Frightened Heart

She woke up panting and frightened of something which she felt is chasing her. She can still feel that thing in her room like it was trying to wake her up and succeeded. When she finally got up from her bed she found herself draining in sweat, though those were winter days. She checked her baby for safety which is sleeping soundly in his cradle and took a long breath of relief. She wanted to wake up her husband but she thought it both rude unnecessary because she knew that her husband was very tired of hard work on field the previous day and also sun is almost up. So she can wait few more hours to tell her husband about the nightmare which almost felt like real. She got out of the cottage and washed her face in order to wear off that bad feeling of nightmare but she can’t get it off. She still can feel that unwanted feeling of insecurity. As it was too early for daily chores, she decided to take a little walk around the hill for fresh air. So she took out her overcoat and boots and went out for a stretch. After walking for awhile she saw some wild wolves wandering around hooting. It seems like they are calling each other. It was quite unusual of roaming of wolves during that time of night and especially that part of the foot hill. Amanda hastily sat herself behind a broken fir tree in order to hide herself from the pack. She got lucky and the pack left hooting and crying. For a moment, Amanda again felt that unusual ill feeling. She wore off that feeling as soon as possible and went ahead. She wandered for a while and returned back home. She still felt that heaviness of nightmare inside her heart like its real and something is going to happen in coming times despite of her long walk in nature which usually makes her happy and refreshed.

After returning home, she woke up her husband and told him the whole thing. She told him how they both along with their child tried to run as fast as possible from something monstrous and they can’t get away from it. The more they tried, the closer it gets to them. She told that she saw that thing eating out the whole village and she just stood there doing nothing. She broke into tears. Jake calmed her down and assured her that it was just a nightmare and soon its imprint will fade off her memory but she knew inside her heart that it’s not just some nightmare but something bad is going to happen which is not in good terms for her village. So she tried to elucidate the whole scenario to her husband to convince him to be alert and take measurable steps but Jake took it lightly and fondled her by taking her in his arms and assured her that everything is fine. Their baby’s cry interrupted that beautiful moment of affection and they both laughingly got up and set course for their daily chores. Amanda took her baby by arms and kissed him and stared playing with him in order to make him laugh. She went to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. She started boiling milk for the child and preparing some omelet for them both. As soon as she put some milk on stove and broke some eggs in a bowl, she heard her cattle mooing and bleating like she never heard before. She ran with her child in her arms towards the herd and she saw cows and sheep shouting and running inside the pen like they are trying to escape and her husband is trying to calm them down. As she reached there she inquired regarding the situation but Jake was as unknown of the situation as herself. He just told her that as soon as he reached near the cattle they started this behavior like they are telling him to let them go. Jake was flabbergasted by this situation which has never happened before and suddenly the thought of Amanda’s nightmare came to his mind which got him by his heart but he did not share that feeling with her because he knew it will upset her very much. After a great struggle they both got their cattle to settle down in a barn and gave them fodder which kept the cattle busy. As they both are heading back to kitchen Amanda smelt milk and she remembered that she left milk unattended on stove. She ran in order to take it off the stove but it was too late for that milk was already spilled all over the stove and kitchen floor. She sighed and got worried sick of these unusual bad happenings all morning. Jake too got worried now because along with Amanda, he too knew that spilling of boiling milk off the stove is bad omen, he can remember his mother telling this. Now he too started believing in what Amanda told that early morning. She cleaned the floor and fed some remaining milk to her son meanwhile he made some eggs for them. With devastated heart they both sat for their breakfast because they both knew empty stomach is not the solution for anything. While having their breakfast Amanda told Jake about the hooting wolves along her path during early morning walk which made him sure of the feeling that something bad is going to happen in their village or with their life. As they are having this conversation, their neighbor came in knocking asking for what was happening with their cattle earlier. Amanda and Jake offered them some tea and told everything about earlier but they shook off everything by telling that they might had a bad start of the day and went off to their house by telling Amanda and Jake to forget about it and have a great day. They both tried to tell this to leader of their village but no one believed them. The day passed as usual with everyday chores and the feeling of something bad is going to happen also wore off from their minds. After a long day of work, they had their dinner and went to bed.

Late that night, Amanda heard some noise of shouting. She woke up Jake and as they came out of their cottage they saw people running here and there and they saw a big ice land sliding from the mountain coming to their village and they can see snow everywhere. This was unusual during this time of the year when it too cold for a land slide. They both picked up their child and start running away from the mountain but the land is cutting close to them. At this moment Amanda realized it was the same situation which she had seen in her dream, only sliding land was the monster. They lost their cattle and many other village members. At last they reached a safe place away from the mountain running, cut and bruised. Amanda found herself at same spot where she had seen in her dream previous night. She was shocked by that feeling, sad that she couldn’t do anything to save everyone who was lost but happy that she, Jake and her child were safe.