Floodlights

Fighting Egghead: A Prologue #5

"Wow! I'm asleep. Things are dark. Oh hold on, this is the kitchen. I'm really thirsty, my throat feels really dry. Feels like a dried up river that needs the rain. Hey I'm feeling lyrical tonight. Perhaps I'm a poet and I just don't know it! Need some water quick. Oh yeah mum has just bought some bottles of water. Oh well I'll get tap water. Naw, it's too chemical. I'll go for the mountain stuff."

As the boy went into the living room to grab the water things were dark. He didn't bother putting on the light as the bottle was right there on the carpet. As he grabbed it the door closed and he was stuck in the room. Then appearing from nowhere was Egghead. In the shadows he stood as tall as a giant. He smiled and stood awfully still. And then something incredible happened. The boy didn't lie down and let it happen. He stood still and tall. He then snapped without any thought. Ran up to Egghead and swung a punch Mike Tyson would have been proud of. With all his power the boy flew through the air and landed a punch square on his nemesis' chin. Egghead swaggered back. Then regained his balance and started to continually pummel the young boy. Punches and kicks rained in on the boy as he lied on the floor. Yet the punches didn't hurt. The impact was real but there was no blood and no pain. It was as if a cartoon box had a beast inside trying to kick itself out. The feeling was that of a small dent that like a rubber band went right back to position. Egghead was fighting himself out of his system. Then darkness fell on the boy with the punches impact continuing. Awake.

***

The boy awoke startled, shocked but satisfied. He had never attacked this character before. Why now? He thought. The boy bounced up from bed and looked out of the window, which had previously focused the sun's light onto his brow. The air was fresh with spring and he stared for a time at a tree with pink and white sprouting flowers and birds chirping loudly on the branches. The sun was rising higher than usual in the sky. The clouds were thinner and more scattered. As the boy got dressed after breakfast he was somewhat lighter. His sinuses also felt clearer. He decided to ride his bike before playing football and was out for two hours. As he rode the wind just flew around him as he cycled round the block. He had so much energy.

That night, the boy had the best sleep of his lifetime. No dreams. No seeing 3:00 on the alarm clock. No more nightmares.

A car screeches down the road and Crow finally flies from the telephone wire where it was perching. Crow flies off high into the sun. Its body becomes shadow as it heads high in the sky and out to sea. The glare of the river hides Crow's features as it flies away out of sight.  

***

The boy of course had dreams after that. He has never seen Egghead or his clan again. As he grew older he learnt to control his dreams with the help of his spirit world friends. Now he chooses his dreams and how they go. He walks free into houses and sees how people live in his mind. His mind is free to learn and investigate. The funny thing is, now he can he can hear his alarm clock in his dream as a distant ringing. He acknowledges it and stops the dream. Power in this portal is the gift he learnt and is now enjoying the benefits. He is as open as ever and still as wise, although now his nightmares, troubles and problems occur in day world. The boy grew up and now looks for his niche in the world.

This time the boy cleared his weeds and disease early by smashing them at their roots. The river was close to never reaching the sea. Fortunately violent inner floods saved the river and helped break past the drought. His portal was cleaned, cleansed and ready let him through to the water world. He now embarks in a world, open and free. He has grown to a man. The man is still on a journey of enlightenment. He still searches for the things to make him whole.