Aspen and the Dream Walkers

  Chapter 3

  Entering Lanta

  A cool breeze touched Aspen's cheek. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she noted was that the sky was violet. The location was different, but she knew that she was dreaming again. With a jolt, someone jerked her backward and pulled her against a stone wall.

  "Are you stupid?" a low voice hissed close to her ear.

  She whirled around in surprise. Dylan stood behind her, his eyebrows raised and his forehead wrinkled in disbelief. Glaring at her, he reached out and drew her body closer.

  Too stunned to protest, she stared at him mutely.

  "Come with me now!" he demanded, and dragged her toward a nearby open barn door.

  An electric current simmered in her veins at his touch. That was just the trigger she needed and she pulled back, nearly dragging her feet on the ground. "Hey, wait just one minute."

  "Save it," he hissed. "We've got no time, they're almost here. We have to hide."

  She stumbled after Dylan as he pulled her into a small barn and aimed them toward a pile of hay stacked up to the roof. Wooden crates of all sizes were scattered around the floor.

  "Get in now!" he ordered.

  "Where, why?" Aspen tried to speak but he shoved her underneath the hay without waiting for her consent. Dried grass tickled her nose and scratched her skin. He shushed her as she tried to speak again, and his grip tightened on her arm.

  Confusion caused panic to rise in her chest. Her lungs burned from the short burst of energy while her body tingled euphorically from his touch. The light under the prickly hay was enough for her to see into the darkened barn, and she used the opportunity to study Dylan's face as he sat next to her. Breathing rapidly, he peered through the hay into the large room.

  The clean, soapy fragrance that she'd smelled before filled her senses, and she wondered why she could smell so clearly while dreaming.

  She glanced down at her clothing and grimaced as she touched the heavy linen skirt draped around her legs. So uncool.

  Nothing happened. While it was nice to sit next to him, she couldn't hear a thing and the minutes ticked by. Even though he'd released his grip on her, she was hot and uncomfortable from the hay that jabbed her. About to stand up and argue with him, she stilled when a noise drew her attention to the open door.

  Three men slipped into the barn. Wearing identical tight black T-shirts tucked into cargo pants and polished black boots, they looked vaguely military and powerful. Dylan raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to keep quiet. The men peeked into the horse stalls and poked around, lifting crate lids and kicking at the hay.

  Aspen drew a sharp breath and held it as one of the men came close to where they were hidden. In the dim violet light, he looked in their direction with eyes that were completely black. No white was visible around the iris at all. Dark hair, an aquiline nose, and ghostly-pale skin made him look intimidating, and he seemed to stare straight at her. She froze instantly.

  After lifting a rusty pitchfork from the wall, he stabbed at the hay in front of them with deep jabs. A scream worked its way up her throat, but Dylan squeezed her arm and she kept quiet. The man stopped suddenly as someone called, and he turned toward the door. With one last look over his shoulder in their direction, he dropped the pitchfork and strode out of the barn.

  Aspen relaxed her fingers, which had been clenched into fists throughout the ordeal, and exhaled slowly. Dylan motioned for her to keep quiet, then released his grip on her and rose silently from the haystack. Her body quivered from the shock of what had just happened, and he reached out to help her stand.

  "Don't worry, they're gone," he said softly, his breath feathering against her cheek. "Calm down. See? The sky is changing, so they have to leave."

  The darkness had receded and as she looked up, a soothing yellow light took its place.

  What a strange dream.

  Dylan brushed pieces of hay from her clothing as she stepped away from the haystack. She shook her hair and pulled at stubborn sticks clinging to her braid. Wait, was her hair braided? No way.

  "What were you thinking?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts. "You can't use your powers just before Lavendula. Don't you know that? It's dangerous and the Chancellors will find you." His eyes were stony as he glared at her.

  "Lavendula-my powers-what on earth are you talking about?" Shrugging her shoulders, she stared back at him.

  "Hmm. I suppose you don't know about that yet, do you?" Dylan walked to the door and she hurried to follow him.

  "Come, it's safe. We've got some time before Lemona ends. I'll show you where I live."

  "Hold on one second, I need some answers here." Following his retreating figure, she called after him and lifted her long skirt. Great, boots and a long skirt. Couldn't she dream up a better wardrobe?

  She walked behind him into a wide sandy street, inhaling deeply when she noticed the pleasant scents of apple pie and popcorn filling the air. Large crowds of people walked about normally, and she sighed, relieved that it was safer outside.

  A small child raced down the road, ignoring his parents who called after him. Aspen smiled at the sight, then was jolted when Dylan pulled her back to avoid being run over by a horse-drawn cart. The large beasts stomped their hooves proudly as they trotted past, their muscles twitching and glistening with sweat as the cart creaked and groaned behind them. His hand lingered for a second on her arm, and she shivered at the fire that spread in her veins from his touch.

  "You have horses here?" she asked.

  "We don't use cars in Lanta. We prefer to live a more rustic lifestyle."

  "No cars, huh?" My dream gets better every minute, she thought sardonically.

