Dream

chapter 1

It was a crisp autumn morning and there was a frosty breeze in the air, gently wrapping around me like a coat making a welcome chill run through my body. A sweet surrendering scent of the moist morning dew flowed through the sublime forest. The mixed cool autumn leaves from the tall trees lay scattered on the forest floor, cascading down over the roots of ancient vegetation; they were in the process of turning a brittle brown. The russet leaves being crunched underfoot sounding like glass shattering, as if you were to step on them, pushing their papery remains deep into the frozen forest floor, which lined the ground like a fresh sheet of ice. A hedgehog shuffled across my path, creating his warm home to sleep in through the icy cold of the winter.

The overwhelming and unnerving forest has the appeal of a forgotten land which has been lost in time. The isolated woodland remained in a capsule, untouched by the destructive essence of man. The dark shadows of the voluminous trees and scattered bushes had become the structure of the forest. The trees stood proud and tall as protectors of the vital grounds and the drenched bushes that had consumed the hard regions of the forest, masked the land from beneath the vibrant portals of the open sky, seeping through the gaps of trees dancing across the ground like a majestic deer. The dusky sky which was a brilliant dark blue was floating pleasantly on the autumn branches of the trees in the forest below. As the sun rose in a timely hurry, as if trying to make up for setting so early the evening before, bloomed into the sky with a warm mellow glow sending what was left of the dull moon packing until his next stint overseeing the night. As the morning developed the sounds of young birds began to fill the air with a sweet smell so fresh it could only be found there, in the woods in front of me. The birds that occupied the isolated forest chirped, tweeted and warbled incessantly.

The lake had been hardened by the sharp cold blitz of an icy frost. The translucent water was bound as a smooth solid and the particles stuck together like glue only to be broken by the paws of forest animals frolicking across the frozen liquid. As I stumbled across the uneven ground, the remote forest has the appearance of winter romance which blossomed tempting me deeper and deeper into the enchanted land.

As I ventured further into the gloomy forest; it seemed to surround me like a suffocating pillow. The fallen twigs snapped under my feet as I stepped on them like dry bones. The morning mist blinded me so I couldn't see where I was stepping...

My foot got caught in a half broken tree root covering the ground. I descended down a muddy hill and crashed heavily into an old rotting wooden gate. A big dark bricked house loomed, casting a shadow over me. The wind picked up, blowing my hair around my face creating a curtain, shielding me from the world. I saw a small robin sitting on the fence, like a lone poppy in a dried out field. It was looking at me with cautious beady, black eyes. The fence creaked against the harsh wind and was rusty like the orange leaves that encrust the floor. The wires were as sharp as the smell in the air, brittle like a spike on a now hibernating hedgehog. Slowly walking over to it watching it curiously, I held my hand out, waiting patiently as the petite robin took inquisitive steps towards me; stepping over from the harsh texture of the fence in to the open warmth of my small hand. It seemed that it was the only thing that provided the much needed friendliness, even the sun sitting in the sky caste down cold rays of light.

The old abandoned house seems to watch me, enticing me into the dark that consumed the entrance. I didn't know I was moving forward until I stumbled over the first rotten step, the rotten step. It creaked as my weight balanced over the steps, making me fall through the open door. Dust exploded around me like bats flying out of a cave. There was no light, just pitch blackness. A sound caught my attention. I turned around looking everywhere in the room for the source of the noise. Suddenly, he emerged. A tall wiry figure. His head hung low, his shoulders hunched. He was so thin and elongated that he looked as if he would blow away, along with the brown, swirling leaves that danced in the autumn wind around him. His hand gripped the knife, turning his sharp knuckles white. His eyes wondered around wildly, as if he were a cornered animal. He twirled the knife through his bony fingers. It glittered sharply in the cold, isolated shards of sunlight. He stepped forward, towards me with the glistening knife pointed in my direction. I ran back towards the door trying to get out, desperate for escape. Endless doors came before my eyes. I had to pick one. My eyes scattered across them all. Reaching out, I pushed the distressed door open...

I woke up. Screaming. My body covered in sweat. My bed covers swamped around my feet like chains on a prisoner's ankles. I looked around; I was here, and I was home. The smell of spices filling my nose, calming my heart rate, slowly bring it back to normal. Leaves covering my floor ... that's not normal, the same dried up leaves from the nightmare. A tapping at my window broke my thoughts. A robin sitting their looking at me with familiar eyes, like it knew me.

Was it really a nightmare or was it real?