Notopia

by Michael Vallimont

  Back into the rainbow it went and immediately descended upon a third bulge. By this time, the first dream had emerged. It was a pretty, young pixie of a girl who bolted from the rainbow and ran through the crowd in a very panicked manner. The two bulges that remained collided just above the ground and tumbled from the base of the rainbow. The blue fire emerged from one, but this time the intensity of the fire was much more than had been seen before. So intense was the fire people shielded their eyes or turned away. When it dimmed, it had taken both dreams with it.

  “Tell me you got that!” Delilah yelled to the Cameraman.

  “Oh, I got it alright. I have no idea what it was, but it is in here,” he replied, tapping the camera.

  “We need to get this back to the studio. I will drive while you review the footage and get it set up. They are going to want to broadcast this right away.”

  “What about the copy for Mr. Tremon? You know he wants to see all of these first.”

  “This time we have it first! Send him a note saying it is on its way. That way, you can send it right before the broadcast.”

  Then, the news truck sped off, narrowly missing three pedestrians who were too busy talking to even to notice the vehicle.

  “Something in the rainbow is killing those dreams!” Charles said as the news van sped away.

  “I didn’t see Roger anywhere,” Enrique added. “But I can’t help feeling that this is all his doing.”

  “We don’t know that, Enrique. We need to stay open-minded until we know for sure. Let’s head back to Leo’s and see if he knows anything yet. He needs to know this is getting worse,” Charles said.

  “Guys, I’m going to check the museum. If whatever it is is from Roger, then it might be showing up in his painting. I will catch up to you at Leo’s,” Shelley said. “Enrique, come with me. Another set of eyes could be useful.”

  “Good idea Shelley. We will see you soon Charles,” Enrique answered.

  ***

  Gwen lay peacefully in Leo’s arms, and everything in life felt perfect. And why not? She thought. This was a dreamland. She wondered, what would it be like to fall asleep in dreamland and dream? Would she wake up here, with him still next to her, both still seeking their dreams? Then it dawned on her that Notopia was no place to fall in love.

  “Leo, we shouldn’t be doing this. I mean, you were wonderful, it was wonderful, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have deep feelings for you.” She got up from the bed and began to dress.

  Leo sat up. “You are afraid we will separate, aren’t you? That one of us will find our dream and depart from here.”

  “Well, that is the purpose of this place, is it not?”

  “Gwen, you are an amazing woman, and I am quite sure you don’t know just how special you are. Consider this. Who is to say that we won’t meet the very next time we are both in the real world and how wonderful it would be to see each other knowing what we know and have shared in this place?”

  Half dressed, she crawled across the bed and kissed Leo. “This place is so wondrously simple and complicated all at the same time. I feel very happy when I’m with you, Leo.” It was at that moment, that feeling of being happy, that she recalled Nimbus and his crazy dance. The joyous, confident laughter that rang out from the others filled her mind. “Leo, I think I know some people you need to meet. Get dressed.”

  ***

  Charles was glad to see the porch light at Leo’s house was on. Good, he is still here. He went around to the back but could see no light from the basement. Back out front, he noticed the lights on inside Gwen’s home and he quickened his pace to her door.

  ***

  Never had Paul felt so close to Delilah before. And likewise, never had Delilah felt so close to Paul. They would often try to meditate together by being close and clearing their minds, centering first themselves and then centering together. They would breathe together and try to sense the completeness of each other in a Tantric-like manner.

  Paul began to feel a heaviness in his arms and legs. His breathing was long, slow, and deep. He could feel the muscles in his abdomen stretch, and his ribs lift outward and back. Delilah’s did the same. It was extremely comforting to have her with him, but it felt different today. The feeling of closeness and togetherness was overwhelmed by a sense of oneness he didn’t expect. He could be wrong, of course, but he felt like he was in her mind, or her mind was in his, or perhaps both.

