The Dreaming: Old Shalon (Book 4)

7.1. Meeting The Father

Author's Note:  I'm posting all of chapter seven -- 7.1 and 7.2 -- tonight! So make sure you read them in the right order (some people come here through their notifications and get mixed up when there are two posts at the same time). 

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7.1. Meeting The Father

I was waiting for my water, trying to calm myself down by browsing the magnificent collection — when suddenly, I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye.

I looked out the window and there was a person standing in the condo across the way. The same person — he was holding something up to me, shaking it in the air, trying to get my attention.

I couldn't for the life of me see what he was on about. I hadn't had a pair of far-seeing glasses in over a decade — you don't need that kind of thing when there are no signs, no movies, no whiteboards, no driving. It's relatively easy to get by semi-blind in my world.

"Michael," I said softly.

From about five rows over, he yelled, "Aha?"

"Shhh... Come here, quick!"

"Why, what's wrong?" he bellowed — the fool!

"Just get over here! Nike, you too!" I raised my voice just a smidgin, hoping the librarian didn't hear us.

They arrive and I look over my shoulder, to see if the coast is clear.

Nike is already looking out the window at the man, but Michael hasn't noticed him; he's looking at me, trying to figure out what's wrong.

I turned him around and said, "What is that man over there on about?"

"Huh," he said. Then he saw him and understood.

The man was standing in a pile of rubble in what used to be someone's living room. He was approximately two stories down, so we had a good view in.

"Looks like a piece of paper, but I don't know what it says. I can't see it from here." Michael strained to see.

"Ah shit! You can't see anything either. You must be short-sighted."

"It's a sign," Nicole said quietly.

"A sign?" I asked, jerking my head at her.

"Uh-huh," she nods quickly.

"What's it say? Quick, quick now child!"

Nike looked at me blankly and shook her head.

Great jesus! I swore to myself. One of them's blind and the other's illiterate. They were perfect halves of useless! "Can you spell, child?"

She nodded, biting her lip. She put her worn out dirty sweater up to her mouth and started gnawing on it.

"Spell it out there, Nike." I urged. "Quickly!"

She concentrated really hard and slowly spelled, "L-U-C-I-D. It's in all big letters."

"Lucid?" Michael and I said at the same time.

I knew immediately what that meant and the hair on my back stood up. I closed my eyes. No, no, no, no! I thought.

When I opened my eyes, the man was gone.

"What's going on?" asked the librarian, who had just arrived behind me. He held out a glass of water. "Why are all of you looking out the window?"