Kaleidoscope

4-Etched Shadows

Chapter-4

Alec:

There are demons within us all. We fight them and when we lose, they rule us. They own us.

I looked around my room trying to find a place to hang the frame my father had given me. Did I even need a constant reminder? I looked down at the CDs. This memento might be dust for others but its gold for me. Memories flashing so rapidly. If I could go back in time, I don't know what I would do. Spend more time with mom? I don't think that is possible. She gave me whatever was left of her and as sad as that was, it was more than enough for me. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I sighed and put the frame back in the bag and placed it under my bed, for now.

***

I was a vivid dreamer since as long as I could remember. So, it didn't surprise me when I saw Iris. Again and again.

I watched as the fog covered the mirror, her beautiful, wet, and naked body. The entire washroom was smudged to my eyes. She wasn't making any sound but I could feel her despair. Her cries in silence. Something was terribly wrong.

I heard my phone buzzing as reality tried to pull me back but I wasn't ready yet. I fumbled with my phone checking the time, it was still 5:13am. I tried to fall back to sleep. Hoping to see what was wrong.

As I drifted off to sleep. I saw myself in the body of my 6-year-old self. I was holding my father's hand. It was dark and crowded. I could see traffic lights, street lights. People with colored auras. Neons. Pink, blue, purple, red, yellow. I felt frightened but my father's hand comforted me.

The crowd thickened, my grip on my fathers had loosened. No... I whispered with no voice. I knew where this was going. The time sped up my father lost in the masses. I was panicking but there was nothing I could do.

"Dad." I called out and realized I was myself now. Not a child anymore. "Dad?" I called out again. I had to find him. I had a sinking feeling in my chest.

I could feel someone calling for me. It was not a voice. I didn't have to see to know it was Iris. She needed me. But I felt like I hadn't met my father in precisely 8 years. This doesn't make sense.

The scene changed. Iris, touching my lips, wiping my tears, I hadn't realized how devastated I actually felt.

I woke up with a startle. Her touch was so comforting. I picked up my cell to see the time. Instead, I noticed the missed calls from my father.

***

"I had the strangest dream." I said looking at Nyla.

"Is it why you're acting so gloomy?"

"I was estranged from my father. Hadn't met him in over 8 years." I said ignoring her comment.

"That's absurd. You meet him like, literally, every week." She said chuckling.

"I know right." I said, still feeling overwhelmed. I don't know what for. All I could think about was Iris.

***

"I think, I am in love." I said.

"Are you serious?" Nyla asked. I nodded. "With whom?"

"Iris." I whispered. Realizing how stupid that sounded.

"Fictional character?" She asked looking at me like I was crazy, I had made her read a chapter. I nodded taking a sip of whatever she had ordered for me. "Yeah, sure." She said shrugging.

"I can't believe you brought me to a club."

"You, my dear, need to get laid." She replied making me turn towards someone. "See that girl." She said smiling towards a girl sitting on a bar stool drinking something pink. She had brown wavy hair and green eyes. Her dress was way to slutty. Underneath it all, she was gorgeous. "She's been checking you out since we came."

***

"Your eyes are telling me a story." I said looking into her jade eyes, the same girl who was apparently checking me out. I was here to forget Iris. I wanted to drown in alcohol. Forget her but all I kept forgetting was reality and all I was holding on to was... Iris.

Her name. Her eyes. Her lips. Her memories.

"Uh huh, and what are they telling you?" The slutty girl replied smiling flirtatiously.

"You are trying desperately to run away from something. And if I had to guess. I would say... You are trying to escape who you are...and how you became the way you are." I said hesitating a little as my mind tried to filter words in its intoxicated state.

I didn't know what I was drunk on, alcohol or Iris.

The girl looked surprised by my answer but smiled politely.

"Someone's drunk." Nyla said coming from behind and wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "I hope he is behaving." She said smiling at the girl.

"He's listening to my eyes." She said making Nyla laugh nervously.

"One second." Nyla said with a forced smile. Pulling me away.

"What?" I asked smiling at her. She looked worried. This was the same girl I was once in love with. "How is it that... there's only one true love? Then what did I feel for you? Puppy love? It felt pretty shitty real to me. How can they say, ONE true love...then what did I do with you?" I asked as my mind played with the strings of my heart.

"Fuck practice. For your one true love." Nyla said bursting out in laughter. Her yellow eyes bright and beautiful. She was nothing like Iris. I looked at her lips. Dark, sexy... I couldn't keep my eyes off them. Nyla sighed. "We aren't doing this. Let's get some caffeine in you." She said apologizing to the girl and taking me away. "I just wanted to distract you from yourself but you just seem to be losing you."

She took me home. I don't remember how we got back. Or how I found myself in bed.

"I want her, Nyla." I whispered.

"Who? The girl at the bar?" She asked.

"Iris." I said closing my eyes as a tear dropped from my eye. She must be wondering how insane I was becoming.

"Who is she based on?" Nyla asked surprising me. WHO was Iris based on? My dreams? But my dreams have had to come from somewhere, someone.