2
LEXI
2004 - LAUREL RIDGE HOUSE
The dream went like this:
I was about four years old and staring out from behind a chair curled up small ‘like a kitten’ like I had been told, but I was peeking out. It was dark. The only light was from the fire in the hearth, but I could see a man, a man I knew, who cared for me, who I loved, and there was a whip slicing down through the air on his back. He was groaning in pain, the woman beside him was also someone I knew, who cared for me, that I loved. She had her hands clasped together, on her knees, crying and begging the man holding the whip to stop. “Please sire, we daena ken what tae tell ye!”
The man yelled, “Tell me where—” The whip cracked through the air, aimed at the man’s back again and?—
Hands grasped around my waist. I was lifted, struggling, terrified, a hand clasped my mouth, gripping my face so I couldn’t scream. I tried to go limp so I wouldn’t get taken, I needed to help the man and woman, but I was a wee bairn. I couldn’t. I was only supposed to get small. Be quiet.
Don’t let anyone know I was here.
I was held clamped under a man’s arm, banging against his hip as he raced through the night. I squealed with pain and fear.
“Wheesht, lass!” He ran around a corner and then sped across a wide field.
His footsteps hitting the ground, thud, thud, thud. My head lolled. I was shaken and so afraid, then it grew even darker. He dropped me into what felt like a bush and crouched in front of me.
I made out his face briefly, but I didn’t recognize him. He had something I didn’t recognize in his hand — he shoved it against my chest, and placed my shaking hands on it. “Hold it!”
I burst into tears.
He scrambled away.
I said, “Where they go? Go back! Take me back!”
He said, “Och nae, lass, daena let go?—”
I drewin a big terrified breath and scrambled to sit up, grabbing my chest.
Cooper had his hand on my back. “You alright, Lexi?”
I tried to catch my breath, but it staggered and I felt like I was suffocating. I had my arms around my knees, trying to breathe.
He sat up and shook me. “You okay?”
Then, “Lexi?”
He flung the covers off and crawled so he was in front of me. He held both of my hands and put his cheek on the back of my head. He said, “Shhhhhhh.”
I nodded.
“Shhhhhhh, now whistle, babe.”
I pursed my lips and blew. A weak sound came out.
He said, “Do it again.”
I nodded, pursed my lips and blew again.
“There ya go, that was stronger, do it again.”
I blew once more. That one was strong. He asked, “Can you breathe?”
“Yes.”
