The dream worlds

The focus

Last night I was surprised I could even sleep. After everything that happened I was so confused and frustrated. I walked around the room trying to figure out where the three of them had gone the night before. I wondered around until I found a tall bookshelf filled with old books. They seemed to all be about dream catching and wizardry type of stuff. I picked a blue covered book; it had a ribbon inside acting as a bookmark. I started flicking through the pages only to see hundreds of words about dreaming and controlling it. It looked like a fantasy until I finally realized that this book was serious, and it was telling me how to control my on dreams. Behind me I hear the big door on the second level slam open, Hunter and Amberly walk in one after the other. They begin to walk down the stairs as they make eye contact with me. "It's ok," I say as they slowly walk, "You can jump, I don’t mind." The two of them look at me and swing themselves over the edge of the stairwell. I still panic when they jump, but I'm not as afraid as yesterday. "Good morning." Says Hunter as he walks over to me. "You should probably put the book down, we know more than the books." I look down at my hands and realize I'm still holding it. My face goes red as I rush over to put the book back, they must think I’ve been going through their belongings. "Come and take a seat here," Says Amberly as she sits down, "We need to figure out why you came here."

I take a seat and so does Hunter. They both look at me wondering how to start. "Tell us why you want your life to be better, and you want all your problems solved?" I look back at him for a moment trying to put everything that has happened to me in only a few sentences. "My dad dies when I was ten, and my mum can't look after me, she gets abusive boyfriends that bash me up, and I left her yesterday to find help. I don’t think I've been convincing, as they both just stare back at me. "I'm almost certain this boyfriend of hers is going to kill me, he has the keys and come whenever he wants." Well we can help you, but first you need to trust us." I glance at both of them. I need there help so much, but I just don’t believe that I'm living in a dream. "I already trust you!' I say to them. I'm getting tired of them saying that I need to trust them. "No you don't," Says Amberly as she crosses her arms firmly, "Don’t try and lie to us, remember we can still understand your thoughts." I go red once again; I totally forgot they could do that! "Ok, look maybe I don't really 'trust' you but I will do what you say. I need to get out of this mess." Hunter squints and looks to the roof as if he is making a decision. "We can teach you how to not be hurt, and then you can keep living in this life with your mum." I shake my head at him and try and get him to understand, "No, I can't go back. If you teach me then I'll just watch my mum die in pain, and I'll still be here with no one." Amberly seems to have a twinge of sympathy on her face, as if she knows I'm telling the truth. I know these people aren't normal, but are they even human? "We can help you, but you have to focus and try and understand what we really are." I give Hunter a nod, "I'll do anything."

He walks over to a brick wall on the other side of the room near the beds. "To begin, you should start with your hand, when you hit it against this wall, facts will tell you it will hurt. If you tell yourself it won't because your dreaming, then it wont." I stare at the hard brick wall, he really wants me to whack my hand up against this wall, just to see if it hurts? "You have to trust us," Says Amberly stepping closer to the wall, "Otherwise you wont get anywhere." I give them both a look and move my hand back getting ready for the hit. I have to focus, focus, focus... its not going to hurt me...it won’t hurt. I hit my hand onto the wall as hard as I can. I feel a throb through my hand. I wobble it in the air trying to stop the sting. "It didn't work," I say as I squint my eyes trying to close out the pain, "What did I do wrong?" I say as I stare at them eager to hear what they have to say. "You still don't believe we're telling you the truth, you just need to practice until you fully believe." I give Hunter a look, waiting for him to speak. He points at the brick wall, "Practice makes perfect." He gives me a grin and leaves the room with Amberly. The pain in my hand has only just stopped, but I know I have to keep trying. I want to believe them, but it's just so ridiculous. This is the only way to get better, it’s this or Marks next victim.

I try again, even more focused, and it seems to hurt a little less. I wait for the pain to go away and then try again. Every time I try, the pain slowly fades away. This is unbelievable! Its actually working! I stare at the brick wall, hoping that this will be the last time. I give it one more hit, focusing more than ever, and believing with all my heart, and it feels like I never even touched the wall. I call out to Amberly and Hunter from the second level, "Hey! Guys I did it!" They jump down the stairs and come over, I hit my hand against the wall once again, and just like before, I don't feel any pain. They look at me in disbelief. "Wow you did that ten times faster than I did." Says Amberly, she raises her eyebrows in surprise. Hunter seems astonished, "Hold on a second," he says as he turns for the door, "I just have to get Mason." He runs out of the room and slams the door behind him. Where has Mason been all morning? "He checks up on the others." Says Amberly as, once again she reads my mind. "What others?" I say as confused as possibly could sound. Amberly sighs, "Don't worry, it's too hard to explain." We wait in silence until Hunter and Mason come in, "So you've already mastered the hand hit have you?" Says Mason as he rubs his hands together preparing to see the new trick. Once again, I hit my hand against the wall, I don’t mind doing it anymore, and at least it doesn't hurt. I can't believe I trust these people now, but they have taught me how to do things without pain. "Wow," Says Mason as he takes in what his just seen, "its like you were made for this!" They all smile at his remark. "I'm guessing it usually takes longer?" I say to the three of them as they still smile. "It usually takes at least a week," says Hunter, "you must really want to go." I think about this, and I decide its true, I am desperate for a different life, where I can be a normal seventeen year old girl, but then again, I don’t think my life could ever be normal now that I've met these guys.