Dan's Dream

Dark.

Darkness is the first thing I can remember, I opened my eyes and all around me was black. The excruciating darkness was everything. I could not see even a single sign of light, I felt lost. Lost in the world and lost within myself. Who am I? Where did I come from? I was confused, afraid.

Then suddenly a bright white light flashed in my eyes, I had to close them since my eyes had adjusted to black even though I could not see.

Something or someone grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me to the light, it felt like a hand. Warm and soft, a gentle touch like a mother holding her baby for the first time. It made my chest feel warm inside, something that I did not remember feeling before either. I could not even remember my own name or age.

It let go of my wrist and I almost wanted to reach out to it and tell it to not let me go but I resisted that urge, it would make me look weak but what was weakness? What was strength? Was I ever strong? If I was then how did I end up here? What happened? Is this a dream? Or reality?

So many thoughts went through my mind as it helped me sit down on a reasonably comfortable couch, I opened my eyes and noticed that it was a man. A man in his mid-twenties, dark coloured hair that almost fell over his right eye but just barely brushed away. Porcelain skin, not a single blemish on his face as I travelled my eyes over the rest of him. His eyes were blue but not, there was a mix of green, an yellow-ish amber and blue that swirled perfectly in kind eyes that could stare deep into your soul. He was wearing a red and black checkered button up along with some black skinny jeans that hugged his legs in the right places, wearing simple but nice red converse too complete the look.

My eyes travelled back up to his face, strong prominent cheekbones, seeminly soft pale pink lips and black full eyelashes that surrounded his perfect eyes. I very hesitantly met his gaze that I just noticed was focused on me and my reactions. His lips twitched into a small, but genuine type smile as he put a cup of tea in front of me ''You know this is a dream, right?'' he said, his voice low but soothing with a hint of a Northern accent that wore of in the years he lived somewhere more to the South, I guessed. I found comfort in his voice but then the sentence he spoke hit me.

''A dream?'' I said, the quiet but noticeable tremble in my voice betrayed my act of being calm and collected but he didn't seem to mind. ''Yes, a dream. You fell asleep when you had your existential crisis'' He slowly walked over to me and sat down ''It's okay to talk to me, we're in your mind and I won't judge you for anything you need or have to say''

Again, a sense of comfort fell over me but with his words this time, I slowly remembered laying on the carpet in my room, my dark thoughts had crept into my mind once more like they did almost every month. This time I didn't fear talking about those thoughts, perhaps because I was in a dream or perhaps because this man was so kind and gentle with me.

I slowly started explaining my fears, thoughts and everything that went on in my mind when I was alone. He didn't interrupt me, he nodded so I knew he was listening to my every word and it made me feel better, less like a freak since I had someone who would actually take the time to listen to me even if it was in my dream. For some strange reason I didn't feel like I made this person up, I knew him from somewhere but the thought was regarded as my vision started to fade with the last thing I saw being the gentle smile of the man next to me.

I sat up and opened my eyes, it was a dream after all. I looked around and saw my belongings in it's original place. The scent of something rather sweet and baked filled my nose as I rose to my feet and made my way to the door. I opened it with care, not wanting to make too much noise as I walked towards the kitchen when I recognized the smell. Pancakes. My favourite.

I glanced inside and saw the same man I had seen in my dreams standing my the stove, making breakfast while listening to music that was on the radio. I smiled and walked in, wrapping my arms around his waist. Now I knew how I knew him, the man in my dreams, he was my flatmate, my best friend and my boyfriend.

He let out a soft chuckle and turned off the burner, turning around in my arms and our eyes met once more. The same gentle eyes I had met in my dream, he was even wearing the exact same outfit. ''Well good morning to you to, Dan'' he smiled and kissed my cheek, his lips soft as I expected them to be in my dream.

I let out a whole-hearted soft laugh and smiled at him ''Good morning Phil, did you know you visited me in my sleep last night?''