It is just a dream.
Even Megan’s Peace lilies were asleep when she walked out of her newly painted chestnut door into the dimly moonlit Pine street. She slowly and serenely crept north towards the adjacent Warwick Bakery. Even though she was lone that night, the vile wind from the south often kissed her spine and sent a shiver down her spine; goosebumps all over her arms. Although she had to tolerate that obnoxious wind, it fitfully brought the pleasant petrichor which she cherished. Sometimes it even gave a few glimpses of the crescent moon that night. So she somewhat loved the company of the southern wind. So wherever she went the wind followed her seamlessly.
Everything around her seemed familiar. She drove the same Honda Insight parked left of her and she even knew the scientific name of the Norway Maple right of her. Still, something brought an unwonted feeling of aloofness and dread. Everything around her was mundane and dull yet she trembled like a leaf. “Something must be blamed for that feeling,” she thought and balmed the poor wind which was escorting her to nihility.
Unexpectedly, she peeked back reacting to a bizarre screech she thought she heard and behind her was the most hideous beast the human mind could endure, lying just feets faraway. With its blood-red ravenous eyes, it stared right through her feeble soul. It was one of the things that makes you question the presence of an all-loving God. The pelage around its jaws had been soggy due to the unabating dribble of saliva from its mouth and its muzzle and jaws were drenched in blood and still, it looked hungry for blood. The blame was instantly shifted from the wind to the obvious. No one knew when the beast found her and followed but now it was ready to pounce.
Megan's heart was now a Hummingbird, flapping its wings so swiftly that one couldn't even see its wings. Fright ran through her veins and her countenance was of a ghost. Only a slight glance of the beast was enough to scare the life out of her. Such dreadful was the beast.
Megan rushed as fast as she could, not even peeking back but she could feel it nearer and nearer every time. She was doomed but still, she ran. As her limbs started to give up she thought to look for a haven to shelter herself and to her delight found a widely open door of a Grable front yellow house just mere inches far. Without further due, she locked herself in and found herself relieved and serene. But what was inside was far more bone-chilling than what was outside. Before her, was a medium-sized room unfurnished and bare but blood had carpeted almost of the room. You could see smears of blood on the walls but originally it was dark blue. At the extreme end was an idol of a deity rather demonic in appearance. It had a gruesome face, a fat torso and its hands indulging to pull apart a man’s legs. It mocked her with its demonic laughter and she stood there stiff staring at the idol ahead her. She concluded that it was not made of gold rather gold-plated. Beneath it was a carcass of a freshly cut lamb with its eyes taken out and offered to the idol. She could not stand the sight of it so she glanced over to other peculiar stuff around her and the room was full of those. Strange symbols were engraved everywhere from the walls to the flooring to the ceiling.
Promptly, a mumble was heard taking back Megan’s attention to the idol but it seemed as if the sound came from the lamb. The lamb finally cleared its throat and with a manly voice shouted at her,
“A girl shall arrive in your doorstep, so keep your fingers crossed, because, you’ll know your worth, but all that will be at your life’s cost.”
The words of the lamb petrified her and she stood stiff just trying to make sense of what had happened. But nothing made sense. Its words just echoed in her mind.
The lamb was now silent as if it had done what was said. Megan now just stood there rudderless. She could have stared until rocks turned pebbles but she heard another voice. That voice was not as harsh as the lamb’s, rather it was pleasant and gentle like a summer breeze. The voice sprang from the ceiling and instantly lifted her spirits. Abruptly, her limbs quivered and she lost all the control over them.
Megan was now awakened from her slumber. Her husband alongside her looked anxious and apprehensive. With his eyebrows raised, he asked, “Was it a bad dream, my dear?”
“It was more like a nightmare,” she replied.
Her husband now relieved and glad uttered, “It is just a dream. I have had these, most of my childhood. Nothing to worry. Just take deep breaths.”
Megan did as he said. After seeing his wife calmer, he just laid his head into his pillows and asked, “What did you see?”
Megan did not want to talk about what she had seen. The mere thought of the beast and the lamb brought shivers down her spine.
Breaking the silence he asked again, “What was your nightmare about?”
Megan now pretty much annoyed by his questions replied, “You have to travel somewhere far, don’t you? You better sleep.”
Austin remained silent after that. Megan can’t sleep for the whole night which she knew from past experiences. Her mind just played and replayed certain scenes from her nightmare. That’s all she could do. The night was going to be lengthy. The lamb’s words still echoed in her mind ceaselessly. She thought if it had any message. But Austin’s words also echoed in her mind. She regretted her reply and thought that she should have said everything. She remembered how subtly he said that it was just a dream. She wished she could feel the same. She wished if she could forget what she had seen. But how could she forget the ghastly face of the beast and the talking dead lamb? For her, it was much more than just a dream.
