R.E.M

There was an apartment, small, neat and simple.

She was in front of the computer trying to imitate a video which taught how to speak the language of deaf-mutes, sign language, and she had always wanted to learn it.

He watched her from a distance with a smile as he strummed a few notes on his guitar.

Moments later he puts his guitar aside and walks over to her.

—Have you learned anything?— he asks, resting a hand on her desk while he watches the computer.

She smiles at him.

—This means man— she closed her hand leaving only the index finger forward and then formed an oval with it— And this is a name— she opened the palm of her hand and this time he formed a fist supporting her thumb on top of it.

—Really?— he mimicked her action— Wow, great.

And I woke up...

I opened my eyes slowly so that the sun that hit my face would not affect me and I stretched my arms up, turned my neck a little and decided to get out of bed to prepare breakfast.

Just a coffee with a few toasts and I sat in front of my laptop waiting for an idea for my new novel, but there was no case, I was stuck and did not understand the reason, I was generally one of those people who are inspired by just observing a bird flying, but lately my imagination had turned against me and I could not write a scene, not even the title.

Suddenly I remembered that dream I had at night, about that couple, I remember their faces clearly, their clothes and even their voices which seemed strange to me, really strange, I could swear that I would recognize them if I found them somewhere, if it is, that were not the product of my dreams.

I closed the laptop and started to take a shower and then go to work.

I dressed in a plain white shirt, slightly worn jeans, sneakers, and a not-so-bulky black sweater with a few white details for a change. I tied my hair into a high ponytail, grabbed my purse, and left my apartment.

Arriving at the bus stop, I stopped to take a look at the landscape for some inspiration, but it was just a double avenue with cars passing every two seconds, convenience stores across the street with some apartments filling the block, nothing to envy to the following blocks and I gave up, if inspiration decided to come back to me, I would know in an instant.

As I got on the bus I took a seat in one of the armchairs at the back and opened my book as entertainment during the trip.

—What did you buy her?— asked a young male voice coming from the side of the seat behind me.

There was no answer back.

—You've forgotten, haven't you?— the voice asked again.

—I'll go buy her something after I get back from work— replied the second voice that was located in the seat behind me.

—You know how important it is to her!— he scolded.

—I know, I'm not going to forget it, don't worry.

I did not want to be intrusive, but curiosity won over me, I looked askance at where the voices were, and I could only observe the legs of a young man who was wearing jeans slightly attached to the body with casual shoes and I deduced that his friend or whatever, was next to him on the side of the seat next to mine, so I couldn't watch him.

It was time to get off, but when I got up, the owners of the voices were gone.

I put the book in my purse and got off the bus.

I walked a few steps to the end of the block where the coffee shop "Sweet Essence" worked was located.

I greeted my colleagues, put on my uniform, and started another routine day at work.

—Inspiration still hasn't come?— asked Alice, one of my friends from the coffee shop.

Alice was tall with a slim build with wavy wheat-colored hair that reached down to her waist, her complexion a light hue, and almond-shaped topaz eyes. Outgoing, too much if you ask me, but that's also the charm of her.

—I think he's gone forever— I replied with a dramatic expression which caused a laugh from Alice.

—Maybe you're in need of an inspiring muse— she suggested.

—And by inspiring muse you mean a boyfriend?— I raised one of my eyebrows.

—I'm just saying— she replied raising both shoulders in defense.

I smiled.

—Is my singleness very noticeable?

—Let's just say ... You just need a chaperone fluff.

—That's very cruel of you and don't even think about reminding me that being younger than me, you're about to get married.

She laughed.

—Well, firstly, you reminded yourself, secondly I'm only two years younger and thirdly, you still have time to find your prince charming, you're not that old yet— she "consoled" me.

—Prince Charming? how cheesy— I made an expression of disgust.

—And so less you're going to find someone, you should be a little more, mmm, how to put it? ... Ah yes, "TENDER" and she highlighted the word tender.

I laughed out loud.

—Yeah right— I scoffed.

Another day's work ended.

—The old woman is going home— I informed Alice.

She smiled and nodded.

—See you tomorrow and remember to work on your tender part— she replied.

—It's definitely the first thing I'll do when I get home— I teased her again.

And again he had to take the bus back.

Upon arriving at the apartment, I fell exhausted on the bed.

