Why was Mom taking so long to answer the door? I rang again. Shuffling came from behind the door. She must have been checking the peephole. Then there was silence. Still the door did not open. I rang again, impatient now. What was her problem?
The door jerked inwards. She leaned out and scanned behind me. “You little brats better be running!” she shouted. “I’m calling the cops!” Then she slammed the door shut in my face.
I pulled the key from my pocket. My fingers were shaking. I fumbled with it in the lock. It fell, clinking against the pavement. I picked the key up again, shoved it into the lock and turned. Then I went into the house and closed the door behind me.
“Mom?” I called. She was brushing her hair in the bathroom. “Mom?” I said quietly. But she didn’t look at me, just scowled at her reflection in the mirror. “Mom! Mom, it’s me!” I shouted but she didn’t acknowledge me. Fearfully, I reached out to touch her. But my fingertips slipped right through her shoulder.
I screamed and stumbled away. “No! This can’t be happening!” I righted myself and tried to touch her again but my arm passed right through her middle.
“Matthew! Matthew!” I shouted. I found him in his room. The door was open so I went in. “Matthew?” I said, quietly.
Sitting beside him on the bed, I tried to rest my hand on his knee. But my hand passed right through him and I felt the blanket beneath my fingers instead.
“This is not possible. It must be some sort of bad dream!” I stood up and paced away. Yes, that must be it. I must still be asleep. Only it didn’t feel like being asleep.
I had a brainwave. Standing, I pulled my cell phone from my pocket. I dialed Mom’s number. I heard her phone ringing from the bathroom. Feeling relief, I put the phone to my ear. See, I’m not some kind of incorporeal phantom.
Mom answered her cell. “Hello?”
“Mom, it’s me - Cara.” I was so relieved to hear her voice.
“Hello? Hello?” she said, impatiently.
“Mom? It’s me - Cara!” I said frantically. “It’s Cara! It’s Cara!”
“Cara?” asked Mom.
Relief washed over me. “Yes, Mom, it’s me. Something’s happened.”
“Look, Cara, I see on my call display that your phone is calling me but I can’t hear anything. I guess your phone’s not working. Hope everything’s okay. I’m waiting for you. You’re late.”
I couldn’t stop the tears that were flowing down my cheeks. Then I had another idea. I picked up my phone and tapped open the text app.
Mom?
In a few moments, my phone buzzed with a reply.
What?
I cried harder, with relief. At least I wasn’t completely cut off.
Something happened at work today. I’m not going to be able to make it for our shopping date.
It would have been nice if you had called earlier.
I’m sorry, Mom. I think there’s something wrong with my phone. More like something wrong with me – with everything. Really wrong.
I’ll see you another time then, k?
K. Love you, Mom.
Love you too.
My phone buzzed again. I held it up and looked at the screen. This time it was an email. I tapped it open.
Dear Ms. Cara Pierce,
We regret to inform you that you have slipped past our dimensional plane into a slightly altered one. The Kingcade Worldcorp sincerely apologizes for any difficulty this may cause you. Unfortunately, we can no longer employ you as a Dreamer. We will, however, continue to pay you a generous, ongoing severance package of $500/day, provided you do not instigate legal action against the Kingcade Worldcorp, which would be rather difficult for you to do in your current state, in any case. If you have any further questions or concerns, please reply directly to this email.
Regards,
Reina Maharaj – Regional Coordinator
Kingcade Worldcorp
Fighting angry tears, I slumped down onto Matthew’s bed. I could hardly believe my eyes! The Kingcade Worldcorp had fired me, via email. After they did this to me! They had better be able to fix this. But what if they couldn’t? I’d be trapped here, alone! But since I’d eaten on the way here, I knew I could still eat. So I wouldn’t die. I had to get away to try to think this through. There had to be something I could do, some way to fix this! But I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Matthew.
He was still sitting on his bed, playing some sort of game on his phone.
As I watched him, I spoke out loud. “I’m really glad I got to know you better over the past few years. It’s been great having you as my little brother.” Then I tapped Matt’s number on my phone. I tapped out a message to him.
Matt, I won’t be stopping by the house today after all. Something’s come up with work. It’s pretty serious. There are some big changes happening here. I think I’ll be going away for a while with my work. Maybe for a very long time.
Matthew closed the game to get the text. His expression changed to one of concern as he read.
But you’re okay, right?
Yeah. I’m okay.
He smiled in relief and tapped out a reply.
That’s okay. You being farther away won’t make much of a difference for us. We just text anyway. We can still chat every day!
But we won’t be able to go swimming together.
He laughed out loud, startling me. “Score!” He laughed again as he wrote the message.
That was more for you than for me anyway. Swimming was always your thing. I just went with you to make you happy.
I laughed out loud as I tapped out an answer.
LOL! Love you, Matt! What a sweet kid. He had been going swimming just for me.
Love you too. Let me know how all the changes work out. Hope things go awesome for you!
Will do.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I got up and left the house through the front door. Chances were that I wouldn’t be coming back, ever.
Where could I go now? To the lake. I had always found a measure of peace there, no matter what had happened. It took me forty minutes to get there. I had to take extra care crossing streets because I knew the cars couldn’t see me.
