The House by the Hill
“Welcome to the Dream Eating House.”
Was what the girl told Lucy when she silently entered the small cozy cottage. She was wearing white dress that seemed too simple for her. She had golden curls that cascaded down her back and shone like the sun. Her eyes were a vivid lavender. On her head were two large white ribbons that held up her hair. Her skin also white, like an angel’s feathers.
Lucy cleared her throat. “I heard this place was here to clear away nightmares.”
The girl grinned, and Lucy seemed struck by how angelic her smile was. “You’re at the right place.” She scampered away and shouted in a bright voice, “Papa! There’s a customer! Papa!” Her footsteps echoed in the tiny house.
The girl returned with a tall looking man with droopy eyes and tousled chestnut brown hair. His eyes were vivid lavender, like the child’s. Lucy suspected that they were father and daughter. He gestured Lucy to a chair.
“Please sit down. I feel bad making you stand up like this.” His voice was deep and smooth.
Lucy nodded and obliged, sitting down on a plush red velvet chair. When she sat down, she felt as if she was sinking into a mountain of feathers. By just closing her eyes, she already felt the urge to sleep. But she kept awake. Lucy desperately needed help. The man sat down in a rocking chair in front of her. She stared deep into the man’s eyes.
“I need your help,” she pleaded, “my son has been having terrifying nightmares ever since he was small. He had so many that he’s scared of sleeping now. He’s traumatized by the nightmares, and refuses to sleep. Recently he’s been fainting due to lack of sleep.”
The man listened closely, his eyes closed. When Lucy stopped talking, he opened one eye and said, “So? Is your son here?” When Lucy shook her head, the man stood up and took a black suit jacket and small leather coat off of a coat rack.
“Where are you going?” Lucy asked, standing up too with alarm.
“Where does it look like? To your son,” the man put on his suit jacket and handed the small leather coat to the little girl. The little girl nodded and let the man put on the leather coat for her. While he was buttoning up the little girl’s coat, he spoke. “We’ll discuss about payment details on the way.”
Lucy let out a sigh of relief that the man accepted her son’s situation. For no matter how many doctors and physical therapists she went too, they could not believe or even bat an eye to her son’s constitution.
“He’s at my home. I’ll show you the way,” she replied, as the three of them went out the door into the brisk wind of autumn. The scent of maple and crisp apples was faint in the air. Lucy looked around again. The cottage was in the middle of a grassy field, each blade of spring green grass growing up to her waist. In the far south were mountains that seemed to penetrate the sky. In the far north was the ocean coast in the horizon, the sapphire blue gleaming in the distance. To the west was a thick forest of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. To the east was a thin dirt path leading into the town of Mapleleaf, a bustling town full of traders, tourists, citizens, and magic.
“Miss? Can I ask you a question?” The little girl bounded up to Lucy. Lucy looked down at her and smiled.
“What is it, little one?”
“Your son,” she said sheepishly and paused, “Well, I was wondering how old your son was, miss.”
Lucy smiled and bent down in front of the little girl, patting her head and replying, “He’s about the same age as you little one. Maybe when his nightmares disappear, you can come over and play with him every once in awhile.”
The little girl brightened up instantly. She ran to her father. “Papa, papa, can I play with Miss’s son once in awhile?”
“I don’t see the problem with that.”
The girl giggled and ran back to Lucy. “Papa says I can!” She cried out with crystal clear amethyst eyes and rosy cheeks. “I’m Yume. What’s your name?”
“I’m Lucy.”
“Lucy? That’s a very wonderful name.”
Lucy flushed to a slight pink shade and then cleared your throat. “Your name sounds lovely too.” She eyed Yume’s father, who seemed to be watching them from afar as they strolled down the dirt path to Mapleleaf. “What is your father’s name?” She asked out of curiosity.
“Papa’s name is-”
“The name is Traum,” he spoke suddenly. Lucy jumped at his voice when he cut off Yume. He walked ahead and started to take larger and faster strides. “We must not tarry any longer. It will be sunset before we know it. And then the nightmares will come.”
