Dreamscapes

by D. H. Quinn

  I lean my head on his shoulder and we watch our dogs together. The silence is nice. I like when I can enjoy the silence with people. It means we are truly comfortable around each other. Neither of us felt the urge to fill the silence with meaningless words.

  We drop our dogs off at our houses and head out for a casual dinner. Liam comments on the closeness of our houses and jokes that he should just move in. We eat at a quick serve Italian restaurant that I suggest. They have amazing bread sticks though you only get two with a meal. I pick fettuccine alfredo and Liam picks shrimp pasta. Our meals are quick but we talk until the restaurant is closing.

  We arrive at my house much too soon. Liam puts his car in park and seems as reluctant as I am to end this date. He gazes into my eyes and we stay silent. He leans in and I mirror. My breath quickens. “I have garlic breath,” he mumbles.

  “So do I,” I laugh and then kiss him. Our lips come together quickly and almost desperately and passion burns in both of us. He grabs my head gently and then runs his fingers through my hair. We take a minute before we delve back into our kiss. He rests his forehead on mine once again. The moment is over.

  “Goodnight,” he tells my breathlessly. “Have some sweet dreams.”.

  “Goodnight,” I exit his car. If only, I want to add to his last suggestion.

  My dog happily greets me in slow motion, exhausted from our previous excursion. We hop into bed relatively quickly. He snuggles up against me, which he always does when we go to sleep but he somehow migrates to the feet position in the middle of the night. I enter dream world around 11pm my time.

  I am outside the factory. The daylight shines brightly and the heat tingles on my skin. The weather in the city is unpredictable. I expect nothing less from the dream world with no clear rules. No seasons and likely no rotation of the world.

  I call Arden who picks up rather quickly. “Kamari!” He says, his anxious tone makes my heart pound. He is always anxious, I reassure myself.

  “Yes Arden, it's me.”

  “Jack wants to see you.” My stomach drops.

  “Did she find out I was late?”

  “I don’t think so, I don’t know. Looks like you are at the factory. I will be there shortly,” he hangs up before I can ask any more questions. I sit on the curb of the street, trying to steady my shaking hands. I pull my knees close to my chest, hugging them tightly. Maybe if Jack goes after me again I can just attempt to change her. I will change her.

  I sit still while I consider my options. Sweat pours from my brow. I wipe at it mindlessly. My hair is surely frizzing up from the moisture my head produces. Any changes I made to myself reset once I awaken in the real world anyways. My new hair is long gone and the strength I had yesterday no longer exists. I am afraid and weak.

  Arden arrives rather quickly. Sweat drips down his forehead profusely. I stand up and greet him. He is somber. “It might be time,” he says to me. He wants me to change him.

  “We will see,” I do not feel ready for that. It would just bring Arden more trouble. If anyone has to handle this it has to be me.

  Arden casts his eyes downwards at his new device and taps something on the screen. “I don’t know why you have any doubts. This thing proves your ability to create and to create well,” he glances upwards. “Let’s go.”

  It’s different with people. I want to tell him but instead hold my tongue. We already had this argument, no need to rehash it. We arrive at Jack’s new office. I wonder why she so quickly wanted to change her residence from her previous lair at the carnival. This place sure seems like a lot less fun.

  We come in to the lobby and a tall skinny man stands at the front desk. “Name?” he asks.

  “Kamari and Arden.” Arden wrings his hands together.

  “Kamari right the human,” he looks me over and his eyes stop at my hair. “Less impressive than I thought you would be,” he comments as he looks back down at whatever list he is reviewing.

  “Thanks.” I roll my eyes.

  “And Arden, it looks like you are dismissed for the day,” he smiles coldly.

  “That must be wrong. I work with her all day, every day,” Arden sounds desperate.

  “You are dismissed,” the man says again with more force this time.

  I pull Arden away from the desk and speak in hushed tones, “just wait outside for me. I will be fine. You don’t want to go up there. I will be okay.” I lie.

