Watch Your Step

𝐃𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝟖

Limuel walked home more confused than ever before. To him, this bizarre encounter felt just like a distant dream. "Shall I just wait for my death?" he told himself after some time. He thought if the afterlife was real, he just couldn't wait to meet his wife again. But he clasped his hands before he slept that night and prayed: When I finally find my will to live, I pray you won't take it away. Please let me be of use to this world and I will gladly surrender.

One day, Ms. Kim came by and asked him if he could open his heart to help the children again. Limuel complied and continued to donate to those children who were in need. He lived for another prosperous four years and five months and put on his last will to make his house an orphanage. His hair got whiter and whiter and it made him look thin. He finally knew what his dry dreams meant or he didn't really know it but he was sure of what he had done. Once he quit his measly job, he rented a car to travel the world and enjoy his remaining life.

Then comes the time when he leaves this world.

None other than through a dream.

A very dry one.

But before that, he meets

an old friend once more.

It was a day like any other. He's on his way home, stuck in the traffic after a vacation. Beeps of cars were everywhere while his head fell abruptly to the stirring wheel. Slowly, it went silent and silent until all the cars were audibly far away. Limuel thought it was odd so he sat up straight, then he saw all the cars were gone and the road was empty. His car was the only one left on the road and all the people disappeared. Instinctively, he looked at his fingers but he couldn't count them.

There's still a stop sign standing on the wayside and he tried to read it but somehow the letters appeared "POTS." He looked at his watch only it wasn't a watch, it was an eyeball strap to his wrist. But this was no longer an illusion of a dream nor a creation of his mind.

He came out of his car and suddenly he's in an Australian desert with sun-dried plants, red rocks, and canyons. He glanced around the desert-like terrain and he saw a man with sunglasses in a fancy suit. That was the only man around aside from Limuel who's now walking towards him. Once in near sight, Limuel realized that it's Dr. Larques.

"Mr. Brenner," the doctor shouted, "You still have those dry dreams?"

Limuel didn't answer quickly. Then he shouted back, "No, not at all."

"I guess it's time," the man with the sunglasses smirked, "are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"To meet everyone you love again."

Before he could answer, the scenery completely changed. The asphalt of the road turned into golden cracks of dried soil and the sign that read "POTS" faded away. Now it reminded Limuel of the potted plants he forgot to water at his house. He regretted not watering it because he didn't think he'd be able to do it again. "Forgive me if I break one more promise," he said to the blue sky above.

"Why don't you say that to her in person," Mr. Larques suggested. He raised his sunglasses for a second and an image of him as the creature in Limuel's dreams flickered. A four-winged creature with bull hooves as feet, a face of man in front, an eagle at the back, and a lion and an ox at the sides. He handed Limuel a slip of paper with two standing parallel lines and a horizontal one at the top written on it.

"What's this?" Limuel asked, holding up the slip of paper.

"It's your ticket to the afterlife," the doctor answered, "Good luck."

Soon, everywhere was covered by a haze of dust. Then the air cleared and a woman appeared walking toward Limuel. When they stood a foot apart, the woman said, "The ride is over, Lim." She cupped his face and said, "Let's go home." He glanced back and his car had already disappeared. The doctor was still there standing nonchalantly and spreading his hands as if letting Limuel have all the time he wanted.

He turned to his mother and held her hand, "Sure ma," he said. But his voice did not sound deep. He was a child again, as young as the day he rode the carousel in the mall. There also came his grandfather who was holding a medal saying, "I'm always proud of you." There was also Michael, his best friend, who gave him a high-five and Limuel turned into a teenager. Finally, he found the woman he was looking for. She was watering the dry ground and all kinds of plants grew where the water touched.

"Serene!" his voice faltered and as he ran towards his wife, he turned into a man again. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, yes...my love," the woman replied. Limuel's chest heaved up and down as they dove into a tight embrace with joyous tears. And with all the people Limuel knew, hand in hand, they headed for an eternal journey. But before that, he looked back to the doctor once more who gave him an affable smile. Limuel wiped the tears from his eyes and mouthed the words, "Thank you."