4 Dream or Not
"I'll grab my coat." He did and told Philip where he was going—which was only a few shops away.
Philip didn't seem to be paying attention as he only replied with a wave of his hand as he continued his search for Mr Spencer's book.
Dan and Lily walked together side by side down the sidewalk.
They were both silent for a while.
Dan didn't know what to say so he remained quiet.
Thankfully, Lily broke the silence.
"The weather's pretty nice today. It's not as cold, " she said quietly.
"Yeah, " he replied quickly.
She turned to him.
"You seem different, " she dropped unexpectedly.
He stared at her, eyes wide.
"Different. . . ?" He was a little confused.
"From the first time we met, " she clarified.
"Oh, " he replied as he averted his eyes and stared out in front of him.
There was a faraway look in his eyes.
He seemed distracted.
She held his hand as he almost walked past the coffee shop.
"We're here, " she said.
He looked down at the slender hand wrapped around his arm.
He looked back at her, he stared deeply into her forest-green eyes.
The feeling of her hand on his arm felt strange—unfamiliar.
He took a step back from her, her hand falling off his arm.
He looked away sheepishly clearing his throat.
"I'm sorry, " Lily said sensing his uncomfortable shuffle.
His eyes darted immediately to hers.
"It's...fine. I just—"
"It's okay, " she said hurriedly.
"You don't have to explain, " she said catching the strained look in his eyes.
He looked down.
After a few seconds, he looked back up at her.
"Do you wanna go somewhere?" He started unsurely.
"It's an old park on the outskirt of the city. Not many people go there anymore though. We can go there and enjoy the scenery."
"If you want to that is, " he quickly added.
"Sure, " she said quietly.
Five minutes later, they were at the park.
Like he had said, it was almost bare of life, only a few children played there.
He took her to another bench, not the out of reach one much farther but one from which they could see the children play.
He didn't want to take her to his special spot where he went to smoke.
He didn't want to send her running for the hills.
"It's nice, I actually like it, " she told him once they settled on the bench where they watched adults converse and children play ball.
The trees were one of a kind, strategically planted so that they formed canopies all around them.
The pink and purple blend of the flowers were breathtaking as the trees danced mesmerisingly as the wind blew gently on them.
Dan turned to face her when he heard her speak.
His mind had momentarily zoned out and he was deep in thought about his last visit to the park the evening before.
His hand shook slightly.
"Yeah, " his voice fading out.
"Are you okay?" Lily asked him noticing his far from calm expression.
"I'm fine, " he said quickly.
"Are you sure?" she asked again, the concern so open in her eyes, his heart took a small leap.
"Yeah, " he said quietly.
Silence passed between them for a moment.
She closed her eyes savouring the feel of the wind as it blew softly against her skin.
She opened her eyes and turned to him.
"It's breathtaking, " she whispered.
He turned to face her, her innocent yet beautiful eyes pulling him in.
He blinked realising she'd just said something.
"What?"
"Everything. The trees, the soothing air, the serenity. It's just so peaceful. It reminds me of how beautiful God's creations are."
He watched her—her eyes were closed again. Her beautiful hair swayed as the wind teased the tendrils.
At that moment, she looked like an Angel.
She looked like an Angel.
'But what was he?'
Then he remembered what she had said.
'...it reminds me of how beautiful God's creations are.'
'God...' After that, his mind drew a blank.
She opened her eyes and stared straight into his eyes.
At that moment, something swirled within him.
"Isn't God beautiful?" She smiled brightly at him.
He looked away.
"I don't believe in God, " he stated.
The smile never dropped from her face.
"It's okay, " she said softly putting her hand over his.
The contact seared through his veins like liquid fire.
"We should go back, lunch break's over." He slid his hand from underneath hers and stood abruptly.
His sudden movement surprised her and she stood too.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah." And he began walking towards the entrance with a confused Lily following closely behind.
√√√√
They were both on their way back to the bookshop.
He hadn't said a word to her since they left the park.
She grabbed his hand.
"Dan wait, please, " she said a little out of breath.
It wasn't easy catching up with him.
He stopped and he let out a shaky breath but he didn't turn to her.
"I can tell something's wrong, " she said softly.
Dan gritted his teeth, his hand shaking a little.
"Can you not touch me?" he said with a little bit of difficulty.
She let him go but she didn't move away.
"I'm sorry."
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, " she said softly.
At that moment he turned to her.
"But you are, " he said.
Her eyes widened. There was confusion in them.
