September Peony (12 Months Series - Part 2)

Prologue: A Dream

The front door were made of mahagon wood, floral motives were carved in it. He pushed the door, it was open. His steps sounded quietly on a door mat with a 'WELCOME HOME' written on it. And he felt like home. He went through the hall slowly. The floor was made of black and white tiles forming a mosaics. The walls were covered with latte colour silken wallpapers with dark wood panelling reaching from the floor to the half of the walls. He touched the wood to feel the material under his fingertips. It was rough and hard. He could smell a scent of burning pine wood. He was hearing a noise of burning fire. There was half open door in front of him. The soft orange flame ligh was coming through the gab between the door and the door frame. He slowly approached the door and pushed it. It opened smoothly with a light creak. He was standing at the doorstep of a spacious room decorated with thick wine red carpet, wood panelled walls and red velvet sofa in front of a fireplace. The flames were casting wildly moving shadows. He took a deep breath and recognised some other scent. There was something more in the air, not just the smell of burning pine wood. He stood still, trying to remember the smell but it was escaping his senses like a chimere. It was too light, too above mere human senses. It was making his heart racing. He felt like he should know the scent but his brain was somehow slow, couldn't find the right words to describe it. He closed his eyes and focused on breathing. The scent was slowly becoming stronger. He had it at the tip of his tongue...
And suddenly, it was gone. There was a whiff of a cold breeze. He opened his eyes and noticed the large glass door are now opened to the darkened garden. The drapes were flowing in cold breeze. Flames in the fireplace were moving hastily and wildly, roaring through the chimney. He shivered a little bit and made few steps over the room to the door. Everything seemed so dreamy outside. Crescent moon on the velvet black sky was casting a pale light on the grass shimering with drops of dew. Silver winking stars were partialy covered with a veil of clouds. The air was cold and crystal clear. He could see the dark silhouettes of trees, he heard the rustle of leaves. He noticed a darker shadow under one of the trees. It was difficult to tell apart the shadows casted by the tree and the one he just noticed. It looked familiar. The strange feeling was back. He should know the shadow, he should know that person standing in the garden. The person was standing still like a statue, the only move was it's breath - the chest was rising and sinking in the neverending rhythm. It was a woman. She was standing in the garden, waiting for him. The knowledge suddenly appeared in his mind. She is waiting for me! I know her! He made few steps towards the woman. She suddenly moved and stepped out of the shadows under the tree into the pale moon light. She lit up like a silver flame, blinding him for a minute. She was wearing a long white dress, bare feet gleaming with dew, her face was blured for some reason. Her long wavy hair were nearly silver in the moon light. She lifted her arms up and opened them like if she wanted to hug him. His heart was racing again. He fought with a desire to run to her and throw himself in her arms. His legs were heavy for some reason and he was coming to her terribly slowly. It took an eternity to approach the woman without a face. He was close and stretched his hand to touch her.
Suddenly a roar sounded and hot wave threw him away and casted him on a hard ground. He heard annoying loud sound, everything started to disappear in fog and he cought a glimpse of the woman, waving him good bye as she vanished in the mist.

He woke up in his bed, all the sheets in mess as he was moving in sleep. The annoying noise was his alarm clock. He sighed and covered his eyes to shade them from bright sunlight coming through shutters. He blindly stretched his hand to reach his cell phone and turn off the alarm clock. Unortunately he moved too far during the sleep. He had to turn to lie on his front side and then he could finally take the phone and end the horrible sound. When it was quiet again, he buried his face into the pillow and moaned.
It was a dream. The dream that returns over and over again every night for the last month. He gets closer to the woman every time. He nearly touched her tonight. If he could just sleep for 5 minutes longer! He might find out who the mysterious dream lady is. He was sure he never met that woman. She was burning bright in his mind, yet stayed so out of reach. It was frustrating. He knew every little detail of her; velvet soft skin, peach and white tea scent surronding her like a veil, full light pink lips with a little darker dot at the left corner of bottom lip, gentle line of hazelnut brown eyebrows, long light brown eyelashes casting shivery shadows on her soft cheekbones, silken wavy hair of a golden honey colour,  long and slender throat with head slightly tilted to the side like if she was inviting him to kiss the soft spot there. The dream was driving him crazy. He spend days searching for her in the crowds and nights chasing her in a dream land. It became a slight obsession. No one noticed it so far, but it was only a matter of time when his friends and family start suspecting him going insane.
He turned on his back and took a deep breath. She looked so real... Is she made of flesh and blood somewhere? Is it possible to see a real person in a dream? He secretely wished for her to exist in a real world and he genuinely wanted to meet her. What if she is his significant other? If he saw her in just one or two dreams... But she was constantly teasing him in his sleep for a whole month. That's no coincidence. It has to mean something. But how can he find her? There was never a single hint about her name or occupation in the dream or he didn't notice it. He always met her in the house. It was always the same house. This time he visited the garden for the first time. There were oak trees in the garden, the grass was fresh and green. So he can cross out Africa... Good... That didn't help. The house looked either European or American style... But it could be in Australia or New Zealand as well, or it could be wherever in Asia because you can built a house of your preferences anywhere nowadays. So no help there. He should get up from the bed by now.
He moaned one more time and stood up. He ran fingers through his hair and went slowly to the bathroom to go through morning routine. His mind was still focused on the dream and the woman he desperately wanted to meet. It turned into a physical tension - he needed to meet her, to touch her, to kiss those lips, immerse into her. He needed to find peace in her arms. He knew his life will never be full without her. He was absolutely sure about this, even though he was dreading the fact, he might never find her. Why is she haunting in his dreams, disturbing his sleep?
He spit the toothpaste into the sink and washed his mouth. He looked into the mirror, judging his own reflection. It was time to dress up and pretend he's okay. Another day of searching.