more real than the others. I was standing at the edge of a forest on a dirt road. While peering into the dense forest, I turned in the opposite direction to stare at a field where the sky was black, and a tornado formed. I watched the tornado as it edged toward me. In the forest, I heard voices screaming for me to take cover. I started to walk into the woods but stopped when a black snake slithered out from the edge. I had an uneasy feeling, watching the snake come toward me and realized I would rather take my chances with the tornado than go into the woods. But when I didn't seek shelter in the trees, the voices stopped screaming and started speaking in a soothing tone, trying to lure me into the darkness of the woods. The snake continued to watch my hesitation, and when I didn't walk into the forest, it slithered lightning fast toward me. I turned and ran down the dirt road, turning onto another dirt road, and then another, looking over my shoulder frequently to watch the snake gaining on me.
The tornado changed course and headed right for me, too. On the last dirt road stood a tiny house. I ran for it, closing the door behind me, not wanting the snake or the tornado to find me. Even though the house was small and in the direct path of the tornado, I felt completely safe.
Once inside, I was shocked to see that I wasn't alone. Standing in the corner next to me was a little girl with long, blond, curly hair and blue eyes. She stared at me in horror. Suddenly, I felt like I needed to protect this girl as if she were my child. I'd never had a mothering instinct before, but this instinct felt natural, strong; I had no other choice but to protect this girl because my own life meant nothing. As I watched her, she walked to me with fear in her eyes, but a knowing smile graced her lips.
The screaming tornado was about to hit us. The girl moved one step closer, lifted her index finger, and touched the bridge of my nose, between my eyebrows.
"S-e-e-e-e-e-e," she whispered.
The moment the girl touched my forehead, I knew the answers to everything. Everything made sense. I was at peace with myself. As she released her finger, I fell back in slow motion. I collapsed onto the floor.
As I was about to hit the floor of the tiny shelter in my dream, my eyes opened.
I lay in bed looking at the ceiling fan not wanting to move, the feeling of peace still covered me, but the answers the dreamed contained eluded me.
The phone rang, and I reached over to answer it, staying in the bed. "Hey, Season. It's Laurel. Can I talk to Melissa?"
"She's not here. Had a conference to go to." "Oh, okay. Will you tell her I called?"
"Sure." Then I thought about that weird expression on Melissa's face when Laurel called and wondered if she knew something. Only one way to find out. "Hey, why did you call Melissa on my birthday?"
Silence. "Laurel?"
"I—I don't remember. I think we were just talking about me picking up some classes this summer, so I could graduate early. Oh, I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, but you'd left." She seemed to be reaching for a response.
"Melissa looked worried when you called, and then she told me some stuff about my mom that night. I think maybe you know something. I don't think it was a coincidence."
"Season, I really have no idea." Laurel sounded stunned.
"Hmmm, okay. Maybe it was just a coincidence, then." Maybe I was losing my mind. Moms coming back to life, death certificates, and dreams about tornados, snakes, and a girl—I would need to get hold of myself and fast.
"Nothing ever is a coincidence," she said suddenly. "What does that mean?"
"Everything happens for a reason, Season."
Laurel was a flake, and this was apparently a dead end. "Okay, well, I'll tell Melissa that you called."
After I hung up the phone, I thought about Laurel and her parents. Since our parents were supposed to have died together, I wondered how much of what I knew was the truth and how much was some story made up for whatever