She looked into his eyes—they looked strained.
"I have to go." He turned and started walking away.
But then. . .he stopped.
He looked down and saw a pair of hands wrapped around his waist.
He felt pressure behind him.
"What're you doing?" his voice sounded alien even to him.
Her arms tightened around him and she buried her face in his back.
"It felt like you needed a hug, " she whispered.
He untangled her hand and turned to face her.
"Don't you know what personal space is?" he said, his voice hoarse.
She took a step closer to him and looked up into his eyes—she saw the confusion in them.
She stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around him.
Dan froze completely.
"What're you—"
Her arms tightened around him. His hands hung limp by his sides.
His fingers twitched slightly.
He could feel all of her against him.
It excited him.
With more force than he intended, he untangled himself from her, his breathing ragged.
Without a single word, he left.
√√√
Dan closed his tired eyes.
He hadn't been able to get proper sleep for two nights straight.
He'd been having nightmares of those days—those dark days, most of which he'd suppressed.
But it seemed those memories we're fighting to find expression through his dreams—turning them into nightmares.
His asthma was coming. He knew it.
He'd been having trouble breathing lately.
He rummaged for his glasses on his bedside drawer. He put them on.
He really needed contacts.
His breath came out in quick succession.
His eyes were blurry even with the glasses.
Was he ill?
He needed to get a refill for his inhaler.
He got out of his bed and walked wobbly towards the door.
He needed water—there was nothing in the fridge.
The convenience store a block away would still be open.
He only hoped he got there before he passed out.
He mustered the strength to take a few more steps towards the door but before he made it, something hit him hard on the head from behind.
He fell, blood dripping from his temple.
Before he blacked out, he could hear tiny shuffling. When finally, he saw a pair of feet in front of him.
But they weren't human feet.
√√√√
When Dan came to, he found himself on a metal chair, strapped by a thick rope.
The rope dug into his fragile skin.
'Where was he?'
Dan took a look at his surrounding—a dim bulb hung on the ceiling blinking like it could go out any minute.
The room was small and square and he was quickly getting claustrophobic.
His breathing became erratic.
'How did he get there?"
He was panicking.
The room started shaking and with it the bulb.
Out of thin air, four figures appeared right in front of him.
They were all covered in cloaks and hoodies hid their faces.
He blinked.
Was he dreaming?
"Who the hell are you?" he was only greeted with silence and they all seemed to stare at him.
If this was a dream, he wanted to wake up.
He looked at all four of them trying to take a good look at those who must have taken him captive. They looked human—but he wasn't so sure.
None of them had spoken. They only stood unmoving—like statues.
Their cloaks were all of different colours.
One was purple, another was white and the remaining two were red and black.
"W-Who are you?" he said louder this time, his voice stronger.
The one in white stepped forward.
"We are your emotions." The voice was low and raspy—inhuman.
It made shivers run down his spine.
"M-My emotions? What do you mean? I don't understand." Dan clutched the armrest tightly.
'The fuck. . .'
"Why am I here? Why did you bring me here?" he managed to get out.
He was greeted with silence once again.
The one in white finally spoke.
"I am Peace."
The one in purple spoke next, "I am Royalty."
The one in black stepped forward and spoke, "I am Sin."
And the one in red which had remained in the dark corner all the while stepped forward and spoke, "I am Anger."
"And we live inside of you, " Peace said.
"W-What?"
"H-How, how is that even possible?" Dan just about lost it at that point.
"You have a lot of questions we cannot answer, " Peace said.
"I'm confused, this doesn't make any sense. You don't make any sense. This isn't real, you're all figments of my drab imagination."
The one in red spoke. Anger.
"You'll be told another time. But now you have to wake." And with that, an abyss opened right on the floor in front of him.
His heart was already in his throat.
He fell into the dark void, his screams fading out as the abyss closed in on him.
√√√√
Dan woke up with a start breathing heavily.
His body was covered in perspiration.
He sat up and buried his face in his palms.
'What just happened?'
He looked around his room—it was messy as usual.
'But how did he get in his bed?'
The last thing he remembered was passing out on the floor.
His eyes widened.
'We're your emotions. . .' 'What the. . .'
"What kind of dream was that?" he muttered quietly to himself.
He needed to lay off the smokes or else he'd go batshit crazy.
He sighed and laid back on his bed.
Images of long auburn hair and forest-green eyes filled his thoughts luring him into another world where his darkest fantasies weren't just fantasies.
...
