Dreamscapes

by D. H. Quinn

  “Could it have been a void or Mahrt?”

  “No, we have never seen anything like this in the city.”

  “The fireworks?” I ask, feeling immediate guilt.

  “No, the fireworks were way up in the sky. It’s highly unlikely but it is what Jack suggested.”

  My stomach drops a bit. Does she know what happened with me and Aleksander? “What does she want me to do?”

  “She wants us to clear it and then rebuild,” Arden’s eyes dart around nervously.

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning she wants you to use your creation and see if anything comes out.”

  “She doesn’t just suspect fireworks.” Arden shakes his head. “And not Mahrts?” He shakes his head again. “Then a Mare,” I say in a whisper. Arden nods in indication of a yes.

  “The fireworks were a good cover to keep everyone calm. Mares create similar disasters to this and the matter of the missing dream walkers is even more disturbing.”

  I shiver as I look around the destroyed building once again, this time with the thought of what could come out after us. My hands tremble. The Mahrts were enough, I don’t know if I can handle something even worse. “Arden, I am afraid.”

  “Me too.”

  I clench my hands into a fist, steadying them. “But I would feel better knowing that this town is safe, that these people are safe.”

  “We appreciate that.”

  I swallow hard. “Ready?” I ask and Arden nods.

  I close my eyes and picture the building growing upwards, brick by brick. I open my eyes when I know I have partially completed it and Arden and I wait patiently. “Nothing,” I say with a sigh of relief.

  Arden taps me on the shoulder, “behind us,” he informs me as he looks at his device. “Two creatures are coming. I did not see them in this area before.”

  “Great.” I picture my machete once again and it appears. I hold it close to my body. “Arden back up.” He grabs my wrist and squeezes and then steps towards the building. I hear their screams before I see them. I instill strength inside myself.

  The first one comes slinking out of the shadows. It is big, unreasonably big like the size of the Mares I had seen and I immediately feel frightened. Its eyes however are not aware. It moves forward clumsily, its long arms almost tripping on its legs each time it steps forward. Its dark swamp like green color skin is scaly. Its body is robust. It opens its mouth and out comes a combination of a croak and a scream.

  I scream in response but I am detached from my own body. When did I become a warrior against these monsters? Me, who had been afraid of the dark until I was sixteen. Who doesn’t even have bravery to make it through a single day. The monster charges towards me. Surprisingly, it becomes nimbler when it moves quickly. Its arms swing wildly in the air. I need a shield I realize too slowly as the creature pounds into me and knocks me to my side and to the ground.

  A cry behind me erupts from Arden. The momentum carries it past me and that gives me enough time to rollover and get to my feet. Shield, I think in a panicked manner. The result is a small round steel shield with a handle. I need a bigger one but the creature is back on its way towards me so I brace myself.

  Even with my enhanced strength, the impact shudders deep in the bones of my body. My arm with the shield flies backwards and my arm breaks. I scream in pain and the pathetic little shield I created clatters to the ground.

  I don’t hesitate. I picture a full body shield and heal my arm quickly. I jump up and brace myself again. When it impacts though, I lower my stance and push at its legs with full strength. It rolls over me and lands on its back. I swing around and try to stab it with my machete but it rolls to the side. Its arms lift its heavy body upwards.

  I try to slice at it with the machete but its strength is too much. It pulls the machete out of my hands and it clatters to the ground. It punches me hard in the chest. My ribs collapse and I cannot breathe. I fall to my knees and focus on my healing but the world spins and I don’t think my thoughts are focused enough to help as I am too focused on the pain.

  The creature gives a triumphant cry. It returns to its slinking walk and it is savoring my fear. It knows I am helpless. I close my eyes and force myself to open them again. The machete pierces through its chest. It’s face morphs into confusion. It tries to spin around on its attacker but it half turns and then falls to the floor. A thick flow of black blood rushes from its body.

