She held my hand gently and rubbed my palm with her thumb, usually the touch would frighten me but I wasn't afraid. We  were on a bench sitting in an icy wood, it was snowing but the sun shined through the branches and it lit up her face and it glared in her glasses. But I could still see her green eyes staring back at me, not in a loving way but in an understanding way, as if I just told her something important, I just didn't know what. The snow fell in my hair and it began to melt making my head damp and cold and I shifted in my seat. This made her laugh at me and c*** her head to the side.  

Suddenly the trees turned red and orange and the air around us thickened. The seasons began to change into fall almost as if the world was spinning in the opposite direction. “Whats going on?” I asked her. She frowned at me and her glasses slid down her nose. “The trees, can you not see them changing?” she looked around and flipped her hair back and forth, but her movement became slower and slower. As the world turned backwards my breathing began to match her movement and just like that, the world was moving in slow motion and backwards.  Almost as if time was rewinding. Deteriorating.

I have been told 127 times in my life that dreams only last about 9 to 10 seconds. Just 9 to 10.  I have also been told that precognitive dreams hardly ever occur, precognitive meaning future sight, referring to sites containing future information that cannot be deduced from presently available and normally acquired sense-based information. I experience precognitive dreams at least two to three times a week and dream throughout the night not periodically. I am a very peaceful sleeper, I do not ruffle the bedding or sheets and I do not not stir, I just lay.  My mind just wanders.

I think of my everyday life, and in the morning I already know what I am going to do today or what I am going to encounter. That is why my dreams are so thorough and precise, because they are realistic not fictional. But tonight was different, it was fictional but in a way real. The way her eyes followed mine, the way the seasons changed.  It was weird. I felt as if I have seen her before in the courtyards or park. I sat up in bed and began to put on some clothes and walked down the stairs. “Good Morning Chase how did you sleep?” Mother asked me.  I sat at the table and ate cheerios and soy milk and poured myself a glass of cranberry juice. “I dreamed about a girl” I said to her.

She turned and faced me. Mother was 9 months pregnant and was due any minute, and she was getting very moody, that is what Father calls it. “What kind of girl? Was it a girl your age?” she stirred a bowl of eggs for Father who I could here walking back and forth upstairs. Every morning my mother asks me what I dreamed about because of my clairvoyance. Father refers to it as “Bulls***” but Mother believes me, she is always interested in what my mind can create while I sleep, because it always proved itself accurate to her.

She used to be very skeptical about my dreams, but a couple years ago Mother was laid off from her job as a dental assistant and she was applying for a new job in the city that provided a large pay. Mother was very excited and eager about the job, but that night, I dreamed about mother walking into an elementary school office, and sitting down at a desk and typing on the computer. I told Mother about my dream of her working at a school and she just nodded and replied to me “Sure sweetie” which made me frustrated because I hate it when people treat me like a child.

She drove across the bridge and was stopped because of an accident on the highway and she did not arrive on time to her interview. Mother was very disappointed so she went to go get some coffee downtown across from a pastries shop that I used to go to when I was little. She was sitting in the cafe and she ran into my old school teacher from 4th grade, and she offered my Mother a job. Ever since then my Mother practically believes every single dream I have and considers me a gift and that I am different from all the other children at school.  Not because I am autistic, but because I am clairvoyant.

Father came stomping down the stairs buttoning up his shirt and he kissed Mother on the lips and complimented her beauty which he has done every morning since she became pregnant.  “Hey sport” he grinned at me and offered his hand. I shook it gently. I do not like touching, but Mother and Father appreciate the small acts of affection that I can manage to display once and awhile. “Did you know that we cannot dream while snoring?” I blurted at them to avoid the awkward silence. I despise those awkward silences.

“Yes you told us that yesterday Chase” my Father said to me while pouring his coffee. My Mother elbowed him in the rib and rolled her eyes at him.

“Thats very interesting Chase, maybe thats why your such a peaceful sleeper and never snore. Because your always sleeping” she said to me smiling. I looked back down at my cheerios and stirred the milk with my spoon.  Mother began small talk with Father about the day and how he needed to fix the old crib for Charlie. That is the name Mother and Father gave the baby, we do not know if the baby is a boy or a girl, but I had a dream a couple months ago that Father was playing baseball with a little boy, and it was not me because I hate sports. I left the table and packed my bag for school and left.

Sometimes at school I like to fall asleep and dream about some place other than school because I do not like school.  I am already very intelligent and do not need to learn anything else like Math or History. Today I did not sleep, I read and ate my lunch in the corner like every normal day. I do not like lunch because the students treat me differently than the other students. They think I am weird and freakish.  After class I picked up my books and walked out into the hallway and I saw someone I have never seen at the school before. It was the girl with glasses.

