The Dreamer

Chapter 8

Sarah slipped out of her heels and dress and put on her pajamas before collapsing on the bed. It was about one in the morning, and she needed some rest. In her skin, she could still smell Damon's cologne. She could still taste his lips in hers. She giggled feeling like a teenager again. She turned out the lights and allowed herself to drift into a deep sleep.

Within minutes she was standing outside of the restaurant. It was darker than before. The place was empty and dark; it seemed to be closed. She was standing in the sidewalk and there were no people to be seen anywhere around. She stood under a streetlight that was blinking. The air became frigid and she wrapped her arms around her chest. Then she noticed she was wearing the red dress from earlier. But it's summer. There was dust in the air that seemed to be snow falling down. She looked to the ground and found that there was indeed what appeared to be snow on the ground. She was barefoot but her feet didn't feel cold.

By now she was more aware of her dreams. I am dreaming. What am I doing here?

Many blocks away she could see a light that extended all the way from the ground to the sky. There were no cars around either; the traffic lights seemed to be working still. But it still felt too dark. She looked up and there was no moon or stars. That's why it's darker.

She took a step forward and suddenly the experience felt somehow more real. Distance felt real, and so did time. She started walking at a fast pace heading to the pillar of light. Then a homeless man came out of nowhere and held her arm.

"Would you please help me?" his grip was tight and it burned on her skin.

"Let me go; who are you?" she heard herself say although she didn't feel as if she had opened her mouth at all.

"Please help us," another hand got hold of her other arm.

"Please," a chorus started around her. It was probably twenty different voices, but there was nobody around. The first man she saw had vanished too.

The next second she was able to move freely and was all alone.

"What the fuck?" she whispered as her lips trembled, out of fear as much as the frigid air on her skin.

She made her way towards the light one more time. This time much faster but not fast enough to run.

About two blocks away from her goal, her right foot got stuck in the snow. She pulled as hard as she could until finally she pulled it out and found a hand gripping tightly to her foot. She screamed a high pitch and tried to get loose. Then she heard footsteps and saw a group of people running to her from behind, then another group from across the street, and out of nowhere, there were people everywhere. She kept screaming and kicking. The hand grasping her foot grew long claws that hurt her skin. She kicked with her other leg until she got loose. By then the group that was chasing from behind had already caught up to her. They grabbed her clothes and she ran away, letting the dress be ripped to pieces. She was half naked now. She kept running and pushing away everyone who tried to grab her.

Ahead, the crowd had blocked her way so she ran through an alley. At the end there was a ten feet wall that blocked her way. She turned to see the chasers following closely. But they were no longer people. They had different shapes, long tongues, fangs, really long arms. Their skin was rough and had different colors, green, purple, and many more.

She looked back at the wall blocking her way and with a jump she landed on the other side. She ran, looking up at the sky trying to see the pillar of light. And then when she came out of the alley, there it was, right in front of her. The chasers reappeared once again from all directions. She rushed and with her hand got hold of the light. In the next second she was standing in the same spot, but the sun was out, the place was filled with light. The city was still empty, but there were trees growing everywhere, in the sidewalks, the streets, the buildings. The whole place was like what a city would look like if society collapsed and nature took back what was always hers to begin with. She looked in awe at the birds, and the deers, and the butterflies. All kinds of beings inhabited the city.

She looked back at the pillar of light and found a gigantic tree in front of her, her palm resting on it gently. She removed her hand and walked around. She felt called to return to the restaurant. The walk there was pleasant, the sun shone on her skin, and the breeze was fresh and smelled of sweet fruits. Even her clothes were changed into a long white dress. She made it to the restaurant, and found that the door was open.

She took a step inside and found vines growing on the walls, and a tree breaking the floor with its roots was growing in the center of the room. She heard silverware behind the tree. As she walked around it she found a woman sitting in one table behind the tree, sipping what appeared to be tea and eating a piece of cake that rested on a plate in front of here. The woman set down the cup of tea and smiled at Sarah.

"It's you," Sarah said as she recognized the round sweet face of the woman in her dreams.

"I stood in the wrong side of the rail that night. I am sorry. I thought about coming back but it was almost four in the morning. I am sure you understand. I had no way of knowing if you would wait there or just go home."

Sarah sat in front of her with her mouth open. "Is this real?"

"Oh honey, define reality. Isn't reality just the perception of each individual mind, if so, to you, I am as real as you believe in yourself. This is your dream after all."

"But why are you here?"

"You called me here honey. The question is for you, why am I here?"

"I don't know. Are you a real person, I mean, outside my dream?"

"Yes, I am. That night when we met for the first time, I also felt your call. I am here now, and I will help you but you need to know first what kind of help you need."

"What is your name?"

"Aliyah, but people call me Ali," the woman smiled broadly.

"Nice meeting you, I am Sarah," she extended her hand and Ali grabbed it. The touch felt so warm and familiar.

"Can I meet you? Outside of this dream," Sarah put her hands together hoping for a yes.

Ali looked up and thought for a minute. "There is a coffee shop. It's one block away towards Grove St. I will meet you there next Saturday at ten in the morning."

"That's a whole week away."

"Yes. That gives you plenty of time to come up with an answer," she winked as she took the last sip of tea.

"An answer?" Sarah could feel she was about to wake up and was desperate for more answers.

"Yes, I am here to help you, but what help do you need. Alright, honey I will see you soon."

"No, wait," Sarah begged but the next second she was lying down in her bed.

My notebook, she thought.