Dream-Walkers

Copyright © 2011 by Carmen Coetzee.

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4628-6775-2

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4628-6776-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

0-800-644-6988

www.XlibrisPublishing.co.uk

[email protected]

301787

"We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving.

And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long

as we keep believing."

- Louisa May Alcott

To all the dreamers,

Never lose sight of the vision within . . .

Love, C

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to Nicholas Challis for editing ‘Dream-Walkers’, without your kind words of encouragement, Lana would never have had a chance to breathe life into these pages.

Thank you to Xlibris Publishers and your hard-working team that helped make my story more believable than I ever imagined it could be. Thank you to Lucy who really went the extra mile.

Thank you to my wonderful Godparents; Wally and Divvy. You did such a good job with the proof-reading of ‘Dream-Walkers’—I truly appreciate it!

I would like to say a big thank you to my parents, who have always supported and believed in me from the very beginning—I love you both.

Thank you to my sister Renee, who was a huge inspiration to many of my ideas for the story—a mere 57 500 words are not nearly enough to express how grateful I am to have a sister like you. I love you.

My best friend Terri, thank you for being my beautiful Lana-Ann Manson and for all your words of love and encouragement throughout my journey—I love you.

My dearest Phillip, I love you. Thank you for all your love and support.

To my grandparents, thank you for loving me the way that you do. Oums, I read your card everyday and believe in it with all my heart, thank you for being my soul’s inspiration for living each day.

To all my friends and family who have supported me, loved me and just been there for me—thank you!

All my love, C

Contents

Chapter 1:   Lana-Ann Manson

Chapter 2:   The Unbroken Promise

Chapter 3:   Thursday 5 June 1999

Chapter 4:   Liz’s Story

Chapter 5:   Liar

Chapter 6:   Mommy

Chapter 7:   Daddy David

Chapter 8:   Blood Moon

Chapter 9:   0605

Chapter 10:   The Touch

Chapter 11:   Mr. Stone

Chapter 12:   The Secret

Chapter 13:   Dead Angel

Chapter 14:   My Saviour

Chapter 15:   Good Bye

Chapter 16:   Heart-Shaped Locket

Chapter 17:   The Oak Tree

Chapter 18:   Troy Steele

Chapter 19:   The Confession

Chapter 20:   Raging Dawn

Chapter 1

LANA-ANN MANSON

I felt the cold air on my face as I ran. Fear gripped me as I realized I was running from something; something that was closing in on me quickly. I turned to see how much time I had before this thing caught up to me. The air in my lungs tried to escape through my mouth but there was no way that I could keep it suppressed. I felt the fingers run through my hair trying to grip my neck from behind. I couldn’t give in because I had to save myself but I didn’t even know where was I running to.

Why was this thing chasing me? What had I done to deserve this? I could feel the tears fall down my cheeks as I asked the questions over and over again in my head.

I knew this was it; this was how I was going to part with this world. What had my purpose been? Why was I put on this earth to die so quickly and so pathetically? Something caught my eye—a light. The yellow haze in front of me gave me a shudder of hope. I ran desperately to escape the claws reaching out to claim me. My feet didn’t feel like they were touching the ground. I felt like I was floating up to heaven but who was I trying to fool? I could only wish for such a good ending.

I quickly turned a corner around a bush and fell to my knees. My breathing was heavy and agonizingly painful. I heard something in the trees behind me and I stopped breathing hoping it would keep me hidden. I was stuck to the little piece of ground underneath me. I felt like I was sinking into quicksand as I heard, felt and realized how close my nightmare was to becoming a reality.

I heard the wind blowing the leaves in the trees above my head, how I wished I could be a leaf at that very moment. Through my thoughts I heard the roar coming out of its mouth. I gasped and found my feet again and sprinted ahead, looking behind me continuously to see what this thing was that was after me.

I couldn’t see because I was blinded by the tears which blurred my vision. I looked in front of me and suddenly I rammed into a wooden door. I fell down and my head hit the ground with a splitting thud. My eyes focused on the black little stars springing into my vision, I was trying to look around to see what I had run into. I fumbled through wet leaves and branches trying to untangle myself. The branches clung to me, burying their wooden fingers into my skin. I screamed as I felt the thin branches running into my veins, becoming one with my body. I couldn’t breathe anymore, the pain was too much, I couldn’t deal with this . . .

