Follow the Hummingbird (The Dream Tamer Chronicles Book 1)

by Elena Carter

  A shadow of a light pole was crawling over the pavement. It reached another shadow and merged with it, forming a bigger shadow.

  Tina’s heart froze and fear paralyzed her for a moment.

  As soon as she could move, she ran.

  When she reached the next intersection, she stopped to catch her breath and looked behind her. At first, she didn’t see anything, then a large dark gray shadow slid off the wall of the tall apartment building onto the ground, absorbing another small shadow from a water hydrant. It grew in size and crept toward her.

  Tina wanted to scream, but not a single sound came out. Desperately gasping for air, she stepped backward, then spun on her heels and ran again.

  She made it to the end of the street, and a door of the bakery on the corner was ajar. She pushed at it, but the door didn’t move.

  Too scared to look back, Tina pummeled the door with her fists for a few moments, to no avail, and then kept running.

  She reached a bookshop and pushed the door and knocked. No result. Tears were burning the back of her eyes, and her heart was about to jump out, but she needed to keep moving.

  As she sprinted down the street, she tried other doors, pushing them, pulling them, banging them. She couldn’t open any of them, and her desperate thumps didn’t produce a single sound. That fact made her tremble even more.

  She needed to find a place where nothing could cast a shadow. Her thoughts raced, but she couldn’t think of such place.

  She forced herself to face the shadow. It was there, like a huge puddle of spilled paint, crawling in her direction.

  On the verge of having a heart attack, she made another effort and sprinted to her favorite coffee shop. Tripping over the tables and chairs set outside that didn’t make any sounds as they fell, she finally made her way to the door and threw herself at it.

  The door gave way and she tumbled inside. The big shadow was almost at the doorstep in her peripheral. She slammed the door behind her and leaned against it on the floor, her body shaking with uncontrollable sobs.

  “It’s okay, babe. You made it. Now everything will be okay.”

  Still crying, Tina opened her eyes to the familiar voice.

  Greg stood in the middle of the room, smiling.

  “It’s all right, Tina. It’s over,” he repeated and held out his hands. “Come here, honey. Give me a hug.”

  “Oh my God, you’re giving me goosebumps.” Natalie shivered. She was sitting on Tina’s sofa, resting her chin on her knees. The coffee in her mug had gone cold.

  “Yeah, tell me about.” Tina rubbed her forehead and sighed. She was curled up in an armchair facing Natalie. As she was telling her all the details of her latest dream, she felt as if she was reliving the whole experience again.

  “So it actually was him?” Natalie asked.

  “Yup.” Tina nodded. Tears welled in her eyes again. “It’s like everything I’ve been dreaming about these last few months has come true. It was all so real. He was real. I could touch him, feel him, smell him.”

  “What happened then?” Natalie leaned forward.

  “At first, I just cried. I was terrified of the shadow. I didn’t know what exactly would have happened to me if it got me, but I was sure it was nothing pleasant. So I cried because I was scared, then I cried with relief, and then I cried because I saw Greg. And … I think I’m crying again now.”

  Tina smiled through her tears and reached for the mug with her cold coffee on the table in front of her. She took a sip without acknowledging the taste of the drink; she needed a moment to catch her breath and prepare to continue.

  “Greg held me tight and let me cry while stroking my hair. Sometimes I would lift my head off his shoulder and look at him, but his face was blurred. I thought it was because of all the tears in my eyes. But I felt really tired and light-headed. My eyes were hurting. He said I should close my eyes and listen. But I wanted to keep looking at him.”

  “Of course, you did.” Natalie blinked back her tears.

  “He started telling me about the different worlds, moving between them, and how I was stuck on the border, which was apparently dangerous. He told me how I’d made it past the threshold, how he was proud of me, and that things would get easier, but the danger still exists. He kept mentioning some name… Umbus? Umbrus? Umbis?” Tina shrugged. “I don’t know. It was hard for me to understand what he was saying. Sometimes I would only hear part of the sentence, sometimes only the last word. Sometimes some of his words were complete gibberish. It was like I was falling asleep within a dream. Because I knew it was a dream, and I wanted to stay awake. I know it doesn’t make any sense, but the feeling was stronger than me. I also knew that what Greg was telling me was really important.”