  It was a very different sensation, something had happened. A feeling that could only be described as lightness wafted through his mind; something he could liken only to the extremely intoxicating paintings he had seen in Notopia.

  Delilah giggled and then said. “You like my painting?”

  “Delilah, you little rascal you!” Paul said while tearing up a little.

  Delilah hugged Paul and said, “Sorry, it took so long for me to find my dream, Paul. I recorded my last broadcast in Notopia as well. Thank you so very much for waiting.”

  “From my view, Delilah, I didn’t have or want any other options.”

  “We are leaving now, aren’t we?”

  “Yes,” he smiled.

  She smiled too, and their smiles consumed them.

  ***

  Charles was reluctant to knock, however, given the circumstances he felt he had no choice. Three taps on the door and he waited a few seconds. Then, he knocked five more times.

  Gwen opened the door with Leo standing behind her.

  “I’m very sorry to intrude, but I must speak with Leo,” he said.

  “Come in, come in,” Gwen said.

  “Maybe we should talk outside Leo?” Charles asked.

  Leo chimed in. “Gwen, this is my friend Charles. We work at the fire department together. Charles, this is Gwen.” Leo stepped to the side. “Perhaps we should talk out on the porch for a moment. You don’t mind, do you, Gwen?”

  “No, of course not,” she said it without truly meaning it. If there was a secret, she wanted to be in on it.

  Leo stepped outside, and Gwen moseyed back to the living room to watch TV while she waited. She turned up the sound as the movie was being interrupted with a special newsbreak.

  “Leo, you should have seen it. It was ghastly. Something was in the rainbow, and it was killing dreams.”

  “Just like before?” Leo replied.

  “Similar, but not the same. This time it killed three dreams.”

  “It didn’t disappear with the blue fire?”

  “Not the first two times. The third time it landed, the blue fire was so bright I couldn’t see anything. And when the fire left, whatever it was, was gone.”

  “Then it is gone.”

  “Enrique and Shelley are not so sure of that, so they have gone to the museum to check Roger’s painting. Leo, I’m afraid he has done something awful. He doesn’t understand what he is messing with!” Charles said, noticeably upset.

  “Charles, calm yourself. I asked Gwen about him. She was confident that Roger was a good person. We still have no proof he is behind this.”

  Gwen pulled the door open. “I just saw it on the news, and I heard what you said. Something bad is happening for sure. You suspect Roger is behind it somehow and you came here to question me. You could have told me up front. You didn’t have to hide behind our affections.” Gwen closed the door and felt betrayed. For the first time, she doubted her desires to be in this place.

  “Gwen, no! That is not how it is,” Leo spoke loudly through the door.

  “Leo, we have to go to your place and wait for them. That thing could come back, and we need to figure out what to do!” Charles pleaded.

  “Gwen, please. It is not what you think.”

  The porch light flickered off, and Gwen’s house went dark.

  “She went back to reality, Leo. You can’t reach her now.”

  “Damn it!” Leo banged on the door one more time. He knew that if she was too upset or hurt, it could keep her su
bconscious from returning.

  “Come on, let’s get over to your basement, the others will be here soon enough,” Charles said.

  “I suppose you are right.”

  Chapter 12

  Gwen watched through the peephole as Leo and Charles walked away. As much as Roger was her friend in real life, she knew he was very different on the inside. She also knew he had lied to her about “closing down” her home here in Notopia. He did it so nonchalantly that she feared something more was horribly amiss. She wanted to check Roger’s house and return the favor, but she knew Leo would never let her go alone. Besides, apparently Leo had other pressing business to attend to.

  How would she find his house? Who could she trust to help her? Rick. She figured he might be able to help her. She gathered her coat and a hat, slipped out the back of the house and exited through the side gate. She dared not use the car as Leo could be watching. She scurried quickly down the sidewalk until she rounded the corner and was out of view from the house. She could see the museum up ahead. It was less than a mile away and wouldn’t take long to get there. She began to organize things in her mind. Who were all these people involved with Leo? Why was there a need for such a secret approach in a place like Notopia? Was this some underground conspiracy comprised of firemen?

