Under The Wildflowers | ONC 2024

Chapter 6.

Dominic found that his dizzy spell in the greenhouse seemed to have triggered a persistent side effect.

In the few days following the visit, he found himself plagued by a relentless series of unsettling dreams.

Night after night, the nightmares unfolded with unwavering consistency.  It began with Dominic traversing down a pristine white corridor, the monotonous beeping echoing from every direction, a disorienting soundtrack to his journey.

Gradually, he would transition into a vast meadow, where wildflowers towered above him in every direction, their colorful blooms reaching toward the sky at heights taller than himself. Then, the setting would shift once more and he would find himself ensconced within the dense embrace of a forest, the canopy overhead casting intricate patterns of shadow and light upon the forest floor.

A sense of unease would settle over him and a mysterious movement or presence lurked in the distance. Then, without warning, an earth-shattering scream would jolt him awake from his slumber.

As Dominic arrived at Maybourne, it came as no surprise to find his new friends already waiting for him. It had become somewhat of a pattern—wherever he went, they seemed to follow. Yet amidst the uncertainty of his dreams and the relentless presence of his companions, one thing remained constant: the wildflowers, their vibrant hues a reminder of a connection to Celia.

In just a few days, these two misfits had morphed into a constant presence, providing a semblance of relief amidst the chaos in Dominic's life. Their absence now felt like removing a bandage, leaving behind only the raw ache of the wound.

He didn't want to admit that they were growing on him—that they had become people to look forward to even if it was just simply talking.

After he visited his parents' graves, they all piled into Dominic's van and set off. The air was heavy with contemplation, each of them seeming to lose themselves in their thoughts.

Key and Celia weren't exactly chatty at the cemetery either but Dominic, still shaking off the lingering effects of his nightmare didn't mind the silence.

It was Key's voice that jolted him back to reality as he momentarily forgot he was behind the wheel.

"Ever since that night in the greenhouse, I've been... flickering. It's hard to describe but it's like one minute I'm there and the next, I'm not," he told them.

"Flickering huh?" Dominic mused, his right hand absentmindedly stroking his chin while his left hand remained steady on the steering wheel.

Initially, Dominic had believed Key might divulge his own nightmares but he was uncertain if Key even slept. However, the nagging realization that both he and Key had encountered increasingly peculiar occurrences since their time in the greenhouse persisted in his mind.

"Do you remember anything else?" Dominic probed further, his curiosity piqued.

He noticed Key and Celia exchanged a fleeting glance through the rearview before Key hesitantly responded.

"N-not really, no. Just irrelevant things."

"Like what?" Dominic pressed for clarification.

Key hesitated before confessing, "Sometimes I feel like someone is holding my hand."

Dominic's eyebrows rose in surprise as he glanced at Key through the rearview mirror, a tinge of sadness crossing his expression. He couldn't imagine being in such a predicament.

He contemplated whether to share his nightmares with them but ultimately chose not to, unwilling to dampen the mood further.

"Wait! Stop here!" Key suddenly exclaimed.