  She ran her hand through her hair and continued.

  “We were sitting on the floor and holding hands. I think it’s because I wouldn’t have made it to the tables that were only a few steps away even if I’d wanted to. I could barely open my eyes. I wanted to reach out and touch his face, but my arms weighed a ton. I couldn’t lift them. I felt helpless, and I started crying again with my eyes closed. The tears were leaking between my eyelids and running down my cheeks. I tried to tell Greg how much I loved him and missed him, but my speech was slurred. He was trying to assure me that everything was okay. He was saying we’d meet again, but I was afraid to let go. I didn’t want to let go of him, ever.”

  Tina paused, lost within her emotions. Natalie was crying quietly, unsure of what to say, but also giving Tina some silence and peace to get her thoughts together.

  After a moment or two, Tina cleared her throat. “There was a point of clarity, and I could hear him better. He was saying it was great we managed to get so far, but the connection wasn’t stable or something like that. He said he tried to reach out before and he would keep trying. He didn’t even know if I was getting his messages. I tried to respond, to tell him about the WhatsApp message, but I mumbled something indistinct and nodded. I hope he understood what I meant.”

  “Wait, what message?” Natalie wrinkled her forehead.

  “Oh, I didn’t tell you. I had a WhatsApp message from Greg after another one of my crazy dreams. I totally freaked out. Cried all night, drank a bottle of wine … Went to see Alice the next day.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I don’t know, Nat. At first, I wanted to call you, but it was in the middle of the night. And I didn’t know how to explain it. I didn’t know what to make of it myself. It all sounded too crazy.”

  “So now every time you need to talk to me, you’re gonna assume I’ll think you’re crazy?” Natalie sounded offended.

  “No … look, I thought I was going crazy. There is absolutely no logical explanation for any of these things. Besides, I was in shock. I was lost and confused.”

  “I get it. But please, don’t leave me out next time. You can call me any time of day or night, T. I’ll always be there for you. You do know that, right?” Natalie raised her brow.

  “I do. Thank you, Nat. I really appreciate it. And I’m sorry if I made you feel left out.”

  “It’s okay. What did Alice have to say about it?”

  “There are different worlds, and dreams are actually trips to those worlds. She said Greg was trying to guide me.” Tina shrugged.

  “That’s what it looks like.” Natalie nodded.

  “I think that’s what Greg was trying to tell me, too. I remember hearing “doors”, “travel”, “threshold”, “bird”. But the moment of clarity passed really quick, and I got drowsy. I tried to hold on to his hands, but he was slipping away. I couldn’t open my eyes, and it felt like I was sinking. In my last attempt to grab his hands, I leaned forward and tried to get up on my knees, but I fell face down.”

  “Oh my God!” Natalie’s eyes widened.

  “Yeah, here comes the funny part. I woke up straight away, face down in my pillow, on my knees, practically in Child’s Pose. I’m considering installing a camera to record myse
lf while I sleep. That might be fun to watch.” Tina scoffed and leaned back.

  “Or creepy.”

  “Creepy fun, yup. That’ll be the name of my YouTube channel.”

  Both girls giggled.

  “So, you woke up?” Natalie asked.

  “Uh-huh. That’s the weirdest part. I woke up in my bedroom. Although, I originally passed out in Savasana on the yoga mat in the living room.”

  “That is weird! How did you feel?” Natalie shifted in her seat, reaching for her coffee mug.

  “Physically, I felt terrific—full of energy. Mentally, I felt like I had everything I needed, I held it in my hands, and I let go to lose everything. I felt like I was given a chance and I blew it.”

  “Oh, T … That must be a terrible feeling.” Natalie shook her head.