  Arden stands above the creature shakily, his hand still outstretched in the stabbing motion. “We have a problem. You need to heal, quickly!” I am still on my knees, blankly looking up at him and then I remember the other Mahrt. It has to be close by now.

  I focus on my ribs and I can finally breathe again. I look up at Arden and watch as his legs fold inward. I then notice a gush of blood squirt from both of his legs, just under the knees. He falls to the ground with a frightened cry. His face is pale.

  “Arden!” I cry out and then I decide. The thing was after me, Arden did not need to be hurt anymore. I am fast, unbelievably fast, I think convincingly and then I run. A strange childlike cry erupts behind me and then it is close to me.

  I see the little creature before it strikes me with a knife in hand. I move and only dodge it by an inch. The creature runs alongside me. It has the body of a child but no face whatsoever, just skin, lots of skin, wrinkled and moving upward as if it is being pulled on. Its intense displeasure with me for running away radiates.

  Faster, I whisper to myself and the thing picks up speed as well. Mahrts are not supposed to have weapons or intentions for that matter but this one does. Could it be the Mare they had believed entered the city? Then again that large creature I just fought seemed to have a plan as well and had died from a weapon for Mahrts. Hopefully Arden is okay.

  I create my own little knife for Mahrts as well as Mares hoping it could effectively kill both. I don’t know where I am running and the city is dangerous to run in but I have no other choice. The creature makes its move, swerving to the side and taking a deep gash at my ankle. In a lame attempt at a counter move, I swing my foot out to kick it but I miss and the only result is me almost tripping from the pain that erupts in my ankle.

  Heal, I tell my ankle and it does. The creature purses me from behind, no longer running next to me. I glance back as the creature makes its move, mid jump, knife extended outwards. I dodge to the side and watch it sail past me. My running comes to an abrupt halt as the creature stands before me. It screams again and runs full force at me. In fear, I refuse to attack and instead run to the side into a dark alleyway. The creature continues its pursuit. This could be a dead end, momentary panic sets in. A dark blob leans against the brick wall of a building and I choose to ignore it, thinking I need nothing more than another one pursuing me. The alleyway opens up to a bigger road and I see dream walkers, lots of them, walking down the street. This Mahrt would probably tear them up to get them out of the way.

  I slow my run and hear the creature yelling not far behind. Stairs! I scream in my head as I turn directly to my right and climb. The building I have placed my steps near is no more than two stories high and I am on the roof instantly. A bunch of gasps down below erupt and the dream walkers have noticed our presence. I take a running leap and jump to the next roof until I am out of sight of the dream walkers.

  Would this be my life now in the dreamworld, constantly running in fear? I have to do something. I begun running to save Arden and now that we are far away from him, I have to take my shot. I turn back suddenly and decide to stand my ground. The creature comes to a clumsy halt. I hold the knife in hand and it stands mirroring me. It charges me and I can barely see the blur it becomes. Pain erupts as both of my forearms spray blood profusely. The grip on my knife falters.

  Faster eyes, I think, quicker processing and it becomes true. I see the little creature running towards me again. I back up, my heels touching the edge of the roof. The ground shakes and I look behind me. Something pulses below, shrouded in darkness
. I vaguely realize what I am looking at although I never pictured it like this. It is way less intimidating than Arden made it out to be. It is a void and not a big one at that. It just happens to be feeding on the building I chose to stop on.

  I dodge quickly as the creature charges me and watch as the creature flies right off the roof and falls down. Strangely, the void reaches up for it as if sensing its fall. Then it quickly gobbles the creature up and the creatures screams out in pain.

  A drop of my blood from my arm falls down into the void. The void savors the taste as it eagerly moves off the ground and onto my building. The entire building shakes and crumbles forward. I have no quick reaction now. My knees buckle and I fall into the blackness that is the void. My skin shreds and burns off simultaneously. I scream just like the creature had then silent blackness envelops me.

