The Waker of Dreams

‘I’m tired, so tired,’ said Jonathon Black,

‘I can hardly stay awake,’

His wife just stared at the back of his head,

Went back to her currant cake.

She’d heard it all a million times

Was bored with the things he’d say,

She wished he’d pack up his things, sometimes

And quietly go away.

 

But Jonathon sat in his bamboo chair

And stared at the world outside,

He used to be full of energy,

But something inside him died,

He lived in the shadows of tides and scenes

That were conjured behind his eyes,

The throwaway remnants of others dreams

He’d capture in tears and sighs.

 

He spent the afternoon nodding off

Then woke with a startled cry,

‘You wouldn’t believe what I saw just now,

Right out of a clear blue sky.

A shadow crept from the bushes there

And it killed young Andrew Deems,’

Giselle had tutted and shook her head,

‘Just one of your stupid dreams!’

 

The woods, a favourite lovers spot

Stretched out from their own back door,

Giselle would go with a basket there

Looking for mushroom spore.

‘I saw you out in the woods today

But nothing is what it seems,’

She turned and snapped at her husband’s back,

‘Just keep me out of your dreams!’

 

‘It isn’t a question of that,’ he said,

‘I can’t control what I see,

Wherever a person’s thoughts are at

They keep on coming to me.

Even the strangers that walk on past

Have secrets they send in beams,

You’d think that they would be safe from me

But I’m the waker of dreams.

 

Giselle had wandered off to the woods

With her basket held on high,

While Jonathon found and loaded his gun,

Went after her with a sigh,

He found her there in a shady nook

In a huddle with Andrew Deems,

‘I thought I’d warned you, often enough,

You didn’t believe, it seems!’

 

He shot the lad as he tried to run

Then dropped the gun to his side,

‘All I could see in his dreams was you,

But now, that dream has died.’

‘And what will you do with me,’ said she

And bit her lip ‘til it bled,

‘I’m tired, so tired,’ said Jonathon Black

Then put the gun to his head.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Sheila Kline]

Oh, I didn't see that ending coming, but I love it!! The poor chap does speak of being so very tired in the beginning, but I rather thought it would be that he would get more tired of his cheating wife! Your imagination is absolutely unending with thoughts to entertain us!!
Another wonderful read my friend!!

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

The Waker of Dreams will wake no more. This is tragic and sad.

[Ravyne Hawke]

Wow.. dark and creepy this one.. I love that he saw visions as dreams. Interesting story here.

[TL Boehm]

Aww the poor guy. A fascinating tale, premonitions, dreams and she wanting to be out of them altogether. In this case Giselle got her wish.

[minisla]

Serious twist I was sure she was in for it.

[Lena M. P.]

Ok David that was truly your most morbid one yet! I about freaked where I got to the end of that one. You should come with warnings!

[Baby Ricochet]

Great ending! Outstanding work sir!!

[Onku Ghosh]

A twist at the end......very unexpected.A very interesting read.Another excellent write,David

[Tomahawk Joe]

As usual I find your unique style entertaining to read.

[Marie]

It seems to me Jonathon Black warned his wife...she should have heeded his dream...

[Robert Lindsay]

Great way to resolve this with an interesting twist. A dark story but I didn't see it coming. The dreams were warnings. Clever. Do you plot these stories out or do they just naturally fall into place as you write?