Chapter Seventeen: Don�t Let Me Go:

The dream I had last night didn�t really settle my nerves either. In fact, I remembered it as I looked around in the bed.

*Last Night*

I kept looking down to see rings of fire. Each layer overlapped the other. Bellows of steam hit my face. I felt myself backing away in my head, but my body wouldn�t move. Another blast of steam hit my forehead.

What is this place?, I thought. The rings widened to reveal a black swirling ocean below. The steam rose up to endless trails past my body. I nearly had to shut my eyes in order to see better. The more I tried to back up, the more that I felt like my feet were fastened in the rocky ground.

Why am I here?, I thought. I want to go home! Get me out of here!

A sharp breath hit my nape like a stray bullet. A tight grip held onto my left shoulder. I didn�t dare look behind me. I could feel him smiling just inches from my head.

�You want to get out of here?� he asked. I nodded as I kept my lips pressed together.

�Why?� he asked. I tightly shut my eyes.

This place scares me! You scare me!

�Oh? I scare you?� he asked. I nodded again. I felt my teeth chatter. He snickered under his breath.

�If you want to get out of here,� he said. �Then jump.� I fought to keep my eyes shut.

Into the ocean?

�Where else?� he asked. I drew open my eyes and looked out on the cliff. Into the black fiery ocean, huh? I didn�t like the sound of that one. But if it�s to get away from him�

Suddenly, my feet began to feel really light. Almost like I could float in the thick air. I had to take this chance now.

The cliff surprisingly turned out to be not much of a run. I came over to the edge and took a deep breath. This was it. This was my chance to be free. I let my body fall over.

But yet�

My body stopped short in midair. I opened my eyes to see the fire and ocean dancing below me, almost teasing me. Mocking me. I tried to turn my head to look back, but he kept it forced forward. My lips gave way to trembling.

Why?

Without looking, I could tell that he was shaking his head at me. �I can�t let you die.�

Why not?

I felt his teeth moving in close to my nape. A low death rattle buzzing in my head. I gave it my all not to freak out. Yet, it folded to being useless.

�Because,� he said. �You belong to me!� My eyes widened at those words.

*Early next morning*

I sat in the bed trembling. Remembering that dream made my uneasy feeling grow even worse.

I have to call Kiku!, I thought. I reached over and picked up my cell phone. I dialed her number frantically. Come on! Be there! Be there! Be there! Be there!, I thought over and over. The other line kept ringing.

�Kiku�s phone!� her voice mail chirped. �Sorry I can�t pick up right now. But, if you leave me a message, I might just get back to you. Your lucky item today is a brown cat.� Beep.

I lowered the phone to my side. Somehow, that was not good. Where did she go? She usually left me a text if she was going to leave me behind. No text only led to one course of action next.

I leapt of out bed, got dressed, and hurried out of the room to find my friend.