Nightmare

Sabrina was lying on her bed, arms folded behind her head. Her blinds were closed and her light was off, leaving the room in complete darkness.

Well not completely.

She gazed at her glow-in-the-dark stars that were stuck randomly onto her ceiling. It was another boring day at the Keys' residence.

What to do? What to do? I don't know what to do. I'm going to die at this rate. Give me something to do!

If there was one thing about Sabrina, it was that she despised waiting around and not doing anything. She always needed her mind to be busy and her hands to be working. Sitting with nothing to do was her equivalent of torture. The stars seemed to calm her down, even if it was only a little.

I've read all my books several times. I've watched movies. I don't feel like writing. Mom's busy. Jason is doing something with dad that apparently I cannot disturb.

She could only stare so long at the stars before-

Alright! That's it! I need to do something.

And with that she sat up at the edge of her bed. She slipped on the right sandal onto her foot and just before she could put on the left, she was hit with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

Something flickered in her mind.

Sounds, images, feelings.

What's happening?

Shouting

She tugged on the other sandal.

Arguing.

She flung open her door.

A glimpse of her running through a forest.

She ran down the stairs.

The feeling of dread washed over her.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

Riley, Cody, Archer.

This is not real. I'm not supposed to be here.

A voice at the back of her head kept whispering.

This isn't real.

She saw three people in her living room.

"Mom, Dad, Jason?"

They didn't seem to hear her.

They were arguing but their voices were drowned out.

Was she underwater?

"Mom," she called out.

No response.

"Dad," she called slightly louder.

It was as if she wasn't there.

Suddenly her brother turned around and stormed towards the front door... with a bag.

He threw the door open with such force and slammed it shut once he was out.

"Jason!", she screamed.

She didn't know she was crying until she felt hot tears trail down her face and drip onto her hand.

I need to go.

More flashes ensued.

She was crying in her room.

What's happening?

She was downstairs with her dad.

Please.

He was crying.

Stop.

Her mom was locking all the doors.

No...

Her father handed her the chain.

Please stop it.

BANG

Open the door!

Leave me alone!

Windows shattering.

Doors breaking.

Her parents screaming.

"SABRINA RUN!"

She woke up with a start, her face dampened with sweat, heart beating rapidly and her breathing came in quick gasps.

Calm down, it was just a nightmare.

It felt so real. She was reliving her past. All the emotions that she felt during those times hit her.

And it hit her hard.

She buried her face into her hands and tried steadying her breathing. It didn't take her very long. She finally looked up and saw Archer.

He was staring at her. His eyes laced with an uncharacteristic amount of concern. She looked down and balled her fists into the blanket.

"Uh, are you.. okay?", he questioned awkwardly.

Right, terrible social skills.

"Peachy," was the dull response.

"Do you want to talk ab-", he began before he was cut off.

"This never happened," she interrupted coldly.

He took the hint and nodded. He grabbed whatever he came for and left.

She let out a breathe of relief and frowned. There was a slight tightness to her face and placed her fingers on her cheek to investigate, only to find out that she had been crying in her sleep.

Dried tear tracks. No wonder he looked worried. I hope I wasn't sleeptalking.

Now that the lights were on, she saw two beds. One bunk bed, where Archer and Cody were sleeping and the bed where she was sleeping next to Riley.

Everyone seemed to have gotten up before her. She saw three doors. One in front and two on either side of the room. She got up and walked to the door on her left, which to her delight was a bathroom. She freshened up and sauntered into the main room.

"Goodmorning Lia," Cody chimed as soon as she walked through the door.

"Morning, L," Riley greeted with a warm smile after hearing Cody.

"Morning guys."

Riley was in the kitchen, probably making breakfast or something and Cody was crouched down by the pile of goods that she saw in the corner of the room when she first arrived, probably taking stock.

She looked around for Archer, only to find him sitting on the sofa and playing with a switchblade while his eyes were trained to the floor.

She walked over to Cody, not wanting to be near Archer for a while and knelt down beside him.

"Whatcha doin'?", she inquired.

"Not much, just doing inventory," he responded.

"Need any help?", she offered.

"Actually, yeah. Archer just sits and does nothing," he joked and they both looked in his direction. Archer hadn't moved.

Sabrina and Cody looked at each other with narrowed eyes.

"Hey man, you good?", Cody asked.

No response.

"Dude."

Nothing.

"Bro"

Nada.

"Archer, you better answer me now or so help me!", Cody yelled, ears red.

This snapped Archer out of his trance-like state.

"Oh, uh what?", he asked confused.

Sabrina hadn't seen him stammer this much in the short time they have known each other but she knew this wasn't normal.

"I asked if you were okay," the blonde boy reiterated.

"Oh yeah, great. Just thinking," he assured with a sheepish smile.

Cody seemed satisfied with his answer and continued with the work but Sabrina was sure that there was more to Archer's 'thinking.' She decided to let it go for now and bring it up later when the tension from this morning's event withered away.

She resumed to helping Cody write down and count all their supplies which took around forty minutes including the double and triple checks and the break during which they ate.

Archer disappeared around 20 minutes in, missing breakfast. Sabrina asked Riley about it but she shrugged it off, but concern could be clearly seen through the tone of her words and the scrunching of her eyebrows.

They all ate quietly and went to clean up.

"I'll do the dishes," Sabrina announced.

"No, don't stress. I got it," Cody insisted and took the plates away from her.

She was about to object when Riley hopped onto a counter and spoke, "Don't bother. He won't let you do it. He's stubborn."

Cody looked at Sabrina and smiled smugly.

Sabrina rolled her eyes with a laugh and turned to go into the sitting area but stopped when she saw Archer's plate on the counter.

"Is he not coming to eat?", Sabrina questioned, not moving her eyes from the abandoned breakfast.

"He forgets sometimes, even though I shout at him and lecture him to eat. He just doesn't listen," Riley explained while shaking her head.

"I'll give it to him," Sabrina turned and blurted without thinking.

Riley looked at her with an eyebrow raised in question and Cody stopped washing the dishes and opted to just stare at her in disbelief.

"He's probably in the training room," Cody added helpfully.

"The training room? Where's that?"

"In the bedroom. It's the door opposite the bathroom," he said before turning back and continuing his task.

Riley hopped off the counter and walked towards the stairs to leave the bunker. "Yo buddy, I'm just going up to check on things. You're welcome to join once you've finished cleaning up. You too, Lia," she called out as she walked up the stairs.

"Sure thing."

"Okay"

The two comrades shouted back at the same time.

Sabrina grabbed the plate and went to the training room, knocking before she entered.

The lack of response didn't deter her from opening the door and making her way inside. She could hear clanging on the other side of the door and proceeded to enter.

She was immediately blinded. The room was mind-numbing white.

White floor, white walls, white ceiling, white cabinets and shelves.

The LED lights in the white room, burned through her retinas.

She clamped her eyes shut and then put her forearm in front of it to shield her eyes before moving forward. The clanging stopped and she opened her eyes.

Archer was looking at her, his arm was limply at his side with a sword in his grasp. He looked at her and the food questioningly.

"You missed breakfast," she explained and walked towards him.

He raised his eyebrow and didn't say anything. She reached him and offered the plate. She looked up at him when he didn't take it and found that he was smirking at her, his hazel eyes shining with humour.

"What?", she grumbled.

"You're so short," he teased.

She scoffed and put the plate in his hands and walked away.

"Hey Lia?", he called out.

She stopped in front of the door, waiting for him to continue but didn't turn around.

"Thank you."

She smiled and walked out.