  “It’s Gwen, right? Can we offer you a ride somewhere?” a voice rang out.

  It was a semi-familiar voice, but Gwen was not accustomed to being hailed by motorists as she walked down the street, let alone respond to them.

  “Gwen, is everything okay?”

  She knew that voice but wasn’t sure who it was until she looked. It was that Cumulo character and the others were with him as well.

  “Cumulo? Right?” she answered.

  “Yep! Do you like the van? Just finished painting it.” The others smiled and waved. The blue van sported the same colors and design as their house. Those amazing clouds of paint that slowly transformed as you watched. “We heard there are a lot of people at the museum and wanted to check it out. It looks like you are headed that way too, so hop in!”

  Nimbus slid the side door open and gestured for Gwen to sit down. She hopped in the van, and they all exchanged friendly greetings as it rolled down the road.

  “Did you see the weird thing in the rainbow, Gwen?” Cirrus asked.

  “It was downright scary,” Nimbus added.

  “I did,” she replied.

  “We understand that people are flocking to the museum to register into the Seeker Assistant Program. It seems to me people need to find their dreams on their own,” Strata said.

  “I tend to agree with that Strata,” Gwen said.

  “If your dream isn’t clear enough for you to recognize it, then how can anyone else see it?” Cumulo added. “Besides, a dream is something you live, not an object you might find under a rock somewhere.”

  “You find it while you are lifting the rock,” Gwen said without thinking.

  “Hey, that’s pretty clever,” Strata said and smiled. “We knew we liked you!”

  “Wow, look at all the people here. That parking lot is going to be jammed,” Nimbus said.

  “I’m not here for the Seeker Program,” Gwen said. “How about you drop me off right here, so I can avoid all that?”

  “Okay, Gwen. We will be here a while so if you want a ride back, just holler,” Strata said as they pulled the van over to the side.

  “Thanks, guys,” Gwen answered.

  She moved quickly up the steps and noticed something new in the entrance. It was a rather large stone pedestal or monolith in the making, and there stood Rick beside it with a ladder. She wanted to call out to him but didn’t want the extra attention. Now that she was higher up the stairs, she surveyed the crowds. There must be over half the population here, she thought. Once she got close to Rick, she could see he was somewhat baffled by the almost eight-foot stone structure.

  “Hello, Rick.”

  “Gwen, why hello yourself. Did you come to register? We have just been swamped. Look at all those people! I have never seen such a herd out there. And then there is this monstrosity right in the middle of the entryway. Up top I found a black disc and some green gel oozing from it. I don’t like it.”

  Gwen half listened as she was focused on her needs. “Looks to me like you are getting a statue of some sort, Rick. And no, I am not here to register, I came for your help.”

  “My help?” Rick answered. “And just how can I help a little lady like you?”

  “I need to see Roger Tremon’s painting.”

  “You too, eh? Why just five minutes ago a couple was here asking about it as well. I told them the same thing I will tell you, it’s gone.”

  “Gone? It can’t be gone.”

  “Yep, it is no longer here. I know because it was a very disturbing mash of colors and a few days ago it began to drip onto the floor. However, this morning I came in to see what sort of mess it had made, but it was gone.”

  “That means his dream died? And he won’t be here either.”

  “Yes, Gwen that’s how it works around here. I see you have been learning. It seems a bit strange for Roger’s dream to die now. He has been coming here a long time.”

  “Rick, do you know where Roger lived?”

  “Yes, right across the street.” Rick pointed to a quaint little house directly across the street from the museum. “He lived there. He came here often, and he would gather the names and sketches of paintings saying it was all to do with his work in monitoring.”

  A faint, high-pitched screeching noise crept inside Gwen’s head. “Do you hear that Rick? What is it?”

