Same Dream

• Isabelle Mensforth, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

Same dream.
It’s been the same dream three nights in a row, same time, same place, same, people.
On her next breath she opens her eyes, glances towards her bedside table where her alarm clock is sitting reading 4:06am. Sweat drips from her forehead onto her newly washed duvet cover.
She sets her eyes and her ceiling as she recalls her dream.
“I walk along the beach cursing myself as the hot sand burns my feet.
Suddenly I hit a chest, I look up at him with red checks and apologise. Remi giggles behind me and I role my eyes before saying sorry again.
Remi and I sit on our boards waiting for the next set next, watching the sun slowly go down and everyone head back in.
Remi lets out a yelp as she is knocked off her board. I search for what could have knocked Remi off her board. The water swims red” and that’s when I wake every time.
I texted Remi and told her to meet me at the beach tonight, I am going to face this I whisper.
I wait on the beach waiting for Remi, watching the small people dodge and jump over the small broken waves. A part of me wishing I was them, carefree, a family and no nightmares, peace.
I hear a horn beep behind me as Remi steps out of her car with her board. The panic, dread and regret plays with my head, so I start walking toward before I change my mind. I hear Remi call my name from behind but I continue walking. Crashing into some, my panic worsens remembering this is exactly what happened in my nightmare. I unpeel my face from his hard chest and apologise looking at my feet.
“Isn’t it a bit dark to be going surfing?” He suggests, I tear my eyes from my feet, feeling more confident as I meet his green eyes for the first time. “It’s never too late for me, I say. Behind me I hear Remi calling me, I smile one last time and make my way to the beach where Remi is standing patiently.

Remi and I sit quietly on our boards waiting for the next set. The water stings my feet. Remi lets a scream as she is knocked of her board, and I do the only thing I can think of. I jump of my board in search of Remi’s hand. As I suspected the water starts to go red and I hold Remi’s lifeless body in my arms.
One week later:
8:06PM
It’s been a week since I last saw Remi’s face and all I can think about is it was my fault that stupid dream was a vision, the man on the beach warning me and I refused to listen because I was selfish, I was stupid. Unshed tears blur my eyes and I know is that I will never forgive myself.
Isabelle Mensforth.