She was across the hall and she was opening her locker and collecting her books. She flipped her hair back and forth just like she did in my sleep last night, and she had the same glasses. I awoke from a daze in the hallway when people started to surround me while walking through the halls. The walls began to shrink and I started to grow bigger and bigger. People were touching me and brushing me aside as if I was a piece of lint on their coat.   And then I started to scream again.

When I got home Mother was already waiting for me in the kitchen with her concerned expression on her face.  “Chase, your counselor called me again today. Honey this is crazy, I can't have your counselor calling three times a week! Its not healthy!” she said to me.  I shifted in my shoes uncomfortably and began to rock back and forth.  She did not understand me. “They were touching me..”

“Honey, you can't go your entire life without being touched its gonna happen eventually and when it does I don't want to get a call from Sheila telling me that you refused to stop screaming in the middle of a junior high!” she sighed and put her thumb and index finger to her forehead and groaned.  “I’m sorry honey I didn't mean it, I’m just very… anxious right now”. She sat down at the table and put her forehead to the table. Sheila told me when people do this they are usually frustrated or upset. So I rubbed her shoulder and she held my hand. After a few awkward seconds I pulled away and started to boil a pot of water for some Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Many people have dreamt about things that happened to them. Abraham Lincoln dreamed of his assassination.  Many of the victims of 9/11 dreamed about the catastrophe before it happened. There were also 19 people who dreamed about the Titanic sinking before it actually happened. So in a way, it does not make any sense when people call me weird or freakish when I talk about my dreams, because apparently others do it as well. Although, it is a little different when people are making fun of me for things other than my dreams. 

I dreamt about her again. It was the 3rd night in a row and each night we were somewhere different. One night we were on a mountain sitting in a field. I could smell the sea  and the salty air that lingered around it. We sat diagonal to each other and had two bowls of cheerios sitting in front of us. Tonight we were sitting on stone, and the stone spread in all different directions but it arose in jagged patterns. This time we were sitting next to each other admiring the rock skipping pebbles out onto a silver rock that rippled when touched, as if it was a small pond. She skipped a rock three times across the stone and when I attempted mine did not skip, it just dove face first in the water.

She laughed at me and rolled her eyes in playful way. I smiled and spoke to her. “Who are you?” She stopped laughing. She slowly stood on the stone and I stood with her, I was about 3.7 centimeters taller than her. She did not speak, all she did was point out at the stone. I looked at her and wondered what she was pointing towards. When I looked at the surroundings again suddenly we were in the cold wood again like in my first dream.

And just like in my first dream, the woods began to change from winter to fall. The trees slowly grew red and orange leaves on the rough branches on the oak trees and the wind began to pick up. It began to rain and the water dripped on the red leaves and washed away the color and created a bright green. The wind began to die down and I could feel the air become warm. It was now summer. I was so confused and I began to grind my teeth. She touched my shoulder and I felt calmer. I looked at her and suddenly, her warm presence changed. She was sad, she started to cry. For a moment I felt uncomfortable, but I found myself with my hand on her shoulder comforting her. She looked at me and cleared the tears from her eyes and defogged her glasses. The seasons were still changing around us, and time was still rewinding.

I awoke in a cold sweat, dizzy and my heart pounding.  Everytime I dream about her I learn a little bit more about her, its like a puzzle.  For example, my counselor has told me when somebody is crying that means they are sad and looking for guidance. The seasons were changing but they were changing more rapidly now and she looked upset about it. Almost as if the changing seasons symbolize something that is drawing nearer that she does not want. I had to find out more about the girl with green eyes and glasses.

I walked into History class today and my hands started to clam up. I began to shift and rock and get nervous but in some way, I was very excited and anxious. I saw her in the corner writing in her book alone, and there was an empty seat right next to her. I walked across the classroom and I sat in the chair and quickly got my books out so I had something to procrastinate with. I tried my best to avoid eye contact because I know if I did I would get nervous and walk away from her. My teacher Mr. Hardin entered the room and informed the class that we were going to watch a movie about the Civil War. The class exploded in cheering and deep sighs of relief, but she just stood still, and continued to write in her book. Mr. Hardin rolled his eyes and turned off the lights. This was nice because this way I could hardly see her eyes behind her glasses so I would not get scared.

