Bloody Dreams

She walked along the sand, water lapping against her ankles. The water was like a pane of glass, reflecting the bright red moon. Blossom floated down gently, illuminated like drops of blood. The water was darkening, thickening. Phantom faces glared at her through the water, phantom hands clawed at her legs and phantom hands grabbed her shoulders. Blood dripped from the sky, smearing across the clouds and sky like a smudged painting, and blood trickled down Lysanda's face. Her white hair was stained red but oddly, so where her eyes, she realized as she looked at her reflection. Her reflection rippled, changing. Suddenly her reflection was the mistress, a fire poker through her neck. Then it changed and it was Sebastian, his skull smashed in with a cherub statue. The water rippled one more time, changing to Finnian, kitchen knives all over his back and his white shirt seeped in his blood. Lysanda blinked and it was her normal reflection again; all traces of blood where gone, the pure white moon hidden behind smoky clouds. The moon peeked out from behind its gauzy veil, illuminating her reflection.

"Think of your actions, you're not the only one to be affected by them." Lysanda's reflection whispered, walking away, back along the path Lysanda had taken.

Lysanda bolted upright, sweat on her forehead and her fingers trembling. This dream was different from all her previous ones. This one showed her blood, showed her death. It was as if, she was trying to warn herself about something that would happen. She laid back gently, looking up once more at the ceiling, like she had done earlier in the night. First Finnian warning her and now her own subconscious was warning her about what she could do.

Suddenly, she realized what Finnian had meant. It wasn't about being intelligent and thinking about her choices, but the safety of the others. If they followed her into things, not realizing hat would happen, they would die. They believed what ever they heard, most where very gullible; she could easily all lead them to their demises and they'd be none the wiser.

Lysanda rubbed her temple and sat up. She draped her blanket around herself and got up. She tiptoed along corridors, heading towards the roof stairs. She climbed them, and came out onto the balcony. Lysanda clambered onto the railing and looked up at the small crescent moon. Something about it comforted her, almost as if the sliver of silver was calling to her.

"You can't sleep either?" Finnian said, his voice soft and quiet. He walked up to Lysanda and sat beside her.

"Yeah." Lysanda mumbled, glancing at Finnian. She remembered what she'd seen in her dream and shivered.

"It's cold out, here." Finnian said, wrapping his thick, quilted duvet around both of them.

"Oh. Thanks." She replied, looking away.

"What did you dream about." Finnian said, looking at Lysanda intently.

"Something I don't want to bring up." Lysanda whispered, her voice quaking.

"Likewise." Finnian muttered. "You know, at school, they used to teach us all about grotesques. How they where emotionless, they didn't sleep because they had no need to; they where devoid of all warmth, they where tricksters with no souls and unless put in their place, would bring the society down into ash and cinders." he said the last bit softly, as if someone else was listening. "They couldn't be more wrong, I've seen you, all of you show emotion, you dream, you sleep, almost all of you wouldn't hurt a fly if you had a choice." his fingers brushed her cheek. "You're certainly not devoid of warmth either."

"I persuaded them to not revolt. But this place certainly won't stay unspoiled forever. This revolution will continue and so many innocent people will have their blood shed." Lysanda replied, her voice hushed.

"I know." was all that Finnian said.

"Why do you act differently depending on the situation I'm in? What is it about me, that separates me from all the others? To you normals we all are the same and all those millions of us fall under one category." Lysanda burst out.

"Because you look familiar. I know it's bizarre and impossible, but I seem to know you from somewhere, and I can't put my finger on it. That's why I hurt you yesterday, I was frustrated with not knowing who you are. I'm curious, I know you're different and I want to know why." Finnian explained, a cold undertone in his voice.

"So I'm an aberration that intrigues you? How charming." Lysanda said dryly. A line of orange lit the horizon, the first bird song starting up. "I'd best leave before everyone else wakes up."

"Ok Lysanda. Never tell anyone of this. If people found out I was friendly to a 'grotesque', God knows what they'd do to us both." Finnian replied.

Lysanda slipped away from Finnian, the cold biting her skin, and she returned to her sleeping quarters. Just beating the housekeeper, she slipped into bed.

Reviews

[Sean Cairns]

So far, so good. The story is interesting, the politics and intrigue are engaging, the characters are well defined and you're narration is effective for what you're doing. Keep at it!

[Maddi]

Thank you!(: