Suddenly I felt a hand tapping me....
" Licia!"
I heard the incessant calls of my name sounding closer and closer. It was either the voice was moving gradually towards me or I was the one being drawn to the voice. Either way, my name was repeated over and over again.
"Hey Alicia!", a soft feminine voice called out while shaking me vigorously.
I got up with a jolt looking alarmed and frightened.
"What?", I questioned having come back to my reality. I was beyond startled.
"Are you not going to work today?", said Sharona standing there and looking all real and bubbly just like I know her to be.
I kept quiet trying to connect the person in my dream with the one in front of me. I have been having these dreams for sometime now. To be precise, ever since my high school graduation or is it since I turned eighteen? I'm not really sure. One thing I know though is that this has been worryingly consistent, always the same pattern, same event but surprisingly, different occasions.
The first time I had this dream or should I say vision (I really don't know what to call it), was the night of my eighteenth birthday. I remember feeling strange all day, like I knew something was gonna happen. I had this gnawing feeling that something in my life, or maybe my whole life, will change either for the worse or better. I told my mom about my fears and she waived it off as 'adulting anxiety '. I felt that explanation was ridiculous since I have always looked forward to the independence and maturity that came with adulthood but I pushed no further. That was five months ago.
I noticed that with the months drawing past, the frequency of the vision kept increasing. I told no one, not even my best friend because I do not want to be seen as someone hysterical.
"Alicia, earth to you!", Sharona said waving her hands in front of me.
"Oh, yeah. Ehmm... What time is it?", I questioned coming out of my reverie. I had zoned out forgetting I still had responsibilities to take care of.
"It's past 9 am and you were still sleeping in bed"
"Oh my God! Really? No no no. This can't happen. My boss will kill me"
"Ohh so now you realized you have a job. I thought you stay home all day", Sharona said in her note of sarcasm. I decided to ignore her especially when I should be focusing all my energy on how to quickly leave for work so as not to get fired.
With my feigned ignorance to her words, Sharona finally kept quiet. She knew I do not like to talk or engage in any conversation whatsoever whenever there is something really serious I have to do.
I was done dressing up under twenty minutes. I checked the time, it was almost ten. I got my bag and headed downstairs. I guess the talkative is already down waiting for me.
'Good. I don't want any more trouble '.
I saw my mum immediately my foot hit the last stairs.
"Good morning, mum"
"Good morning, Licia. Hmmm, someone finally remembered she was employed", my mum said with that same hint of sarcasm Sharona used earlier.
"You know, I can't keep waking a grown woman up every time. She is responsible now, right?", mum added as if adding salt to the injury.
"Mum, I'm just eighteen. If you think about it, I'm not a 'grown woman' yet".
"Well, technically you're an adult now by the law".
"Okay, okay. Bye mum!", I shouted to my mum as I left the house.
" Your breakfast!!"
I was far gone when she said that.
"Oh, now I will also receive a query because of you", Sharona whined.
"What are friends for, Shar?", I winked at her. I knew this got her so riled up.
" Oh really! Just watch and see", She shouted while trying to pursue me. We ran like little kids on the street as I tried not to get caught by her.
Well, due to our little exercise, we got to work a little earlier than the normal thirty minutes required.
As I was about to enter the restaurant, I bumped into something hard or is it someone?...