  Trailing behind him, she saw busy stores with shop owners who proudly displayed their wares. Tables of plump, juicy fruit and sun-ripened vegetables were arranged under colorful canopies. Candies and chocolates were spread out on other tables, while pretty trinkets and sparkly jewels adorned cloths covering the pavement. A cobbler displayed row upon row of boots in front of his store.

  "Boots seem to be in fashion here," she remarked.

  "Yes. In Lanta, the heavier the soles, the better." He pointed to her shoes. "You should get a pair like that when you get home."

  "No way. I'll be happy not to see these again." Grimacing, she lifted her skirt slightly to stare at the black boots she'd found on her feet. "So, who were those men in the barn?"

  Dylan glanced back at her. "They're called Chancellors."

  "Why were they hunting us? I was so scared. When that guy picked up the fork, I wanted to scream."

  He stood still and waited for her to catch up with him. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know that you'd be here so soon. I wasn't expecting you." Turning around, he walked away and she had to hurry to keep up with him.

  After leaving the town, they headed toward rows of cottages nestled along a grassy hill. The dream was peaceful now and she tried to enjoy the rest of it while it lasted.

  "The houses look really cute." She smiled and forgot about her shoes and the evil men with pitchforks.

  "Look at the one with the chimney smoke. That's mine." He pointed at a white house with a red roof. A picket fence surrounded it.

  Walking up to the fence, he opened the small gate and faced her. "Be careful of Goldilocks."

  "Goldilocks? Does she live here? Where are the bears?" She giggled.

  "That's really funny," he answered. Even with a scowl on his face, he looked good.

  Aspen jerked back as a loud quack split the silence around her. She stared in amazement as an overweight white goose waddled toward her. It had a gold beak and the longest black eyelashes she'd ever seen on a bird. Wait, did birds have eyelashes? A bright blue bow was fastened around the bird's neck.

  "Careful, she likes to nip people," he warned.

  "She's so beautiful. What a gorgeous goose."

  The goose seemed to understand her and stuck its chest out. If she didn't know any better, she'd have thought t
hat the goose smiled.

  Kneeling on the ground, Aspen opened her arms. The goose waddled straight into them and waggled a short feathery tail like an excited puppy. Soft feathers tickled her face as she stroked the goose's long neck soothingly.

  "You are the prettiest bird I've ever seen, yes you are." The tone she used was normally reserved for babies and small animals, and the goose waggled its tail even harder.

  "Huh, you wouldn't say that if you knew her better."

  "How long have you had her?"

  "Not long, she's still a baby. My dad is friends with the Firestones, and they let us have one of their chicks. Trust me, she's going to be huge one day!"

  Goldilocks pulled back and glared at him. Without warning she chased him, and her gold beak snapped in the air.

  "Whoa, Gold, I didn't mean that." Dylan laughed and dodged the suddenly aggressive bird. He led her in a circle and then dashed toward Aspen, pulled her behind the fence, and shut the gate. The goose was locked outside.

  "You can't leave her there. She'll get lost."

  "Goldilocks will never get lost. Just rattle her pellet bowl and she'll find her way home," he teased as the bird snapped her beak at him and quacked in displeasure.

  "It's okay, Gold, I'm just going to get some pellets inside the house and then we'll visit the lake so that you can eat."

  The big goose seemed to calm down once he'd spoken but she remained at the gate, wiggling her tail vigorously. Opening the front door, he allowed Aspen to enter the house.

  A small fire glowed in the hearth. Aspen looked around in admiration at the comfortable sofa and wooden floors that gleamed. A shaggy rug lay under a wooden coffee table. It was warm and inviting inside, and so different from her home.

  The dream had lasted for a while now, and she really didn't want it to end.

  "My parents aren't here, but our housekeeper is in the kitchen. I have to let her know that we're taking Gold for a walk." Dylan left her in the living room for a moment and then reappeared with a short, matronly woman in tow.

  Wisps of blond hair stuck out from beneath the hair net around her head, and her apron was smeared with flour and dough.

  "Aspen, this is Molly, our housekeeper."

  The older woman smiled shyly behind Dylan's back. "Welcome, miss, it's so nice to meet you. We've been waiting to see you for such a long time." Rubbing her hands clean on the apron, she bowed slightly.

  Aspen looked at Dylan in confusion. Why would his housekeeper be bowing to her? The woman's accent was odd as well. She couldn't quite place it.

  It's a dream, it's a dream, she repeated to herself, then said with a smile, "It's good to meet you too."

  "We're taking Gold to the lake, but we won't be long. Tell my dad I'll be back soon."

  "That'll be good, sir. I'll be sure to let him know. Good day, miss." Molly winked at Aspen and walked back into the kitchen.

  Dylan grabbed a plastic container from a stand near the door and shook it. Goldilocks quacked enthusiastically outside.

  "Let's get going. We don't have much time left."

  The big bird waggled her tail madly, and Aspen wondered if she would fall over. Dylan opened the container and began dropping pellets on the white stone path behind him, much like a fairy-tale trail of gingerbread crumbs. Goldilocks dipped her head and gobbled up each one excitedly.

