by Elena Carter
“I guess … I would like to know, however, what’s behind it so I don’t end up in a place I don’t want to be.”
“Fair enough.” Alice tilted her head. “But how will you know if you don’t open it?”
“Fair enough,” Tina echoed. “But … okay, there is no but. You’re right. I guess I just have to open the damn door, after all.”
“You don’t have to. You can always turn around and go back, find another door, or even develop a new kind of phobia and avoid doors for the rest of your life. But you know, deep inside, you want to open that door. And you also know it’s the right thing to do.”
Alice raised her glass. “Here’s to all the doors waiting for us to open them, and to making the right decisions.”
Tina sat on her bed and stared at the snake, afraid to take her eyes off it.
The snake looked at Tina.
Neither of them moved.
Tina’s pulse thumped in her throat, loud enough she could hear it. It was terrible because she didn’t want to make a sound. She was even afraid to breathe.
The serpent, on the other hand, remained calm.
The silence in the room was suffocating.
Tina felt like she’d been sitting crossed-legged on the edge of the bed, leaning forward a bit and grasping her knees while her neck was painfully stiff for ages. She wanted to clear her sore and dry throat, but she couldn’t risk making any sounds.
The snake blinked and turned its head to the right. Tina followed instinctively, and as she turned her head, she already knew what she was about to see.
A fluffy white bunny sat in the corner of the room with its ears resting peacefully against its back.
The snake slithered toward the bunny.
Tina wanted to scream.
But it was either her or the bunny. As soon as she made a sound, the snake would turn and make her its new target.
A tear trickled down Tina’s cheek.
A sense of déjà vu washed over her—an uneasy trickle through her veins. She’d been there and seen everything before, but she didn’t know what to do or what would happen next.
It’s like that wolf, goat, and cabbage puzzle. I can never remember the solution. Besides, here, I’m a part of the puzzle. Although, I’m not sure though if I’m the goat or the cabbage, Tina thought.
The snake crept extremely slowly as if giving her a chance to think.
Tina blinked several times, trying to shake the tears off her eyelashes.
The bunny lifted its ears.
The snake increased its speed.
Tina opened her mouth and tried to scream. But she wasn’t able to produce a sound.
She tried to move her hands, but they were glued to her knees.
Tina tried to move her legs, but they were numb.
The snake was approaching the bunny.
Tina’s phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Both the snake and the bunny froze. Tina turned her head and looked at the phone, moving without any effort now. She quickly reached over and grabbed it.
As she swiped the screen to accept the call, she realized she hadn’t even checked who it was.
“Hello?” Tina’s voice trembled, but she was happy she had at least recovered the ability to talk.
“Honey, it’s me.”
“Greg?” She shrieked.
“Yes, honey. Listen, I want to help. But you need to listen to me.”
“Oh, my God, Greg!” Tina burst into tears. “I’m so scared.”
“I know, babe. But everything will be okay. Trust me. I need you to take a deep breath.”
Tears streamed down Tina’s cheeks while she was pressing the phone against her ear.
“Tina, stay with me. Stay focused. Take a deep breath,” Greg insisted.
“Okay.” Tina followed his instruction. His voice had a calming effect.
“That’s my girl. And another one. I need you to calm down and concentrate. This is a dream. Do you realize this is a dream?”
“I guess. I mean … I do.”
“You’ve had this dream before, many times. You might not remember it. But you’ve seen it before.”
“I’m scared. You know I’m afraid of snakes,” Tina whimpered.
“I know. But I need you to focus on your breathing, all right? Not on your fear.”
“Okay.” Tina took a deep breath.
“Great. Keep breathing. Nice and slow. You’ve been here before and nothing happened to you, right?”
“Right.” Tina exhaled loudly and then inhaled again.
“There’s no danger here. The snake won’t hurt you.”
“And the bunny?” Tina glanced at it.
“It won’t hurt the bunny either. You won’t let it.”
“I can’t stop it!” Tina’s fear crept back. It crawled down her spine, sending cold waves to her limbs and making her shiver.
“Yes, you can, Tina. It’s your dream, and you are going to save the bunny.” Greg’s voice was calm, soothing, and almost hypnotizing.
“It’s my dream. And I’m going to save the bunny,” Tina echoed.
“Look at the snake. Let go of your fear and look at it.”
“I can’t. I mean, I can, but I don’t want to.” She shook her head.
“Honey, you’re stronger than this. I believe in you. Look at the snake.”
Tina slowly turned her head. Both animals were still paused. It was relieving and scary at the same time.
“It’s not moving,” Tina said. “Is it alive?”
“It is what you want it to be.”
“I want it to be dead. I want it to disappear.”
Greg chuckled softly. A sharp pain pierced Tina’s heart as she pictured the familiar smile on his face.
“I understand, honey,” he said. “But I want you to do something different. You’re going to make it go away.”
“What? How?”
“Tell it to go away. Look at it, and think about the control you have over it. Feel your power—your inner strength. Let it flood your veins. You are the master of this situation, and the snake must obey you. And it will.”
