Back to the Dream Page
Chapter 5
Juliet looked around her classroom and nodded slightly to herself, happy to see that everything had finally been put away. The chairs were all stacked up in the reading corner. The desks were all empty and clean. The cubbyholes were all empty as well. The windows were bare. The art supplies had been put away into the closet, as were most of the toys. The bulletin boards had been covered with large sheets of paper to keep them from accumulating dust over the summer. Even her desk was in order. Everything had been washed down, dusted, or else thrown out. And now it stood, silent, barren of the usual children's shrieks and running feet. Juliet smiled to herself though. It's only three months. And then a new bunch of kids arrive. And I'll be here waiting. Still smiling, she shut the door behind her and started toward the office to get the rest of her things there. She wished the other teachers and faculty their best, declining to stay for the annual brunch they always held in celebration for the end of a new year. Juliet needed to go home and they understood.
As soon as she stepped out into the sunshine though, her bright smile faded and a frown took its place. Once again, worry filled her. She hadn't seen Lance since Monday night. That was four days ago. He'd promised to help her out the rest of the week, but he hadn't once shown up. It wasn't like him to break his word like that. He would have gotten word to her somehow… But he hasn't and I don't know what could be wrong. I've been so busy I couldn't go over to find out… Her frown deepened when she thought back to Monday. When she'd finally woken from her nap, she'd found Lance staring at her, worry on his face. He hadn't even responded when she'd started laughing at him, asking why he looked so stressed. He'd just asked if I was all right. Juliet had looked at him strangely then, a grin tugging on her mouth. She asked why wouldn't she be all right. He said nothing else then and he got up, keys in his hand. He'd beckoned for her to get up too and he said that they were going home. Before she could have protested, he was turning and going out the door. She had to run to catch up to him. Even as muddle headed as she was though, she noticed something different. He was swaying as he walked, as if he was dizzy. Quickly, she rushed to his side and went to support him. She'd asked what was wrong but all he did was give her the keys. At his home though, he insisted on walking her to her house and seeing her up to her room before he went home. And that was it. Four days have passed! What in the world was wrong that night? Are you okay?
She rushed home before calling into the house to tell her parents that she was going next door. With that, she bounded back down the steps, across the yards, and up to Lance's door. She knocked once and then let herself in without waiting. "Hello?" She called out. The house was eerily quiet and the air smelled a bit stale, as if nothing had gone in or out for a few days. "Hello?" She called out again, worry now coming out in her voice. "Mrs. Bass? Mr. Bass? Lance? Where are you? Are you all okay?" She rushed around downstairs, trying to find some sign of them. Nothing had been touched though, and a thin film of dust lay over everything.
When she was certain nothing was downstairs, she went to the stairs, taking two at a time before she was up on the landing. Again, she called out to each of them. Her ears strained, trying to hear something before she started going through all the rooms. Just like downstairs, nothing had been touched. She finally turned to his parents' bedroom and gently knocked, suddenly scared of what she'd find. Slowly, she opened the door and glanced in.
The windows had been shut, keeping the bright daylight out and the faint glow of the few candles in. The smell of sickness lay think in the air. "Lance?" she called out weakly.
Slowly, a figure rose from beside the bedside and made its way over to where she stood in the doorway. "Juliet? What are you doing here?" he asked, a little hoarse.
"I was worried about you. You never showed up at school. It's been four days."
A faint look of confusion crossed his face before he realized what she was talking about. "Oh my God! Juliet, I'm so sorry! I couldn't help it! My parents got sick and I had to take care of them! I didn't mean-"
Juliet gave a faint smile. "Don't worry about it Lance. It's all done and taken care of. I was just wondering if you needed any help here. I was really getting worried."
"I bet. I'm sorry. Do you need me now?"
"It's all right. I told you. Everything's taken care of."
"Four days have gone by?"
"Yeah. It's been that long." Lance closed his eyes wearily. "Lance? You okay? You must be dead tired. Go get some rest. I'll take care of your parents for you while you sleep."
"No, it's all right. I can-" He tried shaking his head and closing the door in front of her but she held it firmly open.
"No, you can't. You need help and I'm here. How can you take care of them when you're about to collapse? Please Lance. Get some rest. I'll call you if I need you." She'd already persuaded him out of the room and into his own where she untucked the sheets and waited for him to get in. In the light, she could really see how fatigue had plagued him. The bags under his eyes were huge. His skin looked pale and he was so weak…
He tried once more to protest. "Jules, honestly, I can take care of it."
