Bear With Me...

I was running down the corridor, two puppies in my arms and the sister in tow. Barging through door after door, corridor after corridor, we ran as fast as we could. Occasionally we’d come to an exit and have to sprint across a field, trying to stay as low as possible to avoid detection. The crowd must have been infected with something, we didn’t know why they were after us. It was like the Puppet Master of the fair had them all under his power, and for some reason he wanted us. I don’t know why we weren’t affected, why we were the only ones who weren’t running around like mad men shooting their guns in the air, or why we were the targets of their shots. We had no choice but to run.

I took control of the situation. My sister, dazed by what was going on, didn’t argue or ask questions. The puppies seemed to realize the grave situation we were in; they didn’t struggle or wiggle to get free, just sat in my arms and held on not making a sound. Tree limbs were exploding to our left and right, shotgun pellets flying past our heads. I spotted an entrance that lead to an underground tunnel and we ducked in. It wasn’t a sewer system but it did have two feet of standing water. We sloshed on with all our strength, the sounds of gunfire and yelling spurring us on to go faster. Then, all of a sudden, a 20 foot drop off to a pool below us. Gripping on to the dogs tightly I jumped and dropped for what seemed like an eternity. The cold water engulfed us. Not wanting to let go of them I kicked with all my might trying to get back to the surface. I could feel their little feet pawing at the water trying to do the same. Reaching fresh air we gasped to regain our breath. I could hear my sister behind me doing the same. We continued on to a shallow part only to find another drop off, this one not as high. Once again we jumped, the shouts getting closer behind us. Wading out of the second pool we found a door that led to a set of stairs. I could see the moonlight streaming in from the outside.

We reached ground level and looked around. My sister, being quite a bit younger, didn’t recognize the surroundings; I did. It was my grandmother and grandfather’s farm house. I knew where he used to keep his shotgun. We ran inside and locked the door but they were on to us, they saw us go in. I quickly loaded the gun and peered out the side door. I could see shadows lurking in the bushes and behind buildings. Enough was enough. It was time to make a stand. After making sure the sister was in a safe place with the dogs, I cracked open the door. With one quick pull I ripped it wide open and rolled out doing a summersault. One man by the garage took a shot at me but missed. He wasn’t as fortunate as I. I leveled the shotgun at his chest and fired. He fell to the ground with a scream, dropping his weapon on the pavement. I ducked for cover behind the stairs, peering over them to gauge my next move. Another blast ripped into the concrete in front of me but the flash from the muzzle gave away his position. I aimed and fired again. It wasn’t a direct hit but I could hear pain and agony coming from the general area. Then, “B to the…, is that you?” It was G the hairdresser. Apparently the shot had broken the spell and brought him back to consciousness. He raced over to where I was crouching, the side of his shirt already turning moist and red.

And then I woke up, with my childhood teddy bear in my arms.

My father had been cleaning out my old room over the weekend. On Monday he gave me a box of stuff to take home with me to the house. I got the box home, opened it up and immediately found T-bear, my favorite stuffed animal from when I was a kid. For old times sake I took T-bear to bed with me that night. I woke up several times during the night, one time clutching the bear as tightly as I could. I don’t know where all the shooting and running came from, but the puppies cradled under my arms in the dream were actually my bear hugging me back in my bed.

I’m 29, regularly cry during movies, and now, once again, I sleep with a teddy bear. I’m ok, really.