Scars, Screams, and Galloping Hearts

He's coming! He was too fast, he was going to catch her!

His arms were like metal bars, his voice was cruel. He was huge, and heavy, and strong.

She screamed. The kind of screams when you know you're gonna die. The kind pulled from deep inside, raking your throat like knives. Her chest feels like it'll burst open with the force of them.

The knife was cold, her blood was warm, and...

I'm dying.

The light flipped on. Mother's arms round her. The edge of the terror fading. Just a little. Her new heart still galloping with the rawness of it, the smell of him still in her nostrils. So real!

"Was it the same dream, sweetheart?"

She nodded.

"Same man?"

Nod.

"Did he say anything?"

The girl looked away. "Same as always." Her hand ghosted to the scar on her chest, as if to reassure herself it hadn't burst open after all.

"You're safe, now," her mum said. "Shall I stay here?"

The girl cuddled close, and eventually, managed to sleep.

After breakfast, her mum drove her to the special doctor. This doctor lived in a big office with dark wood and big green plants. The doctor was nice. She asked a lot of questions. This time, when he doctor spoke to her mum after, they stood further away. Doing that grown up thing where they say quiet serious words, and there's lots of glancing.

After that, her mum made her talk to a policeman about the dreams. The policeman was actually a lady, and she was very kind. She wanted to know all about the man, especially his clothes and what he said.

Grown-ups told her she'd been brave, and her dreams were special. They'd helped catch a bad man.

But still, she lived her death every time she closed her eyes. Maybe she always would. Ever since they'd cut open her chest and taken out her bad heart, and put in a new one. The last time she'd slept peacefully, was when the nurse said, "Count backwards from..."

++++++++++++

Word count: (excluding note): 366

Submitted on: 3rd May at 22:43

*Quick Author's Note*

First, and most importantly: thank you for reading!

A Year of Stories: I'm writing a story every day this year. This one makes an 125 day streak since the 1st January.

If you'd like to lend your support to the other creators also on this story a day adventure:

Rachel Deeming

Gerard DiLeo

The story behind the story: this is based on the urban legend where a girl helps catch the murderer of her organ donor by describing her dream-memories to police. There have been several reported cases supporting the idea of cellular memory; that we store memories elsewhere in our bodies than just in our brains. Whether it's true or not, I wanted to use it for a story.

Thank you

Thank you again! Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and appreciate you 😁

++++++++++++