Mental Pictures

Chapter Sixteen

"Jaden?" A familiar voice called out to him. A feminine one.

"Mum? Mum, is that you?" Jaden could not see anything, it was pitch black.

"Yes, I'm here, Jaden," Suddenly, a white light shone in the darkness. A white figure appeared.

Emily was standing there, she was not a human anymore but a white spirit. Her face was damaged really bad but Jaden could still see her sparkling eyes, looking right back at him.

Instinctively, Jaden reached out to his mother. He tried to hug her but he could not touch her. He was just hugging air.

"Tell me, Mum. Am I dead?" Jaden called out.

"No, son. You're alive, just in a coma," Emily replied kindly.

"Then where am I?"

"I don't know either. I've been here for ten years now. Oh, look at you, you're all grown up. I just wish I was here with you," Emily sobbed a little, and Jaden could see tears rolling down her cheeks.

"It's okay, Mum. I'm alright now. Where's Dad?"Jaden asked.

"I dont know, he was not here with me when we..." Emily trailed off. "Anyway, I have something important to tell you."

"What is it, Mum?" Jaden asked curiously.

"I know that you are an Oneiroist,"Jaden's eyes widened when she said the word 'Oneiroist'.

"How did you.." Jaden was interrupted by Emily.

"Because, I am an Oneiroist too," She chuckled.

*****

"Oneiro is a hereditary illness," Emily explained, her hands put together. "We didn't have medicines to control our dreams. Instead, we were trained to control them."

Jaden gasped. "Then, why do I need medicine?"

"The government said it was mandatory, they were afraid of us. Afraid that we would kill them in our dreams." Emily showed a sign of sadness. Jaden understood that feeling.

"So, are you here to tell me how to control my dreams?"

"It isn't easy. I've been trained since young, by your grandfather. I can only say that you have to gain that self-control," Jaden sighed. Was there any hope for him at all?

"How, Mum? You are dead! I will never see you again! I can't ask you for advice!" Jaden had mixed feelings - frightened, afraid and sad.

Emily pouted. "I'm sorry, son. Just know that every Oneiroist has the ability to control their dreams. It's a matter of choice and will. Do you want to control your dreams?"

Jaden nodded his head. "Heck yes!"

Emily smiled. "Remember that. Look, I have to go soon. Bye, Jaden."

Emily started to fade away, her face barely visible. And that was the last thing that Jaden saw before he came back to reality.

He sat up so fast that he heard his back cracked. "Mum!" he shouted, longing for a response.

There was none.

Jaden looked around him. He was in a completely white room, like those rooms in mental institutions, to his belief. His eyes started to water as he knew that his mum would not come back to him. She's not alive anymore. She's been dead for a long time and there was no way she was going to be alive again.

He wiped off his tears. I'm a man. I should not cry.

With wobbling legs, he walked to the only door in the room. He turned the doorknob and the door opened, to his amazement. He thought he was being held captive. That was odd to him.

He walked out the door. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Jaden?"

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment! :) Check out my other books too.