One young couple standing on the outskirts of the gathering captured Kyle’s interest. The woman might have been part-Indigenous and was heavy with child. The man with his arms around her swollen belly was the only white person present, so the pair seemed out of place. Just like the couple Kyle had seen during his shark dreaming, they appeared to be young and in love, and he hoped that he wasn’t about to witness another grisly disaster.
This fear made Kyle turn away to look over the whole gathering. He felt strangely aroused by the chant and the music of the rhythm sticks and the didgeridoo. He’d never met an Indigenous Australian in his life, nor wondered about their beliefs. Your people, Kyron had said. Had he been referring to the Indigenous people of Australia?
From within the huge bonfire a strange mist began to rise and dance over the gathering. Like a snake being charmed it wound its way across the gathering until it came to hover over the pregnant woman.
Two helicopters rose above a nearby hill and headed towards the gathering, searchlights blazing, and a voice on loudspeaker warned the crowd to disperse, because they were trespassing on private property. On the ground, police began to emerge from the bush surrounding the clearing to converge on the crowd.
When Kyle’s attention was drawn back to the anomalous mist, it was gone. The young woman was gripping her belly in pain and as she pushed her partner away, Kyle willed himself closer.
‘Go,’ she urged. ‘If they get their hands on you, they will lock you up and throw away the key … never mind if you’re guilty or not.’
‘Not like this, Alex. Not now!’ he argued, referring to her contractions. ‘You need me at the birth. I’m getting you to a hospital.’
Alex, suppressing her own pain, grabbed hold of his shirt to insist. ‘We need you free! You’re no good to anyone rotting in jail.’ She kissed him and thrust him away. ‘Now go!’
A couple of the men grabbed the reluctant male and hurried him off towards the water, gagging the fellow to silence his protests.
Others of the group gathered around the pregnant woman to comfort and aid her, until they were all overpowered by the police and carted away.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ the policeman wondered of the heavily pregnant woman, who did not really look as though she belonged to the clan. ‘A woman in your condition would be far better off at home.’
‘This is my home,’ she told him defiantly.
‘Well, Nivok Industries disagrees with you.’ He dragged her to her feet. ‘Save it for the judge.’
Kyle had never, in living memory, so strongly wanted to accompany someone, and yet he felt himself being drawn back to his dream weavers. He resisted their summons, straining with all his will, but it was no use: Kyle was forced to turn.
It was a beautiful black-haired, dark-skinned nymph in front of Kyle now. Her blazing green eyes glared at him sternly as she gripped his jaw firmly in one hand. What sea creature had this mermaid been associated with? He couldn’t recall.
Her kiss was paralysing, and Kyle completely lost control over his body. Darkness descended as he drifted to the sea floor and buried himself in the sand.
The stingray, Kyle concluded, as he warily awaited her vision. What kind of tragedy can she conjure up for my viewing horror?
James Nivok’s office was not exactly where Kyle had expected to find himself.
He was alarmed to see Zoe being confronted by her uncle, who was very angry with her.
‘Why was he in here?’ Nivok demanded to know. ‘You’ve got an apartment if you want to play with your boyfriends.’ He cocked an eyebrow in suspicion. ‘Are you covering for him?’
‘Please, uncle … I told you,’ she appealed to him, obviously unaccustomed to seeing her uncle so riled. ‘He said he had to clean —’
Nivok’s patience snapped. He cut her explanation short with a sharp slap to her cheek, which was hard enough to tip Zoe off balance.
Kyle wanted to intervene, but he was rooted to the spot, forced to witness the consequences of the trouble he’d caused. Your uncle isn’t going to punish you for tonight’s little episode. You don’t even know the meaning of the word punishment. His cruel words to Zoe came back to haunt him and his heart began to ache. He’d never before felt deep remorse for his actions, and it hurt … a lot.
Zoe held her hand to her face, shocked. She turned her eyes, now full of contempt, back to her uncle and regarded him as if he were a stranger.
It seemed that even James Nivok was surprised by his harsh reaction and apparently stricken with guilt. His anger fled and he moved to reassure his niece. ‘I’ve been under so much stress and now I’m taking it out on you.’ He placed an arm about her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. ‘I’ve never before struck you. Please forgive me.’