  Arden nods reluctantly and leaves the building. “Good I thought that was going to be a problem. Jack says you like to cause many problems,” the skinny man says haughtily.

  “Glad to hear she thinks highly of me.” The man raises his eyebrows at me and my presence and my words must annoy him. I don’t need to make this any worse. I need to turn off the sarcasm as Jack will not appreciate it.

  “Go to the top floor,” He gestures to the elevator. I clench my jaw and head to the elevator doors. Once the elevator moves upwards, my whole-body tenses. I had been holding it together for Arden and in spite of the judgmental man. I take loud deep breaths with each floor that I pass grateful the elevator does not stop on any other floor. When the door dings open, I step out. All eyes are on me once again but this time Aleksander does not greet me. I am unsure if this is relieving or more frightening.

  I stop at Jack’s door which is currently closed. Jack laughs behind the door. I knock twice and Jack beckons me to enter. A genuine smile plays on her lips as she stands near the window. Aleksander sits in one of the smaller sized chairs, grinning as well, clearly in on the joke. My head spins. Is this the reveal? The one where they make fun of me for how I looked at Aleksander. As if he would ever want me he has Jack!

  “Kamari. It is good to see you! Have a seat,” she says gleefully but the fakeness in her tone is evident. I sit next to Aleksander and avidly avoid eye contact with him. I say nothing in return. She knows I have no choice but to obey.

  “Relax Kamari.” I am gripping the sides of the chair so I slowly release my fingers. I swallow to try to control the lump that forms in my throat. The last time I was here, I was drowning.

  “I just wanted to inform you that today is your day off.”

  “I thought you said there were no days off.” I look up doubtfully into her eyes. This has to be a trick of some sort.

  “I have reconsidered. I’d like you to get to know this city better and its people from a different angle. Aleksander here will take you,” she says with a knowing grin at him, one that he returns.

  “It’s fine. I don’t need a day off, really.” This must be a punishment.

  “But I want you to have one. Humans are fickle. You have weekends to relax yes. Well I want you at your full capacity.”

  “Okay,” I say with no more argument left in me. If I keep going then I will anger her.

  Jack seems satisfied. “Good then head out now. Aleksander plans on showing you the best parts of the city,” Jack says and glances back at Aleksander conspiratorially.

  Aleksander and I head to the elevator and once inside Aleksander speaks, “I told you I’d get you a day off,” he smiles at me.

  I force myself to give a tiny smile back, feeling slightly uncomfortable. “Thanks,” I manage and avert my gaze away from him.

  “What’s wrong?” Aleksander asks, his brow furrows with concern.

  “I don’t know what this is.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean you and Jack are close and although you like to pretend you are afraid of her when I am around, I hear that isn’t the case most of the time.” Aleksander looks shocked. My tension returns. “So just tell me the truth, are you working with her?”

  “I can’t believe you think that!” He shakes his head.

  “What am I supposed to think. You think I am blind! The way she looked at you made me think both of you have something up your sleeve together,” I say as my voice rises with anger.

  Aleksander sighs. “She thinks she is manipulating you,” he says and I can’t help but laugh.
Aleksander continues, his face stays serious. “She thinks that this will get you on her side and that you will do more for her.”

  The elevator doors open and the lanky man watches us from his desk. Aleksander says nothing but waves slightly at him and we walk outside. Arden stands stiffly at the front door. The heat has not relented. I notice Arden’s sweat soaked shirt. “What happened?” He asks as he looks into my eyes in an attempt to gauge my emotions.

  “I got a day off.” Arden looks at me strangely. “Which means you do to.”

  “What are you doing then?” Arden asks Aleksander.

  “Showing her around. Taking her to the most important parts of our history.”

  “Our history,” Arden chuckles.

  “I was instructed by Jack,” Aleksander adds with a bit of sternness in his voice.

