I hugged my briefcase as we sat down in a corner of the bar . My eyes were no longer drawn to the unusual individuals that were laughing , drinking and chatting . Instead , my gaze was on Maddie , who was now sipping a green drink in a glass that was shaped like a flower . " Why all the questions ? Why am I supposed to be ready to answer questions . What does any of that have to do with getting out of here ? " " Right . It 's a journey . But a journey to what ? Where am I going ? Home ? Because that 's the only place I want to go to . " " Yes , but are you willing to get there , that 's the question . You said you were , but you 're not . Otherwise you would be by now . " Her voice had gotten softer , like the melody of a broken song . " They were , but just like decorations , at some point it all becomes one with the room . It blends in like it 's the most natural thing in the world . And maybe it is . Maybe it 's survival . Or acceptance . " " Are we there yet ? " I asked after what felt like an hour of walking . All this while my thoughts had taken a seat in my head and refused to leave . I hadn 't even realised Maddie had been whistling a tune . I rubbed my forehead and paused my thoughts for the moment . She stopped whistling as quickly as she stopped in her tracks . She turned around and took a step closer to me . Personal space was not a concept to her because our noses were almost touching . " Excellent , " she said loudly and dashed backwards . We had reached the bottom of a hill , where a large , broad willow stood . Its branches reached to the ground as if it was too sad to lift them to the sky . The tree grumbled something as if contemplating his answer . Then silence returned to the woods . One fly buzzed past me and hovered in front of the tree before doing the same with Maddie . She kept staring at the tree . " Yes . He . May . Pass . " The tree spoke slowly , interrupting any other thoughts I would have had about the fly that turned into yellow dust . " Take care . " I smiled and started walking up the sandy , dark path as I felt Maddie 's eyes on my back . It wasn 't until I reached the top when I turned around and all the orange trees had gone out below me and there was only a sea of darkness that had swallowed my peculiar friend . There was a well on top of the hill and the full moon shone enough light for me to see things clearly enough . Like the short grass that surrounded the well and the one flower that stood a few feet away from me . It was a tulip . They had been her favourite . I walked up to the well , feeling that this is where it would all begin . Or end , rather . I put down the briefcase on the bricked edge and took off the ribbon . Then I placed the briefcase on the soft grass and rested one hand on the cold stones of the well as I leaned forward and stared into nothing but black . It felt like it was staring back at me . And I wanted to see it , even though I also didn 't want to see it . I let go of the ribbon . " Forgive me . " The darkness swallowed the ribbon but I knew it was still descending , I knew it was getting closer and then I closed my eyes . When I opened them again I was at home . The home I had lived in with her and I looked at the calendar which hung above the bin in the country - style kitchen . It was that day . Today was that day . I heard her hum as she came down the stairs , always that same tune , that tune that I had missed so much . I felt the tears well up and blinked repeatedly so I could see her clearly when she waltzed into the room . And when she did I couldn 't help but shriek and run over to her , clinging to her tightly , inhaling her lavender scent and touch her golden hair that reached between her shoulder blades . " Yeah , I 'm fine , sorry . " I cleared my throat and let her go as I stared into her light - blue eyes that searched mine with curiosity and concern . Her eyes had been the clearest thing about her I 'd remembered , I 'd see those every night as I woke up from my nightmare . I touched her cheek . " I 've missed you . " And I kissed her hard and soft at the same time . When I pulled back there was even more confusion written on her face . " Are you sure you 're okay ? You know I just saw you when I woke up , right ? " Her mouth unfolded into a smile and I held her close again . I swallowed and felt like somewhere inside my stomach I was being set on fire . " Err , are you sure that you want to go ? Maybe you can stay home and - " my voice trailed off . I knew these words wouldn 't help . This wasn 't a second chance , this was a second viewing . Front row seat . A chance to say what I needed to say , a chance to see it very clearly . " No , no , I can 't do that . I have a very important day , I told you . " She leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek . She then grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and tucked it into her bag . " I 'll see you tonight , have a nice day . " The fire in the pit of my stomach grew wider . " Wait . " I followed her to the door where she had her coat over her arm and my car keys in her hand . " What are you talking about ? You really did have a bad dream , didn 't you ? " She frowned and handed me her coat and the car keys . " Hold this . " From her hair wrist she undid a pink ribbon and she bent down next to the stairs where my briefcase was . She tied the ribbon around the handle and stood back up . " There , it 's a lucky ribbon and it will keep your