Tina wasn’t sure what to say. What Greg was telling her sounded ridiculous, but she also sensed he knew what he was talking about. His voice had always had an unexplainable, almost magical, effect on her.
“Tina, honey, you can do it.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
She stared at the snake and tried to concentrate. But instead of the inner power Greg was talking about, a wave of fear hit her.
“No, honey, don’t. Breathe. Relax. Focus.”
Tina took a deep breath and focused on the snake again.
“I want you to disappear.” The words sounded pathetic and muted.
“Honey, you don’t have to speak out loud. In fact, in dreams like this, you mostly can’t speak at all. You can convey the message silently, as long as you know whom you’re addressing it to, okay?”
“Okay,” Tina murmured, her cheeks blushing.
“Oh, and you don’t want it to disappear, remember? You want it to go. To leave this room. And your dream.”
“Okay.” Tina nodded. She took another deep breath and concentrated as much as she could. Shifting her gaze, she looked at the snake again.
The serpent woke up and turned its head, facing Tina now. The bunny remained frozen.
The staring game was back on. But this time, Tina felt stronger. She had support. She wasn’t alone.
She swore hate shone in the snake’s eyes. It twitched its head, trying to move toward Tina, but it couldn’t. An invisible wall separated them.
Greg was silent on the other end of the line, but Tina could hear him breathing, and it gave her strength and confidence.
The snake twisted and slithered toward the door.
Tina let out a sigh of relief. “I did it! Wow, I really did it!” Tina pressed her palm against her chest.
“Well done, baby. I’m proud of you. I never doubted you would. Now, it’s time to
wake up.”
“What? No!” Tina jumped up. “Greg! Greg? Honey?”
She blinked, trying to get used to the sudden darkness in the room. She was lying on her bed, under the blanket. The light was off, and her phone rested on the nightstand.
Tina pinned her phone to her ear with her shoulder as she poured herself a coffee.
“Try sleeping somewhere new,” Alice said down the line.
“What do you mean?” Tina raised her eyebrows. She thought Alice was joking for a minute and wished she could see her face to test her theory. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. Different places have different energy. And that energy can really affect your dreams. I’m sure you’ve noticed that before, haven’t you? Some places you’ll have vivid and exciting dreams, and other places they’ll be dull.”
“Or they’ll be nightmares.” Tina stirred the coffee.
“Exactly. You need to experiment. But your dream last night wasn’t a nightmare, Tina.”
“Well, it sure felt like one.” Tina scoffed. “Greg fixed it, though.”
“First of all, you fixed it with Greg’s help. But still, it was you. And again, it wasn’t a nightmare. It wasn’t a scary dream you have no control over. It was a training session.”
“A what?”
“Think of it as a classroom, where you had a dream simulation. You were taught how to handle a situation using a particular dream of yours as an example. It’s a powerful technique. And you’re very lucky you had a lesson.”
“A lesson? Seriously? I was terrified! And Greg never told me anything about any lessons. In fact, he woke me up so quick, we didn’t even have a chance to talk.”
“He had to. He did everything right, Tina. He was working with your power, your strength, your confidence. None of it would have been the same had he told you in advance that there would be a training session.”
“Hmmmm …” Tina bit her lip.
“Besides, time is usually pretty limited in these cases. As was your energy. That’s why he had to wake you up quick. Don’t forget, you’re a beginner. It took a lot out of you.”
“Oh, I won’t argue with that.” Tina sighed. “I don’t know what to think or feel, Alice. On one hand, I understand what you’re saying. On the other hand, I still feel tricked.”
“Don’t. Greg is trying to help you. He’s doing his best. And he’s doing a great job, I must say. He’s trying to prepare you.”
“For what exactly?”
“You see, Tina, although I keep telling you how amazing and exciting this journey is, it’s not easy and it’s not completely safe. There are certain dangers out there, and everything comes with a price. Compare it to ordinary travel in our world. You’ll find there are places that are safe and nice and pretty, and then there are places where you shouldn’t go alone. And even in the nicest places, you still have to watch out, right?”
“Right …”
“But it won’t stop you from traveling, will it?”
“No, it won’t.” Tina threw the spoon in the sink.
“However, knowing the places to avoid can be quite helpful. You’ll probably do some research before going to a place you’ve never been, especially if it’s on the other side of the world. Unfortunately, you can’t buy a travel guide or read reviews for the destinations not in this world on the internet forums …”
“Yeah, that’d be pretty cool.” Tina chuckled.
“But you’re not alone either. You’ve got people who are ready and willing to help, and even train, you.”
“I feel like I’m about to take up a karate class.” Tina took a sip of her coffee and walked over to the window.
“Kind of. Except, instead of training your body, you’ll be working with your mind and your energy.”
“Good, I’m sure it’ll hurt less.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.” Alice laughed. “I know you’re trying to lighten the mood, and it’s great, but I also need you to understand it’s serious.”
“I know it is. Can you tell more about the dangers?”
“Remember the dream when you first met Greg?”
“How could I ever forget?” Tina shivered.
“It wasn’t a training session.”
