The Third Dream

All of the lights were out.  I lied in bed, nibbling on a salty chip from a bag that I had saved from dinner.  My stomach kept aching, and I started to dread the possibility of having parasites in my stomach.  I shuddered at the thought and chomped down the rest of the chip.  When I peeked into the bag, I was saddened to see that there were no more chips.  I dropped the bag into the small trash bin near my bed.  Then I adjusted back into a comfortable position.  I breathed in and out, gazing at the wooden boards above me.  My eyes drifted closed into darkness.

           

            “Ruth, please, don’t leave me,” a voice sobbed: my father.    

Not this again, I thought as I felt a warm hand grab onto mine.

“Rena?  Rena, you had fun going to work with daddy, didn’t you?  You got to meet all of my friends, and didn’t you enjoy experimenting?” he continued. 

No, go away. I kept my eyes shut. Just go away.

            “I know it was a little scary at first, but you liked it, right?  I mean �" I had fun,” he said breathlessly. “Remember the abilities you and I gained?  We were able to do so many things �" things other humans can’t do.” 

            My eyes opened.  There was the white door, the autumn carpet, the smiling picture, the dark hallway, and my mom standing next to me.  I looked back at my father.  Things other humans can’t do..?

            “Yes,” he answered. “Remember?  We had to eat those essence pills to control ourselves, but that wasn’t so bad,” he blabbered. 

            Essence pills?  What was he talking about?

            “Rena, tell your mommy that it was fun.  Tell her that you want to stay and keep coming to work with me, please,” he begged, hands on his knees, those blue eyes looking at me. “Wasn’t it cool when you first transformed?  The others - they either died or didn’t react to the chemicals.  But you, Rena, you’re something special,” father smiled.  His eyes widened with excitement.

            “What are you talking about?’ I asked, but he suddenly looked at my mom.

            “Ruth, don’t go,” he sobbed. “I love you.  You don’t want to ruin Rena’s life by having a divorce, do you?”

            “Me?” mom laughed. “You’re the one who ruined her, Gabriel.” 

Dad’s face faltered. “What �"“

            “You ruined our daughter’s life!” Her eyes grew wild. “You just did whatever you wanted with her!  Rena used to be happy, but now she’ll have to live with this the rest of her life!  Did it REALLY look like she enjoyed being experimented on?!  Stop wasting your breath, Gabriel.  I’m not going to stay any longer and let you torture Rena.” Tears filled her eyes. “She’s our daughter, for goodness sakes,” she whispered.  She looked back at dad, almost with hopeful eyes �" hoping that he would change, but he just kept gaping.  Mom shook her head and turned back around, letting go of my hand and opening the front door. 

            Not this.  I don’t want to see this.  I thought, closing my eyes and folding my arms over my head. “Stop,” I pleaded. “Please stop.” 

            “Ruth �" don’t go!” dad cried, stumbling to his feet.

            “Stop,” I begged. 

            “Don’t leave me,” dad said.

            “Rena, let’s go,” mom murmured.

            “Stop!” I screamed, and something warm splattered on my face.  I flinched.  My eyelids slowly lifted, and there mom lied on the floor again, bleeding out on the carpet.  The liquid on my cheeks were soon replaced by a rush of tears.  I couldn’t stop shaking. 

            “Mom,” I whimpered. Wake up.  The claws stuck in her jerked out, reducing back down to the nails on my father’s hands.  I gazed at him with anguish.

            “I’m sorry, Rena,” he huffed out. “It had to be done.”

            “Had to be done?” I gasped.  More tears slid down my bloody face.

            “She didn’t understand you, but I do.” He walked closer and reached out his hand to me.  His nails were still sharp and covered in fresh blood. “Rena, let’s go,” he murmured. 

            I glanced at mom again.  Her mouth was open with red blood leaking out.  She wasn’t gazing at me anymore.  Her eyes were distant now.  “I love you,” her voice whispered in my mind. “I love you, Rena.”  My bottom lip quivered, and I tried to contain the tears.

            I love you too, mom, I answered.  My body stopped shaking, and I looked at dad’s smiling face.  A strange ripple ran under my skin. 

            Dad hesitated, leaning back a bit. “Rena?” he said carefully.  My left shoulder suddenly popped forward, making a loud cracking sound.  Dad’s eyes widened and he stepped back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

            Just shut up, I thought.  There came another ripple.  My body lurched forward as I felt the skin on the back of my left shoulder rip, and a heavy weight placed itself there.  Dad gritted his teeth, and he swiftly raised his arm.  His nails rapidly grew into claws and went right for my head.  I tilted my head to the side, letting the claws slide right past me.  Then the weight on my shoulder jerked forward.  A white, branch-like bone elongated above me and snatched dad by the neck.  He smashed into the wall behind him.  Another branch broke off from the first and formed into a point.  It aimed for father’s chest.  He gasped for air, trying to pull off the bone squeezing his neck. 

I hate you, I thought, clenching my fists.  Blood coursed through my chest, so much that it hurt, so much that I could barely breathe. 

I hate you.  I raised my head and gazed into my father’s eyes.  They looked back at me, and for a moment, I faltered.

He was scared. 

The throbbing in my chest ceased, and it felt like all of the sensations in my body drained out onto the floor.  Why was I hesitating?  You killed mom, I thought, gritting my teeth. 

“Rena,” father rasped through his constricted throat.  I flinched at the sound. “I -” he gasped for air. “…love you…”            

The branch lunged forward, piercing through his chest.  His eyes grew wide as his breathing stopped.  Blood soaked into his clothes and dripped onto the wooden floor, the blue in his eyes fading to a dull gray.  The branch pulled out of him, and he toppled to the floor.  The bones grew back into my shoulder.  My legs crumbled under me, and I allowed myself to cry until the memories vanished.