Zoe was in shock for a moment. The only person she had ever really trusted, the one mainstay in her life, had just turned on her. Now she’d seen a side of her uncle that she’d never imagined existed and that lifetime of trust had been shattered. ‘I never wanted this job.’ Zoe pulled away from her uncle.
‘I had to know for sure if you were interested in the business,’ Nivok explained. ‘After all, your parents have left you two-thirds of it and I don’t want you to sell unless you’re sure —’
‘Nothing you could say or do is going to keep me in this place.’ Zoe walked over to the lounge to retrieve her handbag. ‘I’ve got my own plans.’
As Zoe stormed from the office, Nivok smiled broadly.
The feeling returned to his limbs and the heavy, buried sensation lifted, but Kyle felt as if he’d been battered to a pulp, emotionally. Guilt, confusion, distress and many questions warred in his mind, not the least of which was: What’s next?
Please … I don’t think I can take any more. His body was still being supported in the water by the nymphs and when he felt his chin being raised, Kyle opened his eyes.
A milky-white-skinned beauty with long black hair, streaked with white, and deep brown eyes, was confronting him and she had the largest breasts Kyle had ever seen.
Aware of his exhaustion, the whale nymph brought Kyle’s head to rest on her bosom and gently stroked his hair as she lulled him into a false sense of security.
The next thing Kyle knew, she had rolled on top of him and proceeded to plough through the water with him. He felt like the attacker and the attacked, the victim and the hero, the wise man and the fool.
Night had fallen since his last visit, but Kyle was back in Nivok’s office.
Does my entire life revolve around this room? he protested, praying he hadn’t gotten Zoe into any more trouble.
But it was Matt and not Zoe who greeted him this time.
Where have you been? In his mind, Kyle heard Matt’s voice, but the presence of Matt he was viewing did not speak.
He was standing in the doorway of Nivok’s office, raising a camera to his shoulder.
What are you up to now? Kyle turned to see what Matt was filming, but the room was filled with smoke; water began teeming from the ceiling, and Kyle could not see if anyone else was present.
Then his perception shifted into slow motion. A bullet shot forth out of the haze and water. It flew past Kyle to hit Matt in the stomach, sending him hurtling to the ground.
‘No!’ Kyle yelled into the ensuing darkness, his heart thumping ten to the dozen in his chest.
‘Kyle, you’re back,’ Kyron spoke to make his charge aware of his surroundings. ‘Are you all right?’
When Kyle saw that he was standing on the surface of the pool, he moved to the sand; he didn’t want to risk falling victim to the Pool of Truths again. ‘Physically, I’m fine. Emotionally …’ Kyle glanced at Blue, ‘I don’t think I’m doing so well.’ He did feel calmer now that he’d been released by the water nymphs, but, rattled by all that they had revealed to him, Kyle took a seat on the sand to collect his thoughts.
Kyron, and Zoe’s astral form, were very concerned for him, but it was Blue who spoke first. ‘So … what did you m
ake of your dreaming, young warrior?’
‘That was more than a dream,’ Kyle insisted.
‘And what are dreams but subconscious realities?’ Blue posed.
It had been a very long time since Kyle had had to deal with that mysterious, buried side of his personality that felt and questioned and wondered. He barely knew where to begin with his dream analysis. ‘You spoke of my people earlier.’ He looked at his big, furry guardian. ‘Are they Indigenous Australians?’
Kyron nodded, unsure of how Kyle would react to the news.
This explained a lot and Kyle bowed his head to shed a tear, for he knew he had glimpsed his parents in the dream of the dolphin nymph. ‘I have a whole extended family in far north Queensland somewhere?’ He tried to breathe through all the mixed feelings, each fighting for precedence. ‘Is my father still alive?’
‘Yes,’ replied Blue surely.
‘Then why has he never come for me?’ Kyle’s tears were flowing freely now.
Blue merely shrugged, indifferent to the question. ‘Why ask me … you’re the one who thinks he knows everything.’
Kyle was really sick of having every smart aleck thing he’d ever said or done come back to haunt him. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be helping me?’
