Dreamscapes

by D. H. Quinn

  Dreamscapes

  By D.H. Quinn

  Copyright © 2020 D.H. Quinn

  All rights reserved. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter One

  Blood drips down my face. The sound of the gunshot still rings in my ear. I scream in panic, knowing my brother is dead. This is a nightmare, I don’t know how but I am here. I remove my seat belt and roll out of the car, my pursuers close by.

  I run into the forest. I want to scream but that will attract them. Their car screeches to a halt. There is no more time. I can’t let them catch me. The path ahead slopes downwards and the branches crunch under my feet as I desperately try to descend towards the lake. I need to hide somewhere, anywhere.

  I stop as I come to a small cliff that separates the forest from the lake that was not present a minute ago. Fast, heavy footsteps approach. I dive into the lake in a panic, knowing I have to escape my pursuers. Water rushes into my nose and mouth. I choke, I am drowning and I can’t stop it. Something grabs at my foot from the bottom of the murky water and I accept that this is the end. Just give in, a voice inside me commands, just let go and I almost do.

  What is the point in fighting for my life anymore? I am alone in the world. No one cares for me. My thoughts flash back to my brother, his crooked smirk and glinting eyes. He would want me to go on. The grip releases from my ankle. I kick and swim until I rise to the surface. I gasp for air and cough uncontrollably. The dark lake surrounds me and I see the other side of the bank, there is a clear way out.

  The once quiet night now fills with noises only small creatures can make. Crickets and cicadas chirp in harmony. Immense calm overcomes me, something I have not felt in a long time. A flash of memories pops into my mind when I was just a child, camping with my father and brother, huddling together for warmth, roasting marshmallows around a crackling fire. The chirping stops suddenly and the dead silence returns. Why does it always have to come back? I swim frantically, attempting to reach the other side but waves are forming and push back against me.

  I manage to keep my head above water, feeling myself surrender to the turmoil and embracing it. It will not take me away. I somehow manage to reach the shore. I gasp as I crawl onto the rocks. My entire body shakes from relief. The sudden rustling in the forest dwarfs my accomplishment. A shadow moves quickly out of the corner of my eye. They are here. A tall figure cloaked in black races through the trees. I am its target. I have nowhere to run. It’s too late, my body freezes in fear. I cling to the ground, hoping to melt into it.

  It’s a nightmare, just a nightmare, I tell myself. I am keenly aware of this but I am still here and the dream feels entirely real. The figure makes no noise as it descends upon me, pushing me onto my back. Pain radiates through my spine as I hit the floor. The figure’s robed hands touch my shoulders. Its face is revealed now, a plastic plastered on grin resembling a Halloween mask. The features however are animated and terrifying. It has hollow eyes, a pointed nose and sharp teeth. Its mouth opens. It pushes me into the rocks harder. An empty scream escapes my mouth. I cannot move.

  I am transported to my bedroom full of relief. I lay on my back and try to turn over to my side but I can’t move. My eyes search the darkened room. A figure stands in the corner. He slouches a bit to fit properly without touching the roof. I try to scream but my mouth does not respond to my thoughts. My body does not belong to me. The figure leaps towards me and then crawls over my body until we are face to face once again. He screams in my face. His mouth twists into a black hole, black saliva drips from its mouth, and coats its teeth. My own scream joins its and the figure finally disappears.

  My heart continues to pound as I sit up slowly. The early morning light flows into my room and a sigh of relief overtakes me. Birds chirp happily. I have an extra 30 minutes to wake up. Usually I would go back to sleep but the thought of re-entering my dream world does not appeal to me one bit. My dog sits at the foot of bed, staring at me intently. He senses my anxiety.

  “It’s alright boy, just a bad dream.” I comfort him by scratching his head, just behind his ears. He stretches out his short corgi paws towards the end of the bed and lays back down. “Just a bad dream.” I attempt to convince myself. However I cannot seem to let go of it.

  The day is normal. I have a short work day because it’s Friday and I finish my work early. I plan to delve into a Netflix show and just relax as much as I can. I also hope to get some good sleep.

  I am a shut in. I would rather be at home than anywhere else. I dislike crowds. Must be why I like my job, data entry all day, hardly any human interaction although sitting at my desk for such a long time can be physically straining. My fear of others has transferred into my dreams.

  The night comes swiftly once again. I lay in bed around 10pm feeling quite lame but not caring. I am tired from my work and there is nothing better I would be wanting to do than laying here with my dog. My eyes feel heavy and although brief flashes of this morning’s situation go through my mind, the giant plastered grin, the menacing position he and I were in, I still fall asleep with ease.

  “Hey,” a small voice says through the trees, “hey,” it softly brushes against me. I look up to see a floating little boy of about seven. He waves at me with his tiny but callused hands. They remind me of the hands of my little brother who used to stay outside all day doing who knows what. “Where are you?” He smiles at me with crooked and gapped front teeth. He lands on the ground, a few feet in front of me.

  “Where am I?”