nightmares and worries at bay . " She kissed me on my lips and grabbed the coat and the keys . " Now I really have to go or I 'll be super late . " " Don 't worry , it 's not your fault . Sometimes things just happen . It 's called bad luck . " She waved at me before the door closed behind her . " It 's not my fault , " I repeated and closed my eyes . " It just happened . " The next images that flew through my mind were of the phone call , the hospital , the doctor , the funeral . And finally there was nothing but black around me . My eyes were closed . I lifted my eyelids as they fluttered against the harsh lights of the carriage . Outside the window was the familiar sign that indicated I had arrived at my local train station . " I 'm home , " I yelled with unexpected enthusiasm . I got up and ran out while the doors were still open . It was like the train had been waiting for me . The doors closed soon after I stood on the platform and I embraced the chilly breeze that swept right through me . We walked for a whole minute in total silence when Maddie began to hum a tune . She even added a little hop every once in a while . All the while I thought about what I could say to her , what I could ask her , but somehow all the words in my head crashed into each other and became a tangled mess . I looked at Maddie who had placed her slender claw - like fingers on her chin . " It seems like a riddle , don 't you think ? Something that can trick you before your eye can blink . " She laughed like a broken violin again . Maddie 's lips burst into a smile , this time revealing her teeth as white as bone . " Whatever you say , my friend . Your way is my way and therefore always the right way . " I curled my hands into fists . " Okay , this is too weird and I can 't take it anymore . I don 't care what happens . I don 't care if you 're a crazy serial killer that wants to kill me , but just tell me where I am , how I got here and who you are ! " I breathed heavily and became aware of the red ribbon that danced against my wrist because of the breeze that rushed through these woods . " My , my , why didn 't you tell me you were scared , I don 't want you to think I never cared . " She placed her hand in front of her mouth . " Oops , once you start rhyming it 's hard to stop . " She put her fingers together and started to pace around me . " Well , it 's kind of your place . And kind of mine . It 's like your subconscious is visiting my world . Only it 's not really your subconscious , you are in fact really here . But your part of this world is made up out of your subconscious . And now we get to try and bring you home . " " Most definitely . This world is a journey , not a destination . " Maddie touched the rim of her hat . " The question is , which way do you want to go ? " She pointed to the signs . " Something like that . " Maddie gestured to the left path and then to the right . She held up her hands like a scale and moved them up and down . " Which one is the right one , George ? " The shrubs rustled and rustled like something huge was trying to come through . I was afraid to speak and held my briefcase in front of my chest . Whatever it was , I would fight it . I would make it - We both followed the deer off the trail to a small pond and a large oak tree with a door . The deer stopped at the pond and turned to me . " Normal reflections show you the opposite of what is true , but here it shows you the opposite of what is false . " With that statement the young deer dashed off and disappeared between the shrubbery and trees . I looked at the oak tree and its door , the pond and back at Maddie . " What did the deer mean ? " I scratched my head . " Never thought I 'd say that in my life . " " I really think you should . You 'll get it back as soon as you 're done . I 'll guard it with my life , if that 's what you want . " This made the muscles in my neck relax as I stepped closer to the pond and kneeled . I looked into my reflection , but didn 't see anything . Just the clear water that reflected some of the light behind me . I leaned in closer and just before I was ready to turn back to Maddie a hand shot up from the water , grabbed me by the face and pulled me in . I tried to scream and flung my arms and legs . Nothing happened and I could still breathe . When I opened my eyes , I was sitting in an office with a sofa , bookcases , a mahogany desk and diplomas on the wall . " It is , because it troubles you so . Sharing is caring . Why don 't you tell me what 's beneath the surface ? " His voice was heavy and his eyes light . I wanted to protest and shout , but instead I blinked a few times and sat back into the sofa . My limbs began to feel heavier . " I don 't now … she 's gone . She left me . " " I don 't know . I don 't remember . She was just gone one day , all her stuff was still there , her scent was still there , but she never came back to me . I don 't know why . I don 't know why . " " Hmm . " The man scribbled some more . " Are you sure you don 't remember ? I think you do , you just have to open that door . " I blinked and stared at it , unsure if it was real or just my imagination . I looked back at the man , but he 'd disappeared . The entire office had disappeared and there was nothing but me and that door . The door hummed . I stretched out my hand and touched the door handle . The door started vibrating and I pulled my hand away . The moment I did I was launched backwards , feeling the cold