Dimensia

by Steven Thornton, Jr

  *

  Trucking along, I had started to see a Psychologist every two days for an hour, though sometimes the sessions extended longer. It seemed to be helping me cope and to understand my subconscious, as the therapist loved to explain. In the sessions I would lie on my back and tell him half the truth, only because the whole truth would have put me in a mental ward. In his eyes I could see disbelief and the wheels turning, so-to-speak.

  I fabricated stories of dead rats that would speak and tell me history's long lost secrets. I was kidding of course, and he was hip to my sarcasm and would give me a lecture on how important the sessions were. Then he would explain why I needed to take the sessions more seriously, because I was only hurting myself. At every session my mom waited patiently outside while the doctor drilled me about my childhood experience, my goals or aspirations, and everything under the sun. Naturally, I went along with the psychoanalysis charade; knowing the truth would not help me, just make things more difficult. So I complained mostly about how stressful school was and how it prevented me from sleeping and fitting the mold of everyday life.

  I had also landed a job, working two to three days a week as a part-time indoor soccer referee. It was fun and I love kids, so it was perfect. I got paid twenty-four bones for each game, which generally would last around forty minutes. Forty minutes that is for the younger kids. The older kid's games would last ninety minutes, but on a sliding scale, thirty-eight, don't hate. Each day I worked, I would referee two, sometimes three games. I was making a meager living while still living at home. It was ordinary, but I appreciated the life I had and found that it was easier to sleep through the nights. I had also enrolled in a few online courses and had begun to earn college credits.

  I saw Dark Siders often, but thanks to the doctor and the power of modern medicine, I would look away, pop a blue pill and count to ten as instructed to do. When I would look back, they would have miraculously vanished. Though I was still capable of seeing people's auras, I had started to believe that I had fabricated this fragmentary plane of abstract reality. Perhaps I am crazy and that the doctor was right, I allowed myself to think.

  To cope I would take four pills a day. They calmed my nerves and helped me to keep sane and happy. (Is it the chicken or the egg?) For the night however, I would take another pill that would knock my socks off. It was so powerful that nothing could wake me. My brain seemed to be somewhat sluggish at this point, as thinking became more difficult and my movements manufactured rather than natural. I had become a walking zombie more-or-less. Simple decisions took a lot of thought and concentration, and the pace of life became stifled as everything seemed slightly out of focus. At the same time, I admit, I enjoyed the peace and quite for a change. Until one day, that is, when my world made sense.

  One night, sitting in my room, I started to crave a big swiss steak. Swiss Inn makes this phenomenal sandwich (the stuff dreams are made of): it is served on a hoagie, with hot sauce and lettuce. (Bomb!) After grabbing my keys and getting fitted for the weather (cold), I drove to the local hamburger hang out uptown. I parked in front of the establishment, entered through the front entrance and grabbed a seat in an empty blue booth. I scanned the menu the waitress had set me up with. Already knowing what I wanted to order, I relayed the information to the waitress, a cute red head. I assumed that she was in high school. I didn't recognize her as she had a white aura and a seemingly nice personality. Not long after ordering, a couple of kids I recognized from school entered the side entrance: three guys and two girls. I knew them all on a first-name basis, but hoped they wouldn't notice me. I pulled my hood over my head and looked down hoping they would pass me with no exchange of meaningless conversation. Seconds passed and as they walked toward the rear of restaurant, unfortunately for me, one of the guys recognized me. I saw him tap the guy standing next to him on the shoulder and point as the group diverted course to straight toward my table. Feeling agitated, I regrettably turned to acknowledge them as one hopped across the table as if invited or one of my friends. I looked at him and as he turned to make sure his friends were watching. To impress his comrades he leaned forward and pushed back my hood. The group of them together laughed obnoxiously, when another of the misfits nudged me toward the window with his forearm, helping himself to my seat.

  "Dude! What's up man? Long-time no-see brotha," the guy sitting next to me said, giving a shoulder slap as a friend would do. Easily entertained, they began whispering amongst themselves while shielding their mouths. I blankly stared out the window and tried to ignore their trivial motives. When one of the girls, standing next to the table, impatiently asks,

  "What's taking so long? I'm hungry baby." Seeing her reflection in the window, she chomped on her gum, twirling her purple hair and rubbing the shoulder of the guy closet to the isle that was sitting across from me. I turned to look at the girls and as I did, they gasped and turned to look away, as if seeing a fire victim for the first time. I then examined the guys sitting at the table, when the guy across from me asked,

  "So, is it true you can, like, see dead people or whatever?" The other two laughed.

