Chapter 55, Haunting |
Breanna stood in her new black dress staring down at the mahogany coffin as it was lowered into the ground. She looked up as tears ran down her face, trying to see everyone who surrounded her. AJ stood off in the distance near a cherry tree while the sun drenched his face with an atomic glow. Kevin stood behind Breanna with an arm on her waist, trying to hold her steady. Brian and Izabel stood in silence across from her. Brian had a blank look on his face as he watch the coffin. He looked up at Breanna once to give her a sun-induced glare before turning his attention back to the coffin. Thomas who looked a few years older, pulled on his father's coat while pointing to the coffin asking his father all the questions a child asks when faced with death, an unfamiliar part of life. Breanna watch as Izabel rubbed her stomach slowly. She was three months pregnant but already showing.
Breanna watched nature in all it's glory. It was an early winter morning, the sun shining brightly after a long nights rain. The trees were almost completely leafless while the squirrels ran around on the ground and in the trees trying to finish collecting all the acorns they could before hibernation started. She heard leaves crunching under foot in the near distance, and turned around to find a man walking quickly through the cemetery, wearing a long black trench coat, with Armani sunglasses over his crystal blue eyes, blond hair blowing in the winter breeze. Nick or Alexei? Breanna turned around to look for Nick and quickly found him leaning against a tree, arms folded, sunglasses placed over his crying eyes. When Breanna turned around to see the blond man she assumed was Alexei, he was no where to be seen. She couldn't believe what was happening.
Her life flashed before her eyes and every happy moment she saw was spent with the same person. She was lost in her thoughts when she felt a tugging on her dress. She looked down to find a little girl near the age of three with long light brown hair that curled slightly and big green eyes. The little girl looked up at Breanna with pleading eyes and a red rose in her hand. "Mommy, give this to daddy before he forgets us!" She stated in a calm voice. Breanna looked at the girl with a confused face while the little girl held out the rose. Breanna took the rose from her and placed it on the coffin. The clouds started to drift back inland again, and soon there was a crashing sound of thunder. Everyone stood in the cemetery while the rain poured down upon them. Breanna watched as the rose started to bleed, the red running down the side of the coffin. The rose was white as it continued to bleed. "What am I doing here? Who died? Why do I feel like I'm dead as well?" Breanna asked herself aloud. "She's still in shock. She doesn't even know Howie died." Kevin explained to Nick as they stood behind Breanna. Breanna thought to herself, "Howie? Dead?" Before it dawned on her that it was his funeral they were at.
"Ohmigod! HOWIE!!!!!!!!" Breanna screamed, before two warm arms jerked her shoulders. When Breanna finished screaming out his name, she opened her eyes to find AJ holding her in his arms. Breanna pulled away from him and looked around. She was now in a dark room, on a bed. AJ watched her face intensely as she looked around the room, with the look of relief on her face. "You okay?" He asked. "I think. Is Izabel pregnant?" Breanna asked. "What!? What are you talking about?" AJ asked back, with a shocked look on his face. "Just answer my question." She said flatly, not looking him in the eye. "No, Bree. You just saw her yesterday. Did she look pregnant?" AJ asked trying to prove a point. "No." Breanna mumbled. "Where's Howie?" She finally asked as her breathing regained it's normal pattern. "It's 4am. I'm assuming he's at home, asleep." Breanna nodded her head, thankful that it was only a dream. "Bree, what did you dream about? I've never heard anyone scream like that in my life." "Nothing. I don't want to talk about it." She stated angrily. "C'mon, Bree. You know I'm here for you. Just tell me, you'll feel better, please?" AJ pleaded. Breanna blew her bangs out of her face, trying to ignore AJ. "Breeeeeeeeee.....!!" AJ sang out, annoyed that she wasn't answering his question. "Fine, I'll tell you. I had a dream that I was at Howie's funeral. Happy now?" She shouted as she burst into tears. "Oh god..." AJ muttered, pulling Breanna towards him as she cried. "Cry it out, Hun. It's okay. Shhhh..." AJ tried to comfort Breanna. After 20 minutes of crying Breanna finally stopped sobbing. She was slightly hyperventilating but she had calmed down considerably. AJ laid her back down in her bed and covered her up with blankets. "Try to get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow will be better, I promise." He said as he tucked her in. "No, AJ. Don't