  He sighs dramatically and pouts slightly, “I asked you first.”

  “Yes, but I just got here and I don’t know where we are.” I shrug.

  “That’s not what I mean,” he sighs halfheartedly this time.

  He walks up to me and grabs a hold of my hand. “Let me show you something cool.” He pulls me along a newly appeared path that stretches into the forest. The trees are different than those of my previous nightmare. They are not overly tall but instead allow room for the sun to peek thru. The colors of the leaves vary from pink to purple to blue. They are quite beautiful and peaceful. A small breeze hits the back of my dress. Calmness envelopes me.

  My mind shifts back to the little boy who is pulling me along the cobblestone path. He wears a newsboy cap and a gray suit, clearly not from my time. His hat covers his messy brown hair and his ears poke out in the back.

  We head towards a clearing in the forest. Short vibrant grass covers the ground. A small pond sits perfectly centered, surrounded by light gray cobblestones with small sprouts of grass peeking through. The path is cold and somewhat wet against my feet. I glance back at the forest and the previous scenery is replaced by miles and miles of flatland.

  Flashes of red, blue, green, and purple lights dance throughout the pond. “What is it?” I ask the boy. The boy kneels next to the pond and I follow suite, my curiosity piquing. The boy reaches in and grabs a red light, it flashes in his small hands. My mind cannot process what I see as if I am
looking into a concept not an actual item.

  “You are feeling sad,” the boy says emotionlessly and then drops the red light back into the water. His hands are not wet. He reaches in again, grabbing for the purple light instead. “something has to change soon.” I laugh uncomfortably. I don’t let anyone into my emotions in real life, it hardly seems appropriate this little boy from my dream is revealing them.

  “Is this some type of Tarot reading?” I ask, in an attempt to defuse the seriousness of this moment. A light smile plays on my face. The boy ignores me, releasing the purple light back into the water.

  The boy picks up a black light that was not previously in the pond. His face grows weary and suddenly he does not look so young. My heartbeat quickens out of fear. He looks up at me and I cannot break eye contact. “You are in horrible danger of tipping over the edge!” His voice rises with each word and he drops the light quickly, his hands tense. The lights swirl together in the pond, weaving themselves into one another and then shoot off into the sky. We return to the forest and the boy begins walking away from me.

  “Wait!” I call out to him unable to hide the desperation in my tone.

  He turns back around and his boyish face returns but his original happiness upon finding me has dissipated. This change saddens me. “I am sorry Kamari as it turns out I cannot help you.” He turns back on his heels and marches through the forest and then picks up the pace to a run. Fear arises in my mind. I don’t want to be alone in this forest. I follow the boy closely, reaching a speed I did not think possible for myself.

  We run straight through the forest, then through a swamp land, and halfway through a hilly land until the boy switches directions. He seems to be oblivious to the fact that I am following him. I have to keep up!

  The boy heads towards a medieval looking city and once he approaches the gate, he disappears. I come to an abrupt stop, staying a few feet away from the entrance. They won’t let me in, a voice urges in my mind. The fear inside me returns. I am being watched no that I am alone. Something from the forest followed me. I approach the gate, I have no other choice. The town grows larger as I stand directly in front of it. I gaze up at the immeasurable gate, mouth agape. Nothing happens. I knock lightly.

  A shift in my body occurs and I am suddenly inside the gate. I am stunned, this city is unimaginable from the outside. Although medieval features are dispersed within this city such as lamp fixtures, textured walls, and roofs, elements from other types of cities blend into the architecture. A modern skyscraper stands to my left, a small temple sits to the right with Ancient Grecian qualities, a Chinese pagoda peaks from behind the skyscraper.

  My mind whirls at these combinations. The bright and dull colors meld together in an unusual fashion. I gaze down at the half brick/ half tar mishmash of a road. The people walking about are all different as well. From different times, different ethnicities, and wearing different garbs, no one person seems alike. A group of little boys examine me and run up to me.

  “What’s wrong which you?” One boy asks me and the other boys laugh. Still, feeling astonished, I do not respond. This can’t be a dream. Usually, you wake up from a dream and remember it, you do not actively participate, at least in any dreams that I have had. However, the vividness of this dream is astounding.

  “Ayy! Cat got her tongue!” Another boy says then laughs with his friends. A cat appears in front of me and pounces, hissing angrily. I bring my hands to my face defensively and the boys erupt into more laughter. The cat dissolves instantly. “She can’t even tell what a dreamlusion is!” The same boy howls. There scrawny fingers point at me as they shake with laughter. I stand there stupidly for a few more seconds, garnering looks from other residents of this place.

  “Leave me alone,” I manage to blurt as I push my way through their little gang. My cheeks burn with embarrassment. They tug at my dress as I pass by and I do my best to ignore them. I almost want to question them about the boy in the forest because they are his age but I doubt he would be hanging around with this crowd. Besides, the group seems unlikely to give me any information. Their intentions are clear.