During the movie I glanced over at her book out of curiosity but tried my best for her not to notice. I realized that she was not writing anything she was drawing but she pulled away from me when she saw that I was looking. I looked up at her with a red face, and she stared at me with a blank expression. There was a silence that was beginning to turn into an awkward situation so I whispered to her for the first time “My name is Chase”, she looked at me almost as if she was confused.  But I waited for a response anyways. After a second or two she smiled at me and whispered back,

“I know, you're the boy who screams in the halls sometimes”. I looked at her for a brief moment and began to pack my books into my bag but she grabbed me and I jumped.  She noticed the problem “Sorry, I know you don't like to be touched. I didn’t mean that in a negative way by the way, I was just saying that’s how I know you” she whispered to me loudly.

“Well you should not say that it is rude.” I replied back to her.

“I know, I don't really have a filter, that’s why I don’t talk much, it’s why not many people talk to me to I guess”.

She shrugged and began scribbling in her book again. A filter is something people say about their brain. Sheila told me that people like to believe there is a filter in their head that goes through the words they are about to say to people and throws away the bad words that could sound stupid or insult people. This is stupid because there is no filter in your head there is just your brain and cerebrospinal fluid.  “My name is Kendall.” I smiled at her and I asked her what she was drawing,“Nothing” she said to me.

“Why do you not want to show me?” I asked her  “There is obviously something there you just do not want to show me because you are shy”. She looked back at me and smiled and loosened the grip on her book and pencil. She closed the book and set it on the table.

“Because it’s not done yet”  She said to me.  I looked at her and tried to look at her glasses so I could see the green eyes that are in my dreams. “May I see it when you’re done?” I asked her. She blushed and flashed another smile at me.

“I suppose so”. For the rest of the class she scribbled in book and right before the bell rings she asked me something very uncomfortable.

“You have Autism don’t you”. I looked at her with a surprised expression and turned red. “ It’s okay, I was just wondering, my brother has autism, hes a year younger than me. His is much more severe than yours though. I can hardly tell you even have it.” The bell rang and Mr. Hardin paused the movie and turned the lights back on.  She gathered her books and stood from her seat and walked away. It was the nicest compliment I have ever received from someone other than Mother or Father. 

“Wait!” I yelled across the classroom. she stopped and faced me. I tried to speak but nothing came out, I completely froze and just stared at her.  All she did was smile and say “ You're welcome.” She winked at me and walked out of the classroom.  I stood there in a daze and stared at my feet .  This is not right, this does not make any sense.  Her eyes were blue.

On the bus home from school I had to evaluate the situation, but nothing made any sense. It had to be her it looked just like her she had the same smile she looked the same in the dark who cares if her eyes were blue maybe it was just something my head had made up. But her eyes made her entire face and smile. They shined under her glasses, they were as green as the summer leaves on the trees I was sure of it! I have never been wrong about anything in my dreams before, why am I wrong now? When I arrived at home Mother was doing yoga in the living room, I am not quite sure but I am guessing it increases labor, Mother was officially late.  She was beginning to get moodier and moodier and Father was being nicer. “Hi Chase!  Charley is just a little late thats all and it is driving me insane! I dont know what else I can do I’ve  tried everything. She was upside down back against the wall and her large belly facing towards me.

“I have heard that eating garlic helps speed the process up, or horseradish maybe”  I said to her. “Really, is that true? Oh wait, Chase before you leave I’d like to speak with you” whenever Mother said this it’s because I am in trouble and did something wrong or she is in trouble or did something wrong.

“I just wanted to talk to you about Charlie. With the baby and all I know its gonna be a hard adjustment with another boy in the house but don’t worry it will all be okay, and I want you to know that your father and I love you very much and we will love you both equally as much”.

“Even if the baby doesn't have Autism?” She stared at me astonished. She knows I hated talking about it because it made me different, but I’ve lately been wondering what would happen if the baby boy had it or not what would happen.

“Oh honey, we love you so much and we will always love you no matter what. Your Father and I have always wanted another baby, not because we wanted one without Autism, its because we love you so much we wanted to expand our love to another child! You know how excited I’ve been about Charlie!” she said to me smiling. It is true, all they have been talking about the past 9 months is about how excited they are. I took her hand in mine and I smiled and I went upstair and got ready for bed.

Tonight I was in a very clean room.  I like clean things. They made me feel secure. It was white and sterile and big. I turned to my left and looked for Kendall but she was not there.  I started to hear crying, it was a baby. It came from the room diagonally to me so I walked toward it. Every step I took the room became farther and farther away from me , and the crying became more distant and the noise began to change.  It was now a women crying, it was Mother. I started to run towards the room and I finally got there. 