leave me alone, please?" She asked. "Okay, I won't go anywhere. I promise." He replied as he laid down next to her. He rubbed her back trying to comfort her a little more. "Who was that little girl?" She asked quietly to herself as she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Breanna opened her eyes again and noticed she was in an empty house, a familiar yet totally unrecognizable house. It was completely empty except for the doll house on the floor. She walked around the house not recognizing anything she saw, but the feeling of the house was familiar. It felt warm, caring, and happy. She realized that the feeling that felt so familiar to her was love. She didn't recognize the house but she recognized the feelings. She felt like she belonged there, but looking around she realized that no one did. It was empty because someone was moving out. Breanna turned around and noticed a black iron spiral staircase. She started to walk up the stairs when the same little girl from the funeral came flying down the stairs giggling with a doll in her arms. "Daddy's chasing me!" She cooed happily. Breanna felt a weird sensation towards the little girl. Very protective, very nurturing, very loving. "Don't run down the stairs! You'll break your neck and die!" Breanna shouted at the little girl. The word "die" caused the little girls giggles to turn into cries as she ran out the front door into the rain, dropping her doll on the front step. Breanna ran back down the stairs to follow the little girl. When she reached the front door she looked around but couldn't see anything except for a well landscaped yard the seemed to go on forever. The yard was nothing but lush green hills with large green trees towards the edge of the property. It was very secluded and private, almost like an old English estate that she always dreamed of owning. Breanna looked down towards the front step and picked up the doll that the little girl had dropped. She turned around and walked back into the house with the doll in her arms. Breanna stood in the empty living room near the fireplace, staring out the window hoping the little girl would come back. Breanna still had the doll in her arms as she rocked the doll back and forth trying to comfort the inanimate object. She felt something poke her in the arm and looked down to see a gift tag attached to the dolls dress. She looked it over before deciding to read it.
To Rose |
Love Always, |
Daddy |
Breanna sighed thinking that the cute, but overly loved doll was given to the little girl by her loving father. "But who is she?" Breanna continued to ask herself. Breanna had a feeling that someone was watching her and glanced up to see the little girl in the doorway of the front door, soaking wet. Her hair was no longer curly, but completely straight from the weight of water. It was also dark outside. Thunder could be heard in the distance and lightning streaked the sky every few minutes. Breanna didn't know what to say to the little girl but noticed that the little girl was glaring at her, pointing towards the fire place. When Breanna turned around she noticed the fireplace had a warm fire going. That was the only reason the house had any light at all. Breanna turned back around to tell the little girl to come into the house and warm up near the fire but when she looked, the little girl was gone. She felt another tug on her dress and looked down to see the little girl completely dry with her hair full of curls again. She still wasn't smiling as she clutched her doll to her chest. This time she was pointing up towards the mantle above the fire place. Breanna looked up and noticed a single framed picture, but it was too dark to make out who was in the picture. As if on a cue, lightning streaked the sky illuminating the picture. Breanna noticed that it was a picture of herself and the little girl smiling around a Christmas tree. Next to the same picture was another smaller picture of Howie cut out from a magazine, placed into the same frame. Breanna heard a phone ringing in the distance and realized the louder the phone got, the hazier the house became. Soon the house and the little girl were gone completely while the phone continued to ring in the blackness. She heard a mans voice grumble, pick up the phone and slam it back down again. "Wake up call, Bree" AJ stated groggily. Breanna sat up quickly, realizing that she had just had another dream. "Another nightmare, Bree?" AJ asked. Breanna nodded her head, not knowing what to say. AJ sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes slowly as the thoughts of the early morning flooded back to him. "Bree?" AJ questioned as he remembered Breanna's words before she fell back asleep after her first nightmare. "Yeah?" She replied. "Who was that little girl?"
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