My eyes shot open and my forehead was wet with perspiration. My eyes couldn’t adjust to the bright light in the room. I tried to comprehend what had just happened to me and where I was.

Good morning! a familiar voice called.

Where am I? I asked, confused.

You’re in the hospital, I tried to focus on my sister’s face but she was just a blur, go back to sleep. I’ll be here all day.

Her words soothed my inner conflict and without any further struggle, I laid my head down and went back to sleep.

Lana, what’s happening? I’m so scared, her voice quivered.

I’m right here, I won’t let you go. I promised.

I looked back at the girl I was leading up the stairs. She squeezed my hand in fright. The touch of her soft skin felt familiar, as if I was holding my own hand. I lead her to a door which allowed the familiar girl to enter through it first. As I walked behind her a bright light filtered through onto my face. I couldn’t go any further than the door frame. The girl disappeared into the light and I was left alone wondering why I couldn’t go with her. I turned to leave but I had a strange sensation that I wasn’t alone in the passage.

I walked into the darkness of the forbidding passageway and I felt a flicker of adrenaline shoot through my heart when I heard soft crying.

Carol, I thought panic stricken.

I started to jog down the empty space in an attempt to find her quicker. The crying got louder as I approached the last door at the end of the passage. The door was heavy as I pushed it open; it creaked in a familiar way.

A memory flashed into my mind at the reminder of the haunting noise. I remembered pushing heavy chapel doors open, the chapel where my parent’s funeral service had been held almost ten years ago.

Suddenly I was running down the aisle of the chapel searching desperately for my sister.

Carol, where are you? I shouted out trying to overpower the sound of her crying which had become louder. Her crying stopped instantly at the echo of my voice through the vast chapel.

Panic rushed through me because I couldn’t hear her anymore. Even though I was two years younger than her, I was very protective of her.

Suddenly, she appeared from the corner of the chapel, walking unsteadily. She didn’t look normal, her body twitching as she got closer to me. The goose bumps pricked my skin on the back of my neck and arms. I looked at her, trying to figure out why she looked so abnormal. She looked possessed in a way, moving unwillingly towards me.

My breath caught in the back of my throat when she grabbed for me.

You caused their death Lana, I was only eight! How could you take them away from me? You were supposed to save them not help them pass on! she screeched unnaturally.

My throat was instantly dry and choking me. I couldn’t get any words out, I felt frozen to the spot. She looked at me and smiled.

Within seconds I had become airborne. I tried to get my bearings but my body was spinning wildly out of control. In the next instant I felt the hard connection with the marble floor beneath me. I turned onto my side and tried to stop my head from spinning. I instinctively and clumsily propped myself up on one hand and pushed myself up with the other. I stood unsteadily at the bottom of the stairs where my dream had started with the familiar girl.

I looked around the empty entrance hall; a portrait leaned against the wall in the corner. I was intrigued by the beautiful woman that had been immortalized in the painting. As I got closer to the portrait, a blood curdling scream came from upstairs. I turned around shocked to hear a scream so tormented.

Before I could make a run for the stairs a hand anchored me in my tracks. Long fingers dug into my shoulder. I spun around and came face to face with the lady of the portrait.

Wake up silly soul! Or I will come and fetch you myself!

Unexpectedly she pushed me down on to the floor.

The hospital bed shook as if my body had really hit the floor in my dream. I sat up instantly and rubbed the beads of sweat from my forehead.

Not again, I thought frustrated and a little shaken.

It wasn’t the first time I had, had that dream. It was a recurring dream which seemed to visit me at least once a year.

The hospital room was empty as I looked around desperately for some company. The dream had felt more intense this time round and I was even left craving the chirpy sarcasm of my sister to get my mind off of it. I sat smirking at the fact that I actually wanted Carol around me. She was after all my ultimate challenge in life. I tried to calm my nerves by thinking of her, the typical blonde, blue eyed beauty I called my sister.