  “I do. Seems to be coming from this damn stone thing.”

  As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Atop the stone and on top of the black disk could now be seen a stalactite mass of shiny black rock with small bits of the green ooze.

  “See? I don’t like this ‘thing,’ whatever it is,” Rick said.

  “Thank you for the help, Rick. I need to go check on some things,” Gwen said, and she turned to walk away.

  “You take care.”

  Rick started back up his ladder to get a closer look. He was glad this was outside because it now had an odor about it that wasn’t at all pleasant. The mass of blackness seemed to almost gurgle like boiling tar. This would be an awful mess to clean up, he thought. He wanted to move his ladder to the upwind side when he noticed a metal nameplate forming on the side of the stone. He could read it, and he immediately climbed down and backed away.

  He looked for Gwen, but she was already down the steps and on her way. “GWEN! GWEN!” he yelled, but she couldn’t hear him.

  ***

  Shelly and Enrique entered Leo’s basement where they found Charles and Leo seated at a table.

  “You are not going to believe this, but Roger’s painting is not there,” Enrique announced.

  “Not there? Are you sure it wasn’t just moved?” Charles replied.

  “It wasn’t anywhere. No record of it the Registry Book at all. We even asked the caretaker, who told us that when he came in this morning, it was gone. He specifically noticed it because it had been leaking drops of paint on the floor that he kept having to clean up.”

  “That proves it then!” Charles said happily. “Don’t you see? Whatever he dreamed up came in on that rainbow. The blue fire took it. His dream is gone now.”

  “You may be right Charles, I don’t know,” Enrique said.

  “I’m with Enrique,” Shelly said. “I just don’t know.”

  “I do,” Leo said with eyes glued to the TV. “Look.”

  Roger was detailing the workings of the new Seeker Assistant Program on TV. Urging people to register and expressing concern for the dreams that never made it from the rainbow today.

  “What? That’s a recording, Leo. He could have done that anytime,” Charles said.

  “Not exactly anytime Charles. He had to authorize the broadcasting aft
er the news report. That means if one of those dreams were his, then he would know it came and went. No, this is not over, and I imagine people are beginning to panic,” Leo said.

  “You bet they are, Leo. There were hundreds of people at the museum signing up for the Seeker Assistant Program,” Shelly said.

  Leo sighed. “This is not over by a long shot. This is playing right into his hands. We need to know what it’s building toward. What is he dreaming about?”

  ***

  The yard was overgrown with six-foot tall weeds and vines that wound their way up and around what could best be described as a cottage, which Roger called home. The stone path that led to the porch was covered with moss, and the wooden steps had seen better days. She hoped he wasn’t home as she knocked on the door. No answer.

  She remembered that Roger had been through her place before, so this was merely payback. Surprised to find the door unlocked, she pushed it open and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. It looked smaller from the outside. It had a sparsely furnished, ample-sized living room that connected to an open dining area. There was a staircase to a loft area up the right side of the room and an open floor on the left.

  Gwen climbed the stairs to the loft and found that it was set up as an office. The room was painted in earth tones, and one side of the room was comprised of awning-style windows that provided a panoramic view of the valley below. A large desk was on the left side of the room, opposite the stairs. The desk supported a large computer, and everything else on it appeared meticulously placed. I wonder if I can get into the computer? She would try later, but right now, she wanted to find his portal painting.

  Knowing that her portal painting hung on the wall of her bedroom, she went back downstairs in search of Roger’s bedroom. There was only one bedroom, and the painting was not there. Not seeing any paintings anywhere, Gwen was a bit frustrated and decided to go back upstairs and try her luck on his computer. As she climbed the stairs, her gaze was drawn to the ample open space on the floor. It looked as if something was missing or had recently been removed. Then she spotted what looked to be a latch in the floor. A basement? She went back down and lifted the latch. The latch allowed a floor panel to lift open, revealing a set of stairs that descended to the basement below.