• The next day I was forced to go to school, my parents thinking it’d be for the best. I begged them not to send me but it was a futile attempt. AS the day dragged on news about Annabel reached my school. It wasn’t all that great having people give you looks that read, “Poor kid,” every 5 seconds. When I would pass someone in the hall sometimes they’d say. “I know how you feel,” or “you’ll get through this.” I wanted to lash out at them, scream, “How could you possibly know?” But I don’t. I keep that feeling locked inside and tucked away in the back of my heart. This wasn’t fair, other people deserved this life. Those who did horrible deeds should be half dead, not Annabel.
    Classes were worse believe it or not. The teachers I had this year all had Annabel as a student at one point or another. So thinking it’d be nice to hear stories about Annabel my teachers did just that. I didn’t have the heart to tell them it was only tearing me apart even more. I couldn’t pay anymore attention so I zoned out blocking out what my teachers were saying. School dragged on as I lived though it in a strange daze. Nothing my friends did would cheer me up or at the very least bring me out of my daze. Finally the last bell rang and I made a mad dash for the bus. Although why did I think my situation would be better after school and on the bus? I don’t know what possessed me to believe that/ For as soon as I entered I was bombarded with questions about Annabel.
    “Shut up! Just shut up!” I snarled then took a seat in the near front so I could make a quick escape. When I managed to get back to the serenity of my own home my mom told me to get into the car.
    “We’re going to the hospital.” Was all she said and I didn’t have to ask why.
    I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped through the hospital’s sliding glass doors. My guess was that it was supposed to smell like cleaners, have the loud chatter of nurses and doctors rushing about, and patients with series injuries or sickness. I didn’t experience these though. I smelt what seemed like rotten corpses that have been dead for a long time; there was no sound of doctors, nurses, or any other familiar sound but the cries of help from the dead? I felt like I was along again, well not entirely along. There seemed to be a presence that wasn’t human but something dark and sinister. The illusion was shattered by a woman’s voice I didn’t recognize.
    “May I help you?” a woman in her mid-30’s asked. Whatever force made me feel alone and frightened faded and the scene of the hospital came rushing back towards me. It took me a minute to answer her question but when I was about to say something my mother cut in
    “Room 2B, Annabel Sails.” My mom said. The lady pointed in the direction of the elevator. It didn’t take long to reach Annabel’s room and at first I was told to wait outside while my mother went in. There was a rule that only one person could be with the patent at a time. I paced back and forth waiting for my mom to hurry up. Getting bored I fished around in m messenger bag looking for something to do. My finger brushed against something soft and feathery I pulled it out and found it to be the dream catcher form yesterday. I don’t know why it was there or how it got there for that matter, then an idea struck me. I could place this dream catcher over Annabel’s bed and maybe her bad dreams would go away. It wasn’t much but I felt so useless not being able to do anything.
    Finally my mom came out (in tears) and I was allowed in but no one prepared me for the shock that came. Instead of my sister I just saw a girl hooked up to machines that admit a beeping sound every few seconds. I didn’t know what to say, I mean my sister in a coma and me not knowing when she’d wake up…it’s too much.
    “Hey it’s me look I bought something.” I said taking out the dream catcher, watching it’s feather dangle in front of me. I hung the dream catcher above her bed then sat down watching Annabel breath in and out. What did I expect to gain from sitting here? I mean I was no doctor, in fact I didn’t’ even know half the medicines and machines in the room did! I was just lost in my thoughts at the moment if I’m telling the truth.
    “Visiting time’s are over.” A voice behind me said. It was Annabel’s doctor, Dr. Hoshi. He was a tall, slim man in his late 20s or early 30s. I’m bad at guessing what age people are.
    “OK,” I mumbled, slowly and sadly gathering my belongings.
    “You really care about her huh?” Dr. Hoshi said. I was about to say something when he continued, “You know this will do you a lot more good than Annabel. Here,” he handed me back the dream catcher.
    “It’s hers it will help with her dreams and-” I began to protest but I got cut off…again.
    “Trust me; you’ll know when to use it when the time comes. I hope it’s soon though.” He said with a desperate sigh. I didn’t know how to respond to him so I just slipped out the door watching him all the way check the machines hooked up to Annabel. It was strange how Dr. Hoshi acted about everything, I thought as I was staring at the dream catcher. I was walking to the hospital’s cafeteria to meet my mom for lunch. She headed down there after seeing Annabel.
    My thoughts kept wondering back to that awkward conversation I had with Dr. Hoshi. When the time’s right? When is the time ever right? I suppose never, but maybe he was just tired and trying to get me out of the room. That seemed like the most logical explanation but- I stopped my train of thoughts when I noticed something in the dream catcher. Last night the stings were all ratty looking, now they look clean and new. Maybe I had two dream catchers all along and I wished I could have believe that but deep down I knew it wasn’t true. Then again just as last night there was a face in the open spaces between the strings. It was the same face as last night, eyes with no pupils, blood, red hair tied back, and pasty, white skin with crakes in it. Looking closer I saw that the cracks had blood coming out from them! I was shocked I dropped the dream catcher and took a few steps back. The face looked at me with a beckoning finger, wanting me to come closer. Without another thought I walked towards the dream catcher and picked it up again. It felt as if I had no more control over my body and I was scared that something bad was happening to me. I tried with all my will to resist the strong force that was pulling me in but I kept growing weaker and weaker. Soon the mysterious force and a hold on me as I poked my finger through one of the spaces, instead of going right through my finger disappeared. I didn’t-no I couldn’t pull back my finger and soon that little space grew bigger and bigger until there was enough room for a person my age to fit through. The face I saw grew along with the growing space and I was able to see its features more clearly now. I noticed that it did have pupils but they were just dots in a vast pool of white. Even though the pupils were hard to see I could sense the pain and loneliness in its eyes. The loneliness of not belonging anywhere and the pain of losing someone you love, the feeling I was experiencing right now.
    I stopped to think for a second about all that’s happened in past week or so. I realized that my life hadn’t been perfect but on the other hand whose life is? No one’s that’s for sure. Having second thoughts and a regain of myself control I started to pull my finger back out when I felt someone push me from behind. There was no time to scream, no time to react in away but just lose all my senses and become numb again. I last remember seeing the hospital people rush around me before I was thrown into complete darkness. Or in other words a world that was full of demons and chaos.