  I wake up in my room, heart pounding furiously. It is dark in my house and for the first time in a while, I feel afraid of the darkness. I turn on my bedside light and check my arms for good measure. The pain is gone and no visible scratches or blood is present. My head pounds. Auggie glances up at me then lays his head back down and closes his eyes.

  I go to the kitchen and take a cold glass of water back to my bedroom. I glance at my phone it is 2:45am. I down the cold water . I turn off my light and lay back down, disassociating my dreams from reality. I have work in the morning, I have to sleep. I drift off after another 30 minutes and find myself in the pitch black with no sound. I am in a seated position.

  I want to call out but I know better. The creature that attacked me was sucked in here as well. I stay seated and breathe slowly. Think Kamari. Arden had been in here before. He never said how he got out though. And because I am human and he is a dream walker could the effect be different on us. Could this be all I experience when I sleep?

  Light, I think in an attempt at creation but nothing comes. Darkness remains around me. Fire, fireworks, match, cellphone, candle, I think desperately but nothing happens. I can no longer create. I sit for at least thirty minutes, unsure of what my next action should be. There is only silence in those thirty minutes.

  “Hello!” I call loudly but no sound comes out of my mouth. I am in a place devoid of light and sound. I sit still until I awake from my alarm in the real world. “Thank god,” I say aloud from the comfort of my bed. My dog looks at me and happily comes over to me to say good morning. In this moment, I could brush it all off as a bad dream. I would be back in the city tomorrow. But a bad dream within a dream, was that even possible?

  I try not to think of it as the day goes on. I head to lunch by myself to a small Chinese restaurant that has the tastiest chow mein and orange chicken. I order the lunch special and sit in a booth. Low atmospheric music plays in the background of the dimly lit restaurant.

  A familiar face enters and her eyes find mine immediately. The girl I helped before who I had most recently told off at the pool hall. She talks to the hostess and then points at me. I sip my drink and sigh. She sits across from me in the booth and the hostess follows her and hands her a menu and a set of dining ware.

  She looks apologetic and does not speak until the hostess leaves our table. “Look, I am stalking you okay but there is a good reason,” she says quickly. “My names Sierrah by the way,” she says as she sticks out her hand. I reluctantly take it and shake her hand. I narrow my eyes.

  “I hardly see a good reason for it.”

  “You are in the city.”

  “What are you talking about?” I lean back in my chair and cock my head to the side.

  “You know what I am talking about,” she says. Her nose flares and her eyes grow cold. She sighs and drops her head, when her gaze returns to mine her eyes are wet. “I have someone in the city I need to get to.”

  “I don’t think I can help you,” I say and gather my stuff. I don’t want to believe any of this is real, not anymore.

  “The blog, you emailed the blog. I wanted to respond but it just didn’t feel right.”

  I stop and place my purse back down on the bench. My curiosity piques. “You’re the author? You have been to the city before?” I ask .

  “No but I know someone who has and I am looking for that person, I think they are still there.”

  I speak slowly. “There was sign of another human in the city but they are good at hiding.” The waitress comes over and takes our order. I hadn’t expected Sierrah to eat with me but she orders a relatively large lunch without hesitation.

  “He has been asleep too long. I am concerned.” She unwraps the straw and places it in her water. She then crumples up the paper and rolls the wrapper between her fingers. She blinks heavily, her eyes glossy.

  “Do you know him, like in real life?” I ask.

  “Yes, and he’s not doing well.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “He is in a coma and time is running out for us.”

  “I am sorry to hear that, I will see what I can find out but the last time I was there, I was in a void, it may take some time.”

  Her face immediately drops. She calls over the waitress and asks for her food to go. “I am sorry, I don’t think you can help me after all.”

  “What do you mean? Am I stuck in the void forever because I know someone who got out.”

  “It’s not the void, it is after it. You won’t be in the city anymore.” The waitress brings over her food in a bag and Sierrah takes out more than her share of the payment from her wallet and places it on the table. “Thanks, Kamari,” she says halfheartedly and stands up.

