Daydreams & Nightmares

Contents

Dream a

Little Dream

People Pleaser

Dead Wrong

Who’s There?

Angels

In A

Darkened Room

Gondor

AUTHOR’S NOTES

With Many Thanks…

Dream a

Little Dream

I’ll be right there, she said, as she put down her new paperback novel and walked to the front door. The bookmark she used to keep her spot in the book was made by her little brother in art class. He drew a picture of her favorite animal, in a most perfect, childish way; a dolphin. Little Nate seemed to have a flair for the arts at a very young age, and their parents encouraged greatly.

She peered through the small window of the wooden front door to their home to see who was knocking. Most of the time it was the doorbell that was abused. Four knocks? Really? The Spring sun was shining through the window, but no one was to be seen. Hello? she said as she opened the door slowly, looking to the left and the right. Seemingly, no one was there at all. I couldn’t have imagined that, could I? No, not four times! She took a step out onto the cement slab of a landing just outside her door. Hello? she called out again, tucking her long brown hair behind her ears and out of her face, responding to the slight blow of the wind. Not seeing anyone, and thinking that she either is losing her mind or just hearing things, she turned to step inside her home just as she felt three harsh taps on her left shoulder.

Where are you going? the male voice asked.

Carrie jumped with the sudden shock of the surprise. She let out a small yelp as she quickly turned around to see the man who startled her. Josh, what the heck are you doing? You scared the heck out of me! She put her hand to her chest and took a couple of deep breaths, I didn’t even see you.

That was the point! He put his arms around her and leaned his head down towards hers. He delivered a peck of a kiss onto her cheek and gave her body a squeeze. Surprised? he asked.

Yeah, in more ways then one. She leaned into her tall, dark-haired boyfriend and wrapped her arms around his neck. Just before she pressed up onto her tip-toes and shared a loving kiss with the man she loved for almost a year, she warned, Don’t ever do that again, Josh. He smiled at her as they embraced.

Minutes went by before Carrie asked her man to come inside. No one was home at the time, as Dad and Mom were at her brother’s soccer game downtown. Are we alone? Josh asked, as he looked around and listened intently for other sounds.

His eyebrow lifted over his left eye when she answered, Yes, we are. Her smile and playful look gave Josh the green light that he was hoping for, again embracing the girl that he loved. But, she interrupts his plan, they will be back any minute so we have to be good. He pulled away from her and fell into the tan couch with a look of disappointment.

Well, we could always play cards or something, I guess. His sarcastic tone and silly face only made Carrie smile and shake her head.

Oh, it’s going to be alright, Joshy. She jumped onto his lap with her face away from him and leaned backward, wrapping her arms up and around his neck. She kissed the side of his face and whispered, There’s always another time. I love you, you know. She gave him another peck which was received with a more than welcome, passionate kiss on the mouth.

I love you too, Carrie. Their session was stopped abruptly with the sound of the family car pulling into the driveway. Well, so much for that. Looks like the gang is back and it’s time to play Brady Bunch again. He rolled his eyes and tilted his head back towards the ceiling.

Awe, I think you will be fine, lover-boy. She smiled at him and moved off of his lap and onto the seat beside him. There’s always another time, she reminded her man, responding to his wink as the front door opened.

~

What’s the matter? Carrie asked with concern, as she jumped off of the couch where she was sitting. Oh Nate, are you alright? She had never seen her brother hurt before, and certainly not with a cast on his arm.

Mom chimed in, Yeah, we had a little extra excitement on the field today, Carrie. She walked him to the love seat with Dad in tow. Carrie could see the look of pain on her little brother’s eyes.

Nathan took a bad spill near the beginning of the game and landed hard on his left arm, Dad explained. The doctor says it should heal fairly quickly but there is a small break. He moved closer to Nate and roughed-up his hair with his hand. It will all heal up, good as new. I promise.

Carrie left Josh’s side and sat next to her brother on the love seat, looking him in the eyes. Are you OK, Nate? Does it hurt? Her face showed concern and worry.

He looked up at his sister with his twelve-year-old eyes and answered, Yeah, Carr, it kinda still does. He looked down to the floor and anger built inside him. Our final game of the season is gonna be coming up really soon. In a couple weeks! I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to play if I don’t heal up faster. This sucks! His face reddened while he held his cast with his good arm.