air around me before hitting the ground but instead of embracing a rush of pain , the ground lowered under my weight and then shot me back up like a trampoline . I waved my arms in the air and somehow managed to land on my feet , but this time the ground stayed as it was . " Holy hell , " I said . I felt my arms and stomach to make sure I wasn 't hurt and then glanced around for Maddie . She was nowhere to be seen , but the door in the tree was ajar . I walked around the pond and edged closer to the door . My hand trembled as I grabbed the door knob , what would I find this time ? Inside the tree were a few wooden steps that led downstairs to a big place that looked like a bar of some sort . Strings with white - coloured lights hung up on the wooden ceiling and the place was packed with strange - looking people . A woman dressed in a yellow dress with actual flowers at the bottom and butterflies in her hair . She had green lipstick on and her eyes were purple . She winked at me as she passed me . I scanned the people at a nearby table , taking in the snake that was wrapped around the neck of silver - haired woman when Maddie 's distinct laughter drew my gaze to the bar . She was talking to a man who only had one eye in the middle of his head . My briefcase was placed on the seat next to her . I sighed with relief and dashed towards it . She looked up , her eyes widening as she saw me . " George , you made it back . That 's too bad , you seemed like you might be ready . " She took a sip of her drink . " Oh , well , I suppose the journey continues then . First , I 'll get you a drink . You 're gonna need one . " He touched his purple tie as his eyes danced over his reflection . The colour of his thick , black hair was broken in its evenness by the white streaks around his temples . His eyes were fern green in colour , drawing immediate focus to that part of his face , instead of his full lips or the scar that ran through them . He had been told that he resembled a mafia boss in his expensive suits , with his piercing stare and the overall darkness that drifted around him like a heavy perfume . He walked over to the door in three long strides and opened it . Before him stood a young woman , in her twenties , with short , bleached blonde hair and a shiny stud in her nose . Her eyes were surrounded by eyeliner and black eye shadow while her soft lips were stained by blood red lipstick . The autumn wind blew past her and she shivered . No coat on , just her mini skirt and a see - through shirt that showed her black bra . " Well , this is not what I expected , " the girl said . She had glanced around the room in one sweeping motion , practically twirling . " Fancy man like you in a cheap motel like this . " Laughter broke free from the girl 's mouth like it had been trying to escape for a while . It sounded fruity , just like her voice . " University , that 's a good one . " She walked over to the end of the double bed and glanced at a white plastic bag . " Costume or props ? Or both ? " Her eyebrow - shaven off and then drawn on - rose across her forehead . " Clean underwear , clothes and perfume . " He turned the cold glass in his hands as he approached her with slow steps . " I want you to take a shower and come back with those clothes on . " " Marci . " She grabbed the bag and winked before disappearing into the small bathroom . Not long after that the sound of crashing water against the shower curtain and her body travelled through the stale air of the motel room . She inched closer to the bed . " It kinda feels like I 'm going to a funeral . And it 's not very … revealing . " She made a circular motion around her chest . " I even sprayed it on my hair . It makes the scent hang around you much longer . " She leaned in even closer and rested her hand on his thigh . She put the glass to her lips and tilted back her head , letting the cold liquid cascade into her mouth until the ice cubes were the only thing left . They clung together as if they were afraid of losing each other . She handed back the glass as an unseen thread pulled her lips into a grin . " Well , feel free to teach me . " She slid her arm across his back , wrapping her hand around his shoulder and pulling him close as her lips crashed into his warm cheek . She repeatedly kissed the soft skin , working her way to his ear . It seemed like her lips were attached to his skin with an elastic band , not able to pull away for long . " I know you are . I requested the new one . " A shadow of obscurity passed in his eyes . " But I need you to listen . All I want to do is talk about honest things , eventually falling asleep next to each other . Understand ? " Graham narrowed his eyes as he searched hers . If there were answers in there , he couldn 't find them . Her eyes portrayed the emptiness of a desert . There was still a warmth , though . A certain kindness that hadn 't died yet . She bit her bottom lip and stared at the grey carpet . " I think … I think I 'd wish that my mother would have been a nice person . And you ? " A frown formed between Marci 's drawn on eyebrows . She lifted up her hand and placed it on his , using her thumb to stroke his knuckles . As the silence settled between them like specks of dust , she pulled back her hand . " Okay , next question . " Her lips parted . She cleared her throat and shifted on the bed . Words formed in her mind and were pushed into her mouth . They hung off her lips like water drops , on the