Chapter Twelve
We stayed in Gatlinburg for a total of three months and nearly all of that time was spent rediscovering each other. It was spent in each other’s arms, whispering loving words and just holding each other. The weeks that we spent alone in that cabin were some of the most magical I’d ever experienced.
I was absolutely head over heels in love with Ryan and nothing was going to change that. My only regret was how long I waited to finally let him in. As the third month came to an end, we got a call from Damien, saying he was going to bring us home. He couldn’t keep us out in the cabin for the rest of our lives and he was fairly certain that we’d be safe. They never managed to find much information about the men who’d tried to kill me, but they seemed to have given up their mission.
It was a relief to hear that, but at the same time I was sad that our little getaway was coming to an end. When I told Ryan this, he just assured me that soon we’d be able to start our life together back home. With that promise, I found myself more than a little excited.
We spent our last night in Gatlinburg, dancing at one of the bars. We’d stayed out far too late and danced until our legs felt like jelly, but neither of us cared. It was a perfect way to end our stay. We stumbled home together, holding onto each other and laughing so hard our sides ached.
When we finally made it home together we fell into the bed, still dressed and our lips pressed to each other’s. Our minds were spinning from too much alcohol and we were happy. We fell asleep in each other’s arms and as the world faded away, I could feel myself slipping into a dream.
I woke up next to Ryan, but he was a young teenager again. From his features I had to guess that he was about fourteen or fifteen. He was about the age he was when we drifted apart. Seeing him like that made my heart ache. I reached out and touched his cheek and he turned to look at me, one brow cocked.
“You okay? You’re lookin’ at me funny.”
I nodded, still in awe. I must have been a teenager too. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just feel weird,” I murmured.
He stood up and put his hands on his hips, grinning brightly at me. “You know what’ll fix that?” he hummed.
“What?”
“A dip in the lake,” he said, jumping to his feet.
I stood as well and took his offered hand, laughing as he all but dragged me to the edge of the dock. I looked into the dark murky water and my stomach turned with fear. I swallowed thickly and looked at him a moment.
“Do you think it’s safe?” I asked, looking into the inky water.
“Of course it’s safe. Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked, taking his shirt off and stripping down to his underwear.
I nodded numbly, deciding that he was right. I was being a worry wart. This was the lake behind my dad’s house. We’d swam in it a million times before and nothing bad had happened, what could be different now? Even though my mind was trying to rationalize my sudden fear, I still reached out and grabbed Ryan’s wrist.
“Wait,” I begged.
He looked at me, eyebrows raised questioningly. “Are you okay?”
“Just promise me something, okay?”
He frowned a little and put his hands on his hips. “You’re weirding me out.”
“I know, I know it’s weird, but just hear me out.” I knew this was just a dream but I had to tell him. I’d spent my entire childhood ignoring the trauma and fear that had come from my dad’s death. Even if it was in a dream, I had to tell him I needed him. “Whatever happens, don’t leave me. Don’t ignore me,” I pleaded.
He frowned and turned to look at me again and frowned, his eyes catching mine. “What are you talking about?”
“Listen! Some bad stuff is going to happen and I’m going to need you more than ever. I’m going to act stupid and say stupid things that I don’t mean! I’m just scared. Okay? So promise me. Promise me you’ll always be there for me.”
He stared at me for a moment, his face twisted into a look of confusion. “Of course,” he said softly, smiling a little. “You never have to worry about that, Kisha. I’m always going to be here for you.”
I nodded slowly and squeezed his hand. He pulled me into the water and for a moment the water engulfed me. I was swallowed by the dark, murkiness and fear seized me for a moment. I finally broke the surface and the sun shining on my face felt good. Ryan was still holding my hand smiling. It felt right. The world felt right again.
Just as I opened my mouth to speak, I felt a hand slither around my ankle, the fingers digging into my skin. My eyes widened and before I could react, I was yanked down into the water and dragged to the bottom. Ryan was still holding onto my hand and because he refused to let go, he was dragged down too. I was staring into his terrified eyes as my lungs burned and begged for air, but when I opened my mouth to breathe I only sucked down a mouthful of water.
My eye shot open and I sat up straight in bed, screaming at the top of my lungs. I was back in the cabin, but that didn’t sate the fear that was bubbling in my chest. The sun was coming through the window and Ryan was across the room, packing our bags.
The second I started screaming, Ryan flew across the room and wrapped his arms around me, holding me close and stroking my hair. “Shhhh,” he whispered, kissing my temple. “Shhhh. I’m here,” he promised.
I fell into him, shaking and trying to hold my tears back. He sat with me, holding me close and trying to bring me down, though it wasn’t really working. After what felt like an eternity, my breathing finally evened out and I started to calm down.
Ryan pulled away and cupped my cheeks, looking at me seriously. “Kisha, are you okay?”
I wiped my eyes quickly and nodded, taking a few more deep breaths. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I whispered, my voice shaking.
It took some convincing, but eventually Ryan went back to packing and left me to calm myself down in the bathroom. As I stood under the hot water, I couldn’t ignore the very disturbing thought that crawled into my mind.
What If my dream as a warning?