I sat on a large, flat rock on the sandy beach, looking out over the calm blue water. The warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze didn’t touch my soul. The horror of being forever alone and untouchable was fading but tears filled my eyes again. I had lost everything. I wouldn’t be able to help anyone, ever again. Tears spilled out and coursed down my cheeks. I let the tears come. There was no reason to try to be brave any more.
“Now who will dream my dreams with me?” I whispered.
I cried myself empty. The sun was setting. But I wasn’t afraid. No one could harm me now. It must have been summer because the evening air was still warm. I saw that someone had left a large towel spread out on the sand. So I slid off the hard rock and curled up on the towel. It was still warm from the day’s heat. I was used to having a lot of sleep. Soon I faded from consciousness.
***
I was sitting on a pier that stretched out into the ocean. Waves were lapping against my bare feet. I looked to the right and saw that the High King was sitting beside me, his feet also hanging down into the water.
He spoke first. “Everything’s okay, Cara.”
“But…” I pursed my lips. I looked down at the rhythmic swells. I wanted to yell and tell him that everything was not okay. How could everything be okay? But, instead, I waited for him to speak again.
“I know what has happened. This is still part of the plan.”
I looked up, a small hope beginning to flutter in my chest. But he seemed content to watch the horizon. “Part of the plan?” I prompted.
The High King met my gaze and smiled. “I’ve already talked to Blaze. I told him where you are. He’s coming to find you.”
My mouth hung agape. I closed it. “What do you mean? The Bryce in my dreams was the real Bryce all along?”
&nbs
p; “Yes. The real Blaze.”
“How is that possible?
He smiled and took my hand. “What wouldn’t be possible for me?”
“He’s coming to find me? How did he get where I am?”
“The same way that you did.”
His cryptic answers weren’t satisfying me. “But what will we do?”
“Will you dream my dreams with me?” he asked. “And help others dream them too?”
I looked deeply into his brown eyes. He still held my hand. I knew I could trust him. “Yes. I will do whatever you want me to.”
“Then it will be an adventure.”
***
I groped for his hand but was left clutching only a fistful of sand. Above me was blue sky. I sat up. I was still on the beach. Somehow, I knew it hadn’t just been a dream. I stood and brushed the sand from my clothes. I turned around. There, in the parking lot, coming towards me, was a tall man with dark hair – a little longer than was proper. Tears filled my vision. I blinked and tried to swipe them away. Is it really Blaze?
He started running towards me. It is Blaze! I could make out his face. He was smiling. I took a few tentative steps towards him. And then he was right there, catching me up in an embrace and spinning me in a circle. Crying, I clung to him as tightly as I could. It had really been Blaze all along!
He spoke into my hair. “Cara, when it happened, I thought I was alone. I can’t believe it was really you all along. I’m in love with you.”
“I love you too, Blaze. I’m glad we’ll get to adventure together,” I whispered.
“I love it when you call me that.” He released me suddenly. I let go and turned to see what he was looking at.
The High King! He was with us, really with us, standing against the backdrop of the lake, smiling.
“You’re here!” said Blaze. “Really here!”
“Are we dead?” I asked.
The High King laughed. “No. Not dead.”
“Where are we?” Blaze asked.
“You are between places. You’ve slipped sideways, just slightly. You are now partway out of the human spiritual dimension.”
“So…now, we’re like your angels?” I asked.
He smiled kindly. “No. You are both still mortal. It was caused by the Kingcade Worldcorp technology. Their technology had a consequence they did not foresee. They are broadcasting their Focused Unifarious Neurostimulator radiation in all the major urban centers. And it’s not just affecting those who are hooked up through their Peaceful Sleep Clinics. It’s affecting everyone who is susceptible to that type of radiation.”
“Is that why I was able to dream with Cara?” asked Blaze. “Because that radiation was affecting my brain?”
“Yes. And it is why you are here. It has affected you neurologically, physically and also, in a manner of speaking, spiritually. It has affected your whole beings. Their FUN waves have now pushed you onto a different plane.”
“That’s not very FUN,” muttered Blaze. “What are we going to do about it?”
“I want you to work for me,” said the High King. “You could be my agents. We’ll take this bad situation and turn it good – very good. What do you think?”
“Yeah! Agents of the High King!” Blaze pumped his fist in the air.
“So, the reason that we kept seeing each other in our dreams was because we are both very susceptible to that radiation? That’s the only reason?” I asked. Blaze also looked at the High King expectantly.
The High King slowly smiled. “Your minds were thrown together because of your geographical proximity and because of your susceptibility. However, your geographical proximity was divinely arranged.”
“That’s why I could never get acting gigs that were too far away from here!” Blaze exclaimed.
The High King laughed. “You needed each other. It is important.”
I smiled at Blaze and he smiled back. We were victims of divine matchmaking. What a blessing! Then I looked at the High King. “So…we’re mortal…we could get married and have kids?” I looked at Blaze’s widening grin and stammered, “Hypothetically, if we ever wanted to, in the future?”
