Dream 1

Summer or winter days? If I had to pick one, I love winter days. The weather is cool and breezy and you get to wear comfy clothes. The only thing I dislike about winters is that the nights are longer. For a lucid dreamer like me, that meant longer sleep and longer dreams and dreams aren't always meant to be sweet.

"Wow, Mary! You really do remember every detail of your dreams! That's so cool! I don't really remember mine, I wish I could though!", Yaya spoke as loudly as ever.

The people inside the cafe turned to look in our direction while I tried to hide my face behind the menu pretending not to know my best friend.

It was Friday afternoon on a cold day, I had gone out to grab a cup of tea from the nearby cafe while my best friend stared at my face expecting me to reassure her that dreaming was actually fun. Our high school exams were over and we were now applying for university. Gloomy days and exam stress do make a hellish combination.

"Have you ever been stuck in a nightmare before?" I spoke in a low voice to avoid the unwanted attention my best friend was building for our table.

"Not really, I mean I do get nightmares from time to time, but they don't last for long, and they're mostly about me not being able to finish my exam on time. ugh," She shrugged.

"Ohh the pleasure of being able to escape your nightmares~"

"Shut up" she rolled her eyes behind her big glasses.

"Well in any case winters exhaust me since my dreams are odd at times"

"You should stop watching war documentaries"

"But they are so fun to watch though, maybe I should major in history or something" I pondered upon that thought.

"Like that's gonna help you make a good living" She picked up her coffee mug and sipped it.

"Well I may not have a memory like yours to be a medical student but my intuition is pretty strong" I pouted.

She chuckled as she looked around the cafe and spotted something that made her grin.

'Uh oh, I know that look, hell is about to break loose. I should escape' My spidey senses were tingling.

As I was about to get up, she grabbed my shoulders and placed me right back on my seat while whispering in my ear "There is another way you can make a good living"

She secretly pointed towards the boy that had just walked into the cafe.

I spotted a familiar face and immediately turned red.

"Don't you dare leave me..!" I grabbed onto her arm, while she kept grinning and stood up.

"Hey Henson over here!" she said loudly and waved at the boy with dark hair and a gentle face. He looked at her and smiled while walking towards us.

'Oh no, this is bad, this is bad for my heart, I think I'm dying.'

I stared daggers at my smirking best friend, who now released herself from my grasp and was escaping to the exit while mouthing a 'g-o-o-d l-u-c-k' to me.

While I shot back a 'you will pay for this glare'.

She waved Henson goodbye and was on her way and he stood confused in front of me regarding what just happened. He was the same age as us and my neighbor when I moved with my family to this cold town 3 years ago. It was due to his good personality and handsome face that I fell for him at first sight, I really do have a weakness for pretty faces. No wonder all my friends are good-looking.

"Hey! What's up, Mary? What was Yaya doing?" he asked while he sat down in front of me.

"Haha, ah, nothing much, haha, you know she's just crazy like that, what about you?" I mustered out nervously.

'Seriously women, it's been three years! Get a hold of yourself' I whined inwardly.

"I'm great, just preparing for my exams, it's really tough to study these days right?" he beamed.

'How did three years not put a dent in your personality, how could you be this kind, ugh' I strained.

"Yeah you're right," I said sheepishly, not knowing how to keep the conversation flowing.

I awkwardly avoided his gaze and looked towards the window. A man stood there. Pale as snow with deep dark eyes and parched lips. He was staring at me with his eyes wide open without blinking. The only thing that parted us was the glass window, yet it felt like he was breathing down my shoulder.

I fell back in shock, unable to breathe, or say anything while taking deep breaths.

'How long has he been standing there?!' The thought brought a chill down my spine.

Henson suddenly grabbed me and picked me up.

"Are you okay?!" he asked worriedly.

I looked out the window and the man was still there breathing on the glass, I could see his rotten teeth now.

I looked at Henson, who seemed to be in shock that I was acting like a crazy person. 'Can he not see that man?!'

My heart raced as people started to gather around. I looked out the window again and the creepy guy said.

"It is time to come back", he grinned, while still not blinking.

He pushed his face away from the glass and started walking away.

"Mary! What's wrong? You're freaking me out!" I could hear Henson speaking.

I hurriedly stood up and stupidly stumbled "It was nothing, I thought I saw a cockroach, haha oops, anyways I gotta go now, nice chatting with you"

He stared at me surprised that I would react so strongly against a mere cockroach.

I dashed out of the cafe leaving behind a bewildered crowd.

'Agh! This is the worst! Now he thinks I'm crazy! Ugh Stupid! Are you hallucinating? Am I going crazy now? Who was that creepy guy? Agh! Great this should go on my resume. Vivid dreamer and crazy hallucinator'

I rushed home to find the lights out in my house.

'That's odd, where is everyone?'

There was a small note on the table that read 'Gone to visit aunt at the hospital'.

My aunt had been in a coma for about 4 months now after she and her family got into a car crash. She was the only survivor, yet the doctors remained uncertain of whether she would wake up or not.

There may be some news. It was 5 pm yet it was so dark outside. I crashed on my bed, resting my face on my soft pillow. I decided to wrap myself in my cozy blanket. I looked at my sisters' side of the bed, they must have taken her along. Well since she's older and more responsible than me, they probably figured she must've been more useful to have around than an exam student like myself.

'Ah well, let's get some shut-eye'

A darkness spread. The man staring from the cafe window. "…Come back" his voice echoed. Henson holding onto me, a concerned look on his face.

'Don't look at me like that'

"Come back Mary!" his voice slowly faded in the darkness.