The First of Many

Dream

-☾-

You shifted as you lay on the cold, hard stone, the backs of your thighs sticking to the smooth surface. The ground beneath you hummed, a vibration too low to hear, but the gentle buzz reverberated through your limbs. Above you, beautiful galaxies of purple, green, and blue swirled, punctuated by bright pinpricks of stars that peeked through billowing clouds. The scene changed constantly, shifting into something new every second; you couldn't look away from its splendor. You were content to watch it, eyes wide with wonder — until a shuffling sound drew your attention. You looked to the side and when your eyes passed over walls and pillars, you realized that you and this too-perfect night sky were not outside as you had assumed.

You scrambled to your feet, bare soles chilled on polished marble — but quickly relaxed. It seemed like you were alone. As you looked around, you hugged your baggy sleep shirt to your body, though it offered little protection against the cool air. Through the dim and uneven lighting, you could make out the walls of white stone, and lengthy hallways on either side. You turned to survey the rest of the chamber and were faced with a winding staircase leading to a tall chair, an empty throne set before a backdrop of multi-colored stained glass. Hazy light poured in through the windows, blue, red, and green rays shining down upon the empty seat. You squinted against the light to try and see what images were depicted.

You moved closer, tentatively stepping up a single stair. A chill washed over you as soon as you planted your foot on the step, a forbidding aura alarming your senses to stop. The throne appeared to be made of the same marble as the pillars and walls, beautiful and regal, but it had to be uncomfortable. Someone important must sit there, maybe a King or Queen. Would they be upset if they found you snooping?

Before you had a chance to ascend another step, the shuffling noise sounded closer, and you ran to one side of the open room to duck behind a pillar, hopefully moving further away from the source. You'd seen enough horror movies to know what happened to those who rushed toward the weird, creepy noises to investigate. That would not be you.

A harsh caw echoed through the chamber, and you squeaked in surprise at the suddenness. You peeked around your hiding spot to find a raven on the ground behind you. Its dark eyes regarded you with curiosity and its throat puffed out as it made a tiny coo. You were immediately relieved.

This was no horrible beast or eldritch monster, but an animal — and it looked familiar. Was it...the same one you had fed before? You crouched and extended a hand in its direction to show it you meant no harm. Too bad you didn't have any snacks on you.

The raven hopped toward you, talons quietly clicking on the marble. It placed its neck before your outstretched fingers in acceptance of your peace offering. That was your cue to curl those fingers, scratching under its sleek feathers gently. It settled into an orb, dark and round, chirping softly at the attention.

"Hey, buddy," you said quietly. "Feel good?"

"Oh, yeah," he replied in a perfectly human voice. "A little to the left."

You jerked your hand back and sprung upright, stepping away until your back was up against the nearest pillar. "You just—you—"

"Ah, shit," he muttered — since when could ravens mutter? "The Boss told me I wasn't supposed to talk to you."

All you could do is stand in shock, staring, barely processing the words coming from the beaked animal. This shouldn't be happening.

"Please don't tell him, okay? I really don't want to—" his head cocked to the side and he turned as if listening to something far off. "Shutting up now."