  “But you know what, a part of me was still full of energy and determination. I knew I blew it, but I really wanted to fix it.” Tina finished her cold coffee in one big gulp. “I got up, stretched, and reached for my phone. And guess what …”

  “Was there a message from Greg?”

  “Yes. It said, ‘I will return.’”

  “My dream job was to be a reviewer of airport bars,” Alice said. “Traveling around the world, spending hours in cozy bars while waiting for my next flight, watching the people around me, and writing my blog about the quality of coffee and cocktails.”

  “That does sound like a dream job,” Tina replied. “I love airports. I enjoy watching people meet someone returning from a trip or say good-bye. The perfect mix of the strongest and purest emotions, I think. A very special atmosphere.”

  “I bet you would find endless inspiration there for your books.” Alice nodded. “You are going to write them, aren’t you?”

  “I always wanted to. I still do, I guess.” Tina shrugged.

  “What’s stopping you?”

  “Lately I’ve been kind of overwhelmed with all the other stuff happening to me.” Tina shrugged. “And I really don’t know if I can find the courage, to be honest.”

  “Courage? Dear, writing is not a battle. All you have to defeat is your laziness and a couple of invalid excuses.” Alice’s laughter jingled.

  Tina couldn’t help but smile. “You’re right. Except in my case, the excuses are in fact a pretty powerful army.”

  “Which is yet another excuse, and you know it.” Alice pointed at the curtains with large pale pink roses that framed a faux window on the wall of the shop. She had invited Tina to help her choose some new curtains and furniture for her living room, and later they were going to have lunch together. “Look at this floral print, what do you think?”

  “A bit too much. I’d go for something less flowery, since your room is full of real flowers already. Although, they do go with the gray sofa you picked.” Tina tilted her head and gave the curtains a critical look.

  “You’re right. I knew it was a great idea to call you. I get carried away when I see anything with flowers on it. Let’s look for something a little plainer.” Alice looked around. “And yes, I remember what we were talking about, so don’t think you’ve escaped.”

  “I won’t.” Tina laughed. “I don’t know. Sometimes, I think dreams are better when they stay dreams. Or maybe that’s my fear talking.”

  “Of course it’s your fear talking. Dreams are made to come true. That’s what they’re for. They need to be pursued—to be fought for—otherwise they lose their essence. It’s like if you buy fresh cinnamon and leave it open to air out and lose its aroma. It becomes worthless.”

  “Dreams smell like cinnamon … sounds like a good book title.” Tina ran her fingers through the folds of silky curtains. “Oh, Alice, I love how you manage to make complicated things simpler. The way you see things, and the way you explain them … it’s like magic. You should’ve been a writer.”

  “I thought about it. But I was too busy with everything else.”

  “See? You were busy, and I’m just lazy.” Tina giggled.

  “No, you’re not. Well, maybe a little.” Alice tilted her head to the side. “Tina, you have amazing adventures ahead of you. I hope you realize how blessed you are. Not everyone gets this opportunity. And those who do often miss it because they’re too scared or blind.”

  “Oh, I’m scared enough, trust me.” Tina frowned. She knew the conversation would eventually go in that direction, and she even wanted it to, originally, yet she was getting uncomfortable.

  “I’ve seen enough curtains for today. We’ve picked the sofa, so that’s one job done. Let’s grab a bite and continue our chat in a more relaxing atmosphere, what do you say?”

  “Sure,” Tina forced a smile.

  “Oh, come on, dear. You look like I’m taking you to a dentist.” Alice chuckled. “In fact, I’m going to do the opposite. The Italian place on the corner has the best gelato in town. Perfect with a glass of white wine, trust me!”

  “Sounds terrific.” Tina nodded in approval. “Let’s go!”

  “I have to admit that it was the best pasta I’ve ever had.” Tina put her fork down and leaned back in the chair.

  They were sitting on the summer terrace of an Italian restaurant named Florence. Alice had also finished her lunch and ordered pistachio gelatos for both of them. Tina trusted her with the choices of the desserts and the wine.