verge of falling into freedom . Instead of letting them fall , she ran her smooth tongue over her lips , retracting the words into her warm mouth . She cleared her throat again . " What about you ? " " You 're a man of secrets . I like that . " She grinned . " But I should warn you , I 'm really good at uncovering secrets . " " I 'm sure you are . " He stood up slowly , as if unsure he should be moving in the first place . His legs transported him to the end of the room where he poured her a glass of water with ice cubes . He didn 't say anything but took her glass and put it to her lips . He titled the glass and watched the rest of the water pour into her mouth . Some of it streamed down her chin . " It 's okay , " Graham said in his most soothing voice . He put the glass on the ground and in one smooth gesture , he picked her up in his arms . He hummed a tune and laid her out on the bed . Her legs together , her arms at her side and her hair brushed out of her face . " I have an unusual job , though similar to what you do in the sense that it 's a necessary evil . I don 't know what you did , maybe you didn 't do anything , but I don 't care to know either way . I just get paid . " He stroked her cheek . " I just always use a gun , this time I prefer something more gentle . Like I said , it 's a special day . " He kissed her forehead . " I 'm sorry , " he said , but the words drifted into oblivion as she 'd already slipped away into another world . And all he could do was hope that it indeed was what she wanted . To be in a world far lighter than this one . One that would treat her much better . " Heads , we get married ; tails , we break up . " I held the coin in my trembling hand . Our lucky coin . The one that had brought us together . Would it keep us together forever or force us apart this time ? I flipped the coin . It seemed to twirl in the air in slow motion , taunting us . For a brief moment our eyes met , a hint of fear and hope in her pine green eyes . My mind transported me to the moment we first met . It was a Tuesday afternoon and the weather indicated that the Gods were angry . Rain was pouring down like it intended to drown us . The sound of thunder struck all the way through to my bones . The windscreen wipers were working hard to fight off the smashing raindrops that attempted to disrupt my vision of the small country road that I was on . Wipe , wipe , wipe . The road was muddy and I was driving too fast . My knuckles were white . Perhaps if I drove fast enough I could escape it all . Can you outrun your problems ? Can you outrun your life ? It was too late when I saw the dark green Mini Cooper parked at the side of the road . I jerked on the steering wheel and hit the break at the same time . The car slipped and ended up against the wooden gate that set apart the paddock . Smoke came from the bonnet and I tried starting the car again without success . When I glanced back , the green Mini Cooper was still parked , unharmed . The rain made it hard to make out , but I saw a person in red . Vicious raindrops settled in the fabric of my black suit and travelled over the pores of my face . I slammed the door and came from behind my car . A slushing sound as my leather shoes got sucked into the mud . " I know , don 't go with strangers right ? Tell you what , let 's flip a coin for it . Heads is you go with me ; tails is we go our separate ways . " She grabbed a coin from her purse and handed it to me . " It 's my lucky coin . Go ahead . " A smile grew on her face . In one swift motion Yumi Yoshida turned around . There was nothing to see , the car park was empty except for her Yamaha motorcycle and one dark Mercedes . She heard the sound of a howling dog again . It sounded like it came from the adjoining park . If you could even call it that , it was just trees and a sea of grass stretched out as far as the eye could see . Nothing but total darkness surrounded the car park and the pub she was heading towards . Yumi turned back and kept her eyes on the pub . She had been here before to check out the place , but she hadn 't yet been inside . The ice cold wind caused her to shiver and she quickened her pace . She could hear the rapid tapping sound of her high heels on the pavement that was still wet from the rain earlier that evening . She brushed her hair out of her face and checked her watch . It was exactly midnight . A few lampposts poorly lit up the car park . From a distance it would seem like the pub and car park were floating in darkness , like a miniscule planet floating in space . Walking in an empty car park towards a pub that was situated on a hill in the middle of nowhere at midnight may have sparked fear in any woman in her late twenties but not in Yumi Yoshida . She was the kind of woman who could handle herself . She had moved to London from Kyoto when she was ten and ever since she turned eighteen she had been moving around the country doing what she did best . She reached the back of the establishment and stepped into a red telephone box that was placed at the left corner . There was an old , wet newspaper on the floor with a distorted picture of some child , and the phone was hanging off the hook . It smelled like urine and coffee . Yumi picked the phone up by the cord and took out a handkerchief to clean the phone before putting it to her ear . A brief moment later she stepped out of the telephone box and walked to the front of the building . She stopped to look