  “Kamari, are you okay with this?”

  “Fine. Jack always gets what she wants.” My words seem to bother Aleksander.

  “I’ll head off then, I am not much of a history buff,” Arden informs us. “Besides it is way too hot to be exploring.” Arden wipes the sweat off of his face with his shirt. “Have a good time!” He turns and walks away quickly.

  “You are playing a part in this,” I say to Aleksander, “and if you don’t want to tell me that is fine but I cannot trust you.”

  Aleksander nods. “It’s complicated, that is really all I can say.”

  “Fine,” I respond with a huff.

  Aleksander`s lips press tightly together. Hadn’t I made him loyal to me as well? Maybe that change had not worked on him. Maybe Arden is more suggestible. I remember Aleksander’s arm and how I could not heal it. Maybe Aleksander is different like Jack. Maybe that is why she kept him close.

  “Are you like Jack?” I ask before I can stop myself.

  “What?!” My question surprises Aleksander.

  “Yesterday, you mentioned levels of dream walkers. You believe my abilities cannot touch Jack but it seems like they cannot touch you either.”

  “I,” Aleksander stutters, “I don’t know. You only tried to heal my wound maybe it was a fluke, maybe you weren’t concentrating enough?” We walk down a dimly lit alley and keep our eyes out of the corners.

  I also tried to make you loyal, I want to add but don’t. I know how that would make me look, like some desperate girl who needed power and approval, but maybe I was desperate. In this world, everything is out of my control. I feel more alone than in the real world and that’s saying something. “I don’t need much concentration,” I mutter back.

  “Fine,” Aleksander says and stops just at the end of the alleyway. “Look at me, change something. Why don’t you make my eyes purple?” I glance back at the alleyway to make sure we are secure.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” I ask.

  “It’s fine, it’s clear,” he says. “So, go ahead make them purple,” he tells me as he points to his eyes.

  I close my eyes and picture Aleksander’s eyes changing. When I open them, I see a change has indeed occurred. “Well?” He asks.

  “It worked.”

  “See, I am just a normal dream walker.” He stops at a slightly tilted five story building and looks up. “We need to go up now. Would you mind creating a ladder, unless you are up to some parkouring.” The decaying balconies and shattered windows are not appealing.

  “I think I am good,” I tilt my head sideways. I picture an outside set of stairs leading to the top of the roof. Stone steps file in at every level with a handrail running alongside. Aleksander takes the lead first and I stay a few steps back. I hear creaking coming from the building. I had stupidly made the steps dependent on the building even though the building could hardly support itself.

  We are too high up now but also too close to the top for me to do something. Once my feet reach the roof tiles, I am relieved. I take the time to reinforce this building, knowing I am being ridiculous but the creaking finally stops.

  “Are you okay?” Aleksander asks me, a slight teasing smile is present on his face.

  “I am not a fan of heights and this particular building feels unstable to me.”

  “Maybe you should take that fear away.”

  “I could but I think it helps me survive.” I think of Arden more than myself and my own experiences.

  “See, I think you do get it,” he grins.

  “I am starting to.” We walk on the roof to the higher part of the tilt. I don’t look down until Aleksander tells me we have to jump to another roof’s building. “Can I just make a bridge?” The other building looks rather plain and I can’t understand why we would need to jump there.

  “It doesn’t work that way. Take my hand.” He stretches his hand towards me. “It just takes a leap of faith,” he says with an optimistic smile.

  “Fine.” I grip his hand firmly. His heat warms my hand and steadies my shakiness.

  “Three... Two... One,” Aleksander counts down and then we jump together. I begin to fall and I am not close to landing on the next building whatsoever. I scream and I close my eyes tightly. Aleksander’s hand firmly grips mine and the free falling sensation stops.