  "Yea, I heard you tried to kill yourself. Is that true?" the guy sitting across the table asked. Thinking of the best way to respond but wanting to be somewhat witty, I realized it wasn't worth the energy. I understood that they were still stuck in their high school mentalities, living a mind-numbing existence. To them, anything different is weird. I looked each one of the guys in the eyes and said,

  "Yes, it's true, I'm crazy, suicidal, and you guys . . . are cool," I smirked to myself. Like I had imagined, this instantly insulated them as they stood up out of the booth, obviously angered. Towering over the table, one of them leaned forward. Inches between us his breath with a heavy stench of alcohol. As he locked his hands around my upper arms and looked me squarely in the eyes,

  "I'll tear you to shreds, freak." he said, strengthening his grip.

  "You will wish you had died when I'm done with you." I stared him in the eyes and grinned, flailing my arms and legs, rolling my eyes to the back of my head, and began to shake wildly while foaming at the mouth and spitting up salvia. With fright in his eyes he immediately released his grip, dropping me to my seat as they rocketed for the door. The seizure was staged, but they didn't know. I watched them haul-balls out of the restaurant, hop into their cars and speed off. Moments later, I sat up, wiped my mouth with a napkin and acted as if nothing had happened. I casually looked around the restaurant to see everyone staring at me with blank expressions on their faces. In the awkwardness of it all, I heard someone call out my name, from behind where I was sitting.

  "Fisher, you better turn around you hairless monkey." The voice was familiar; I slowly turned, and as I did my hairs stood at end. Astonished and having to do a double take, I saw my best friend of years standing before me, Chance. My eyes were wide in shock as I felt an intense energy flood my veins. Examining him closely, it looked like Chance, but he had no aura? Arriving at the intersection that it was not Chance, but a Dark Sider portraying him. I slowly turned back around and went through the routine of closing my eyes, counting to ten, and then popping the tiny blue pill as instructed. After a successful attempt of counting to ten with my eyes closed, I opened them and saw Chance the Dark Sider right in my face.

  "Dude, I haven't seen you in I don't know how long, and you're going to turn around? That's greased up turkey. Oh, I know, is it that time of the month? Are you

  MANstrating?"

  "Okay, I know you're not Chance, so give it up you old horse-thief," I said, as the waitress (whom had been standing next to my table) looked at the empty booth across from me then back to me. I realized that from her perspective I appeared to be talking to myself. She carefully dropped the food at the edge of the table and cautiously backed away. Feeling awkward and embarrassed, I saw the waitress from behind the counter staring and whisper to a fellow co-w
orker.

  "Dude, what's up bro? Don't make me spank you," Chance said. This forced me to laugh. He was funny as he always had been.

  "I guess I will have to chop it up with someone that wants to kick it," as Chance, or the false Chance said, as he stood to leave.

  "Okay, if you're Chance, who was our second grade teacher and at what school?"

  "Miss ABCD, Joel E Barber. Weak . . . give me a hard one."

  "Okay, what grade did I date your Sister and when did we . . . you know?"

  "Sixth grade, and you never, you know punk. You're gay, gay boy. Don't talk about Kara like that either, she is doing way better than you." I smiled as I heard the exact response I expected and we both laughed. Returning to the booth, Chance sat down,

  "You haven't changed much choir boy," I said, followed by a laugh. I scanned the entire place, which had only a handful of patrons, not including the two or three drifters, AKA, Dark Siders.

  "Dude, no one can see you, huh?" I posed.

  "That's the way I like it. It has its perks, like shower time," as Chance grinned I smiled.

  "You have been watching me in the shower?"

  "You know it," Chance laughed. I then finished eating and paid at the counter. At the counter the waitress seemed distant and hadn't dropped by the table for her usual rounds of blah, bitty, blah blah: 'is everything okay? Can I get you some more to drink? Would you like a to-go box? Or dessert?'

  After settling my debt, I exited the restaurant with all eyes on me as the main attraction. I walked toward my car while talking to Chance, not caring about the people staring in disbelief. I really didn't care. After all, they thought I was crazy, so what's wrong with giving them a show? I was having fun and happy to reconnect. Imagine your best friend of most of your young or adult life gone, never to be seen again. Then they reappear. You would have a lot to talk about, no? I was ecstatic though skeptical, and curious to pick his brain.