I opened the door and the cries became Kendall’s. She was sitting in the corner of the room alone. I walked over to her and she was saying something it sound like this: tic toc tic toc. “Kendall, what is wrong?” I asked. I kneeled down next to her and touched her shoulder and suddenly the room we were once sitting in was the woods again. She turned and faced me and something happened. The seasons began to change again, but as the seasons went backwards like they did every night, Kendall began to change as well. She was becoming younger.  As the seasons started to change more so did she and I remained the same. Then the trees were still. Kendall was gone and the wind and the trees were as silent as death. 

I screamed for Kendall and she appeared out of the trees. She was herself again.  I walked over to her and looked her in her eyes and saw the green eyes that I had seen every night for the past week and I realized, this was never Kendall. “Who are you?” I asked the girl with glasses. and she stared at me with frightened eyes and whispered to me “Charlie”. I looked into her eyes, Charlie was never a boy, Charlie was a girl. And she was trying to tell me something this entire time.  She grasped my hands and I started to scream. I tried to wiggle out of her grasp but she kept holding me. She began to whisper to me. “Save me save me save me save me…” I kept screaming and struggling but her grip was too tight. The wind started to pick up and once again the trees started to change. But it did not change seasons it just changed in brightness.  It became darker and darker.  Until there was nothing.

I woke up gasping for air. I checked my alarm clock and it was 3am. I heard mumbling from downstairs. I ran to Father’s room and shook him awake. “Wake up! Wake up! Its Mother something is wrong! It was never a boy it was a girl! Wake up!” I yelled at him. When he came to we ran downstairs and discovered mother groaning on the living room floor, with blood all over the carpet.  I have read about instances where babies died in Mother’s stomach, but I never expected there to be so much blood. I gasped and Father picked up Mother like a baby and ran her to the car. We drove to the Hospital,and I was told to wait outside while we waited.  I waited alone for hours untill anyone would tell me anything. Sooner or later I just fell asleep.

Now I was in the nursery that Mother and Father had created for Charlie. It was blue and it had a rocking chair and a bookshelf with several of my old books piled neatly in the corner.  I saw Charlie sitting in the rocking chair smiling at me. “Thank you” she said to me. She walked over to me and held my hand and she kissed me gently on the cheek. I had saved Charlie.

“Chase? Chase wake up!” it was Father. He was wearing scrubs and his face was streaked with tears. I stood and as soon as I did he hugged me. I squirmed for a moment but he did not loosen his grasp. Instead I gave into his hug and hugged him back. “ I don't’ know  how you knew sport or how you did it, but you saved both of them just in time, they’re both gonna be just fine. Doctor said if you hadn't have heard them there could've been a chance that  they'd both had died”

He was crying. I let out a sigh of relief. Mother was okay. Charlie was okay. I had a baby sister. Everything was going to be just fine. I walked into the delivery room and saw Mother holding Charlie in her arms, she was sleeping and Mother was watching her dream. She smiled at me and started to cry. “Thank you honey” she said to me through sniffles. I just smiled and watched Charlie sleep. “Would you like to hold her?” I nodded my head and reached my arms towards Charlie. As soon as she was safe in my arms she started to stir and I started to cry when she opened her big beautiful green eyes.

3 days later when I was back at school I was eager to talk to Kendall again. I walked into the classroom and saw her in the same seat sitting alone drawing in her book.  I sat next to her and she smiled at me. “Hi Chase, where have you been lately?” she asked me.

“Mother had a baby” I replies to her.

“Thats so great! Is it a boy or a girl? What it’s name?”  she put down her book and shifted her chair to face me.
“Her name is Charlie” I said to her smiling. She c***ed her head and had a curious look on her face.
“That’s so weird I had a dream about a girl named Charlie the other night” she said to me. I looked into her blue eyes and was once again, confused.

“You did? What was it about? Who was she?” I asked her. She looked down at her book and stroked the page she had been scribbling on for the past couple of days and she mumbled under her breath “I don’t remember”.

Throughout the class I was trying to figure out if it was just coincidence or not, it had to be. There was no way it was my Charlie, that is completely unnatural. Kendall began to scribble in her book again throughout the entire class and I didn’t even try to look. I was too preoccupied with Mr. Hardin’s lesson and my theories about Kendall’s dreams.

When the bell rang we all sat up from our chairs and gathered our books to leave. I began to walk out of the classroom when someone gently tapped me on the shoulder. It was Kendall. “I wanted to give you this. It’s my drawing that you’ve been so curious about. I just wanted to say thank you. We haven’t talked much but no one ever likes to talk to me because I’m rather a handful. Haha. Well I’ll see you around”.  And she was gone. And there I was standing in Mr. Hardin’s history classroom with a piece of neatly folded paper in my hand.  I smiled and I unfolded the picture.  It was the woods.