“So, remember I told you about this voice in my head?” I asked her while chewing on my nails.
“Yes. What about it?”
“Well, it’s starting to get a bit real. Last night, I saw another dream and the man, he was there and I could touch him…” I trailed off while remembering the details of the only dream that I had seen clearly. Others were blurred and only details were in my head. “It all felt real, like he was actually there and then before that dream, I spoke to him—like for real. I heard him and I could respond to him.” I explained in a bit more details but covered up whatever I had spoken about.
“Okay. That’s certainly weird.” Josie’s voice grew loud with tension. “What did you talk about?”
“I asked him if he was real and he told me he was. Then, later today, just a while earlier, I spoke to him again and he told me his name.” I continued while moving on the bed out of discomfort. “And he told me how old he was. I can’t make this all up right? Like, my head isn’t capable of that, right?”
“Of course it’s not!” She exclaimed while sucking in a quick breath. “But that all is so unusual, Miranda! What if it’s real? What if someone is actually talking to you and coming in your dreams?”
“Is that possible?” I asked her as she had more knowledge about this world than me. I was bought up sheltered, forbidden to wander around or learn new things. Everything that I had been taught was either from my Mom or Dad.
“It could be. Maybe it’s your soulmate talking to you! Maybe it’s time to actually get out and start dating!” She spoke a bit too loudly and with excitement. For a moment, I thought she was being serious.
I rolled my eyes, “God, no!”
“Come on. Maybe it’s real or maybe it’s not but the only way to figure out is to actually start living your life. You literally live in your bedroom with your Mom’s wings wrapped around you. The only time you leave your house is either for school or either to sneak out with me, which is barely.” She began, for the hundredth time this month. “You have lived for almost nineteen years but you haven’t actually lived for a single day.”
I groaned when she started with it all again. She always reminded me of how much fun I missed every day and night.
“Please, Josie, not again.” I cried for her to stop.
“No, I’m going to do this every day of your life. You know what? In fact, I’m coming over so change your ragged pajamas and come downstairs. We are going to have a fun night tonight!” She exclaimed, talking at the top of her lungs.
I stood up straight and began panicking immediately, “No, please. My Mom is here and my Dad too. I can’t go out at this time.” I quickly said, stopping her from making any quick decision that was going to create trouble for me.
“Get up and change your clothes. The moment Timothy is here, I’m coming over to your house and if I don’t see you outside, I’ll assume that you never want to be friends with me.” She threatened and bought up the friendship. “I’m not going to watch my best friend rot in that bedroom,” I glanced at the walls of my room, they were rotting and neither was I. “You’re going to crazy because of staying cooped up.”
“It’s not that, Josie.” I said but then it dawned on me that maybe she was right, maybe everything she was saying was true and that maybe I was going crazy before I wasn’t living my life.
“It is that! I don’t care. Change your clothes. My mom will handle yours tomorrow and everything will be fine. It’s just one night. Sneak out and live for once.” She begged me.
I chewed on my nails harder, nearly ripping out half of the skin around my index finger. Swallowing hard, “Okay. But let me check first if Mom is awake or sleeping.”
“Of course she’s sleeping, Miranda! Don’t make excuses. Change your clothes,” She spoke with heavy breaths as if she was running somewhere. “Timothy is here. I’ll pick you up in ten and if I don’t see you outside, we are finished, forever.”
Before I could say anything, the line went dead and I gasped at the threat Josie had given me. She couldn’t break up with me. She was the only friend I had and she was the only person keeping me sane.
I groaned and pressed my hand against my head, rubbing it gently as the clock ticked on the wall beside my bed.
What was I going to do?
I had sneaked out once before and I wasn’t caught then. Josie and I spent that night roaming around the empty streets and getting some snacks from the gas station which was the only placed that was open. I had returned by three in the morning, a couple hours before Mom woke up and I went back into my bedroom and slept for the rest of the day.
She didn’t catch me then but I wondered if she would.
It was midnight and the weather was cold outside. Where did Josie wanted to take me at this time? With another grunt, I threw aside my sheets and rose up from the bed. Two minutes had already passed by and I feared what would happen if Josie didn’t find me outside in ten minutes.
She would kill me. But my Mom would as well.
Before stripping from my pajamas, I quietly stepped down the stairs and found the lights of the house all switched off. Mom’s bedroom door was open a little but I could see her sleeping inside. On the other hand, the guest room was shut and there was no light visible which meant Dad was asleep as well.
My heart thudded hard and sweat trailed down my forehead as I imagined sneaking out and getting caught. Mom would never forgive me but neither would Josie if I wasn’t outside in five minutes.
I rushed back upstairs and got out of my pajamas. Instead of wearing anything fancy, I threw on a black t-shirt and gray pants. The sleeves were short so I added a gray cardigan and splayed my hair open before sneaking back downstairs.
With every step, I feared for my life. My ears perked, hearing every movement in the house. The wind was strong, slamming the leaves of the tree against numerous windows in the house.
I continued down the stairs in silence and slowly drew out the main door key. It was a spare key and I attached it to my bedroom door key. I had locked my bedroom incase Mom would wonder in anytime of the night.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw the headlights of Timothy’s car right outside of the house. The lights shone into the living room, brightening up everything and making it much worse to sneak out.
I quickly stepped out and waved at Josie to pull the car to the corner. Timothy obliged and moved away as I locked the main door and walked across the street to meet with them.
“You are going to get me killed.” I whispered as I got into the passenger seat in back of the car.
“Your parents aren’t going to kill you, Miranda but I surely can.” She spun around and grinned at me. “Let’s get wild!” She exclaimed, her eyes full of thrill and excitement while I feared for the future.