Watcher

Chapter 13: Dream

Her words such as a knife, it goes straight to Bradley’s heart without hesitation. She doesn’t care about Bradley feeling at all. She always said bad things about him, making Bradley sometimes discouraged for a moment. Bradley only is patient and swallows the insult. He doesn't want to ruin this precious moment. Mrs. Zwalinski shakes her head. She is furious hearing Madam Theresa’s words seem gone too far. She feels Anastasia is a good child.

“Madam Theresa, I feel you.…”

"Madam Theresa, we'd like to invite you to our circus carnival." Mr. Zwalinski suddenly interrupts his wife. "We hope you and the orphanage children are willing to attend it." He immediately holds Mrs. Zwalinski's hand. “Is it right, dear?”

Mrs. Zwalinski looks at her husband's face questioningly. She is surprised about what her husband said. Mr. Zwalinski pats the surface of his wife's hand and leaned closer.

"Honey, I don't want to make a mess. Markus will sad if we ruin this,” he said whispering in a small voice and only the two of them could hear it.

Mrs. Zwalinski nods her head and understands the meaning of her husband’s actions. Her husband seems to have thought this all through. Mrs. Zwalinski starts to speak.

"Madam Theresa, we will be very pleased if you and the children come," said Mrs. Zwalinski with a smile painted on her lips.

"Oh, we're so happy about that." Her eyes widened for a moment. Her smile never faded away, just like winning a lottery. "Yes, we will go," she said while looking at each of the orphanage's faces. "I feel they deserve happiness."

The room is full of happiness. Some children keep smiling and others scream with joy because orphanage children have never felt like playing in an expensive place. Due to economic factors, they mostly play in city parks or around orphanage grounds.

"When the event starts Mr. Zwalinski?" asked one of the orphans.

"It starts next week," said Mr. Zwalinski with a smile. "You will be very pleased to join it."

"Yes, all of you will love it,” said Mrs. Zwalinski with a smile on her lips. “There will be lots of prizes, games, and shows. Right, honey?" Mrs. Zwalinski looks into her husband's eyes.

"That's right," said Mr. Zwalinski, hugging his wife tightly. "Of course, Markus will also be happy if he sees other children.” He sees the children with a smile.

"Wow, we are very excited to hear that," said another orphanage. "I can't wait for next week."

All the children must feel the same way including Bradley and Caden. Yet, Bradley doesn’t very happy at all because Madam Theresa’s words yet still bugging her mind. After dinner, Mrs. and Mr. Zwalinski finally leave the place.

 "Okay, luckily everything moves smoothly as we have planned," Madam Theresa said with a sigh. “Bradley, Caden you guys clean this all up. I'll go back to my room first."

Madam Theresa walks to her room. She doesn’t pay any attention to anyone and keeps walking with occasional yawns. The two of them immediately take the dishes and clean them.

“Argh, Madam Theresa always makes our lives difficult,” Bradley grumbles.

"That's right, but we can't do anything now." Caden takes the plate and places it in the cupboard. "Our lives depend on it."

After they finish cleaning the dishes, both of them are going back to their room. When they are going upstairs, someone calls Bradley.

“Bradley, there is something I want to talk to you about.” Madam Nigera's face stiffs. “It’s important.”

“Cad, you can back to your room. There's something Madam Nigera wants to talk to me about."

Caden nods and leaving them back to his room. Madam Nigera grabs Bradley’s hand far enough finds a good place and starts talking.

"Bradley, I've found someone who can help you.” Madam Nigera handed him a piece of brown paper from inside my pants. “You go to this address and say that you are an acquaintance of Nigera,” said she with looking around.

"Madam, but how can I get out from here?" asked Bradley in confusion. "Madam Theresa will scold me for wandering around without her permission."

"Hey, calm down. I've arranged everything." Madam Nigera pats Bradley. "Oh, yeah, how about your wound?" she asks curiously. “Is it still painful?”

"I had pain for a while," he said, examining her wound again. "But now, I don’t feel any pain at all."

"Okay fine then. I think you should get some rest soon.” Madam Nigera walks away from Bradley. "Hey, hurry up before Madam Theresa sees you again."

Bradley returns to her room with an unsettled mind, he feels strange about Madam Nigera traits to him.  

“I feel there is something strange about Madam Nigera, but what ….”

He slowly opens the door to his room. The words from Madam Nigera is keep ringing in his mind. However, He tries to ignore it. His eyes slowly closed and everything became dark.

***

In her dreamland, He saw the same thing again. Mirrors and reflections were all the same. However, there was something different in her dream this time. A few meters from her standing position, a man whose height resembled Bradley. His hair color and body shape looked exactly like his. He walked closer to the man and kept calling out, but he completely turned around. Bradley touched the man's shoulder and looked at his face.

“Good grief!”

Purple liquid came out of the man's mouth. His eyeballs were also filled with black and purplish-colored liquid. Caden fell and walked away from the man. Suddenly his legs felt weak and helpless, he couldn't run at all.

“Hihi… hey, why are you scared?” The figure furrowed its brows, turned his body, and walked towards him. "We're the same person." The figure continued to walk followed by the corner of his mouth raised. "I am you," he said in a shrill voice.

"I'm not you! Who are you!" Bradley raises her voice. His heart was beating fast. "I don't know you at all!"

“Hihi… we will meet again. I am sure of it."

Suddenly everything went dark, Bradley shouts so loudly. He wakes up again from his nightmare and this is the second time he had this terrible dream. Cold sweat runs down his face, his hands are wet and his breath is panting. It is just like he had run for a few miles. He remembers all the detail from her dream this time, it is stuck inside his mind.

“I always have had this nightmare since the monster attacked me. Is the nightmare related to this wound?”

He looks at the bandaged wound on his leg, however, there is wrong with his wound. Everything looks normal. The size and shape are still the same as before. Suddenly, someone knocks on his room from outside.

"Brad, are you okay?" asked the man who turns out to be Caden. "I just heard your screams." Caden furrows his brows with a tense expression on his face.

“Ah, I'm fine,” Bradley nodded quickly. "I just had a bad dream," he said with a laugh.

"Okay, if you say so," Caden answers Bradley's words with a smile. "Hey, if you need anything, let me know," says Caden as he walks back to his room.

"Yes, thank you, Cad," Bradley said as he slowly closes the door.

Bradley leans against the door, he doesn’t dare to tell everyone the truth at all including his best friend. Bradley sighs and scratches his hair over and over. He walked back to his bed and returned to rest.

“I hope Madam Nigera’s word is true.”

***