inside . It was a small pub with bad lighting . The radio was playing popmusic in the background . Behind the bar stood a middle aged bartender cleaning a couple of beerglasses , she couldn 't see his face . In the reflection of the window , she saw her long , dark hair frame her face . Her long fringe covered her eyebrows and beneath the dark strands she could see her lightblue contacts . She only ever put them in when she had to work . She stepped inside and smelled fish , chips and grease . She walked straight on to the only other person sitting in the pub . His back was turned towards her . " Is this seat taken ? " she asked and sat down without awaiting a reply . " Go ahead , " said the man and pushed his glasses back . It was a man in his thirties with short , sandy hair and hazelnut eyes . He wore a grey suit with a deep - purple shirt and violet tie . " You must be … " He looked down at his coffee and moved in his chair . He then loosened his tie before he spoke again , somewhat softer than before . " Her name is Heather and here 's her picture . " From his breast pocket he took a picture and slid it to her side of the table . Yumi picked it up and saw it was a picture of them together , holding each other and smiling , happy and unaware . They seemed so at ease , so at home with each other no matter where they would be . How could it have come to this ? There is no such thing as true , unconditional love , except maybe with babies and dogs . She couldn 't help but wonder if it meant that the smarter you are , the less you become capable of loving . Yumi snorted . The man looked up . " I got it , " she said and wanted to slide the picture back but the man said : " No , keep it . I don 't need it anymore . " He then finished his coffee and they sat in silence for a moment . Yumi was observing him and couldn 't help but think he didn 't seem like the type of man who was capable of doing any harm . Usually she could tell for sure , and if she couldn 't she had time to shadow someone , but in this case everything had gone so fast . It seemed understandable considering the case . " No , I don 't . I 'm good at what I do , which means people are willing to pay for something I can give them . It 's that simple . " She just tapped her fingers on the table . It didn 't make a sound though , because she was still wearing her gloves . She narrowed her eyes at him . He had a frown on his face and was unconsiously tapping his indexfinger on his watch . " Life really is all about money , isn 't it ? " His voice sounded gentle . Yumi remained silent . He got up to go to the lavatory and excused himself . Yumi leaned back and let out a sigh . She still had the picture in her hand and looked at it again . She was actually thankful for the life she had , at least she had the chance to do something meaningful . After a couple of minutes she saw Mr . Stone coming out of the lavatory and got up . She gestured towards the exit and dropped a twenty pound note at the bar . Then she walked towards the door with Mr . Stone on her heels . Together they walked past the building back to the car park . Yumi closed her eyes when the cold wind struck against her face . She had kept on her leather jacket and gloves inside , which made the drop in temperature very welcome . " You said both was fine , but I brought cash with me . I figured that would be harder to trace , " Mr . Stone suddenly explained . He unlocked the car with his key fob as they nearly reached it . Yumi looked around and noticed it was still as deserted as when she had arrived . The car was right beneath a lamppost and when Mr . Stone opened a briefcase in the trunk she could clearly see all the money in it . " Half up front and after , right ? " He grimaced . Not in an evil way , but more like he was disguising his discomfort . He put his hand in his jacket and Yumi automatically reached for her gun . He took out a picture and handed it to her . It was the picture of a little boy . He had brown hair and freckles and his broad smile showed he was missing two front teeth . " Yes , he died a few months ago . My wife has always treated him very poorly , without me knowing . I was always at work and even though I noticed he was mostly quiet , I thought it was because he missed his mother . But then I found his diary and even though his death was technically an accident , I can 't help but feel she 's responsible . I can 't even look at her anymore and I don 't remember the last time I said more than a sentence to her . " Everything happened fast from that moment on . She 'd taken her knife and cut the palm of his hand . Following her instructions he had held his hand over the front seat of his car . He had put his tie around his hand to stop the blood from spilling on the ground . He left his car keys in the ignition and only took the briefcase . It didn 't matter if his wife thought she 'd taken the money . Now , he had a chance to start over . Yumi took a deep breath before stepping out in the cold wind . Her black hair moved fiercely in front of her face , dancing . She ripped up the picture of the happy couple and the wind blew away the pieces into the darkness . It all happened on my first day of school … as a teacher . I was extremely nervous and worst of all … late . Late for my first day of work ! Who would be late for their first day of work ? ! Well , I was , obviously . Anyway , I 'll start at the beginning to make sure I leave nothing out , and