‘Not if I don’t wanna,’ Blue enlightened him. ‘We elementals don’t have to be disposed towards you, but if I wasn’t, you’d dehydrate, mate. Or I could drown you in your own bodily fluids,’ he suggested, winningly. ‘So, I wouldn’t go givin’ me too much cheek. I’ve helped you plenty already.’
‘I really appreciate that, Blue.’ Kyle attempted to be humble, anxious to know more about his father, but a more urgent concern sprang to mind. ‘Matt!’ he exclaimed in a mad panic. ‘He’s been shot!’
‘No, no, no. He hasn’t,’ Blue insisted, to prevent the lad rushing off. ‘That instance is in the future of your reality.’
‘Then I must get back to my reality and prevent it.’ Kyle raised himself and went marching off down the beach.
Do you think movement has anything to do with travel in and out of this realm? There is only one way back for you, Kyle, Book finally broke his silence to inform his charge, and that is through me … you promised to finish reading.
Kyle stopped dead in his tracks, realising he had no idea where he was going or how to get back to Matt in the physical world. ‘If you were the only way back to reality, Book, then why did you feel the need to make me promise to keep reading?’ He did an about-face, and found Zoe’s spirit walking forward to meet him. Recalling what he’d learnt of her during his ’ray dreaming, he really did feel he’d had his head buried in the sand in regard to this girl. ‘Aw, Zoe, I was so completely wrong about you. I’m sorry I got you in trouble and I’m sorry that —’
Her fingers pressing against his lips silenced his apology. ‘It doesn’t matter now.’
She leant forward to kiss him and Kyle found himself spellbound by her lovely gaze. His eyes closed as their lips met.
After a few moments, when nothing had happened, Kyle opened his eyes to find Zoe had vanished. ‘Where did she go?’
Kyron, Blue and Book were all laughing, and after a moment of disappointment and annoyance, Kyle cracked a wry smile to concede that Blue’s prediction about romance seemed to be right on track.
‘She was just dreaming,’ Blue informed his deflated charge, ‘and now she’s waking up.’ The undine sniggered, making a mockery of Kyle’s prior claims about the girl. ‘I can see that you don’t like her at all! Yes, it’s plain to see she’s nothing to you.’
Kyle could feel his cheeks flushing. ‘So, she’s cooler than I thought,’ he admitted.
There’s no need to be embarrassed. Everyone falls in love —
‘Steady on there, Book, let’s not get too excited. I don’t even know what lo — … that word, means!’ he stated in his own defence, most uncomfortable with the suggestion.
Blue smiled now. ‘You cannot hide anything from us,’ he reminded Kyle.
Was love the uncomfortable feeling in his gut that was twisting it in knots every time Zoe was around, or even mentioned? Was that why he was so intrigued by this girl and so jealous of how chummy Matt was with her? As Kyle thought, he dug both of his hands deep into his jacket pockets and finding the crystal ball in one of them, he retrieved it to look within.
Kyle saw a vision of Zoe asleep in her bed and the discomfort he was feeling intensified. ‘She is certainly all that dreams are made of.’ Kyle felt himself drawn to her, wanting to know her better.
‘Bye bye,’ bid Blue, ‘sucker!’
The vision in the crystal ball bled through to the astral beach, obscuring Kyle’s sight as his being shifted location.
When the particles of his reality stabilised and hardened into physical form, Kyle found himself gazing down at Zoe when she woke from their dream.
She was wearing a huge smile on her face as she stretched to assist her return to a waking state. Then, as her faculties kicked in, her expression changed to one of shock. ‘No!’ She sat bolt upright. ‘Not that self-righteous bastard … no way.’ Zoe shook her head violently, trying to rid herself of the memory.
Kyle ventured to step forward to give her a wave, and was delighted when she clambered out of bed without paying him any heed.
‘She can’t see us,’ he commented back to Kyron, who was huddled in the corner, horrified to be in the physical realm that he feared — he was cuddling Book for comfort.
‘I think it’s for the best,’ said the creature.
‘So do I,’ agreed Kyle as he watched Zoe flit about her room in a panic, wearing nothing but a little white camisole top and matching knickers.
