A few yards ahead, the orb floats near an outcropping of rock. Sprinting the last few feet, I dodge a fellow traveler and reach for it. My fingers brush the silvery surface and an electrical shock knocks me to my back. When I open my eyes, I am laying in a boat, gently rocking on a sea of black water. I crawl to the bench, dazed.
Stars sparkle overhead, reflecting off the water's dark surface. My hands instinctively grasp the oars and pull them toward me, casting me backwards. Glancing over my shoulder I gasp at the sight of the castle perched on the banks of the black lake. An aurora borealis of color illuminates the ebony behemoth and I know, deep in my soul, that my mission ends there.
In the same way that my legs tirelessly labored up the mountain, my arms now seem to belong to someone else, propelling me toward shore. I glance every few moments at the castle as my excitement builds for the treasure I know that is hidden in its depths.
Hearing a murmur, I spin around to find I am not alone. A woman rises up from the end of the boat. As she stares at me, her hood casting a shadow over her face, the orb appears and I'm chilled to the bone. She reaches one hand toward the portal.
"No!" I beg, "I'm so close!" As she touches the orb, I throw myself at her and plunge overboard. A tree breaks my fall and my spirit sinks. All is lost.
"Honey, it's time to wake up. You don't want to be late for school."
Grimacing, I tug at my tangle of sheets. "Aw, Mom..."
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This is an elaboration of an actual dream I recall from my childhood. I can still remember that crushing sadness from when the last orb appeared -- not wanting the dream to end. Even though dreams are weird.
Linking up with Trifecta: 33-333 words inspired by the single word time (3a : an appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end <arrived ahead of time>
b : an opportune or suitable moment <decided it was time to retire> —often used in the phrase about time <about time for a change>)
b : an opportune or suitable moment <decided it was time to retire> —often used in the phrase about time <about time for a change>)
Linking up with Write at the Merge this week - inspired by the pictures above.
Mom needed to wait! I want to know what happens.
ReplyDeleteYes ... I wonder what would have happened too, if slumber had persisted! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Deleteah, I hate when that happens!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! The good dreams flutter away, but when the dream is awful and you want to wake up, you are stuck!
DeleteSomeone needs to invent something that would allow us to hang on to those kind of dreams.
ReplyDeleteI love when their vividness sticks with me after I wake up - as long as it isn't a creepy dream. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteThat image of the hooded woman arising from the end of the boat will stay with me. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I wanted her to be mysterious and ominous. Maybe that worked! Thanks for stopping by.
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ReplyDeleteExcellent transition: “My fingers brush the silvery surface and an electrical shock knocks me to my back. When I open my eyes, I am laying in a boat, gently rocking on a sea of black water.”
And great dream-story ending!
Thank you ... I find that dreams are strange like that, transforming from one scene to the next fluidly. And oftentimes without reason. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
DeleteThose are always the dreams that make me want to turn them into stories. Every once in a whil I do it...like you!
ReplyDeleteThank you - It was fun seeing as the story could be left puzzling, as dreams often are. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
DeleteI agree... "Awe, mom." I want to know more.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I would have liked to have more, too ... but I ran out of words. 333 goes fast!
DeleteIt is so disappointing to lose a really great dream! I was bummed to see this one come to an end; I wanted to know where it was going.
ReplyDeleteThank you ... I would have liked to see what would have happened next, too. Maybe there's more of a story hiding in that castle, too. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
DeleteThat's a cool adventure in that dream. It is too bad mom had to cut it short!
ReplyDeleteWho knows what might have happened next?! I guess that's for another story. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
DeleteIt's awful with these sort of wonderful dreams end! I used to try and go back to sleep, assuming the dream was still there, hiding on the peripherals of my subconscious.
ReplyDeleteIncredibly disappointing when I dreamed a completely different dream...
Well written!
I've done that too! Hoping to return to that same scene. In a similar fashion, I hate when my bad dreams keep their hold, even after a drink of water and a potty break! Thanks for your kind words and for stopping by!
DeleteWhat an awesome dream! (: I hate it too when awesome dreams end. It's usually my cats' fault lol
ReplyDeleteI dream quite vividly - this particular dream was crazy-real. I still sticks with me ... I wonder where I was headed.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting.
I wish I dreamed in this detail. I probably do and just don't remember. Good cover on the prompts.
ReplyDeleteKatie atBankerchick Scratchings
Thank you - it was fun to see the pictures and immediately know that I would write about that dream. The bubble was a perfect reminder. I appreciate you kind words.
DeleteI have a few dreams that I remember this vividly, but I've never thought to write one down. You did a great job drawing us into your emotions here - the sense of striving, of elusiveness, of loss.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouraging words -- I had hoped to capture that strange searching feeling that crops up in dreams. I guess I did! :)
DeleteDreams that feel like an epiphany are so wonderful... except when they're interrupted! You made it seem so real; nice job!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouraging words. This was a fun prompt to write, seeing as this dream was still sitting in my memories waiting to be re-lived! Thanks for stopping by!
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