The Lost Dreams

Max

A dark hallway, enclosed by bright light. There was a door coloured in bright golden paint, towards the end of the passage, urging me to open it and look inside. Something was in there, and I had to know. I could feel someone in there, begging me to open the door. They wanted me to stop being a coward, they were trusting me.

The pathway started to break apart. I ran towards the door, hoping to save my life, but the breakaway increased rapidly. I fell and the entire place got lit on flames. I screamed but no voice came out.

I woke up in a tight. I’ve been dreaming this again and again for the past few months. This has affected me immensely. The dreams make me tired, and I’m always catching for breath after waking up.

It almost feels like the dreams are somewhat like visions, trying to show me something. If there truly was a person in there, are they tied up because of which they can’t open the door? Who would tie them up then? What did they do that made them thrown into chains? Does that mean they’re dangerous?

No one knows about my nightmares except for Patrick, my best friend. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember, always hanging out together.

I’ve always been an awkward and messy kid. I’m known as a big nerd, hidden behind books. Pretty sure most of the people won’t be able to recall my name either.

Patrick denies this. He has always stuck by my side, saying I’m cool and fascinating and that he loves me more than his girlfriend (of course she doesn’t know that). His girlfriend’s name is Millie, and I don’t know why but I think she hates me.

I remember once we were visiting Pat at the hospital (he has a weak immune system, he’s often found on the IV), and the elevator malfunctioned. While we were stuck in there, she stared at me the entire time. She has always been the creepy and mysterious person at our school, and she really is. She talks in a strange manner, but is actually pretty beautiful. She has crimson coloured hair, dark yellow elliptical eyes and has a toned complexion. I know, weird, but looks very cool.

No. I don’t have a crush on her. She gives off creepy vibes, and after all she’s my buddy’s girl. And anyways, I’ve got my eyes on someone else.

I could see the door again. The urge of opening it, it came back. It was like someone in there was controlling me, wanting me to open it. But why me? Before the break-way would start, I ran towards the door, but the more I ran, the farthest the path increased. My hands reached out, but I started to lose its sight. The light diminished, and suddenly I could see nothing. Just surrounded with complete darkness.

“Treason…,” a misty voice whispered.

Something pushed me against the ground. As I laid there, I could feel a force above me, hovering beside my face. “Release me, please,” the voice whispered again. My vision started to blur.

I opened my mouth to speak, but a hand shut my face. “Don’t speak,” it said in the sweetest voice I’ve heard. “He’s lying.” The voice was so familiar but the more I tried to remember, the more my surrounding got hazier.

The ground beneath me collapsed. I woke up startled, breathing heavily. I was in my bedroom, a water bowl beside my bed. There was a towel with soaked with water over my forehead. The door of my room flung open, it was Patrick.

“Orson! You scared the hell out of me, man,” he hurried over to my side.

“What happened?” I asked.

“What happened?! Max, you fell down while in class, you had a roaring fever! You should be thanking me for arguing with the nurse to let me take you home!” He clasped his hand over my head. “The temperature fell.” He smiled and playfully punched me on my shoulders. “Take care of yourself, Max. I swear I freaked out when you randomly lost consciousness.”

I chuckled lightly. The truth is, I don’t remember being in class, before collapsing. I tried recalling the dream I saw, but I could hardly remember the voice which sounded so familiar to me. The man had spoken something, when he was accused of lying. I don’t understand what’s happening anymore.

“Serena told me she’s going to visit later when she heard you passed out,” Patrick said. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him in disbelief.

“What?”

“Serena wants to visit you,” he chuckled. “Can you not look like a tomato every time she is mentioned?” I looked away. He was right, I was blushing. Serena hasn’t always made me feel like this. We’ve been friends for most of the whole first year of high school. Only recently I discovered my feelings for her.

She has always been the quiet kid, keeping to herself. There are times, when you won’t even notice her next to you. Sometimes when she’d get late to class, she’d sneak in so silently, that the teacher would never notice. Just like a cat.

The front door’s bell rang. Patrick looked at me and smirked.

“Stop it,” I said laughing.

Patrick went down to open the door. I heard greetings being exchanged, and soft footsteps starting to climb the stairs. Thump, thump, thump, my heart skipped beats. The door clicked open and a tall, lean girl entered with Patrick. She had chocolate coloured hair, hanging lose over her shoulders. Her grey eyes shone as she looked at me and smiled. My heart started to race.

“Hey, Max, I heard about what happened. Hope you don’t mind my intrusion,” she gave a light laugh. I felt like flying as I shook my head to say a ‘no’.

She sat beside me and smiled again. Patrick gave me a thumbs up, and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. Serena looked at me and whispered quietly, “I know about the dreams you’ve been having, Max.”

“What?”

“The man, he’s manipulating you. He’s no victim, Max. He’s lying. He’s wiped out half of our population, and is coming for Earth next.”

“Huh? I don’t understand,” I said.

“You’ll understand, maybe even get to visit our land, when the time comes,” she said looking at me. She raised her hand and stroked my hair. “You’ll be hurt if you like me, you know?” she said in a faint, cold voice. She smiled, and a chill ran down my body.

“How-”

“You are an open book, Max,” she said. “I can guess your next reaction too.” She stood up and stroked her hair. She took a strand and entwined it in her fingers and played with it.

“You sound like you aren’t the Serena I know,” I chuckled.

“I am not.” She smiled again. “She’s dead.” She laughed. “I’m kidding ha-ha.” I was confused and scared at the same time, and had a polite laugh, nodding my head.

She gave me a cold, icy stare. Suddenly I felt aware that I was alone in a room with someone who “joked” about pretending to be Serena.

“Anyways! How are you feeling now? Does your head hurt?” she smiled, her cheeks flushing with colour.

“No, it doesn’t,” I struggled to speak.

“Hmmm~”

Fifteen minutes struck by, slowly. Serena was on her phone, sitting beside me. I was pretending to be asleep, listening to her hum to herself. I could feel that she was staring at me, but I didn’t dare open my eyes. Somehow, I was afraid of her, but Patrick had left us alone. She was giving me chills. She really wasn’t the Serena I knew.

“Hey, Max?”

“Hm?” I pretended to ask in a sleepy voice.

“When does your mom come home? Or is Patrick your mom?” she giggled.

“My mom is working abroad, she’s probably not coming home for a month, so I live with Patrick while she’s away,” I said. My dad had left us when I was little, so mom worked to sustain us a living. Mom was almost never home, so Patrick’s mom offered that I move in with them. She’s sweet, she looks after me like a mom too. I feel absolutely at home here, maybe even more than with my real mom.

“It’s getting late, you can go home, I’ll be fine,” I said opening my eyes. I looked at her and she shrugged.

“It’s no big deal, no one’s waiting for me at home anyways,” she said.

“Your dad won’t be worried?”

“Hmmm,” she didn’t answer me. “I’ll get going then.” I got up to accompany her out.

*****