Tag: fiction

It was the third time that I had woken up from the same dream. It was always the same. Scary. Daunting. Unreal. I could never figure out why I kept dreaming about the same thing. Was it trying to warn me? Tell me something? Or was it just a side effect from the pint of ice cream I had last night before bed?

I looked at the bed side clock. It was barely 3. That had to be a sign too. I laid in bed staring at the ceiling, checking everything off the list I had for things I had packed. Socks. Check. Underwear. Check. Pants. Check. Bra. Check. By the time I had gone through the list, t was 3:12. I rolled over and closed my eyes. Drifting back to sleep. The dream continued.

I was running through the woods! Someone, or something was chasing me. I couldn’t seem to shake them, or it. I heard the footsteps running after me, but barely over the sound of my heart racing. I was coming to the edge of a cliff, nothing but roaring waters down below. I still heard the footsteps, running.

I saw the shadows but I couldn’t tell from which direction. Was it more than one? I weighed my options. If I jump, I die by drowning. If I stay here and get captured, I die. Neither option had a good ending so I went with the first one and jumped. I screamed on the way down. I felt hands on my shoulders, someone shaking me and calling my name.

“Iris! Wake up! Iris! Iris!”

I jolted up in my bed. It was daylight. Already? How long had I been dreaming. I looked at the clock. It was 7 in the morning. I rubbed my eyes.

“You were having that dream again, weren’t you?” asked my sister, Tasia.

“Yeah, and I’m so sick of it. I don’t know what any of it means and I feel like something is going to happen soon. That I am going to actually live out this dream.”

“You know mom always said…”

“Yeah, mom always said, ‘My dear, you have the gift of premonitions. Use that gift wisely.’ But hell, I die in this so called premonition.”

“Well, maybe it’s not a premonition, maybe you’re just stressed about this trip. It’s a big story for you to try to uncover and you’re under a lot of pressure.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

“Well, you should probably be getting ready. I packed you some food for the bus and boat ride,” she sad before leaving.

“Thanks,” I called after her.

I showered and got dressed. Bringing my suitcase down the stairs, I could hear the television.

“Breaking News! We just got word that the storms are brewing around Perish Island. Any travelers, we highly advise that you hold off on your trip until the storms have passed.”

I walked in as my sister turned to look at me, with that look in her eyes.

“Tasia, don’t be silly. That storm could end up going the other way.”

“Iris, you know the stories behind that island, which is why you’re going there. You know it’s dangerous as is and now these storms? You want to risk your life just for some views on your blog?”

“Tasia it’s more than that. You know I want my blog to turn into a source of income and for other bloggers and websites to take me seriously. All of these pieces lately haven’t been as buzzworthy and you know I can’t stand celebrity gossip.”

“I know but still, I worry. We are all we have left,” she sulked.

“We have Jermail.”

“You have Jermail.”

“Hey, you know he loves you too.”

“Just be careful.”

“I promise,” I said as I went over and hugged her.

“I’m glad Jermail is going with you.”

“I’m glad he is too,” I lied.

I hadn’t told my sister that Jermail and I had broken up a week ago and that I was doing this trip solo, hence why we broke up. He didn’t approve of me going alone, so I ended things. But I definitely wasn’t about to tell her that.

I heard the horn of the Uber and got my things and food she packed for me. She stood at the door and watched me off. I looked out the back window and waved. At that moment, I now realized, I should’ve never gone to Perish Island.