5. Aftermath

Arriving home, Briar parked, grabbed her stuff, the food, and zoom fuel bringing all of it in the house. Making sure the food was put away and the milkshakes in the freezer for when her mom made it home.

Instead of chatting with Rina, Bri decided to unplug. Feeling her eye lids getting heavier with each step, she figured she’d have just enough strength to make it to her room. She was right. Setting her stuff by her closet and flopped down on her bed, switching off the light and she was out.

When Bri woke, it wasn’t in her room where she knew she fell asleep, but how did she get out here? She didn’t sleepwalk, so that wasn’t the answer. Bri was completely confused and she was scared. Sitting, she tried to figure out where she was, but her head was fuzzy and she just couldn’t pull herself together. A branch snapping caught her ear and she turned her head in the direction it came from, hoping to catch a glance of what was out there, but it was too dark.

If she stayed in one spot, the thing that was out there would easily catch up to her, so she started walking, noticing for the first time she had no shoes, only socks.

‘I’m losing my mind. That’s the only explanation that fits. Alyssa and her Bitch Virus has gotten to me and I’m in the end stages of sanity.” She whispered. Another snapping branch made her jump and walk a little faster. She wondered where she was going. She didn’t recognize the area, and there were no signs.

“Maybe I should have been a Girl Scout.” She sighed, looking up at the night sky, with only the full moon and one star to be seen. That should have tipped her off that this wasn’t really happening, but Briar was overthinking things, and her mind couldn’t grab on to what was real, yet.

She walked, for what seemed like hours, led by the moon and solitary star, not getting anywhere. A long, lonely howl came from the direction from which she just came from, and was answered by another, not too far up ahead of her.

“I’m sandwiched.” Bri felt like she was frozen to the ground.

She was in her dream. It was different this time, however. Instead of being in the area of her log cabin and cave, she was in the middle of a dense, endless forest.

“I don’t know which wolf is which. I wonder if it’s like they say, if you die in your dreams, will you die in the waking world?” she asked herself, shuddering.

Finally coming up to a split in the path, Bri could keep going straight, go to the left, or to the right. She had read enough choose you own adventure books when she was a kid, so when she got to a choice that was as uncertain as this one, she just went left. It was usually the best choice. As soon as she picked the left path, the forest closed and the other two paths disappeared.

“I will never read again if I can wake up now!” She exclaimed. Another howl from behind her told her she should be running. So the bad wolf was behind her, that meant she was running in the right direction.

There was a clearing up ahead of her that might help her locate where the hell she was. Slowing her run to a walk, catching her breath, she crept up on the clearing, staying behind trees to keep herself hidden.

The moonlight showed her there was nothing in the clearing, so Briar took the chance and left the safety of the trees. A howl, not the one that was behind her, pushing her to run scared resonated in her mind and bones. She ran across the clearing, calling for this wolf or creature to come out and save her as it always had.

Halfway across the clearing, the dream shifted, and she was thrust into the belly of the cave in which she always came uncomfortably close with death in, just before she normally woke from this dream. That didn’t seem to be the case this time.

_--_--_

“Briar, hey. Wake up? You’re dreaming again.” Her mom shook her shoulders gently.

“Mom, what?” Bri stuttered groggy, still thinking she was in her dream.

“I called you, but you were sleeping. You good? I’m warming up dinner and unthawing our milkshakes. Come eat and tell me about your day.” Noni said brightly.

Her mom was so clueless. “I’ll be down in a few. Thanks for waking me mom.” She said. When her mom was gone, she picked up her phone and looked 5 missed calls from her mom. Oops, oh well, she deleted them from her phone. A piece of white notebook paper sticking out of her violin case caught her eye, she bent over and pulled it out.

Bri,

I’m sorry for how today went. If you will let me make it up to you, meet me tomorrow morning at Coffee Shake at 6:30 am. My treat.

Rei

Folding the piece of paper and putting it on her nightstand, she smiled and went to tell her mom how her day went. After dinner, Briar excused herself and told her mom she was going to do a little reading for her classes the next day and go to bed early.

“Night, Rõõ. It’ll get easier, you know that. Just let them talk.” Noni kissed Bri on the forehead.

“Thanks.” She mumbled, heading up the stairs to her room. When she got in her room, she grabbed a few books from her bag and sat down to catch up a bit.

Picking up her phone, she dialed Rina’s number hoping she was done with cheer for the day. Getting her voice mail, Bri told her to call her back when she could. Looking to her nightstand where Rei’s note sat and went into her closet to figure out what to wear the next day. She decided on her favorite jeans with the rip in the knee, and her team hoodie with her name on the back, a present from her old teammates. Smiling she walked into her bathroom, and took a long bubble bath, to forget the bad day she had.

Just as she was melting into the warm, bubbly water, her cell rang. “Damn it! I should have just taken my phone in here!” She cursed as she climbed out of the tub, suds clinging to her, running down her legs and leaving wet footprints on her carpet. It was a number she didn’t recognize, “Hello?”

“Briar KingBear?” asked a male voice.

“Yes, who is this?” she replied.

“I just wanted you to know that you need to be more careful around Alyssa. She already wants to beat your ass, don’t give her a reason to. You will lose. This is just a friendly reminder. Have a great night.” Before she could ask who it was, the line went dead. Not sure how to take that call, she returned to her bath, a plan forming in her mind. Bri hoped Rei would go along with it.

Her sleep was interrupted several times that night. Briar was woke up by what sounded like rocks hitting her window, she looked at the clock, 2:33 am.

“This better not be another one of Alyssa’s minions trying to warn me to stay away from Rei.” She growled and went to her window. There were 2 huge wolves standing in the back yard. One was pitch black, the other, was a multi colored wolf. They just stood there, their eyes glowing a fire red color. She thought about opening her window and throwing the biggest rock she had at them, but when she looked back down, they were gone.

“I wonder if they were ever really there. This place is nuts!” She sat on the end of her bed. Lost in thought, she didn’t remember falling asleep again until her alarm went of in the morning.