FicWad

Dreamscape


By I.B.Tryster


PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE THE STORY!! Right, this was a school assignment. The first two paragraphs (which are in bold) were given to me by the teacher and we had to write a story off of it. So my writing doesn't start until after the line. Ok? Good.

This story is pretty old; I think it's one of the first I've ever written. I finished it four years ago, so my writing has changed a lot. I'm not trying to make excuses for anything, but I just want you to keep that in mind incase you wonder why this sucks so much more than my more recent stuff =D .

Sorry, more notes -___- I had absolutely no idea what section to put this in, so I realize that it being in the Fantasy section is a stretch. But I decided that it was the closest. So bear with me here.



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I stared at the tiny figures, hardly bigger than the Legos they had originated from, as they ran around the forest and castle. The castle appeared to be under attack from my Robin Hood men, though their bow and arrows seemed to be doing little damage.

"It's funny," said a voice. "How people will throw their lives away for such a simple thing as freedom."

From the darkness surrounding the small battlefield came a small boy. He was thin and pale, with emotionless blue eyes and white blond hair, which fell limply over his thin face.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I had now concluded that this must be a dream, though like no dream that I had ever experienced before.

"Humans. People. They fight for things that are indefinite. Things that will eventually cause more pain when they disappear," The boy stated with an air of contempt. I'm beginning to wonder why I'm dreaming of this kid in the first place.

"I don't understand."

The boy looked at me and I felt as though his gaze was piercing through me, reading my mind and thoughts. It strikes me that, though he looks hardly older than ten, he has an air about him that reminds me of my elderly neighbor, who is a veteran. They both have this look in their eyes as though they've seen horrible sights, experienced things that no one should ever go through.

The black space around us suddenly changed into a black and white video. Like a movie in fast-forward, I saw the beginnings of the Holocaust: of Hitler rallying the Germans together and forcing the Jews into camps. Then there were scenes of the war over and everyone rejoicing

Different times in history were played out before us, of different struggles and losses. Of how man would struggle for a goal, gain it, and then loose it. It went on and on, for what felt like an eternity. My head was spinning from all the information and what the boy was saying. It hurt, the lights and sounds increasing until my head ached. The pictures continued to flicker around me, spinning around the boy, who continued to stare at me.

"STOP!" I yelled finally.

The pictures around us did just that, then shattered like glass and fell into the abyss of darkness, which crept into its place.

The boy started and for the first time he looked like a child. His eyes widened and a hint of color filled his cheeks.

I glared at him. "Who are you?"

He jumped again, before his face fell back into a passive mask and he stated, "My name is Shaun Anniston. I live in a hospital."

"Really? Why?"

Shaun looked sad. "Because I'm so weak. The doctors say that my bones are really frail and that I'm very delicate. It's really easy for me to get hurt. So my parents make me stay there so I wont get hurt."

As he was saying this I walked over and knelt beside him. I could see tears forming in his eyes.

"Every day they bring me medicine and give me shots." He continued. "I've gotten used to them by now, but it's still horrible. The only sunlight I get is from my room window. I have to get carried around or wheeled in a wheelchair. And the doctors scare me." He shivered and wrapped his bony arms around himself.

I placed a hand on his shoulder gently. He started again. He must not be used to human contact. "That's awful," I said softly. "They are denying you your freedom. And. . . " Everything suddenly clicked. "You can't really do anything about it. Is that how you feel? Is that why you said that stuff about how humans fight for their freedom, but it doesn't last? That its indefinite?"

Shaun nodded and sniffed.

"Shaun? Are you a real person? Your not just someone I've made up and is now dreaming about, are you?"

Shaun nodded again.

"Are you in my dreams because . . . you feel alone?"

Shaun nodded vigorously, tears beginning to leak out of his eyes, which no longer looked dull. "My...my parents hardly ever come see me anymore!" He sobbed. "Th-they hic th-think I'm a b-b-burden. I-I th-think they d-don't love me a-anymore." He sniffed mightily and rubbed a bare arm hard over his eyes.

I let him cry until the flood of tears seemed to ebb, before kneeling in front of him and gently gripped his shoulders. "Hey . . ." I said softly, causing him to look up "Your parents are probably just working really hard, so that they can help you. Your parents love you very much, and they have you stay in the hospital so that they can help you, not hurt you. They are doing what they think is right, so that their son will continue to live. However, they shouldn't not let you have your freedom. Shaun, have you ever talked to your parents about this?"

He sniffed. "N-no."

I smiled. "Try telling your parents that you don't like staying at the hospital. If you talk to them about how you feel, then maybe they will see you more often, even let you outside or bring you home." My smile widened. "You never know, they might get you a puppy." I joked, thinking about my own dog.

"R-really?" Shaun said, looking at me with blue eyes that now held life and hope. He thought a moment then asked shyly "D-do you have a dog?"

"Mm-hmm. Want to see him?" I said, wondering if I could even do it.

"Yeah." Shaun almost bounced in his excitement. I realized he might never have even seen a dog before, at least not out of a book.

I thought hard for a moment, and then a small, Australian shepherd puppy materialized and began barking and leaping around us, a doggy smile on his face. Shaun laughed and went to scratch the dog behind the ears. The puppy suddenly flickered and there was a Bzzt! then he disappeared. Shaun looked around in confusion before looking at me. I smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I don't have very good control over my dreams."

"That's ok!" Shaun smiled and opened his mouth to say something else, when a loud beeping sound surrounded us. I felt something rain down on my head and realized it was bits of black plaster. Whatever the beeping was, it was shaking our surroundings so bad that the roof was raining down on us.

I looked up and saw a white ceiling from the waking world. I knew then that the beeping sound must be my alarm clock. I turned to Shaun, who was looking at me with big eyes. I saw that his lip was trembling and I was struck that he was very good at making puppy faces.

"Do. . . do you have to go now?" the boy asked.

I nodded, and then crouched down to his height again. "But, if you want, you can come visit me whenever I'm asleep. Ok?"

Shaun sniffled a bit, then smiled and said "Thank you."

Then I woke up. I looked to my side and saw my Legos castle and my men and the Robin Hood hideout. Everything was back where it was supposed to be.

I realized that the dream I had had, was indeed a dream. It had the feeling around it that told me that it had really been a dream, no matter how real it had seemed.

I got up and got dressed. I carefully picked up the Legos castle and the men and slowly placed it in my baby nephews' room. I then did the same with the Robin Hood hideout.

I was about to leave when the little boy turned over and said quietly "Auntie Laura?"

I smiled and crouched next to his bed. "Yes Matt?"

"'re you goin' to work?" he said sleepily.

"I just have to check up on some stuff. Don't worry, I'll be back in time for presents."

"Mmkay . . . Merry Christmas Auntie Laura . . . " Matt snuggled back into his covers and fell back asleep.

"Merry Christmas Matt." I kissed him lightly on the top of his head, and then left the house with a cup of warm coffee in my hand and my dream running through my head.

I met Katie, the secretary, at the reception desk in the hospital I work in. She smiled and wished me a merry Christmas, before handing me a paper. "You'll be working in the children's' department when you get back from the Holidays. There's a new boy coming in with special care needs. Doctor Korvin thought you'd be a good choice for his nurse, what with your experience with kids and all."

I nodded and looked at the paper. At the top of the page was the boys' name. Anniston, Shaun.

I smiled. Funny things, dreams. I'll have to remember to bring my puppy to work at some point.



FIN



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Please review and tell me what you think! No critical comments, though; remember, this is a really old story (at least four years) and my writing style has changed a lot since then, or so I like to think. Grammar and spelling notifications are great, though.