  During our conversation, we talked mostly about the Other World and what it was like. To my understanding there were two extremes: a place that you belong, not as a member, but an existence. The other, as Order spoke of: the existence of that which doesn't exist but exists beyond our existence. He explained things that existed there, most of which my mind could not conceive. He described a place where there is no such thing as time or space, crime, disease, fear, or death. It is what is and will ever be, a place with no beginning or end, a place in perfect harmony, with complete and absolute balance.

  I then explained of Truth and Order and what they had given, shown, and done for me. I laughed when he commented on how hot he thought Order was. Apparently, he had met her once. He then explained how important my role as a Light Warrior was, and how I had to stay focused; his job I realized, was to be my guardian.

  "Why did they have to send you?" I asked as we laughed, and then we hopped into my car and headed for my house.

  On the drive, we caught up on the lost time and it was. Becoming aware of something in the middle of the road. I slowed to prevent from hitting whatever it was. As my brakes screeched to a halt, we examined from the car whatever it was. At first glance, it appeared to be something or someone, laying flat on the asphalt, with a white sheet placed over the top. I placed my car in park and opened the door to exit, as Chance who had his own way to exit, stepped through the door. Approaching the object in an area poorly lit, with only my headlights to see, I kicked the sheet with my foot and heard a moaning sound. I looked at Chance who just shrugged. With wide-open eyes I felt froggy and bent down, grabbing the corner of the sheet nearest me. As I started to pull back the sheet, Chance, closer to the uncovered portion, turned away in disgust. After removing an edge of the sheet, I looked closer at the object in question and gagged from what I saw. It was what looked like a human being, however, not a normal one. It had been mangled with its face mauled beyond recognition. At this point I was ready to hurl. Blood and fluid ran from the body, forming a puddle on the asphalt. Strange to me was that the eyes of the person had been removed leaving empty sockets. A rotting flesh odor overwhelmed my mind as I lifted my hand, covering my mouth and plugging my nose. In observation of what looked to be white rice. As I looked closer I realized to be maggots feasting on the decaying flesh. I could not take it anymore and turned away in disgust. The combination of the smell and the horrifying image of the victim were interrupted by Chance calling out my name. I turned toward him and saw that he was pointing to an area behind me. As I turned to look, I saw Dark Siders emerge from the shadows and begin to approach Chance and I. They formed a three hundred and sixty degree formation around us. I counted at least fifty different Dark Siders, each with weapons in-hand as their eyes turned red. I looked at Chance, who looked ready for war.

  "Dude, we should run," I yelled. Chance just laughed,

  "Run, huh? We just got here. We haven't gotten to meet our friends." Chance said, popping his neck, then knuckles, bouncing on the tip of his toes and shaking out his arms. I was the C in confused and didn't know what to do.

  "Why don't you sit in the car, I want to meet our guests." Chance said while wearing a smile. Hearing vicious growls from the approaching beasts I decided to take Chance's advice. Running towards my car, I quickly hopped inside and slammed the door shut. From inside the car I watched as the Dark Siders began to close in on Chance, surrounding him. I was scared for my life and more than worried for Chance's well- being. I reached for my marble in my pocket, in case somehow things went south. Some of the Dark Siders appeared normal, like human beings, except for the red eyes. Where others shared the appearance of the past Dark Siders that resembled nothing that could exist on earth, all were equally horrific. The creatures I witnessed could only stem from the darkest corners of imagination. Scared, nervous, and feeling my heart race, the Dark Siders crept closer by the second. With each step they growled and looked as if they were preying on their target. Chance turned to look at me and grinned. Then, in a sudden burst of energy, the Dark Siders took off running in a forward sprint, with weapons in hand and eyes trained on Chance. Seconds later, Chance jumped into the air just as each Dark Sider jumped as well. Chance jumped from the asphalt so high that it must have been the equivalent of a twelve-story building. I knew that the Dark Siders were equally as talented, however. In midair, I saw him retrieve something from his pocket, which one would be inclined to believe to be some kind of rope or string that he started to swing in a circular motion above his head, much like a lasso. Struck with a gut feeling that something horrible was about to play out. I saw whatever it was Chance swung beginning to glow. As he swung the intensity of the glow magnified, illuminating the night sky. He brought the rope from above his head to below his body while sliding himself through the center. The rope seemed to span a circumference of ten feet, as he began his descent to the ground below. Suspended in disbelief, I witnessed the rope come in contact with Dark Siders and slice through them as a knife would cut butter, causing the Dark Siders to instantly disintegrate. As he descended to the ground, I saw him take out a good ten to fifteen of the Dark Siders, with more still alive. Landing on the asphalt in front of my car, he turned to look at me as he once again grinned. At that moment the remaining Dark Siders piled on top of him. I looked, but saw no sign of him in the dog-pile of Dark Siders. I witnessed something like a pack of hungry wolves as the Dark Siders began fighting amongst themselves, tossing, pulling, and dragging one another off the pile, selfishly thirsty for blood.

