The Tree on the Dike - chapter 8

"The Tree on the Dike"  [13+]

Chapter 8

         Susan awoke with beads of sweat covering her forehead. Her heart was pounding and she had to take several large breaths before she could get herself to calm down. The last thing she needed was another bad dream.

         Ms. Kennedy returned from the phone wearing a frown on her face. "Why didn't you tell me your parents were missing?" She looked away from Susan for a moment and returned with a half-smile. "You really shouldn't keep your emotions bottled up inside. If you want to talk about how you're feeling, I'm willing to listen."

         Susan was quiet for a moment. "I . . . I don't really know how I'm feeling. I'm confused, angry, puzzled, and frightened all at the same time. What's going on and why is it all happening to me? Are these events connected or random? I don't know what to do, but I want to do something. I just feel so helpless."

         The nurse looked at her and smiled. "I know what that's like, since I was a teenager myself, once. It must be hard to lose your parents. I don't know what that feels like." She became quiet as if trying to imagine it. "Your grandfather will be here soon. Why don't you stay home and rest the weekend, and I'll see you on Monday, okay?"

         "But the track tryouts are tomorrow. I can't miss those." Susan sat up, using her good hand for support.

         "Now Susan, do you really want to try to win a race after everything else that's happened? Don't you think it would be hard to do your best, especially with that damaged hand?"

         "My hand is starting to feel better, besides I need to do something. Running is something I'm good at. I have a feeling of control on that track. Please don't take that away from me."

         "I did see you running to school this morning, and you are pretty fast. I was thinking of asking you to try out for the team, but after everything that has happened. . . ." The coach looked at Susan, who put on the sweetest smile she could manage. "Okay, you can come to the tryouts, but before you get too excited, you're going to have to get your grandparents permission first, and I'll send you home the minute it looks like you're having any difficulties."

         "Oh, thank you. You won't be disappointed. I'm going to do my best. Don't worry." Susan spoke very quickly, hardly taking time to breath.

         "That's all I can expect. I have to go to my office to get the permission slip, rest until I get back. Later we'll go to the parking lot and wait for your grandfather."

         Susan's grandfather was all ready in the parking lot by the time she got there, and soon she was heading home. She had to explain what had happened to her hand, which was hard since she didn't really know what happened herself, and her grandfather knew very little about computers.

         Once she got home, she had to explain everything all over again to her grandmother. She wanted the permission form signed right away, but her grandmother seemed very upset when she heard about the accident. Maybe her grandparents would be more receptive to the idea in the morning.

         Susan decided to go to bed early, so she would be well rested for tomorrow's tryouts. Around eight o'clock she went to bed, but it was 9:30 before she fell asleep.

* * * * * * * *

         Susan was sitting on a branch of the old tree on the dike, which was standing tall. There was no sign of the power plant or the bulldozer that had uprooted the tree. Everything seemed to be the way she remembered it before all the weirdness started to happen.

         Yet, some things were different. Susan was wearing a silver dress with gold trim, which she had never seen before, that went down to her ankles. Around her neck was the medallion she had found, but it was untarnished and shone with an inner glow.

         Stranger still, Susan was holding a small baby, wrapped in a yellow blanket with gold trim. The baby was smiling at her as if she was the baby's mother. She smiled back. This child seemed familiar, but she had no idea why. She rocked the baby in her arms, and it felt as if she had done it many times before.

         The sun began to set, and Susan just sat there, rocking the baby and enjoying the view. I feel so peaceful here, she thought. I wish this dream would never end.

         As the sun disappeared on the horizon, it suddenly became very dark. A chill went up her spine, as the unmistakable sound of a motor could be heard in the distance. Looking around, she saw two headlights coming toward her. The tree shook as the vehicle collided with it, and Susan was sure it was the bulldozer that had come to knock down the tree. She could feel the pain of the tree as the roots were pulled from the earth.

         The tree moved beneath her, and Susan tried to hold on. The baby, her baby, fell out of her arms and dropped into the darkness below. Susan jumped from the tree as it came crashing down around her. "My baby," she screamed. "Where is my baby?" She frantically searched the darkness, but the baby's cry was coming from everywhere at once.

         Susan heard a new noise behind her, louder than the plaintive wail of her baby. It was the roar of an engine and the sound of treads rending the earth. Turning, she came face to face with the two bright headlights that were bearing down upon her.

Continued in "The Tree on the Dike - chapter 9"