Lovers From Another Life

Dream

Every Night I have the same dream. It's always the same as a story I've read on repeat. I'm standing at a bus stop waiting alone for a bus that will never come. The streets are empty and showered in the comforting silence of the night. I glance around but at first, there is no one but myself standing there and then it happens the lights over my head start to flicker once...twice...three times...and suddenly he appears there like a figure. He's a tall shadow-like figure that only stands and waits beside me for the bus that never seems to come. On some rare nights, he'll move or open his mouth and seem like he's speaking words but no sound ever leaves his lips. It's like this every night no matter what I do until I wake up on my own or an alarm goes off.

Tonight was no different than the others except for the fact that tomorrow was my 15th birthday and the day my gift would come. I wonder now if this was the reason for what happened next... I layed in bed glancing at the clock that read 12 am and knew I'd better close my eyes and pray that some sort of sleep would come to me. "Tomorrow is just gonna be another boring day of school..." I muttered rolling over in my bed and groaning as I tried to get comfy and fall asleep. My eyes began to feel heavy as I felt my body relax and the thoughts began to flow out of my brain. "I wonder...if he'll come...tonight too..." I mumbled softly as if I was telling a secret to my pillow that not even the world was allowed to hear. Finally, I was able to pass out and fall asleep.

Just like in my past dreams, I was back at that bus stop but this time there were more subtle details in my surroundings. I noticed small things like how the stop I was waiting at had a sign. Only instead of a name or picture, there was just a blue circle. Then across the street buried in the darkness, I could make out the faintest sound of swings moving and children laughing. "Is there a park nearby... is this a real place..." I muttered questioning my dream a bit more as I know I'd never seen this place before. I was so wrapped up at this point in my thoughts that I almost missed the queue when the lights over my head began to flicker and suddenly out of thin air he was there before my eyes.

I was surprised by his sudden appearance but he didn't seem to pay any mind to me like usual. I brushed it off and turned my attention forward trying to focus instead on the surroundings and see if I could pick up on small subtle differences in the scenery. Though my eyes kept wandering back over to him. He was a tall black shadow figure in the shape of what I assumed to be a man. Going off his height I guess he is around my age maybe a year older but I couldn't be sure of that. The more I began to think about him the more I began to wonder about him. I found myself wanting to know simple things like what he looked like, the sound of his voice, his laugh... if he was funny or nice, what his interest was. I almost asked him as we stood there too but I knew nothing would come from it. I had tried many times in the past to try and talk with him but nothing ever came from them because if he was talking at all I just wasn't allowed to listen...that is not until tonight anyway.

I would have almost missed it if I wasn't lowkey staring at him. His lips parted slightly and a whisper of a voice slithered out. I strained my ears to listen closely but I was only able to make out two words. "Come find..." I nearly jumped out of my skin as goosebumps crawled across my arms at the sound of his soft soothing voice. "What was that?" I asked softly not expecting him to acknowledge me or even respond but to my surprise, he reacted and looked over at me. "Can you please say it again, maybe a little louder.." I asked this time, staring at where I assumed his eyes would be. I wasn't sure If sounded excited, startled, or scared but I assumed it was a mix of all the above. He just stood there for a bit staring at me before slowly opening his mouth as if he was going to repeat himself but instead just mouthed something. I wanted to ask him what he was saying but before I could hear the words my alarm went off and I was pulled away from the dream.

"Fuck..." I groaned and slammed down my phone on the bed turning off my alarm that by now was screaming in my ear. "Juniper, are you up? Come downstairs for a surprise!" My mom began to yell, joining in with the sound of the alarm that refused to turn off and let me go back to sleep. I groaned and rolled over, throwing my pillow over my head as if it would drown out the sound of the world.

"Juniper! Did you hear me!" She began to scream louder, moving over towards the stairs and yelling like it was a contest to see who could be the loudest." Juniper!" she screamed louder making it clear she wasn't stopping till she got a response. I groaned, annoyed, and sat up in bed screaming as I snapped finally. "HOLY SHIT! I'M AWAKE GIVE ME A FUCKING MINUTE!" I yelled back knowing that normally I would have gotten screamed at but because today was special she was letting it slide. I let out a yawn and rubbed my eyes finally getting up and walking to my closet.

"Why do I always have the worst luck..." I grumbled as I grabbed the first t-shirt and jeans I found on my closet floor that smelled clean enough and drunkenly in my half-awake state threw them on. I let out a big stretch and began to shuffle over to the door. "I'm coming...I'm coming..." I mumbled rubbing my eyes as I walked over to the stairs and then paused. My chest felt very loose and strange...Looking down I touched my chest and nearly cried because I forgot my binder. "Fuck...hang on!" I yelled and ran back to my room red-faced as I ripped my shirt off and quickly scanned my messy floors until I found it. "Juniper everything okay?" My mom called out since I was taking a while to get down the stairs. "Y-yeah just give me a minute..." I yelled back as I grabbed my binder and slid it on feeling much better and like myself. Quickly I threw my shirt on and walked downstairs before she could call out and ask any more questions.

I started to make my way over to the kitchen which was omnisily dark... for a Wednesday morning. "Mom...Dad...are you there...what's this surprise you guys said you still have for me?" I asked, walking into the kitchen slowly. The moment I stepped inside suddenly the room was flooded with light as both my mom and dad both sprang up from behind the counter and screamed. "Suprise! Happy birthday, son!" I looked at them dumbfounded, amused, and thankful for the surprise I felt a little too old for something like this though. So I did what any other embraced kid would do and forced a smile. "Wow...this is great...thank you so much for the...congrats it's a boy party?" I asked looking up at the big banner hanging above their heads which was meant for a baby shower and not a birthday. Dad blushed as mom gave him one of her looks.