  "Isn't that funny, they really are dumb creatures," I heard, sounding as if it had came from inside my car as I slowly turned to see Chance sitting comfortably in the backseat.

  "How did you? I mean, how are you here and not there?" I mused excited,

  "Watch this," Chance said. As I looked into my rear view mirror, made out a grinning Chance as he jumped from the backseat of my car into the air above. This time, traveling in a bright shooting blaze o
f light, and much higher than the previous. I witnessed him climb through the clouds, moving at a speed much faster than before. As he peaked in the sky, he seemed to be able to just hover there. Seconds later, he turned and began his descent. Headfirst, he accelerated, gaining momentum; to land dead center in the pile of Dark Siders as a mushroom of light emerged. The light was so scintillating that I turned away as Dark Siders disintegrated into thin air.

  After a few moments the light faded and the dust settled. I saw Chance in the midst of ash, standing in front of my car. I opened the door and stepped out.

  "That was insane!" I yelled.

  "You have got to teach me how to do that," I continued,

  "Wow! Seriously, how is that possible?"

  "It's what I do. It's what I'm here for man. To protect you, I told you that." he said, maintaining a cocky stance.

  "Yeah, but I didn't know you had it like that C-dub. That was cramazing!" He stretched out his arms as he walked toward the car.

  On the drive home, he explained that to be able to perform such acts takes practice, knowledge and strength. He also explained that when one uses such talents or abilities, it must be for good, otherwise it will not work. He then went on explaining the play-by-play of the showdown until we arrived at my house. Walking into the house, everyone had retired for the evening. This night I had not one visit from the Dark Side, allowing a full night's rest, and I slept like a king thanks to Chance.

  The next morning, I awoke to a beautiful winter day. Looking outside from my room, I observed a snow-blanketed landscape with snowflakes carelessly drifting to the ground. Yet it was no morning to sit around and ponder, as I was excited. I quickly tossed aside the blankets, threw on a pair of Timberland boots as well as my winter coat, layering it over my pajamas, and continued outside. Standing in the few inches of loosely packed snow, I looked into the sky and felt mesmerized by the flakes as they fell, remembering how crazy it is that no two snowflakes are alike. That each snowflake has six sides, and the largest snowflakes recorded in history was fifteen inches. The flakes, when coming in contact with my face, melted instantly. I extended my arms into the sky above, and released a yell driven from pure joy. A few minutes later, I felt someone staring at me. As I turned to look I saw Dallas looking down from his bedroom window. Two minutes later I heard the front door open. There was Dallas, standing in his boxers and snow boots, bent over and starting to form a snowball with his hands. I felt a sweeping content wash over me in the moment. Just as he stood up and hurled his freshly packed snow ball my direction, hitting me square in the face.

  "Shots fired," I yelled. Then, it was all out war as I retaliated with a much larger and harder snowball. Dallas, inadequately dressed for the weather, screamed like a schoolgirl and retreated back into the house. I had a grin on my face, as it was such a perfect morning. The entire neighborhood, one by one, came out to enjoy the first snowfall of the year.

  I stayed out in the snow until I could no longer feel my fingers or toes. It must have been two, or possibly, three hours. Time flew by as I enjoyed the peace and tranquility. With a clear head, I felt the tables had turned and the tides had changed. I felt safe and for the first time in quite a while, loved every moment of it.

  Chance and I talked most of the day about what I should or could do next. I was actually happy knowing that Chance could keep the evil spirits at bay. I questioned Chance about how he traveled and his timeframes, hoping to get some insight. I asked questions about what existed there and about language of the Other World. I asked any and everything one would think of asking. Then he explained the details pertaining to the tree of life to me. He smiled while stating,

  "Well, you are a Light Warrior, which is big bro."

  "Come on, big, how?" I asked in disbelief.

  "Well, someday you will find out," he replied in a stockbroker kind of way, withholding information.

  "Well, what were you told about me, crazy?" I asked, wanting to know more.

  "Bro, I'm just here for my entertainment. Oh, and to kick some Dark Side tail as well."

  Back to Contents