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Red, red, everything was red. The room was red, though if that was because of the flames or because it was red was unclear. The red drapes hinted at there being windows, but it was impossible to see. Everything was engulfed in flames, the entire room, as was she herself.
“Hello?!”
Dorothy tried yelling, screaming, any noise to get attention and be helped, but it was of no use. It seemed like she was alone here, alone in this hot red room. There was no way out; she’d gotten closer to what she thought could be a doorpost to check it out, flames scalding her body, but it was just a wall. The same went for the windows, she assumed, she hadn’t tried those… Yet. She wasn’t eager to try those anytime soon, her right arm was already burnt.
Maybe my family was right, maybe it is but a big delusion and maybe I am insane.
The thought crossed her mind before she could stop it, then shook it off. No, this wasn’t insanity, these weren’t delusions. These flames were too hot, the burns too painful to be anything but real. Oz exists, the Wicked Witch exists, none of it was a delusion.
When the flames were about to surround her once again, she screamed once more.
Only to wake up with a jolt, a very concerned Red in front of her. Dorothy was breathing heavily, and the sight of the red cape wasn’t helping. It was just a dream, she told herself, trying to soothe her over active mind. It wasn’t real, but this is.
“Are you okay, Kansas?” Her very real girlfriend asked, worry lacing her tone.
The nickname was another reminder of what happened in the last 24 hours… And whatever time she’d been under that sleeping curse. It was enough to make her take a deep breath and calm down her racing heart.
When Red’s hand rubbed her left arm soothingly, it started racing again for an entirely different reason.
Another deep breath. “Yes, it’s nothing, it was just a dream.”
A frown graced the wolf’s features, her eyes still bright with concern. “More like a nightmare, you were screaming. I know you said you don’t like to talk, but… What happened?”
Dorothy sighed, placing her arms behind her to lean back. She cringed when her right hand touched the ground, a stinging sensation burning through her nerves, quickly pulling back to take a look at it.
She wasn’t fast enough, though; Red had already taken her hand gently. “It’s burnt,” she gasped. It didn’t take long before the realization set in. “The red room.”
This time it was Dorothy’s turn to frown. “You know of it? How?”
“Snow told me about it, she was having the same dreams after her sleeping curse. It’s an after effect, it fades eventually, but…” Red trailed off, looking back at the other woman’s hand. She lifted it gently to make a point, before looking back at her girlfriend. “You can get hurt.”
The only thing that comment earned her was a deadpan look from the younger brunette. “You don’t say.”
Red looked less than amused, “Just be careful next time, okay?”
“Will do, Wolfie.” Dorothy smiled softly, the memory of her wolf form returning to her and how amazing it felt to ride her. Not the time to reminisce. “Now about those dreams, did your friend mention how long it took for those to go away?”
“A month or three?” The wolf grimaced. “Something about your brain having to find a way to protect you against it. I’m afraid you’re going to have to sit that out.”
Those were certainly not the words she wanted to hear, just when she managed to sleep decently again, this came along. She shook her head; it would pass, quicker than the nightmares had. Instead of focusing on the bad, Dorothy decided to focus on the good, reaching out with her good hand and cupping Red’s cheek with a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine, so long as you’ll be there when I wake up.”
Her heart fluttered when a smile came in return, the first smile since she’d woken up from this nightmare.
“Always.”