“Meaning?”
“The danger you faced there was absolutely real.”
Tina grasped the mug tighter. “The shadow that chased me?”
“The shadow has a name and a very long history. It’s a pretty ancient thing. An ancient dark force—that’s how I’d put it.”
Tina gazed at the goosebumps on her forearms and shivered again. “What is it? What’s its name?”
“Umbrus. It hunts souls that travel through the different worlds. The beginners that are about to step over the threshold are easy prey for him. But even when you’re an experienced traveler, and you have your guides and amulets, it can still be a threat.”
“That doesn’t sound reassuring at all. What does it do to those souls? Does it kill them?”
“Worse.” Alice sighed.
“What could be worse?”
“It absorbs their souls. They become a part of it—a part of its darkness. They’re trapped inside it forever. And the body in this world dies. Mostly, it looks like a person died in their sleep.”
“That does sound pretty bad. So it basically eats those souls?” Tina paced around the room.
“You could say that. It consumes them and grows. They give it energy to exist, grow, and pursue its main goal.”
“Which is?”
“To cover all the worlds in darkness.”
For a moment, Tina was silent, processing the information.
“I know it’s scary,” Alice continued. “But I don’t want it to discourage you. After all, there are different dangers anywhere, right? We’re surrounded by them here, but we still go out there, we still travel, we still explore.”
“You’re right. I won’t lie, I’m terrified. I thought it was just a nightmare. I never imagined I’d actually be in danger. Nightmares are no fun, but at least you wake up, sooner or later… But I also remember how that dream ended. And being able to see Greg and hold his hand … it was worth the risk.” Tina landed in her chair and set the coffee mug on the desk. She glanced at the picture of Greg and her on the desk and bit her lip.
“In most cases, Umbrus is attracted by strong emotions, like sharks are attracted by blood. It can smell your fear. It can sense your grief and despair. It can hear your doubts.”
“So that’s what the training is for? To work with my fears?”
“Not only fears. But yes, you’re right. Traveling between worlds is not a journey for weak people. But the stronger you get, the more experienced you become, and the more your energy will change. It will … let’s say, smell differently to Umbrus. Strength and confidence and inner balance are not his favorite spices.” Alice laughed.
“Picky eater, isn’t he?” Tina chuckled.
“On that note, let’s get back to the sleeping experiments I was talking about. I really don’t want to overload you with information, or scare and discourage you, and I think I might have done that.”
Tina shook her head. “I needed to know it. Don’t worry, Alice. I’ll be fine. You were talking about sleeping in different places?”
“Yes. The more experience you get in this, the better. At some point, you’ll know what your favorite places and times of day for dreaming are.”
“Oh, I can only sleep at night. I’m not a napper, never have been. If you find me asleep in the middle of the day, it means I’m sick.”
“Things change, dear. People change. You never know.”
“Maybe you’re right. See, I’ve always felt conscious about napping in the daytime because I thought it was a waste of time. Because I could have been doing other important things instead.” Tina leaned back in her chair. She opened her laptop and turned it on.
“Sometimes the things we consider important couldn’t be farther from what really ma
tters,” Alice said. “Especially when you’re talking about dreams. Never underestimate dreams. You should know that by now.”
She sounded so much like a teacher that Tina straightened and felt a sudden urge to take notes. But she immediately relaxed and smiled at her own thoughts.
“Yes, Ma’am.” She laughed.
“That’s better.” Alice’s voice softened. “Seriously, though, you need to reconsider all—and I mean all—stereotypes you or anyone else have ever had about dreams.”
“I understand.”
“Even if you don’t fully understand it now, you will soon. Tina, this amazing world is opening its doors for you. You should be excited. I’m excited for you.”
“Thank you,” Tina said. “I am. I really am.”
She thought about how quick Alice had become such an important part of her life. They had just recently met, yet they talked like they’d known each other forever. It felt right to have Alice in her life, and Alice’s words about being excited for Tina filled her heart with warmth.
“By the way, have you been putting the stone under your pillow?” Alice asked, pulling Tina from her thoughts.
“Not recently.” Tina furrowed her brow. “I used to. Is that bad?”
“Not really. As I said, you need to experiment. Tell you what, let’s try a new stone, too. I have an idea.”
“Interesting. Which one this time?”
“Carnelian.”
“Hmmm … I don’t know much about it.”
“It’s an amazing mineral with very strong properties. One of my favorites.”
Tina took a sip of her coffee that had already gone cold and leaned closer to the computer. She opened the web browser and searched for the properties of carnelian.
She looked at the first search result.
“Carnelian helps you embody courage and vitality, fearlessly taking action to pursue your goals while boosting your physical energy and aliveness,” she read out loud. “Okay, I have to admit ‘aliveness’ made me shiver.” Her eyes widened.
“You do know you can’t find all the answers on Google, right? And especially not that much on the surface?” Alice chuckled.
“The next one is somewhat better. It’s saying carnelian stimulates creativity, curiosity, and imagination. And then they repeat bits about courage. I guess I could use some courage after all...”