‘It was so real!’ Zoe was disgusted by her recollection. ‘How could my subconscious have mistaken Kyle for some warrior hero to be admired? I can still feel the anticipation of his impending kiss …’ Her anger ebbed as she dwelt on this. When she caught herself grinning, however, her anger returned. ‘Oooh! Stop it!’
Kyle was smiling. He’d never imagined he could affect a woman this way — especially this woman. It was delightful. He looked back at Kyron trembling in the corner. ‘Will you be all right here? I’m just going to …’ Kyle pointed in the direction Zoe had gone.
‘Go right ahead,’ the beast stammered. ‘I’ll be fine.’
‘Good … um …’ Kyle almost said, man. ‘What are you anyway, Kyron?’
‘Your people have many different names for my kind,’ Kyron answered, ‘but the most popular term lately is yowie.’
Kyle frowned, for he was familiar with that term. ‘Like a yeti, or a sasquatch?’ He was stoked. ‘I have my own “big foot” as a guardian? Awesome!’ Then Kyle frowned. ‘I thought you guys were supposed to be ferocious and fearless?’
‘Supposed to be,’ mumbled Kyron, ashamed of himself.
As Kyle could clearly see the premise was upsetting for the beast, he commented lightly, ‘We must discuss your history when I get a moment.’
Kyron nodded, like a reprimanded child.
‘Hey, don’t sweat, my friend.’ Kyle gave him a chug on the shoulder. ‘You’re helping me sort out my problems. I’m sure that between the two of us we’ll be able to sort out whatever your problem is too.’
Kyle’s promise made the yowie attempt a smile.
‘But first things first.’ Kyle went looking for Zoe.
He found her in the bathroom, splashing water onto her face. ‘Wow, she’s peakin’. She must have really felt something to get all riled up like this. Don’t you think, Kyron?’ he called to the beast in the bedroom, but there came no response.
Kyle thought he should check up on his guardian, but Zoe unknowingly turned to face him and pulled her hair away from her face with both her hands. The view through the white silk and lace that Zoe was wearing was just too mesmerising for Kyle to walk away from.
‘It’s okay.’ Zoe turned back to the mirror to reassure herself. ‘You’re awake now … just calm down.’
Kyle was not fast enough to get out of the way as Zoe exited the bathroom and passed right through him. Shocked by the event, he gasped, having been filled with a sensual, warm delight that melted his horror into a delirious grin. Kyle did a quick about-face to catch Zoe’s reaction. Had she felt that same magical feeling?
She paused and closed her eyes in apparent bliss. Then, waking up to herself, she was panicked again. ‘Stop this!’ she demanded of herself. ‘Why are you feeling this way about a guy you truly despise?’
Kyle, rather impressed by his power to charm, approached Zoe to whisper. ‘Truly?’
Zoe closed her eyes and unable to shake her strange enchantment, she resolved, ‘I need to meditate.’ She immediately returned to her bed and fished a remote from the bedside table. She switched on some relaxing music and assumed the lotus position.
Kyle was tickled by the apparent lengths Zoe was forced to go to in order to put him from her mind. He circled the bed, watching over her fondly as she drew in deep, relaxing breaths. ‘You’re really not at all what I expected.’ He stopped still in front of her and reached out to place a hand against her cheek, and although he could make no physical contact, Zoe’s head leant into his palm ever so slightly, and her exhalation sounded suspiciously like a sigh. As Zoe continued to breathe deeply, Kyle became spellbound, for he began to see the recent past through Zoe’s eyes.
‘How could you sell a place of such beauty to Nivok Industries?’
Kyle saw himself posing the question in Nivok’s office, and he felt the doubt and guilt his taunting invoked.
‘Your uncle isn’t going to punish you for tonight’s little episode. You don’t know the meaning of the word punishment.’
The ignorant assumption made him so angry!
A sharp slap to the cheek rocked Kyle, with the kind of life-shattering fear that he’d not let himself experience since he was a child. He looked back at his attacker, James Nivok, feeling abandoned and betrayed.
He withdrew his hand from Zoe’s cheek, heart pounding and tears of remorse filling his eyes. ‘I need to get myself a new role model … I am turning into one of my god-damn foster fathers!’ Seeing himself through another’s eyes made this obvious to Kyle for the first time.
Book of Dreams Page 6