  All the other tables around them were empty, which Tina found strange, considering how good the food was. But it also made her feel more relaxed and comfortable to discuss the things she wanted to. The last thing she needed was to feel conscious of people listening to their conversation and eventually thinking they were crazy. She smiled at her own thoughts.

  “Well, look what a good meal can do.” Alice nodded at her expression. “A little miracle, isn’t it? And you haven’t even tried the gelato yet.” She laughed. “Feeling better, aren’t you?”

  “I am. It’s a terrific place. I can’t believe I’ve never been here. It’s strange that it’s so empty.”

  “Well, it’s past lunchtime, and the place is relatively new. Besides, it’s empty because we needed it to be,” Alice replied casually.

  “So I was right. You are a fairy after all?” Tina giggled.

  “Maybe just a little bit.” Alice winked. “Now, let’s go back to your so-called fear.”

  “It’s actually pretty real.” Tina shook her head. “I’m even avoiding talking about it.”

  Alice nodded, waiting for Tina to continue.

  “On one hand, I feel excited. The things happening to me, they’re … big.” Tina struggled to find the right words. “And I guess I’ve always wanted something outstanding to happen in my life.”

  “Right …” Alice waved her hand, encouraging Tina to continue.

  “Now these outstanding things finally are happening, but they’re freaking me out because I can’t understand or explain them.”

  “Do you need to? Who do you want to explain it to?” Alice asked.

  “Myself. My friends.” Tina shrugged.

  “Let’s focus on yourself first.” Alice reached for her glass, took a sip of wine and put it back on the table. “In order to explain it, you need to understand it. And in order to understand it, you need to experience it. And you’re saying you’re too scared to even try?”

  “Looks like I don’t have much choice here,” Tina murmured. “I mean, these things are happening to me, whether I want them or not.”

  “Not exactly. You do have a say in this.”

  “How?” Tina wrinkled her forehead.

  “Well, if you decide that you really—I mean really—don’t want any of these amazing things to happen to you, they’ll stop. The door will close. But there’s a big chance you’ll regret your decision and will want to open it again. And it’ll be too late.”

  The waiter brought their ice cream. Tina was happy about the pause in the conversation, because she needed to think about Alice’s words.

  “I think I know what you mean,” she said after the first spoon of the refre
shing gelato melted on her tongue. “By the way, this is absolutely amazing.”

  “I know.” Alice grinned.

  “A part of me knows this is a chance I can’t miss. I don’t know what’s behind that door, but I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t open it.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “To be honest, the main reason for me to open that door is Greg. Although, I’m still not totally sure it’s not an illusion. Even saying it out loud sounds strange and doesn’t make sense.” Tina sighed.

  “Miracles aren’t supposed to make sense, my dear. If everything in our life made sense, it would be predictable, boring, and not worth all the hassle.”

  Tina blinked several times. A lump was forming in her throat. “So you’re saying that it actually is what I think it is? It’s a miracle, and Greg is really out there, reaching out to me?”

  “Exactly. Miracles do happen, and life is much more amazing than you think. I don’t know, though, if miracle is the right word.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Alice leaned back in her seat and wiped the corners of her lips with a napkin. “Our conception of reality is quite limited. We impose our own limitations, according to what we think should be the norm, or what everybody around us thinks. Things we don’t understand or have never experienced, we tend to see as miracles. But those same things are considered a norm in other realities.”

  “This is getting complicated …”

  “I know. So much for me being able to magically explain things in simple words.” Alice laughed. “What I’m trying to say is that life is much bigger than we think or know. There are things beyond our understanding, and maybe that’s the only thing we actually need to realize and accept.”

  “Switch off the analytical thinking and enjoy the ride?”

  “Exactly! When you see a door in front of you, do you start thinking of what it’s made of, how it got there, or why was it put in that exact place? Why that color, or material, or shape? No, you just take a decision to open it and make a step over the threshold. Or to turn around and walk away. Right?”