  My feet are now planted on a steady surface. I open my eyes, expecting to see us on top of a building and overlooking the city. Instead we are now on a familiar wall, one that I had been dangled from for the Mares to play with. We are extremely high up though and I cannot tell if they are still at the bottom of the wall. In my gut I feel as though they are though. They are not giving up on me.

  I release Aleksander’s hand. “This is why she was giddy. She thought this would bring back some reminders for me.”

  “She showed you this?” Aleksander asks, his mouth falls slightly open.

  “There are Mares down there that I have crossed before.” My stomach turns. The height of the wall is too much to take in. The land sprawls in front of me and when I turn to look back at the city, I see tiny little specs of buildings, almost as if I am looking upon a miniature village. Dizziness overcomes me and I decidedly take a seat.

  “What are we doing here?” I ask breathlessly.

  “Well it was by her recommendation but honestly it is on my to see list as well,” Aleksander beams with pride. He sits next to me, his arm gently touching mine. It comforts me immensely.

  “The Mares have all of the power out there but in here, it is all the dream walkers.”

  “But is there real danger? I mean I am the only human in here as you claim. No Mares as of yet?”

  “Yes, it is real danger because wherever humans go, Mares follow.” He glances over at me meaningfully.

  “What about the other human? Have you made any attempts to find them?” Everyone noticed my presence in the city right away, I would think the same would happen for them. They seemed savvier than I did though, clearly aware that Mahrt’s were attracted to humans’ creating.

  “They don’t want to be found. They have not been seen or reported since the night you saw them.”

  “Did you tell Jack?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she’d hunt them down and use them like she uses you.” He sighs deeply and we silently gaze out at the city.

  Frustration builds inside of me. I don’t want these mixed emotions around Aleksander. I just want to know the truth. “Clearly you have a role in this can you just tell me honestly? I have heard things about you and Jack.”

  “Jack and I are more to each other than I would like to admit.” His candor surprises me. “I’d like to have the option to leave but where would I go realistically, she’d punish me.”

  “How did it start?” I question.

  “I caught her eye. I fell for her. It was too late when I realized what she was. I am embarrassed to admit she broke me down and not in a good way,” he says shakily, “so I pretend, I have pretended for so long. She was the one who suggested I act timid around her when you come around because she doesn’t want you to see her potential weakness which is me.”


  He turns towards me suddenly and grips my hand, “But please don’t mention this to anyone. It could be a real problem for me if she finds out. She believes I really love her.” Genuine fear shines in his eyes. I look down at my hand he is gripping and he releases it slowly, clear shame on his face for begging me.

  “I will not say anything. But are you sure you don’t care for her?” My voice is low. I want to believe him.

  “Not at all, she is a monster but I am mostly in her good graces and that allows me to have some choices.”

  “That’s the problem with dream walkers and this city. This is supposed to be your safe place and yet I often hear about not having a choice. You should have freedom in your city. How long has Jack been in charge?”

  Aleksander looks over at me quizzically . “Forever, at least as long as anyone can remember.”

  “What about an election? Does that ever happen in this city?”

  “No, of course not. Jack wouldn’t like that,” Aleksander starts.

  I interrupt, “she doesn’t like anything but if it was phrased to her in a way like you phrased my day off. You said yourself that she has been noticing changes in her people, maybe they are feeling less afraid, maybe she realizes this as my presence is affecting them.” I start to ramble.

  “I don’t know,” Aleksander says more uncertainly. “Who would even run against her? No one holds a torch to her power except maybe you,” he looks up at me hopefully.

  “No definitely not me, I am not one for leadership but maybe I can create someone, someone who is just as powerful as her,” I say feeling inspired.

  Aleksander hesitates. “I’ll think about it.” His hands tremble. Who knows what Jack has made him endure. I have only been around for week and I had experienced her wraith. It must have been tough years for him.

  I grip his hand. We catch each other’s eyes and my first genuine smile of the day arises. He doesn’t smile back but looks at me as though he sees inside me and everything I am made up of, as if he knows my hopes and aspirations.