• “Put it out! Hurry it’s- it’s getting bigger!” someone screamed. It had immediately woke me up from whatever dream my subconscious though of. The voice was coming from my sister’s room down the hall along with the voices of my parents. I walked down the hall as quietly as I could, dragging my hand along the wall to know where I was going. I didn’t dare turn on the overhead light afraid my parents would catch me and send me back to bed. This was the third time in a row I’ve been woken up by the sounds of my sister’s screams. I’ve begin to wonder what the causes of the nightmares are but turned up empty handed.
    As I got closer to my sister’s room I was able to see in front of me thanks to the dim lighting coming from under the door. I gently opened the door a bit to see my sister tossing left and right, my parents trying to calm her down.
    “Put it out! Please somebody?” my sister said now trying to get up and run but my father restrained her.
    “Annabel, wake up honey, everything will be ok. That’s just a nightmare nothing more.” My mother coaxed. It did no good and Annabel’s state was getting worse. The room felt like there was the presence of death and to me it felt like the Grim Reaper was after my sister. I doubt anyone else felt it but I was pretty sure death was upon us.
    “Juni, go to bed.” My father shouted not even glancing in my direction. With a heavy sigh I reluctantly closed the door and shuffled off to bed located in my dark room.
    When I climbed back into bed sleep wouldn’t return. I tired every way I could think of that makes people even the least bit tired. No luck. I decided to draw the quilt up and over my head sending me into complete darkness. Eventually I fell asleep around 1:00 a.m but it was a restless and dreamless one at that.
    I woke up (again) but this time it was thanks to my stupid alarm clock. Rolling over I struggled to turn it off only succeeding after a few minutes. I forced myself to get out of my soft, warm bed and get ready for school. After doing my daily morning routine I bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Annabel was in her usual seat that looked right out into the garden. Since the nightmares started it seems like Annabel is empty. Empty in the sense that she no longer seems to show emotion it’s almost as if Annabel’s a zombie. If someone came to me last week and said this is the way my sister would end up I would have laughed in their face and walked away. My sister used to be the most active person in school. From organizing dances to after school karate classes (she’s a brown belt almost a black belt) it seemed like she was everywhere at once. Pushing the memories of how my sister used to be I sat down and made myself a bowl of cereal. My parents took Annabel to the best doctors they could find but no one could help. Sure they put her on medications, talked to her nicely, and viewed her behavior over night but they could only ever get one word from her, “thief.” None of us have any idea what that means and every spare moment I have my thoughts tend to end up thinking about that word. What could it mean? It seems like I’ve thought of every possible answer and I wish I could ask Annabel about it but that was forbidden. The doctors say it would mess up all the tests they’re running but think it’s because they don’t want me knowing something they don’t. That still didn’t stop me from snooping around though but I still came up empty handed.
    I gave a quick glance over at Annabel who in return was staring wide eyed out the window. Her gray eyes had a glazed look to them and her normally long, tidy hair was now cut short and messy. This wasn’t the girl I knew for all 13 years of my life, a different person now sat with me as I tried to understand what she was looking so intently at. I couldn’t look for very long as I soon realized the time. If I didn’t hurry I was going to be late for school.
    “Bye Annabel,” I said sling my messenger bag across my chest and putting my shoes on. I figure that even though she’s not really there it would still be nice to treat Annabel as if nothing was wrong.
    “Demons,” she mutters pointing out the window. I glanced over at the direction and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I walked up to the window just to be sure but when I saw nothing I released the breath I didn’t know I was holding. I took note of what Annabel said then made a mad dash for the bus stop. To bad it couldn’t just stop at demons.
    Double history seems bad on just about any day. Some how I got stuck with an extra 45 minutes with Mr. Savvs, the teacher known for his tedious lectures. It’s all the same really 20 minutes of the class is wasted with kids talking, another 20 wasted to lectures, and 5 minutes left for a worksheet about today’s “big” lesson. I still don’t understand how my schedule worked out so that I have two history classes with the same teacher! The guidance counselor said it would take a few more weeks for my classes to be fixed; but I think that the guidance counselor is just too lazy to fix my schedule. However when I walked into history for the second time today I was not prepared for the event that was about to come. Truth be told I don’t think anyone was.
    After the first 10 minutes of class passed a voice came on over the intercom. It was a bit hard to hear because it was full of static but I managed to hear. For some reason I was needed in the main office right now. Mr. Savvs seemed a bit reluctant to give me the hall pass but gave in knowing the office would call again if I didn’t come soon. Every teacher knows I’m not the kind to be goofing off so if I don’t come when called for something they know something’s wrong. When I left the room a chorus of, “you’re in trouble, followed me.
