Haunted Sleep

After running with her father, Dahlia was worn out. Dahlia fell fast asleep, which has become unfamiliar. If only good things lasted. Dahlia woke up, in what she has become familiar with as her own dream realm. Unlike other realms, there's no galaxies, stars, or really anything too mystical kr special about it. As if she was working with a blank canvas, random dreams, ideas and scenes unfolded.

Tonight's dream was full of mystery and she felt like she was being haunted. Her bright blank canvas, grew dark. In the far off distance her childhood home appeared. Dahlia took off running in it's direction, but the destination never grew any closer. The Farm house simply vanished and was replaced by never ending sea. The salt stung her eyes as she tried to stay afloat. Being thrashed around by merciless waves, Dahlia's struggle was in vain and she was dragged into the depths of the sea only to be spit out on the sandy shore of a midnight beach.

Dahlia knew she was stuck in some kind of dream loop, the trick was to find out if it was a message, or her tired brain playing tricks on her again. Sitting in the sand, staring off into the darkness a voice calls to her "Dahlia" and unknown voice says. "Who's there!" Dahlia called into the darkness. Dahlia sits quietly and waits for an answer. No reply comes, but a figure comes into view. A shadow of a wolf appears. Dahlia can't make out the wolf of the features but she knows the scent.

The smell of burnt wood and Sage fills her nose, and makes her spirit wolf growls in delight. "Mate" Raven Star growls out. Dahlia took off after the shadow wolf, driven by instinct. Raven Star, appeared as an apparition and her wolf form, was now running after her mate beside Dahlia. Being a celestial creature, how is it. that Dahlia and Raven Star can't catch her wolf? Dahlia couldn't help but wondered if it was some kind of foreshadowing message for the future. "Please stop running away!" Dahlia cried out.

"Raven Star, why can't we catch up?!" Dahlia cried out to her spirit wolf. Raven Star never looked at Dahlia or answered her question. Come to think of it, it's like Raven Star didn't even know Dahlia was there. Dahlia has been through some really strange dreams and bounced from dream realm, to dream realm but something was just off about her dream. Dahlia couldn't understand what any of it meant. As Dahlia is lost in thought her dream disappeared into utter darkness and began to resemble static, like the film of a movie projector ran out.

Dahlia's realm, fell pit black. Not knowing what was going on, Dahlia sat and brought her knees in close to her chest tightly, she couldn't help but let a few stray tears fall. The scene before her, made her feel despair and fearful, a chill ran down her spine. A light in the distance appeared. It illuminated so brightly, it brought life back to Dahlia's dream realm. The picture was clear and it was the moon goddess, rising to shine light once more.

"What is going on?" Dahlia asked. The moon goddess smiled at her. "Dahlia, you're having a nightmare" the goddess replied. "A...a nightmare?!" Dahlia said confused. "Yes, even a celestial being as yourself, can't hide from the darkest fears our minds hold" The goddess replied again. "You have been stressed out and it's normal that we carry our darkest thoughts, in the farthest depths in our minds. You haven't been sleeping well. You falling into such a deep slumber, you unlocked the darkness you hold back" the moon goddess finished. "So, there's no hidden meaning behind it all?" Dahlia asked. "It's unknown, to me, your dream sequence seems to stem from the the fear of the unknown, linked to the future" the moon goddess replied.

Dahlia felt a little better after the moon goddess brought her out of the darkness. Dahlia had a strange feeling like the darkness she was stuck in was familiar. "Have I seen this darkness before?" Dahlia asked. "Yes, you could say that. This darkness, is like a stain and you brought traces of it back with you, after you helped your father" the goddess answered.

Just as the goddess answered the dream sequence changed again. The goddess disappear and Dahlia ended up free falling into her next sequence. Dahlia crashed hard onto the ground. It knocked the wind out of her. As Dahlia laid there gasping for air, the scene came into view. Blood and bodies surrounded her. Dahlia's packed laid scattered around her slayed. Dahlia saw those she loved the most, lay there, without life. Even the shadow wolf of her mate, laid before her dead. An ominous figure starts to appear to her. Dahlia stands up, ready to engage whatever is coming her way.

The figure is familiar and who appears doesn't surprise her. "Lord Ulrich" Dahlia sneered at him. Lord Ulrich cackled like a hyena, proud of his mayhem. "Why are you here!" Dahlia demands. Lord Ulrich doesn't answer right away and just continues his ominous laughter. "I said, why are you here!" Dahlia screams. Lord Ulrich, stops laughing and glares through Dahlia as if he's looking at someone else. Dahlia turns and sees what could possibly be behind her. Laying at her feet, she sees the bodies of her dead mother and father.

Fear, seeps into Dahlia. Has she really lost her mind? Is this the real message, a glimpse at the past or an impending future? "Celestial wolf, remember, to gain, you must lose" Lord Ulrich seethed. "What?!" Dahlia said back even more confused. Lord Ulrich began to cackle again. Dahlia was frozen by fear. As If things couldn't get any worst, Lord Ulrich approached Dahlia to get closer.

"Stay back!" Dahlia demanded. Lord Ulrich acted as if he didn't hear a sound. He grew closer and closer, until he stood right before her. "I have a present for you" Lord Ulrich said with no emotion at all. Dahlia didn't say a word. Lord Ulrich, swung his arm from behind his back to the front of his body. He threw something at her feet. Dahlia bent down to look what it was. Dahlia saw the object and it just intensified her fear. Lord Ulrich threw her father's severed head at her feet. Dahlia picked up the head. "Dad?" Dahlia said with a whimper. "Remember wolf, to gain one, you must lose another" Lord Ulrich said as he plunged a knife through Dahlia's chest.

Dahlia screamed out in pain and she fell to her knees. Dahlia could feel her light and life seep out. Dahlia grew cold and she felt so alone. Dahlia's breathing became labored and she collapsed. Dahlia tried so hard to cling to life, while gasping for air. Dahlia's body grew cold and limp. The last thing she heard, was the evil cackle of Ulrich. Dahlia had died.

Screaming herself awake, Dahlia grabbed her chest and checked for any marks. Dahlia felt like she was in her dream world forever. Still trying to catch her breath and composure Dahlia couldn't help it and yelled out "What the hell was that!" with fear and sweet still lingering.