Again the two of them, the same couple as the night before, but this time they were arguing, and it was night.

—¡You have forgotten!— she complains with disappointment in her words.

—I told you I'm sorry— he replies.

—Do you think that's enough?— she formed a wry smile.

She took her bag and walked to the front door of the apartment.

He went after her, but she was at a distance from him and he does not doubt it, she follows her path without looking behind her while he goes after her footsteps, mentally scolding her for having forgotten it again.

She reaches into her handbag and takes out a small box, opens it, and looks at the gift she had bought for him on they anniversary. She tosses it aside and follows her path.

He observes that she has just dropped something and picks up the box. He opens it and sees a beautiful necklace, similar to the military badge, that she had bought for him and on which it had a phrase engraved:

"Always stay in my life"

He lowered his head to her and wailed silently as he took slow steps behind her.

He had reddish hair, was tall and wore a mustard-colored collared sweater, slightly close-fitting jeans and casual shoes while she was small in stature, with dark brown hair down to the waist and was wearing a coat in dark brown and underneath it, a long-sleeved dress that reached a little before the knee in two shades, black on the front and beige on the back with simple black stilettos.

She keeps walking until she bumps into a group of four students still wearing their high school uniform and face masks.

She takes a breath, continues to walk in fear, and then feels hands grab her from behind her.

As they turned, the four students were behind them.

—Were you going somewhere?— asks one of them.

She is inhibited and does not respond.

—Are you afraid?— asks another of her approaching her.

She takes a step back.

—What do you want?— he asks with difficulty.

One of them observes her from head to toe, analyzing her, imagining her ... Without clothes.

—Aren't you hot?— asks one of them— Why don't you take off your coat?"

She wraps her hands around her body and takes a step back.

—What do you think they're doing?— asks a familiar voice from behind her, and she automatically relieves herself.

—Who the hell are you?— asks another one of them annoyingly.

—I'm her fiancé!

They laughed.

—Really?

One of them lunged towards him and hit him hard in the stomach causing him to fall to the ground in pain.

Her eyes crystallized.

—Why are they doing this?— she asked, her voice cracking.

—I don't know, maybe for fun.

—Lea...ve... her, please— he said with his voice cracking.

One of them approached him.

—Excuse me, I didn't hear you, what did you say?— he asked mockingly.

—Please ... don't ... do anything to her ... please— he asked.

—Oh, what should we do? ... I think that won't be an option.

With a gesture of his hands, he told the rest to take her and throw her on the ground on her back and began to remove her coat, while they continued to beat her boyfriend to the point that he began to bleed and the tears slid down her face.

—Please wait— she asked after taking the cover off her.

They watched her.

—I just want to ask you a favor— she said between sobs.

-What do you want?

She turned her gaze to her partner.

—Let him go, and I promise not to interfere with what you're going to do with me— she turned her gaze back to them.

The "leader" of the group, turned his gaze to her partner, then to her and the sound of her laughter was heard.

—Good— he replied and gave the order for them to let him go.

He started coughing heavily and tears began to fall.

—I'm not going to leave— he said brokenly— I'm not going to leave you— he looked at her.

Him laugh sounded again.

—So I suppose if you want to stay we can't help it— he made a disinterested gesture— Enjoy the show— he said maliciously and turned her fiancé face down with his gaze in the direction of her fiancée.

And slowly they took away her innocence.

She closes her crystallized eyes and opens them again, tries to keep the tears away and even forcing her against her will, begins to observe them in search of something that could help her identify them in case she came out of there alive, some detail, something , but look at something much better, their names on the uniforms.

They had their names on her uniforms and she thought they were too many idiots or that meant they weren't going to leave them alive.

She made a superhuman effort trying to remember their names.

* Dean Hawk

* Christian Gates

* Mike Beckett

And he clung to those names.

She turned his gaze to his partner who was awash in tears and begged for her forgiveness with his gaze.

She was with both hands towards her sides so with the arm that was in the direction of her partner, she used the sign language that she had learned in the previous dream.

And she formed the word 'name' with her hands, that word that she was grateful for having taught him.

It took him a few moments to understand, but when he finally did, he turned to his assailant "The Boss" with the excuse that he needed to move because he was so sore.

* Scott Jones

And again I woke up ...