    “What are you a bunch of 5 year olds?” I snapped as I turned and left the room. What bugged me was that the walk to the main office seemed to take a lot longer than usual but that might be because I was taking my time. I was in no rush to hear the same history lecture again. The hallway lights flickered above driving me crazy along with the feeling like I wasn’t alone. Which I was since every other student was in class but that’s not what I meant. It seemed like I wasn’t part of this world anymore and I was in another with someone there…watching me. I know it’s crazy but that’s how it seems to be. I soon found myself sitting on the floor with my butt hurting me. I had ended up crashing into the main office door and falling flat on my butt. The feeling of being alone and in a different world was shattered as soon as I landed. Then it occurred to me that I hadn’t had the slightest clue as to why I was here. I knew it wasn’t because of anything I did, or was it? Then the idea hit me like a ton of bricks, what if I was called here because of Annabel? Oh God, I hope-no prayed with all my might that she wasn’t dead. I had just seen her this morning alive (somewhat…) and well (again somewhat). It’s strange how one minute you see a person alive and well and then the next they could be buried in the ground left to the worms. No, I mustn’t think like that! Negative thoughts lead to negative thinks or karma for short…I think.
    I turned the door knob with shaky hands knowing I’d be hit with the full blown truth once I walked through the door. Part of me wanted to run and hide wile another part of me wanted-needed to know the truth. I figured I was old enough so I decided to take the truth at any cost and I walked into the main office. The lights were blinding at first being brighter than the hallway lights and it took me a while for me eyes to readjust.
    “You’re- you’re sister, she’s-” my mom managed to say in between sobs. Tears were falling down her face and any hope that it wasn’t about Annabel quickly left. The only thing I felt now was pain and misery. More than anything I hoped for her not to be dead, just anything but dead or near death! Of course if things were that simple many people would be well and alive right now. The principal handed my mom another tissue while trying to get her to tell me the rest of the story.
    “Mom, I know it’s not easy but please tell me I can handle it.” I begged walking over to my mom and giving her a hug. The front of my shirt immediately felt wet but I no longer cared.
    “Coma…” My mom said in a voice that was barely above a whisper. It didn’t take me long to put the facts together. Annabel was somehow in a coma most likely because of her nightmares. At first I wanted to cry my eyes out and I saw my principal getting ready with another box of tissues. That’s what I felt at first but then all of a sudden I didn’t feel anything at all. There was no misery, no anger; no type of feeling inside me at all. I felt numb and immune to what was going on around me. Everything just seemed to be like a bad black and white silent movie, minus the words. I hated it. I hated this numbness I was feeling it was worse than feeling the sorrow my mom was going through. It made me look like I didn’t care about Annabel at all and my mom started to say something to me about not reacting; but my principal interrupted her. I took a shaky breath and then collapsed on the near by chair.
    I was able to go home early today and more than anything I wanted to see my sister. When I asked my mom she said maybe tomorrow. Honestly I think she was still furious about how I reacted earlier in the office. I found out from my dad that Annabel just slipped into the coma after her classmates ignored her cry for help. It looked like she was talking to someone not there about demons and a thief, then without warning she passed out. When she didn’t wake up after a few minutes the nurse called 911. (I didn’t know until my mom came because she’s in high school while I’m still in junior high.) That’s all I know or all that anyone would tell me because after getting home I was sent to my room. I don’t understand why though but I didn’t want to start a fight so I did as my mom said. Having nothing to do in my room besides homework I started going through my room trying to organize it a bit. I know it’s not the best time for that but what else can I do? Blasting my iPod to some music that set the mood for how things were going today I began to work. I first started with my desk since I couldn’t even use it because it was pilled a mile high with all my art supplies. There were about five sketch books (most full of drawings and sketches), two boxes of colored pencils, an inking kit, shading tools, and regular #2 pencils covering the surface. While I set to work organizing my art supplies into neat piles I came across a medium sized dream catcher. I can’t remember where I had gotten it from or who gave it too me but I had a feeling it was special (and important). It was brown with matching feathers and bright colored beads. The design in the middle was complicated yet elegant looking; but the sting looked worn and old. I found myself staring at the dream catcher intently for what seemed like ages. I don’t know what I was expecting to find, a cure for my sister? The answers to all my problems? Maybe I don’t remember the reason but just as I was about to put the dream catcher away in a safe spot I thought for an instant I saw a face flash across the dream catcher. It seemed that I saw the reflection in the spaces between the strings as if there was a tiny mirror in between each spot. I looked at the dream catcher again but there was no face this time. I decided to hang it up above my bed and finish cleaning. That night I had dreamt the most peaceful dream in what seemed like ages, (even though I’m only 13).