Chapter 140

CLAUDIA. I want to turn away. I really do. I want to leave the dream and just forget I ever had it. I want to convince myself that this is just a simple nightmare, something that my mind just conjured because of the long hours of discussion and stress. What else could it be, right? Surely this is just my mind regurgitating some information that I just can't figure out... But I'm beginning to think that this is not just a simple dream. Something about it feels too real. I can almost taste the air. I can almost feel the flames. It feels like I really am here, walking around in the clearing and witnessing everything firsthand. I take a deep breath and try to get out of it, pushing myself to wake up, and yet nothing happens. Panic is starting to creep up my throat. I want to scream. But the simple realism in my background tells me that that would be the stupidest thing I could ever do. And perhaps even the most dangerous. It looks like the only thing I can do right now is watch. "We