, none of whom had an interesting story. Eliza dreamt of her incapability of saving her parents in that frozen lake, ice skates dangling in her hands. Jack dreamt of his once perfect life, he had a perfect, jock life. I felt somewhat bad for him. Then, I pass by Jess. I jumped into her mind, and saw the craziest dream, nothing I have ever read before, probably kept had it hidden all this time. When I experience the dream, I see it from her point of view, no control over my own thoughts or actions, just living through her mind.

With Aspen lying on the floor, by my side, I can feel safe again. He means the world to me. I don't know how I would live without him. I don't think I even could. The thought rattles me to my bones.

We know that with all the tension in the air, no one can sleep, but we convince the other person that we are. No words are spoken aloud, just the heavy breathing of an anxious couple. The wind howls like a pack of wolves outside my window, except it's worse. The crying of wolves has a harmony to it, each wolf calling out to each other, singing to each other. The wind has a dangerous howl, one of which cries out in agony.

I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that this is all a nightmare, and Aspen and I are living happily without any cares in the world. I just want to live the rest of my life with him. I roll over on my bed, so I can peer down at him; to see his beautiful face one more time, hoping that it will set me at ease. The light of the moon reflects on his open, aqua eyes and his looks up to mine. His features are blurred through this midnight black. However, his smile remains the same, one that lights up the whole room, a contagious smile.

We continue to stare at each other without saying anything before my eyelids flutter close to a shut. I heave a sigh and roll over. Maybe I can sleep now, knowing that Aspen is safe and happy now. Reality fades out of view and becomes a blurry and hazy dream world where everything I want comes true.

I was sitting on a blue swing set before Aspen came and sat next to me. He places his two fingers on the middle of my forehead. Suddenly, I feel a cold sensation flood throughout my whole body. His fingers feel like an ice cold metal, kind of like the butt of a gun. Making this connection, my eyes open and the real world floods into my mind like a brick hitting my head.

A man with black shades on and a black tux stands over me with a gun pointed at my head. Why he had shades on in the middle of the night, I had no clue. He lifts his finger to his lips as he motions for me to get out of bed and follow him. I shake my head, and he shakes his back. He grabs me from under my arms, pulling me up as if I'm a rag doll. I yelp out in surprise.

"Let her go," Aspen orders. The man in the tux presses his lips into a thin smile. "I mean it, and if you don't; you don't want to know what happens when I get mad."

The man ignores Aspen, and continues to pull me towards the open window. Aspen lets out what seems to be a battle call as he opens fire. He shoots the man square in the back. The man crumbles to the ground, bullet wound clearly visible. His thick blood trickles out of the hole like a half melted slushy. I race to stand behind Aspen.

"Find something to fight with," he mutters into my ear. I nod my head, running over to my expensive mirror. I side kick it, sending shards of glass hurling in every direction. I pick of the longest, sharpest, and most deadliest piece and run back to Aspen's side. I, once again, nod my head back at his. His eyes twinkle, clearly enjoying this sick adventure and tense excitement.

The men start to trickle in through the window like gnats fighting to move towards light. Aspen shoots them off one by one. However, after about a dozen people, a man comes in heavily armed. He takes his shot at Aspen, making a direct hit. Aspen leans back, blood trickling out of the edge of his mouth. His body crashes onto the carpet, gravity taking over. His strength disappears in one wound. The wound that changes everything.

"It was worth it. I love you, Jessica." He coughs up blood, shoulders heaving one last time before his eyelids flutter shut.

All of the times that we had together disappear in a second. All those hopes and dreams. Those goals disappear in one bullet. The bullet that ruined my life. Tears run down my face like tigers chasing their prey, or like wild rapids racing down a waterfall, or raindrops thundering down on your umbrella. Maybe it was like a tear, running down your face because your too weak and fragile to hold it in because that's what it really was.

Suddenly, anger races through my veins, awaiting a revenge. I grab my shard of glass, digging the glass into my hand, making it bleed, and charge at Aspen's killer. The shard finds its place in the man's head, instant kill. I fall to the ground, weak from exhaustion. That's when the men carry me away, carrying me away from reality. My broken mirror of reality.

A tear streams down my face as I jump out of her mind. I don't think any capture was as tragic as that one. I wondered why she closed herself off from having feelings for anyone, no hidden crushes or secrets. Just this, the only thing she could ever keep hidden.

Aspen sounds like the perfect guy for her, bringing out her inner girly girl. I wish she would go by Jessica, such a pretty name for her. A nice formal name, not too boyish like Jess. I wish she would forget the past, but I can't wish that because that would be too hypocritical of me. I wish for my life back.

Having enough of my powers for one night, I slink into bed, hoping I have just been dreaming this whole time, and will wake up as a CEO again. I close my eyes, dreaming about my past life. Just hoping and praying that we have an escape. Praying. Hoping. Sleeping.