trust me ; you 'd want to know everything … Putting on my coat , I hurried down the steps outside my house . I still had an apple in my mouth . The only breakfast I had . But I 'd worry about that later . I had to get to school . This was my first job , I couldn 't mess it up now . I hadn 't even begun . I crossed Lancaster Road , after finally having put on my coat . I meant to take my apple out of my mouth , instead I dropped my school bag . I sighed and bent down to pick it up . Suddenly I heard a rattling sound and looked up . It was a car . A car heading towards me . Hadn 't the driver seen me ? Before I could even move I heard a bang . It went way too fast . All I remembered was the sound of me getting hit by the car and before I knew it , I was lying on the floor and the apple was rolling on the street . I woke up in hospital , and when I realised where I was I sat up straight . I felt my head and looked at my hands , moved my legs , which moved , and said my name out loud . Everything still worked . I felt great , actually . How could I feel great ? I got hit by a car ! " Mr . Lawson ? " asked a voice . It was the doctor . At least I thought it was , because he was wearing one of those white coats and a stethoscope . Besides , how else could he know my name ? Half an hour later I walked out of the hospital . I couldn 't believe I had survived a hit and run . I couldn 't believe I had even been in one . No bruises . No cuts . Nothing . They probably wouldn 't believe my story at school . Or maybe I shouldn 't mention I got hit by a car . Say that I saw someone else get hit . No . No lies on my first day of work . I was nearly there and I couldn 't stop thinking about the accident . It had happened so fast and I couldn 't believe the car had driven on . After hitting me ! What kind of car was it anyway ? Had I seen the driver ? I looked at the road and watched the cars pass by . My heart stopped for a second when I saw a blue car . I suddenly remembered the car had been blue ! Dark blue to be more specific . The doctor had asked me if I wanted to press charges and I had even spoken with the police , but they couldn 't help since I didn 't remember anything . Now I did . I couldn 't go now though , I 'd had to go after work . If I still had work to go to . I arrived two hours late and walked straight to the headmaster 's office . I had met him only once ; when I got hired . It had been a brief meeting , since they had needed someone quickly and I was the first one to apply . I knocked on the door . " Enter , " he said loud and firmly . When I walked in , the headmaster looked up from his desk . His expression changed immediately , he looked somewhat nervous and pale . " Er , why are you so l … late ? " he asked while fumbling with his tie . " Well , that certainly is a surprise . You better get to work then , English isn 't going to teach itself . The kids were already put to work by someone else , but you can take over now . " He stood up and reached the door in a few strides . " I have an important lunch date now . If you need anything … Well , the hospital is nearby as you already know . A colleague will cover for you if necessary . " Heading in the direction of my classroom , I walked past the entrance and saw the headmaster getting in his car . I suddenly stopped and , for a moment , I think my heart did too . I recognised the car . There was even a slight dent in the bonnet , or so it seemed . It was a dark blue Opel Corsa . I remembered . I even remembered the reflection of the driver 's glasses as he sat behind the wheel . The headmaster , my boss , wore glasses . He had that car . That same car . He hit me . He hit me and then ran . My legs were shaking , my head was spinning . I wasn 't feeling too well . I saw spots , it got dark . I passed out . Right then and there . I fell , fainted , hit the floor , lay there . I heard a piercing , ringing sound next to my ear . Because of the rough awakening I nearly fell out of bed . I was sweating and my heart was racing . I stopped my alarm clock and looked at the time and date . I sighed with relief and started laughing . It was all a dream . Very vivid , but just a dream . However , I was running late and quickly got dressed . I took my stuff and grabbed an apple . I quickly put on my coat and walked out the door . I looked at my watch . Still on time . It had been just a dream . I had nearly reached the street where I got hit in the dream . I took a bite of my apple and looked at the sky . It was going to be a wonderful day , I was sure of it . At that moment I heard a big bang . I looked ahead . A man was lying on the ground . A car quickly drove away . I could hear the screeching tires . It was the car from my dream . It was my boss ' car … in my dream . What could that mean ? It had been just a dream , right ? People were gathering around the man . Some were calling for an ambulance . I couldn 't watch . I quickly walked by and started running . I had to get to work . For several reasons . When I got there , I was out of breath . I suddenly heard someone coming in my direction . I looked to the left . The headmaster hurried past me . He walked so fast I didn 't get a chance to greet him . Not that I could have if I had wanted to , I was still trying to catch my breath . I walked to the left and looked at the cars . A red car , a green car , a dark blue car . A dark blue Opel Corsa . A dark blue Opel Corsa with a dent in the bonnet .