12 | DREAMS DISGUISED AS NIGHTMARES

Throughout the night Emma had been extremely restless, she had been craving sleep for hours, yet somehow her body was not accepting that gesture.

She probably laid awake for three hours before she finally drifted asleep, yet somehow it wasn't refreshing like she imagined. She needed all the rest she could muster for sunrise exercise in the morning but her dream managed to make her more tired than she was when she fell asleep.

It was dark, gloomy, and made her toss and turn in her covers with sweat gathering on her forehead. She didn't notice her brother having the same nightmare, and she didn't see the ninja wake up in annoyance from all the noises coming from the two beds, and she certainly didn't feel the boys trying so desperately to wake them up.

Emma stood alone in a dark forest with the trees surrounding her like a circle, almost mocking her as to say that she would never be released. The word 'trapped' echoed somewhere in the distance and made Emma tremble in fear. Gaining the courage to speak, Emma shouted "Cole! Anyone! Hello?"

There was no reply, only a faint sound of a scream from being the forest. Emma gasped, her eyes widening as she took a step forward. Someone was in trouble, so she ran, as fast as her feet could take her she began to sprint through the traumatizing woods. She wanted to cry or scream or shout, but she needed to run.

Again she heard a scream. However this time it was followed by a cry for help. She heard a voice that sounded all too familiar, so she continued to run with the feeling of liquid running down her cheeks. She knew the voice.

"Emma! Emma, help me!" the voice continued to shout as Emma raced through the trees.

No matter how long the girl ran it seemed as if she wasn't moving any further. So finally she stopped and took deep breaths, leaning over with her hands on her knees to take a small break.

She heard another scream echo from the distance and a small sob escaped her throat, "Mom! Mom, I'm here!" She cried out. This time, there was nothing. A dead silence took over the forest and for moments Emma stood frozen in fear and confusion.

She fell to her knees in defeat before hearing her name echoing in the sky like a speaker being amplified. "Emma! Emma, wake up!"

"Wake up, Em!" shouted a voice. The noise finally reached Emma's ears and her eyes snapped open to find herself staring up at Jay who had worry scratches across his face. The girl began to take deep breaths and before she knew it Kai had come over and helped her sit up, his hand remaining on her back to keep her steady.

"Where's Cole?" the disoriented girl wondered, her eyes searching the room for her brother only to see Ana empty bed in his place. "Lloyd and Zane are with him in the kitchen, he had a bad dream just like you," Kai answered.

Emma slightly nodded and leaned onto Kai's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Her body was shaking and her cheeks were red from her tears, yet all she wanted to do was sit in silence. She hasn't even noticed the time and how they had nearly twenty minutes before excersizing, all she knew was that she was exhausted and didn't have the motivation to stand up.

She must have been sitting with Kai and Jay for several minutes before Cole stumbled in with heavy bags under his eyes. Lloyd was behind him and practically pushed him into bed and threw the covers on him. Cole looked horrible, as if he hadn't slept in weeks. No one said anything when he stomped in, not even Emma who still leaned against Kai as if she were his sister that needed comfort.

The room was silent before Cole's voice flooded it with uneasiness, "I think Mom is alive."