Rowan's POV:

"Okay pumpkin, are you ready to go?"

There was a quiet ringing that hovered in my ears as I blinked rapidly, my head heavy and my vision cloudy from the sleep I'd awoken from. Disoriented, I peered through the darkness, registering the words that were repeated twice more before quieting down. It only took a moment for recognition to settle, my heart thumping against my rib cage as I tried to source the voice.

My heart stopped as I listened.

It was disembodied, coming from a direction that I couldn't quite place. But this only fueled my desperation more.

I knew who was speaking.

"Yes, dad. Let's go, or there will be no ice cream left!"

This time, the pitch was different. The voice of a little girl.

I blinked, disbelief clinging to every inch of me as my focus intensified. My heart rate picked up, doubt clawing at me before the realization sunk in. This time I couldn't run away from the truth.

It was my mom. It was me. It was...

Dad.

My breathing was labored as I ran towards them, panic brewing. With each second, time stretched, bringing my family farther and farther away from me despite my rapid steps. No matter how high I raised my voice I received no response. No one glanced in my direction or paused to see who was yelling. It was as if they didn't know I was there.

I stopped abruptly, a terrible feeling brewing inside me and twisting into something menacing.

That was it.

They couldn't see me.

I stood still, watching as the younger version of myself ran to the side of a car, followed by my beaming mother and grinning father.

I blinked once. Then twice.

This couldn't be.

Tears pricked my eyes as I stared at the man that had meant the world to me. I watched the corner of his mouth tilt up, as he helped little me get into the car. My mouth curved down at the corners, my lip trembling when he looked over his shoulder.

Even though I knew he was just checking around, the air left my lungs when his eyes landed on me. For a minute I allowed myself to believe in the impossible when his smile widened. Almost as if his smile was directed at me. But then he turned away.

The pain I felt in losing sight of the light in his eyes, was immense. As if it had taken over my heart, forever holding me captive.

Who had I been kidding? Miracles didn't happen to people like me.

I wanted to wake up.

I wanted to stay asleep.

I needed to wake up...

"Okay, speedy Gonzales." My heart held its breath at the phrase, remembrance rising through me as I watched him get in the car. I watched the car leave knowing that I needed to move. That I needed to chase after them and tell my dad the one thing I hadn't had the chance to say in a long time.

I'd just begun to take another step when without a warning the world fell from underneath me. My stomach dropped, my inside twisting uncomfortable as everything shifted before going still. One minute I'd been in front of my house, and the next I was standing by a stop sign. I squinted, recognizing the headlights that shone from an approaching car, momentarily blinding me.

A black chevy.

It was my family again.

For a moment, Everything seemed fine. Normal. But that was only for a moment. Just as quickly as my mind had been filled with nostalgic joy, it was clouded with fear. I gasped, doubling over in pain when an image scorched its way through my head in waves of heat.

I knew what was about to happen.

In horror, I turned on my heels, watching as a different car approached the intersection. It was clear to see that despite the stop sign nestled near the sidewalk, it wasn't slowing down. Unease clenched at my chest as I extended an arm, hoping to stop what was about to happen. But I touched nothing but air.

I tried to yell, but no words came out.

I was soundless. I was nothing.

I was a failure.

The scene cut again, and everything tilted. I clenched my eyes shut as I tried to fight nausea, my fear managing to overcome the urge to fall to my knees and never get back up again.

When everything stopped moving, I took in my surroundings, realizing I was now sitting inside the car with my family.

My mind slowed.

I had to stop this.

"Dad there is another car...you have to...please just stop the car." Tears scorched my face, as I pleaded, but no matter how hard I trembled, no one paid me any mind. It was as if I didn't exist.

I needed to make them see me.

"Daddy, what type of ice cream are you going to get?"

I watched the little girl unable to look away as I took in the similarity. She had my nose, my hair, and my eyes. The grey orbs, that I knew she thought made her look weird because of the unusual color, were full of light and innocence. It was an expression I knew would never be seen in her eyes again.

My dad turned to answer, and it was then that I realized what was about to happen was beyond my control.

"I love you," I whispered.

The next few minutes occurred as a blur. I didn't need to look to know that a second later the other car crossed the intersection without stopping.

My eyes flickered to my dad once, before a loud screech caused my gaze to jerk to the approaching car as it swerved. Tires screamed on asphalt as my mom gasped, and my dad wrenched the steering wheel to the right, managing to turn the vehicle and removing the passenger side of the car from the collision course.

I held my breath, gripping onto my seat belt as hazel eyes flashed past mine as time stopped. Somehow I already knew it wouldn't start back up again.

Glass shattered as the sound of crunching metal settled in my stomach. It was followed by the echo of a piercing scream, just before my entire body jolted.

For a moment, everything was quiet.

And then...

Chaos.

--------

I flew upright, gasping as I pushed my hair out of my face. Frantically, I rubbed my arms, trying to remove the burning sensation that lingered on my skin. Yet no matter how hard I swiped at my hands, everything remained warmer than usual as the stench of smoke lingered in my nostrils. My chest heaved, as I sucked in the air, my eyes skimming my surroundings and my mind trying to find clarity amidst my wild thoughts.

I was in my room, not the car.

With a deep breath, I tried to still my frantic mind, my skin clammy underneath and my tongue as dry as sandpaper. I glanced at my clock wordlessly, unable to keep the tremors that rocked through my body at bay.

Three minutes past twelve.

It was just a dream.