  The meaning of her words hit me. When I am out of the void I will be in dream land and will no longer protected. The Mares that were after me will be able to find me. “Wait, maybe you can help me. Maybe I can get back to the city,” I plead with her.

  “I don’t think it is possible Kamari. I am truly sorry,” she quickly walks away and exits the restaurant.

  The waitress brings my food and places it in front of me. I excuse myself and chase Sierrah outside but by the time I reach the parking lot she is long gone. I return to my table. I eat about half of my food and head quickly back to work, not letting myself dwell on what just happened and what it potentially means. If I dwell on it then fear will control me.

  That night I dream of just darkness once again. I try to walk around but, in my mind, I am aware that I am getting nowhere. Just as light and sound do not exist in here so does the concept of space. There is nowhere to go.

  Jack is going to be angry at me but if what Sierrah said is true, then I would never be in the city again, then Jack would no longer control me. Still, I worry about the other dream walkers. I worry about the danger they are in. I especially worry that Arden’s loyalty to me will drive him mad. And Aleksander, I was not so much worried about his survival but rather worried I may never see him again.

  The silence and darkness allow my mind to wander through all types of thoughts, from my recent experiences in my dreams, to my family life, to the dream blog, to Liam. I think about Liam’s words about passion and work. What am I passionate about? The thought pesters me and I realize maybe in real life, I need to explore more of the world. Find what I love and need in my life.

  I had always been a saver, so financially I am in a good spot. I did not take many days off of work and I think I could go for a vacation. The thought excites me. I think of all the places I could go. Imagining them vividly and letting this dark space be filled with all the pictures in my head.

  When I finally am pulled into the real world, my mind is calm. My experience in the void allowed for so much self-reflection that I am deeply in touch with myself. After a few days of repeating this experience though I am no longer feeling as much peace. If I did not feel every moment of this dream, I am sure it would be fine.

  The silence is maddening, the darkness is suffocating and as a result I find myself getting less and less sleep. My work goes slowly and so does my sleep. I don’t want to be aware anymore in my dreams. I don’t want to be
here.

  After about a week and a half of this experience, the scene finally changes much to my relief. I am in a familiar place but not familiar to my dream world. I notice the old shutters on the windows and the white chipped paint on the door. My father who looks a lot younger than he currently is in the real world comes out of the front door.

  He smiles down at me. “Come on,” he urges me as he gestures towards the house. I follow him inside although I worry this may be a trap from the Mares. Could they have found me this quickly? My dad’s face looks exactly the same as it did when I was a child.

  I enter the house and the door slams shut behind me. I startle just a bit. My dad has taken a seat at the head of the table. The table is not from my childhood but instead my parent’s current dining table. Rob however seems to be his current self. He pushes his food around his plate. His shoulders slouch forward.

  “Sit down Kamari,” my mother instructs.

  “No thanks. I need to go.”

  Rob looks up from his plate and his eyes narrow. “Just let her go,” he says. He pushes himself away from the table, his arms cross against his chest.

  “Rob, I am sorry but there are things I must do.”

  “It’s what she is good at. Leaving me behind.” He leans back over his plate.

  “I am sorry,” I say before I leave. Apologizing to my dream brother meant nothing in the real world but I still feel tremendous guilt for some reason. However, I have to remember this is not the real world and whatever I saw that I am familiar with is part of an illusion made up in my mind.

  I exit the house. I turn back as the house disappears behind me. How can I get back to the city? Dense foliage surrounds me. The trees cover the sky. I need to get out of here and find somewhere that overlooks the land and hopefully spot the city.

  My gut makes me feel like this entirely impossible. Maybe Sierrah is right. Arden had told me that the city changes constantly and I am sure that the dream world has similar properties. Something croaks behind me and I am immediately reminded of the swamp like creature that I recently fought. But I had killed it, hadn’t I?