Redemption Read Free Page A

groan from nearby, almost drown out by the
thunder of surf.  She levered herself into a sitting position and pushed the
thick, tangled blonde hair out of her face.  The dark-haired guy spit out a
mouthful of sand and wiped his face on his sleeve. 
    He looked around
and noticed her watching him.  “For a dream, this feels pretty damned real.” 
He ruffled his hair, sending a shower of sand her way.  More sand flew as he
stood, and she shielded her eyes.  “Oh…sorry.”
    Rebecca lowered
her arm and squinted up at the man, who was now offering her a hand up.  “I
suppose you’re the companion I’m supposed to find?”  His voice was wry.  “Come
on.  You aren’t hurt, are you?”
    She took his
hand and stood, dropping it again almost immediately.  She was still waiting
for him to turn into some sort of monster. 
    “I’m Isaac, by
the way,” he said glancing at her and then away, out over the vast stretch of
beach. 
    The scene was
different than the one she had started in, the water grey and uninviting, huge
waves crashing on sharp outcroppings of rock.  This wasn’t a place to spend a
sunny afternoon lying out. 
    Rebecca gazed
for a moment at the handsome man standing next to her, then she moved closer,
studying him, looking for flaws.  He seemed taken aback by her nearness, but
didn’t say anything as she walked around him.  She reached out a finger and
poked at his arm.  He felt solid enough.  She glanced up to find him staring
down his long nose at her, those crystal blue eyes slightly crossed.  “What are
you doing?”
    She sighed. 
“Trying to figure out if you’re real.  But you can’t be, can you?  I mean- this
is a dream.”
    He laughed. 
“I’m real.”  Shaking his head, he gestured at the scene around them.  “I don’t
know how this works,” he said, “but I’m pretty sure we’re both dreaming.”
    Rebecca frowned,
then waved away her concern.  “Whatever.  I suppose it doesn’t matter.  It’s
not like any of this is real.”  Her hair whipped across her face and she
twisted it into a knot at the nape of her neck.  When that was done, she sighed
and put her hands on her hips. 
    “I’m supposed to
find a key, or whatever.  I guess the sooner I do that, the better.”  She
glanced around, wondering just where in the world she was supposed to start. 
“Is that what the hooded guy told you too?”
    Isaac frowned. 
“No.  He told me to find you.”  He shrugged.  “I found you.  It wasn’t much
work.  And I’m still stuck here, so I guess that means I’m supposed to help
you?”
    Rebecca
shrugged.  “Maybe.”
    He stuffed his
hands into his pockets.  “Well, where to…uh, what’s your name?”
    Rebecca looked
around.  Behind them was nothing but dense forest and rocky cliffs.  The beach
stretching to either side seemed to be the only option.  She couldn’t make out
much of the coastline before it was swallowed up by distant fog.  “This way, I
suppose.  It’s looks as good as anything else.  And it’s Rebecca.”  She set off
to the right, Isaac following along behind.
    “ Rebecca of Sunnybrook
Farm ,” Isaac said jovially.  Rebecca ignored him. 
    They walked on
in silence for some time, their eyes constantly roving over the sand and sea. 
“There’s nothing here,” Rebecca said in exasperation.  “It’s just endless sand
and fog.  There’s no road or path, or anything- it just goes on forever!  How
am I supposed to find a key?  Is it buried in the sand somewhere?”
    Isaac snorted. 
“I hope not.”
     If it was,
there was no way she would find it.  Five days wouldn’t be enough time to sift
through all the sand- five years maybe.  And still, the beach stretched on and
on.
    “Why do you
think we’re here together?” she said distractedly.  It seemed strange.  Was she
really sharing a dream with some random stranger?
    Isaac shrugged. 
“I don’t know.”  He had been looking down at the sand as they