Dreamcatcher

15

They set off at midnight. The trip took a long taxi ride to the outskirts of the county, and another train could bring them to the most rural areas of Barin. Practically teeter-tottering between the two adjacent states, the farms and lost villages happened to be located right near the border. There, rows of grass and scattered stems rose from the earth, berries poking their heads out from beneath dew-dropped leaves. The rain cooled the earth instead of snow, for those farms were the warmest areas of the state, unaffected by winter itself. Wind gushed through the trails along with bendy, unwinding rivers. Clouds barely seemed to move, but when one blinked and looked up again, the positions and sun always seemed to change. Time seemed to drag yet fly in these areas, calming and ever-so-still like the river surfaces, but the people here still had dreams of city life.

Past the farms were the village-like clusters of houses, usually made up of a few cement or clay rooms. Rainwater and hoses were used for washing instead of sinks, and chipped mirrors fogged up from the spring humidity. Bicycles lay beside houses instead of cars, but those who dared to ride up the substantial amount of hills instead of walking were considered downright crazy. People there usually couldn't afford to own more than what city and neighborhood dwellers donated to them. After all, inhabitants of these villages were called the Forgotten for a reason.

Old doors there usually had three dreamcatchers at a time, and some were filled to the max. They were all hand-made, beads put on delicately with strings carefully weaved together. These dreamcatchers were made from long hours and sweat, and that was partially why despite the 'small' dreams of the Forgotten, the dreamcatchers radiated strength, and – like magnets – attracted hope from miles upon miles away.

"...Chase?"

"Yeah?"

"How much longer?"

"About an hour left until the train arrives. You should go back to sleep," Chase nudged softly. He let Aerial rest against his shoulder like usual, and after two minutes of listening to the teen's distant heartbeat, the soft, steady breaths of the girl resumed like nothing had ever happened.

Using his opposite arm so as to not disturb Aerial, Chase looked through his wrinkled wallet. The money and card Venus had given them was folded tightly inside, fresh and crisp. Earlier it had dawned on him that when the two would arrive in the Forgotten villages, they would be considered rich. After all, they could at least afford a few good meals and a hotel room despite Chase's objection that they weren't staying for more than two days.

Soon Chase was lulled to sleep by the constant yet somewhat-not-noticeable shaking of the train. The voices around him seemed to float around like mist until they faded out into a distant echo of nonsense. It was Chase's first sleep in twenty-two hours.

"Two children upstairs. Get 'em, Harley!"

"A boy....parents dead...police coming–"

"Harley! Harley! The two got out the window!"

"The police! Get the others! Get 'em!"

"Hands up!"

"...all dead, I think...no, two gone–"

"Seven dead. Two missing."

"House robbery, yes."

"...truly a tragedy..."

"Breaking news! Today, August–"

"Chase, you okay? Chase!"

"V...where's Mom? Keala?...what...? Blood?"

"Ch...Chase..."

"....."

"Chase!"