She shook her head firmly even though a look of fright momentarily passed through his eyes. "Go to bed, Lance. Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine." She tucked him in and by the time she left his room a minute later, he was sound asleep.
Juliet made her way back into his parents' bedroom and checked on Lance's sleeping parents. She frowned at the burning fevers they had. Quickly, she replaced the bowl of cold water and dipped some cloths in it before dabbing their faces with the cool liquid. As she did so, she checked their pulses and worried even more when she felt how weak they were. Shaking her head, she placed the cloths on their forehead before heading downstairs to make them some food. In the kitchen, she quickly set to work making chicken soup while opening the windows downstairs to get rid of the musty smell and let in the warm breeze to get rid of the cold. As soon as that was done, she carefully made her way back up the stairs and settled down next to the bed. Gently, she coaxed Mrs. Bass to sit up and fed her as much of the soup as she could take before she let Lance's mom get back to sleep. She did the same to Mr. Bass before she went to check on Lance. He didn't look any better. "Poor thing," she whispered. "To be stuck in the same room with two ill patients for four days, it's a surprise you're not sick either." She bent down to kiss his forehead lightly before turning to go.
As she was going back to see Lance's parents, the front door shut loudly downstairs. Quickly, she made her way down. "Hello? Who's there?" A quick glance around the entire floor showed nothing out of place and no one in sight. "Strange," she muttered under her breath. "I could have sworn I heard the door open." She glanced at the door and saw that indeed, it had been opened. The chain lock had been ripped out. She swore under her breath before she cried out louder, angry this time. "Hey! I know you're in here! Who are you?"
She made her way upstairs and collided with Lance as he rushed out of his room. "Who was that?" he asked, a frantic look on his face.
"I don't know. Someone broke in."
Immediately, the two made their way into the master bedroom and froze. There were his parents, sitting up in bed staring at a point on the wall in front of them. Juliet glanced to where they looked but saw nothing there. The air had gone cold and his parents were frozen in place.
Lance broke out of his shock first and rushed to his dad's side. Juliet was close behind and gripped Mrs. Bass's hands in hers. She tried her best to soothe her but there was no calming her down. Mrs. Bass's eyes were glazed over with fear. All of her features were haggard and the hands in Juliet's were ice cold. Mrs. Bass tore her gaze away from the wall and locked with Juliet and Juliet shrank back a little in fear. Terror was etched in those eyes and her voice was ragged when she spoke. "Be careful Juliet. Your time is almost here. Watch out! Don't let them get to you!"
"Mrs. Bass? What are you talking about? You're frightening me."
The ill woman smiled sweetly but there was no humor in her next message. "You think you're frightened now? Just wait. There's so much more to come. Listen to your instincts child. They'll serve you well if you listen."
"Lance?" Juliet glanced worriedly at her friend.
His eyes were on his father as he listened intently to what his dad was saying. "Take care of her Lance. She'll need you and your strength. Give it to her. Teach her. Be her guide. Don't let her get caught!"
Lance's hands firmly closed about his father's and he nodded. "I promise to do all I can, father."
A little bit of peace entered Mr. Bass's eyes, but not for long. His gaze was drawn back to the wall in front of him. Juliet could sense something now. Although there was still nothing physically there, she could strongly feel the presence of another being with them, standing at the foot of the bed. Before she understands what was going on, she felt anger rise out of her as she bared her teeth at the intruder. Just as she realized what she was doing though, she felt the wind being knocked out of her. She turned around and found that no one stood behind her. It had been a blow… Inside her? She gasped as she felt the anger of the one in front of her centered onto her. Why is this person so angry? It's as if he doesn't want me to find out… Find out what? The Bass's! They'd been warning her and he was angry with that. Juliet shook her head to clear her mind, feeling increasingly desperate and violated as this stranger assaulted her with emotional blows. Mr. and Mrs. Bass cowered in bed, but before long, they lay quietly. The presence that Juliet had felt earlier had left.
Juliet was terrified. "Lance?" she managed to croak out before she glanced up at him.
He didn't hear her. His gaze was on his parents. Tears streamed down his face as he cried silently. He gently unclasped his hands from around his dad's and gently laid the hands on his chest. Without looking up at her, he gestured for Juliet to do the same. Only then did she realize that Mrs. Bass's hands had gone still in hers.