Dreams Do Come True

The sizzling sound of bacon frying and the light clinking of cutlery against plates marked yet another Monday morning for the Johnson family.  Samantha’s father had already left for work, but she was still at the table scarfing down her breakfast.

After the last bit of food disappeared from her plate, Sam looked up in satisfaction. Her mother had settled herself across from her with her own plate of food.

Sam had often been late to school, but she woken up early, for once. Perhaps she was so shaken by her dream- or nightmare- that she actually woke up to her alarm.

She decided to get her mother’s opinion on it. “I had the strangest dream ever last night!”
Not waiting for her mother’s reply, she continued with enthusiasm. “I was invisible or something! I mean, nobody at school could see me. I kept trying to talk to Millie, but she never even looked at me. Maybe she couldn’t hear me?”
 
She waited for her mother’s reply but received none. However, she decided not to badger her on it. Seeing the dark circled under her eyes made her feel bad. Maybe she should let her tired mum have some peace and quiet.
 
Not wanting to be late even with her early awakening, she quickly walked upstairs, changed into her uniform and packed her school bag. After making sure she had all her notebooks and stationary items, she swung it over her back and headed for the front door.
 
Just as she locked the door behind her, Sam remembered that she needed to take her lunch as well. Smacking a hand to her forehead, she quickly fumbled her keys into the lock and hurried back inside.
 
The harried girl couldn’t find the lunchbox on the coffee table, or anywhere else where it could have been. Giving up, she decided to ask for expert help. “Mum! I forgot my lunch!”
 
Samantha didn’t hear a reply. Perhaps her mother couldn’t hear her over the clanging of the pots and pans? She walked into the kitchen and found her mother cleaning up the countertops before she left for work. Her back was facing the door her daughter stood in.
 
“Do you know where my lunchbox is, mum?” Sam asked, but her mother simply stayed silent. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach, she walked around the island and stood next to her mother. Even as she waved her hand in front of her face while she washed dishes at the sink, her mum didn’t blink once.
 
The scared girl gave into her fears. Slowly walking to the bathroom connected to the kitchen, she looked at herself in the mirror.
 
The mirror was empty.

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