The Shifters: Katrina

It was a different dream. There was no war.

Just a cold body of water closing in on every side. Comfort.

Then, there were hands. Two on either side of my face. Two gently brushing my shoulders. Two latching onto my waist, and two grabbing my ankles.

In the dream, my eyes shot open as they began to drag me downward. Bubbles flew past us as I sunk, but I did not scream. The hands were familiar. They were something I knew.

We're a team.

Who?

Us...

They said something I didn't understand.

Apparently I don't understand a lot of things.

Eventually we hit the bottom and the feeling of hands on my body disappeared like I'd imagined it. Imagining things in dreams... I must've gone loopy.

Loneliness began to set in.

What am I?

Silence. The murky sound of water stirring.

Why do these keep happening?

Who am I?

The cold flowed through the water into my body. It felt like ice enveloping my soul. I was lost. I didn't like being lost.

There was something I needed. Something more I was meant to know.

But I didn't know. So, I floated at the bottom for what seemed like hours, eyes open and staring at an endless amount of dark waters.

Somebody wake me up already.

It was a cold shock to finally open my eyes and see a ceiling instead of murky water above my face. Unlike most dreams and nightmares, I remembered every second of my strange dream like I was living it in this moment.

Four hours. I had four hours worth of memory from floating there after my thoughts had gone silent. At one point, I began to crave the feeling of the hands. I had longed to feel anything.

What is wrong with me? I thought as I sat up, glancing at Chloe's bed out of habit. I missed the foreign shifters, but told myself they'd be back soon. Tuesday wasn't that far from Saturday. I took my time in the shower, the hot water a blessing reprieve. I dressed myself in jeans and a red long sleeve shirt, letting my wet hair lay against my back. My hands were trembling as I left the room, leaning against the wall until I could convince myself to move. Later today, I had more balance training, but for now, I felt empty and afraid.

"Katrina?"

Molly stood toward the end of the hall, sensing my distress almost immediately.

"Katrina? What happened?"

I reached toward her, hand opened loosely. Molly didn't hesitate. She ran toward me like Mia had done so many times, arms wrapping around my form and crushing me into her chest. I sank down, the blonde shifter kneeling with me. I clung to her like a child, and before I knew it, I was sobbing into her shoulder.

"Sh," she said softly, "it's okay, it's okay."

I just cried harder. I couldn't even pinpoint the reason.

Was it my mother? Sonya? Moving from the house I'd lived in all my life to an isolated compound of magical people? Maybe the strenuous training, the stares of everyone else constantly on my back. The strange dreams that stressed me out, the guard who betrayed everyone I held dear.

Maybe it was everything.

I don't think it mattered. All that mattered was that someone was there for me, holding me as I sobbed and mumbled a broken rant, taking everything that rested heavily on my shoulders and throwing it out into the open. Molly didn't question me as I trembled, vulnerable for the first time in a while. She simply held on, rubbing slow circles around my back and listening intently.

"Katrina," she said when I finally stopped mumbling and fumbling my words, "do you want to spend today with me?"

I lifted my head, my cheeks sticky from tears. "What?"

Molly's sweet face was adorable when she smiled. "I have the day off," she informed me, "so if you want to do something relaxing, I'll provide that for you."

I sniffled, rubbing my eyes. "I don't want to impose, Molly, I'll be--"

Molly hugged me again, gently patting the back of my head. "Don't, Katrina. I'd love to show you around and do something fun."

A smile spread onto my face. "Alright," I agreed, "thank you."

The shifter offered me a hand. She pulled me to my feet, keeping her fingers clasped around mine as she led me toward the stairs. It felt like having an older sibling, as if my brother had become an older sister. It was like I was with him, skipping down the street and playing while we waited for our mothers to get home.

Things were quiet as Molly led me out of the dormitory. My chest felt heavy as we began walking, and I was shocked to see her leading me to an ice cream parlor.

"Ice cream has always made me happy when I have a hard day," she grinned. "Try to cheer up, okay? One try is all I need."

I nodded, managing a smile. Keep pushing, I told myself. Keep. Pushing. This is what I need to do. This is what I do.

Molly grabbed ice cream for the both of us, handing me a waffle cone with two large scoops of cotton candy ice cream. We ate them in the alley beside the store, sitting with our backs against the walls. I was content to sit there and lap at the dairy treat, Molly telling me stories about the compound.

"So you grew up here?"

She nodded. "My grandparents moved here from a compound way to the west."

"And... your parents?"

Molly's face became a smiling expression. "They both passed away. It was years ago, so don't worry."

"I'm sorry," I told her quietly.

The kind woman reached over and clasped my hand.

"Bad things happen to everyone, Katrina. They either make you stronger, or show you that it's okay to be hurt. You'll survive this."

I offered her a weak smile.

Molly wasn't finished, though.

"There's good in this world and good that you deserve, you just need to keep fighting for it. This will work out."

I just had to trust her on that one.