Andrea awoke with a start, her breath coming out in quick, raspy breaths. Panting and hot, she put her hand to her forehead and sat up in bed, looking around; trying to get her bearings.

Her eyes scanned the dark room (it must have been around one in the morning), disoriented and wary. It was just a dream. Just a bad, bad dream. She tried to convince herself of this, chanting it in her mind for what seemed like hours, but for what must have been only a few minutes. However fervently she wanted to believe that the visions that had flashed under her eyelids were just a figment of her imagination she knew, deep within her being, that her nightmare had had some truth in it.

She lay back down, her head suddenly beginning to spin, and huddled under the wool blankets trying to stop the shivers that had begun jumping up and down her spine. It had not been the first time she had had this particular dream, and she knew her subconscious must be trying to tell her something; something important.

The shivers continued to shake her slim form.

The dream was confusing every time she experienced it, and never ceased to confound her. It came in three parts: The first, an assortment of colors: specks of gold, hints of grey, and splashes of red, but mainly a despairing black. The colors blazed sporadically under her eyelids, seeming to blend together, yet always distinctly separate. And then they were gone.

The second part came on swiftly after the array of colors. She found herself in an open field, crying in agony and heartache. It was always a moonless night when she was in the field, and always the field was devoid of any beings.

She never knew why she was crying, but she could sense that it was both physical and emotional pain. As she lay in the field, her arms wrapped around her tightly, she could feel a throbbing bodily pain pulse through her being. But what was stronger was the feeling of betrayal; the feeling of being betrayed and the feeling of having betrayed someone else. She felt empty inside, like she had no heart, no soul. And she would cry because she was hurt, and because she had hurt someone else.

And then the pain and sorrow would all suddenly vanish, and she would stand up, straight and tall. This was the final part of the dream, and also where she would split from herself. In this part of the dream, she would be looking on at herself from a distance, as if she were watching a completely different person.

Andrea watched her other self as it (for Andrea sensed that this other self was no longer a being) stood tall and still, as if waiting. Her other self was dressed in a black gown, which would sway slightly in the breeze. The face of the other self was the most startling change. It was pale, as hers usually was, but the skin seemed thinner, almost translucent, and it was completely expressionless. It’s mouth neither formed a frown, nor a smile, but always remained motionless. The eyes were grey, and never moved to study the surroundings, or flickered with emotion. The face was still, grave. Dead.

Then Andrea would wake up, always in fear, shaking with nerves, and she would lie in worry for the rest of the night.

So seemed her fate tonight, as she lie in her bed, begging for sleep to find her. She rolled on her side, seeking a more comfortable position, and finding none.

She felt two warm arms embrace her from behind, and pull her closer, holding her against a strong, warm chest. She sighed in contentment and snuggled closer to her husband.

“Amandil.” She breathed.

“Are you all right?” he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.

She felt the prickle of tears in her eyes, but blinked them back.

“I’m fine.” She lied, and stroked his arm as he wrapped them tighter around her.

“I love you.” He murmured into her ear.

She felt the tears come back, and she turned in his arms to face him. She brought her hand up to stroke his cheek, “Oh!” she gasped, her voice wavering a bit, “I- I love you too.”

A single tear rolled down her cheek.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Tee hee…. You guys have NO idea what I’m talking about!! This is a side story to a story my friend, sister, and I are working on. Hopefully, my friend will add it in to the main story (which he did for my first side story! yay), but, I can only guess. Please R&R! NOW!!