I'll Fight For You, If I Have To

Chapter 28

Sleep has overtaken me. As the imagery from the hospital window begins to fade out, I begin to experience a different world. One of new scenery. In my dream, I am flying over my childhood home. There are others with me, in flight. We aimlessly take off into different dimensions. Each place that we land, we explore as if we are pioneers.

We are as free and curious as children. The fellow pioneers take time exploring and discover new talents, that almost seem like super powers. One of the pioneers has discovered that they've developed telescopic vision, being able to see into outer space with just enough concentration. 

Another pioneer discovers that they have the ability to manipulate clouds, changing them into various shapes and forms like a Rorschach test. 

Another Pioneer learns that they now have the ability to change their physical form into whatever they might imagine. 

I sit aside and observe as the others try on their new gifts. Suddenly, the man form the Garden appears. 

He stands before me, with his hands infamously tucked behind his back. We watch the others in perfect silence for a moment. Until the silence becomes boring. After a few moments, the man proceeds to look down towards my direction. He crouches down as if talking to a little child and tilts his head inquisitively.

"And what about you. Have you discovered any of your gifts yet."

I shake my head defensively.

He continues to poke. "And why is that?"

"I'm afraid?"

"Afraid of which? Not having any gifts? Or being overwhelmed by the capacity of them?"

I pause, truly moved by what the man has said.

"How long will you continue to live in the background Diana? What is it that you're so afraid of?"

Without notice, the clouds begin to disappear. The other pioneers are nowhere to be found. The old man looks at me sternly, maintaining his stance. I begin to fall through the remainder of cloud, that at one point managed to keep me afloat. 

As I fall, I kick and scream, doing my best to lessen the blow. I can see remnants of the man as I fall further and further down the sky. I land awkwardly on the ground. bruising my bottom. I proceed to rub it in attempt to soothe the discomfort. As I attempt to familiarize my surroundings, within close proximity sits what appears to be my childhood home. I stand up to take a peak around. Everything is as I remember. The grass is well cut. The door still shines a bright red. The mailbox still looks fresh. I open the door and proceed to enter the house.

It is dark inside. Quiet and abandoned. I walk down the hallway to find family pictures still hanging on the wall. They've managed to collect dust. Curiosity gets the best of me and I proceed to open the fridge. Rotten apples are found all throughout each crevice of the fridge, partially bitten, with worms crawling all around them. I scream and jump back. An eerie feeling overwhelms the home. I run upstairs to my old room. Everything is just as I remember. I close the door and do my best to catch my breath. Anxiety fills me. At this point, I am ready to wake. But the dream continues. 

I sit on my childhood bed. It's made just how I last remembered. I tuck myself into bed. My body suddenly becomes small and my bones soft, resembling my childhood self. A teddy bear appears in my arms. Lullaby music begins to play from what appears to be the ceiling. I am at ease and begin to fall asleep. But as I sleep, I feel a figure behind me. It is very close, it feels like a man's body. My eyes widen as I become so afraid I practically hold my breath. There is a quiet stillness. For a moment, it seems as if I have overreacted. But within seconds, the man's eyes begin to glow a bright crimson red as he puts his arm around my little body and pulls me close. I scream. I can hear what sounds like demonic laughter. The walls begin to close in as the laughter grows more and more morbid.

"Please!"

The laughter continues. The man grips onto me tighter and pulls me closer. As I fight him off, I scream louder this time.

"Please, oh God! Please help me!"

Suddenly, I am back in the hospital room, awake, and fully conscious. I curl to my knees to my chest defensively and begin to hug them, taking a moment to recollect myself. The residue of the dream overwhelms me as my eyes begin to water. I hug my knees tightly, burying my eyes so that I can see nothing but darkness, and count to three in succession. 

"1, 2, 3."

"1, 2, 3."

"1, 2, 3."

My anxiety begins to lessen after a while. I rest my legs back down into their original position and proceed to look outside of the window. The day is moving along. The sun is close to being set. As I continue to stare, a crow approaches my window and rests upon the sill. An eerie feeling takes over the room.