Sleeping in the Starflowers

--Dream--

Dream sat up, panting. What happened? Who was that-

Dream froze. He recognized this place. 

He remembered the feeling of this grass, and the bark behind his back all too well. 

He remembered the smell. 

He remembered these sounds. 

He remembered his home. 

Dream stood up, looking around. The Tree was still alive, the land wasn't dead, there were people? 

He held back a sob. This had to be a dream. And if this was a dream about home...

As if on cue, he heard a thump to his right, and saw...

His brother. 

His best friend. 

Nightmare. 

"Dream? You were supposed to ask me if I was okay, not stare at me like that." Nightmare chuckled, and Dream looked at him in shock. "S-Sorry, brother. Are you... okay?" His brother laughed again. "It's alright, brother. You don't have to pretend. I know what you did." Dream took a step back as his brother's voice darkened. 

"B-Brother? What are you talking about?" Dream's brother--no, Nightmare--laughed. "As if you don't know! You abandoned me! You left me! You let me turn into a monster!" Dream took another step back, tripping over his own feet and falling down the hill. He stood back up, and held back a scream. 

The tree was dead. The sky was dark, the village was on fire, it smelled like blood and smoke, and Nightmare...

Nightmare was corrupted again. 

Dream turned around and ran. He ran away, hoping that if he got far enough away, his brother would give up and let go of his subconscious, and get rid of the nightmare. 

But Nightmare appeared in front of Dream, and wrapped his appendages around him, squeezing him like a boa constrictor. 

"You thought you could run away from me, Dream? You think I am your brother? That he is doing this to you?" Nightmare, or whoever he was, laughed. "I am not your brother, Dream."

Dream struggled against the appendages, trying to breathe. "Then.. who... are.. you?" He choked out. 

The image of Nightmare grinned maniacally. 

"I am your thoughts and memories, Dream. And I am going to make your life into a special little hell."

353 Words

2/15/24

Well. We get an introduction into what Dream is experiencing in his magical coma. But why on earth do his thoughts and memories want to make his life hell? I guess we'll see!

This chapter is a really short one, since it's just an introduction into Dream's dreams.