Hey, don’t look at it that way, Nathan, it could have been a lot worse of a break, Mom said. The doctor said it wasn’t too bad and that it will be fine in a couple of months at the most. She knew that Nate didn’t want to be reminded of the long time frame. I’m just glad that you are alright. She gave her son a kiss on the head.

Josh walked over to Nate and knelt down on one knee, Hey Nate, it will heal just fine. I broke my arm once when I was playing football. Remember I told you about that? He talked to the boy as if he was a younger sibling.

He looked from the floor and up to Josh, Yeah, I remember.

Well then, you may remember that I was also worried that I wasn’t going to finish out the season too, but I got my cast off in time and was able to help my team win our final game. He smiled at the youngster, The same may happen for you too. His words of encouragement may have only produced a small, half-smile on Nate’s face, but they had made a loving smile of thanks on Carrie’s.

Leaving Nate to relax, by watching television while Mom and Dad started on dinner, Carrie led Josh to the two-person swing on the backyard patio. The frigid air caused a shiver to run through Carrie, and her man promptly took notice and wrapped his arm around her.

Josh noticed her face suddenly looked troubled, Are you alright? You seem like something is on your mind. Other than your brother’s broken arm, that is.

She looked around the yard and onto the patio floor without an answer.

He will be fine, Carrie. Don’t worry about it. Little Nate will heal…

His words were cut off, No, it’s not that. I know he will be fine, eventually. Her voice sounded distant. She was thinking of something and Josh wanted to know what it was. Her vision went from the ground, off into the distance of the backyard, then onto the ground again. It was quite obvious that she was very uncomfortable.

Josh pulled his arm off of her and looked her in the face, What is it then? He paused, then asked again, What’s wrong?

After a moment of thought, she finally answered him, It’s weird. I mean, maybe it’s nothing at all, but it’s the second time now… Her mind was working overtime.

Josh asked her, What is the second time? He was very curious now.

You’re going to think I’m crazy, Josh! She finally looked him in the eyes and gave a small smile. Not a smile of joy but rather one of false happiness. She continued, Do you remember a couple of weeks ago when our neighbor, Trudy, got into that bad car accident? She needed to spend a few days at the hospital because her head hit the windshield so badly?

He wondered where this was going, Yeah, I remember.

Well, I dreamt that the accident happened to her just like it did the very night before it actually happened. She looked at Josh to see what his reaction was going to be. I know what you’re thinking, I’m nuts right?

He grabbed her hand, No, no. Of course not. You actually dreamt that Trudy was in a car accident before it happened? Seriously? Wow, that is wild! Was it the same situation and all? She got rear ended, right?

Yes she did. Carrie’s voice perked up, She was hit from behind while waiting at a red light. She was downtown at the corner of Main St., near the library. Carrie looked away from Josh and toward the backyard as if she was staring into space. She wasn’t wearing her seatbelt so her head smashed into the windshield which ended her in the hospital for three nights before she could finally come home… Her voice trailed off, Just like in my dream.

Josh didn’t say anything for a few long seconds then replied, Why didn’t you tell me about that before?

Carrie looked him in the eyes, Well, I didn’t want you to think I was some weird psychic or something! She grabbed out for her boyfriend’s hand and kicked off of the cement slab sending the swing rocking to and fro.

He laughed out loud, No, I wouldn’t have thought that! Man, that must have been so strange for you to have heard the news the next day though, huh? Hearing that your dream actually came true.

Very strange. Scary, actually, she looked down to her feet.

Well, you said that it’s the second time, what did you mean by that? His curiosity was growing. Did you dream of something else like that before?

Carrie continued to glare at her feet for a couple of extra moments then looked Josh in the eyes, as if she may as well come clean with the man she loves. I dreamt about Nate’s accident last night, Josh. I dreamt of how he got hurt on the field and how he needed a cast for his broken wrist…, her eyes filled with water and her body trembled with a shiver. And of how he wasn’t going to be able to play his final game of the season.

