Dreamwalker

The Truth Hurts

“What?” I manage to gasp out. Jeremy drops his head and lets out a small groan of frustration.

            “I didn’t want to tell you…I wasn’t supposed to.” I shake my head, trying to get my brain to process thought again.

            “A coma?! That’s impossible…I am seventeen years old, I’ve been to different schools, I have parents and a home, I live in a small town. I am not in a coma!” Jeremy holds my face in his hands and forces me to look at him, his voice urgent.

            “Penny listen, just listen to me! You left school during lunch break and wandered off, they found you that evening in a park, you were unconscious and you were rushed to the hospital. No one could figure out what was wrong with you, and the doctors finally declared it a very extreme and strange case of traumatic shock syndrome. You’ve been in a coma for the past eleven years.” I push the memories away, refusing to accept this as the truth.

            “You’re lying!” He gives me a small shake which shocks me, and practically shouts at me.

            “Penny! I am telling you the truth!” I push his hands off me and glare at him.

            “Then tell me how, explain how I can have an entire life if I’m in a coma!” He stands up and takes several steps away from me, running his hands through his hair. After a minute he turns around and crosses his arms.

            “You created an entire reality for yourself, building off of the memories you had of your parents, the town, and people that lived there. That’s why the Walkers are so interested in you, a six year old with not only the ability to dream walk, but who could create an entire reality for herself?” He looks slightly excited as he walks over and sits on the bench again.

            “But not only did you form this reality in your head, you were able to reach out and build off other peoples subconscious.”

            “What?” He smiles.

            “All those people in your school, and in your town, they all actually exist, Penny, you were able to create them because you could reach their minds, and see who they were, how they would act and react, and you pulled them into your dream world.” I shake my head, feeling panic tighten my chest.

            “No…that can’t be true…” He takes my hand gently in his and says quietly.

            “I’m sorry Penny.” I feel tears build in my eyes. What if it’s true? My parents have lived for eleven years without me. I never went to middle or high school. I haven’t had a life…

            “But…does that mean…are you real?” I feel tears stream down my face as I turn to look at Jeremy. He gives me a small smile.

            “That depends on your definition of real.” I sob and cover my face with my hands.

            “No, you have to be real…” He pulls my hands away and wipes my tears off.

            “Penny, right now I am just a dream, another figment of your imagination. But in reality, the real world, I do exist. I’ve gone to visit you in the hospital many times. You’re in room 245, your red hair is always splayed over the pillow, and you have always known when I visit you.”

            “When you appear in…in my dream reality, that’s when you come visit me?” He nods.

            “It’s taken me five years, but you finally let me in. Everything I told you about Walkers and Wraiths are true, you’ve been living what you thought was reality as a Dreamwalker.” I hold my head in my hands and close my eyes.