Hang On a Little Longer

Another dream took her away from it all, back onto the meadow she had visited so many nights before in her sleep.

She could not feel anything. No pain, no terror. Just a calm draft in the air as she was lying underneath the white tree. This was the first time, that Victoria knew she was dreaming. Everything that happened just minutes ago weighed too heavy on her to forget about it. But even if it was just a dream, she did not mind it. The sad reality of her body probably living through its last moments was nothing she wanted to return to.

For the first time, she felt peaceful in this place. For some reason, there was no fear of monsters dragging her through the mud or bleeding down on her, nothing surreal, just her and the light wind. The terror was now outside in the real world.

Her eyelids were getting heavier and her vision more blurry. She closed her eyes and took a calm breath. The rustling of the leaves above her was soothing. Did this tree really exist somewhere? Why did she come back here every once in a while since she had moved to this new small town?

The sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer washed a smile over her face. She knew it was Ethan, she could feel it. He came to meet her at the meadow.

Victoria heard how he kneeled down next to her and felt his cold hand on her cheek like a fresh breeze. "Hang on a little longer," he whispered with a raspy voice and wrapped his arms around her to pull her upper body up and close to his body.

Her heavy head sank against his bare chest and she could hear the calming thumping of his heart. If this was going to be her end, she was at peace with what her mind had made up for her.

His hand wandered over her body and pulled something out of the mesh pocket of her leggings. Right, she always stuffed her phone in there. She could hear him mumble a few sentences but her thoughts drifted off. There was no more rustling of leaves. No draft of air. Just his beating heart.

All the movies and poems always described how your life would replay in your mind, but all she could think about was him. Ethan. Who would possibly find her body out in the forest where she was lying? Would anyone mourn her loss? So many heartbeats had passed, but the dream did not end and she was alone with her thoughts and the illusion she was clinging to.

"Don't let go now. Stay with me." he again whispered and pulled her a little tighter into his arms.

She could hear an engine in the distance and footsteps coming closer. There was nothing she wanted more than to see Ethan's face, but her eyelids were too heavy to open. Her thoughts were scrambled. The footsteps stopped right next to her. Victoria was not sure if this was still a dream or a mix of both reality and her tired, confused mind.

"Please save her. Please...", Ethan mumbled quietly, desperation lingering in his words.

"I'll handle it. You can let go now," a male voice answered. She felt the arms around her tighten as her eyelid was lifted and a splicing bright light shone into her eyes, moving left and right, blinding her.

"Calm down and let me do my part," the voice demanded, but this time with more empathy. Victoria could feel Ethan lowering her back to the ground. Her head started spinning when it sunk onto the earth.

"Don't let go of me," she thought, but the only thing leaving her throat was a weak moan. Ethan's hand found its way to her cheek again and gently strived over it. It felt wet and the faint smell of iron found its way to her nose.

"Ugh, looks gnarly. Press this on there, will you?" A painful burning sensation jolted through her body when pressure built up against her side. "You never even come down this far?" The words were hushed and she could barely hear them but she fought to stay awake. Ethan's plead to her to stay with him still echoed in her head.

"Don't. I don't want her to hear any of it," Ethan interrupted him, this time more determined.

"She's barely conscious. See the blood on the side of her head? She probably won't even remember what happened altogether. So answer my question."

Ethan let out a desperate huff. "I don't know... It's like it's obsessed with her."

"You'll have to give me more details about that later. What happened to her?" the other voice inquired. She could feel her head being carefully lifted and wrapped with something by a second pair of hands.

"I don't fucking know. I was close by when I woke up. What if I...," Ethan grunted and stopped the sentence with a frustrated sigh.

"I said calm down. You can't control it and this does not help now." She could hear the other man getting back up on his feet. "Are you able to carry her to the car? I have some clothes for you in there too."

A quiet hum answered the question and Ethan's arms finally found their way back around her body. The pressure on her side remained painfully steady, but as long as she was with him she did not care.

"We'll bring her to my clinic. You can go and tow your truck from the cabin after that."

Her body was lifted off the ground and her head sank back to Ethan's chest. More heartbeats.

This was not a dream. She was safe now. Ethan came to save her. She could finally let go and retreat into wherever sleep wanted to take her. With the faintest of smiles on her lips, she slipped back into darkness, floating in an endless river of silence.