~

The long weekend getaway with their friends, Kathy and Andrew, finally came only a couple of weeks after Nate’s accident. This was a weekend that best friends, Carrie and Kathy, had planned for nearly three months in advance. A two night stay at Camp Creek had everything a cool, fall day in New England could offer. Neither couple had stayed there before, but it was their website that had allured the foursome to that location; photos of the lush, green grass, the flowing water of the nearby river, the clean and convenient latrines, and mostly, the scenic campground areas that just oozed peace and relaxation. Those two last words hit home the strongest for Carrie.

They pitched their two tents next to each other on their large and open grounds. A picnic table was just to the side of their site and a round, boulder-encased fire pit was just off to the other side. Andrew flicked his long, dirty-blond hair to the side with a sweep and pointed towards the pit, We have to get this thing burning up tonight! Weenies tonight anyone? Ladies? He smiled to the other couple then winked with a gesture to his gal.

Oh brother, Kathy shook her head, is there ever anything else on your mind, Andy?

I can answer that one for you, Carrie jumped right in. If we are talking about the male species, the answer is definitely NO! Both girls laughed and both guys high-fived each other in apparent agreement of what was said about them.

Andrew finished, And you gals wouldn’t want it any other way, either! Josh smiled in agreement but figured it would be in his best interest not to voice it out loud.

It was later that night, while sipping on their liquors of choice, that Josh brought up the recent revelation of his long-time girlfriend. Undoubtedly, the large consumption of light beer had a lot to do with his openness. So, did you know that my lovely gal over here, Carrie, could dream what is going to happen before it actually does happen? His direct approach was a little surprising to Kathy and Andrew, which made them look up from the fire in question , but it was mostly surprising and shocking to Carrie. Her face clearly showed how this topic was not one that she anticipated having that evening. Josh’s drunkenness hid that fact, so he continued, No? Well she just told me about it the other day. Go ahead honey, tell them what happened. He looked to his girlfriend who was bundled in her blue sweatshirt next to him by the fire. This was when he finally noticed that she was quite uncomfortable with the topic of conversation.

She suddenly felt all of their eyes upon her, wondering why Josh would even bring up the subject at a time like this. Josh quickly chimed in, Oh, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. He put his hand on her knee and looked Carrie in the eyes with a look of regret. Sorry…

With the obvious curiosity that Andrew and Kathy had, Carrie figured it was only appropriate to break the silence of the moment and explain what Josh had begun.

Well, yes, it is basically true. She rubbed her forehead and looked to the flames in front of her, You guys remember what I told you about how Nate broke his wrist playing soccer, right?

Yeah, you told us, Andrew answered while Kathy gave a nod.

Well it is really weird; I thought that was going to happen.

They both looked shocked, What do you mean, Carrie? Kathy asked. How did you know?

"Well I shouldn’t say that I thought it was going to happen, I should say that I dreamt that it was going to happen. She looked the couple in the eyes, I can’t explain it. This is the second time now that this has happened. I had a dream that Nathan was going to get hurt playing soccer the night before he actually did. I know, crazy right?" She tried on a smile.

At first, no one said a word in reply to her outlandish story. Kathy broke the silence, Really? Wait a minute. You dreamt that your brother was going to break his arm, and then he actually did?

Yes.

And you had a similar dream of something else happening before it happened too?

Yes.

Andrew said with a sly smile, Any chance that you dreamed a little dream about what was going to happen with Kathy and me tonight, Carrie? He grabbed tightly onto his girlfriend and smiled a wicked smirk. Anything at ALL, if you know what I mean?

It’s not like that, sorry Andrew! At least not yet. I don’t know why this is happening, but I have to tell you, sometimes I don’t really feel like falling asleep because of the dream I may have. She ran her right hand through her brown hair, keeping her eyes fixed onto the burning logs.

Well don’t worry about it, hon., Josh pulled in closer to his girlfriend that he loved. There is no need to worry at all, I’m here for you. He leaned in towards her for a warm kiss.

Thank you, Josh.

Just don’t dream of anything bad about me whatever you do! He laughed and pulled Carrie closer to him again. After thinking about it for another second, he asked, Have you? His look was a somber one.

Of course not, Josh. She leaned in for a long, passionate kiss then continued, I’d never be able to dream such a nightmare!