The High King smiled broadly. “Yes, you could.”
“But who would marry us since no one else can see us?” I asked.
“You can order those documents online these days,” Blaze said. “Plus, maybe the High King could help us out with the ceremony?” Blaze looked to the High King for affirmation.
“Of course.”
I laughed. “Thank you!” I grinned at Blaze.
He grinned back but then the smile was replaced by a thoughtful look. “My dreams were making me so sad. I was glad I found the High King and I brought that through to my real life but, Cara… I thought you were just symbolic or something. That I wanted a good girl to be kind to me – to love me - that I was longing for that or something. Only loving you in my dreams was making real life lose color, if you know what I mean. So…I guess it wasn’t really my dreams making me sad. It was the waking up.” He laughed. “But now, I never have to wake up again. Oh, Cara!” He wrapped his arms around me, hugged me and then lifted me up and spun me around. “I love you!”
“I love you too!” Laugher bubbled up from inside me as I held Blaze tightly. This wasn’t the end of everything, after all. It was just the beginning!
Chapter 18 – The New Adventure!
I pounded down the asphalt in near darkness. More than half of the streetlights had been broken in this neighborhood. A tall building loomed over the narrow street.
“Hurry, Cara!” shouted Blaze from up ahead.
I kept running just as fast as I could, not sparing the breath to tell Blaze that I was already running as fast as I could.
“Caught up to him!” called Blaze.
I phased the last half block and arrived beside my adventuring partner. Being between planes had its advantages. And, the more we practiced, the more we could do. “What have we got?” I jogged beside Blaze, keeping my eye on a young male in a hoodie.
“I’m not sure why the High King has led us here. Can’t tell if the guy has stolen something or what.”
I jogged closer to the guy. “Slow down,” I whispered. He showed no sign of having heard me but his pace slowed slightly.
“Why couldn’t you just tell him to stop?” complained Blaze. “I’m getting a cramp in my side.”
“You could try,” I huffed. “You know they don’t always do what we suggest. If they don’t want to do it on some level, they won’t.”
“You know they listen to you better than they do to me,” said Blaze.
Now, jogging closer to the youth, I glimpsed his face, which had been hidden by shadow under his hood. He was bruised. “What happened to him?”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s injured. Got a black eye and worse.”
Blaze ran ahead of him a little so he could get a better look. “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask?”
“What happened?” I whispered.
Anguish washed over the young man’s face. “I’m not going to let him hurt her again!” he muttered fiercely.
“We’d better ask the High King,” said Blaze.
“Right.” I moved to where I could hold Blaze’s hand. “What should we do?”
Immediately, thoughts came to my mind. Tell him to call the police instead. His mother doesn’t want him to do it. His mother doesn’t want him to go to jail.
Blaze looked at me. “He needs to call the police.”
“Right.” I looked at the teen. “Call the police instead,” I whispered.
Blaze moved to whisper on his other side. “Call the police instead. Your mother doesn’t want you to go to jail.”
The boy swatted an imaginary bug away from his face.
I tried again. “Your mother doesn’t want this. Call the police,” I whispered.
The young man came to an abrupt stop. Panting, he leaned against the brick wall of a building.
“You k
now your mother doesn’t want this. Just call the police,” I whispered.
He rubbed his forehead with one hand and slipped the other into his jacket.
“He’s got a gun,” said Blaze.
I walked around to the youth’s other side and saw the handle of a gun in his hand, concealed in his pocket.
“What are we going to do?” I asked. “We can’t let him kill somebody.”
“We’re going to whisper the truth to him, just like the High King told us to.”
“Right.” I moved very close to the young man’s ear and whispered, “Deep down, you want to do the right thing. Call the police.”
A tear leaked out from the corner of his eye as he released the gun and pulled a cell phone from his pants pocket. He stared at it for a moment, his brow furrowed. Then he dialed 911.
“Hello?” His voice was shaky. He sounded younger than I had thought he was, by the dim light. “This is Mike. My mom’s boyfriend is abusing her. She’s hurt but she won’t go to the hospital because he’ll be mad.” Then he gave his address. Mike stopped talking and listened. “I’m safe. I’m not home right now.” There was another long silence. “Yeah…” He looked down like he was ashamed. “He hits me too.” Mike listened into the phone. “Sure, you should come pick me up and I’ll tell you everything. I got a gun because I was scared for my Mom. But I’ll give it to you guys when you get here. Thanks for helping.”
Blaze and I waited with Mike until the police arrived. He put the gun on the ground like the officer asked him to. They weren’t rough with him and they didn’t put him in handcuffs.
“I think he’s going to be okay,” I said.
“Yeah, another mission accomplished. High five, Partner!” Blaze held his hand up. I gave him five and we both laughed. It felt really good helping people for the High King and, best of all, we never had to wake up from this adventure. It was our real life now.
I felt the familiar vibration of being phased. “Here we go,” I said. The High King was taking us to our next mission.
We materialized into daylight at a park. I assumed this must be some different part of the world, where it was daytime now. The park was mostly empty. Then I noticed a little girl at the base of a large tree, looking up. Given no direction, I walked towards her. She was crying.