  They walked for a short distance until the murmur of a brook up ahead could be heard. Aspen shuddered when she thought of the spiders in her dream the night before.

  "What's wrong? It looks like something's spooked you," Dylan said.

  "I had a bad dream about a river last night. I don't want to go anywhere near water."

  "Don't worry. We're not going down to the willow trees. The brook leads into a lake up ahead. Goldilocks loves eating grass next to the water."

  She looked at the goose as it shuffled its fat body in eager anticipation beside them, and sighed.

  "I suppose it's all right. She does look excited."

  They walked on the path for a bit longer. As they rounded a curve on the road up ahead, Aspen gasped at the sight of a lake stretched out lazily before them.

  The surface of the lake was calm and glassy in the center, but near the bank the water rippled somewhat where a babbling brook folded into it. Its circumference was framed by lime-green grass dotted with buttercup-yellow flowers, a scene as perfect as a picture postcard.

  Aspen couldn't see the sun, but the air was warm on her face. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple, and she grimaced as she looked down again at the hot and heavy skirt she wore, wondering if she could change her clothes mid-dream.

  Goldilocks quacked again and waddled quickly to the lake's bank to eat the lush green grass.

  She glanced up at Dylan. "It's so amazing. You must love coming here."

  "It is and I do." He smiled, and a moment of silence hung between them. Dylan reached for a blade of grass and sat down on a huge white boulder.

  "It's the Dream Walker Lake, Aspen. It's a part of Lanta where we live, and it belongs to all of us, including you and me."

  She licked her dry lips and leaned over to pluck one of the pretty yellow flowers, then sat down on a boulder close to him. The petals were waxy under her fingertips, and she rubbed them absentmindedly.

  "We come here to recharge," he said.

  She closed her eyes and smiled as the warm breeze tickled her cheeks. "Yes, I bet you do," she said with a sigh.

  "No, really, we come here to recharge our life force."

  Aspen lifted a brow and opened one eyelid to look at him dubiously. Dylan stretched his fingers upward and a stream of electricity charged up and down his hand. The blue flames spluttered like an electric bug zapper, and she jumped up.

  "Relax, you can do this too." He shook his head and chuckled. "Sit down and raise your hand up like mine."

  It's a dream, it's just a dream.

  "Um, okay." Slowly she lifted her arms and jerked as blue flames rushed from her elbow up into her hands. Shaking her hands, she screamed.

  "Ow! I'm on fire! Oh my gosh, help me!" Instinctively seeking to cool the searing burning sensation that ran down her arms, Aspen rushed to the lake and stuck her hands deep into the cool water. Instantly a burst of electricity hit her so hard that she was flung back, landing in a heap on the grass behind her.

  Dylan's body shook with laughter. "Aspen, haven't you been paying attention in school? Water is a conductor of electricity. It'll only make the current stronger."

  She rubbed her palms dry on the heavy skirt. At least the skirt served a purpose, she thought. Determined to do it right this time, she once again raised her arms. But as soon as she lifted her hands toward the sky, blue flames of electricity sprang from her fingers again.

  "Concentrate and try to stop the current," Dylan shouted as she bounced up and down, desperately flicking her hands.

  "Make it stop!" she cried out. Her heart pounded in her chest and she took short, panicky breaths.

  Dylan rushed up behind her and pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a soothing manner. His chest rumbled with laughter, then he leaned his head toward her ear and spoke gently.

  "Watch. This is how you do it." Pressing his cheek against hers, he rubbed his jaw softly against her skin. Aspen got such a fright that she forgot about the flames. Instantly the blue current stopped, but the warmth she felt whenever he touched her spread from her face throughout her body.

  "See? You need to concentrate. Let the power flow through you, because it's a part of what you are. You can control it with your mind."

  His hard chest cradled her back and she tried to pull away from him.

  "Calm down." He tightened his grip on her and kept his cheek pressed close to hers. "Try it again."

  Inhaling deeply, Aspen allowed herself to rest against his upper body. Dylan was so close that his breath puffed against her neck and his heart hammered against her spine. Stretching her hands out, she tensed as soon as flames s
prang from her fingertips again.

  "Concentrate," he insisted. "Make the power stop. Tell it to flow away from you."

  She took a deep breath and concentrated as hard as she could. The blue flames receded as soon as they'd started. Aspen looked at her hands in amazement.

  "Just like that?" she asked.

  He laughed. "Just like that."

  Trying again, she felt the tingling spread until the flames appeared. Her fingertips looked like a blowtorch and she squealed. "I could get used to this."

  "There. Switch it off."

  After concentrating, the flame disappeared magically. This is such a cool dream, she thought.

  Dylan gave her a quick squeeze, but didn't release her. "It'll get easier with practice."

  She looked back at him in amazement. "How is this possible?"

  His gaze softened. "I think you've seen enough for one day, my little princess." Smiling, he kissed her forehead. "I'll continue our lessons when we get to school tomorrow."