  Their laughter sticks in my ears as I continue to walk away. I regain my composure, lifting my head high. I stand tall as my mother used to command whenever I had the slightest curve in my spine. Her constant need for me to be perfect made me just the opposite. I am a laid-back individual and not high strung like she is. But in moments like this, when my confidence falters, I know how to portray that perfect girl.

  Chin held high, I march down the road until I no longer hear the boys. I approach an older looking woman at a stall with a large number of handbags. “Excuse me,” I ask politely. “Do you know where I can find a young boy who just came in a few minutes before me,” I indicate the gate which is directly in her view.

  She just shakes her head in response. “He was wearing a gray suit and a cap.” The woman just shakes her head. She presents a bag from her stall and smiles sweetly.

  “Miss,” a man’s voice calls from behind me. I whirl around to a lanky man with messy red hair, and slightly large ears. He grips his hands together in front of his chest. “She is deaf.” The man shakes his head. He stands a few inches taller than me wearing black slacks and a white button up. “Just pick up the bag you want and show her,” he points to the woman who gives us a cautious smile.

  “Oh no I wasn’t,” I say dumbly, feeling my face flush with embarrassment once again. I look back at the city feeling overwhelmed.

  His green eyes catch mine, clearly curious. “Are you alright?”

  “Yes,” I respond automatically, confidently, my response to that question so well rehearsed. Simple eye contact and a small smile always convinces them. He nods and begins to walk away from me.

  “Wait!” I call out and he turns back around. “Could you help me? I was meeting someone in the city, a boy in a gray suit and cap, he just came in before me and I seem to have lost track of him.” I indicate the city and shrug as if it is so easy to lose track of someone here, hoping it’s the truth.

  The man shakes his head, his demeanor changes. “Follow me,” he says in a tone that has lost politeness and curiousness all at once. He rapidly turns on his heels and begins walking away. I follow him, matching his pace.

  “May I ask you something?”

  The man looks back at me and slows his stride. “Of course,” his voice is steady but his eyes are hesitant.

  “Where are we?” I say lowly so as not to garner any additional attention.

  “The city, of course, the only safe place for our kind,” his eyes shift around quickly at this statement.

  “Our kind?” I ask, examining the regular looking people that we pass by.

  The man stops and examines me closely. “Is this your first time here? Where did you meet Garrett?” He leans in, raising his eyebrows at me.

  “Garrett, the boy?” I ask and he nods. “In a forest with some kind of pond with lights in it.”

  “How did you,” the man’s face morphs from curiosity to concern, “never mind let’s just go find Garrett, now!” he crosses his arms and briskly walks away and I once again follow him. The man keeps his face calm but tension is evident in his body, there’s clear panic in his eyes. We turn down a dark alleyway and then stop completely. “Not that way.” He lifts his hand up to stop me from walking any further. He turns back around from the direction we came and I follow as he leads us through the same passage.

  Once we are almost near where we had met, he turns around again and heads down the main road. Should I be following this man? He seems out of his mind with the directions he leads me. Taking in the enormousness of this city I decide I have no other choice. He turns down a brightly lit alley and the tension releases from him instantaneously. Beautiful red lanterns float just above this alleyway. Their shadows bob up and down against the wall.

  The man walks up to a bright red door, opens it, and quickly slips inside. Exhaustion from all of my walking hits and suddenly a row o
f tables and chairs appear with large gray umbrellas. I sit gratefully and rest my folded hands on my lap. I examine my bitten down and brittle nails as I wait.

  The door opens quickly and slams against the building. I stand up from my chair in shock and the chair tips back. The man that led me here and the little boy, Garrett rush over to me. The man’s mouth drops open as he sees the newly added furniture to the alleyway. He runs his hands across the side of his face slowly and shakes his head in disbelief. Garrett meanwhile approaches the table and knocks on it. His eyes widen.

  “A dreamlusion?” I ask innocently. I wanted a seat and I created one, I think to myself. The gang of boys called the cat creation that so maybe I did that as well.

  The redheaded man grips on to one of the backs of a chair. “This is real.” An audible gasps escapes his lips.

  “This is my dream.” I think my response indicates that none of this is in fact real. My eyes stay glued to the unstable man.

  “Jack sent me to her but she is corrupted,” Garrett says as he shyly avoids my gaze, then he looks at the red-headed man. “Arden you need to calm down.” Arden sits in the chair he was just gripping. He rests his head on the table then quickly lifts it up again.

  “How did she get in here?” He asks Garrett.

  Garrett seems reluctant. “Must have followed me in.” He crosses his arms on his chest after a small shrug.

  “You know what I mean!” Arden slams his fist against the table, his eyes wild.

  Garrett remains calm. “Let’s talk to Jack,” he suggests. Arden lets out a guttural sigh of irritation. “You don’t have to be a part of this,” Garrett says as he glares over at Arden. Arden sits up straight in his chair with regained composure. He holds it all in so well again.

  “I don’t have a choice,” Arden tells Garrett through tightly pursed lips. Garrett just nods. I fidget in my chair, feeling like I am intruding into something I don’t understand.