I laid back onto the cardboard box of a bed I had been slapped into. I wished with all my might to rather be in my own bed at home. To be honest I hated hospitals with a passion but the strange thing about lying here was the fact that I didn’t know why I was here to begin with. I didn’t remember anything that had happened, only my very strange nightmare of running away from something that was catching up to me rather quickly.

I focused on my surroundings and realized I was the only patient in the huge room. The air was filled with a surgical smell that burnt my nose. I felt a little uneasy being in this white, square room all alone.

Hey! came the chirpy voice of my eighteen-year-old sister from underneath the bed. I shot up quickly, my heart pumping wildly out of control.

What the . . . ? When did you get here? You weren’t here a minute ago! I said shocked as I was almost sure I had been alone when I had woken up.

Don’t be stupid, I’ve been here the whole time, was the sarcastic sneer from my loving sister, I just dropped my nail file on the floor.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves even though her nail file cover up wasn’t a good enough explanation for me.

What happened to me Carol? Why am I here?

It’s actually quite funny, she started to explain, you were sleep walking and you fell down the stairs. She tried to sneak a laugh but coughed instead.

It’s not very funny, I moaned, I could have gotten hurt!

You did stupid, that’s why you’re in hospital!

I did not reply; she had a point after all. Carol looked at me and sighed. I looked at the hospital gown they had put on me. It felt cold and uncomfortable because it was open at the back.

I moved around trying to find a cozy spot but the bed was just as hard and uncomfortable as the gown. I felt like Goldilocks in Daddy Bear’s bed.

I punched the pillow in annoyance and felt a pang of pain shoot up into my shoulder and into my back. I fell into the pillow and looked up at the ceiling.

Did you have another nightmare? Is that why you fell? Carol asked concerned all of a sudden.

I didn’t want to share that information with her. I would much rather speak to Margs because she understood me more and there would be far less exaggerated gasps and sighs. Margs was a wonderful person who you could confide in about absolutely anything. She had become a good mother figure for Carol and I and the best thing about Margs was the fact that she always had time for you, no matter how busy she was. I loved Margs like a mother and a best friend. She had gentle features with a big build. Her famous words were: she had to have some place to pack all the love she held for us. She was always friendly and welcoming and made anybody laugh, she was as addictive as chocolate.

My dear sister Carol on the other hand, was a drama queen who always blew everything sky high. I really didn’t need that fake pretence in my life right now. She was the popular girl at school who was always up with the latest trends. The group of snobs she associated herself with at school, were only her friends because they had credibility. They were in fact complete morons to be precise and Carol was sadly turning into one more and more everyday. She was very easily influenced by her peers and to be honest, Carol was the CNN of the group.

Truth be told, Carol was the source of my envy. I was the Plain Jane who had the mousy brown hair who always wanted to be like my big sister. Although I did have one cool characteristic—my eye colour. They were completely different colours, one green and the other brown. I suppose it would have been awesome if only I had the x-ray vision to go along with it.

No matter how childish it seemed, my sister and I had a perfect love-hate relationship. We were always on each other’s case. But when push came to shove, we had an unbreakable bond that would go beyond dying for one another.

"Did you have another nightmare?" she repeated, getting annoyed with my delayed response.

I looked at her and shrugged in reply to her question. I turned onto my side and mumbled under my breath.

Please wake me when Margs comes to the ward.

Sure thing. was all I heard before I pushed my head into the pillow.

I shouldn’t be so hard on her, I thought guiltily as I felt myself drifting off.

I walked through the gravestones, looking for something or maybe someone. I didn’t know my purpose for being here. I just walked around trying to take in my environment. The air felt cold on my exposed shoulders.

What was I wearing?

I looked down and to my surprise I was wearing a beautiful wedding gown draped in smooth satin and lace. I turned around wondering if anyone was ready to break out of the dead bushes and shout April fools! However, there was nothing, nothing at all, just me in my pretty dress and my thoughts.

I scanned my surroundings trying to figure out how to get to an exit. I carried on walking after a moment of thought and tried to look for clues. The biggest hints were the gravestones and so I started to read what was on them:

In loving memory of Victoria Sella, Rest in Peace our beloved son Peter Andrews

The wind started to pick