Dreams and Disasters

Back to School

Mum stood there; right before my very eyes. She looked directly at me but didn’t say a word. I couldn’t find it in myself to muster one myself. Her expression seemed as casual as the daylight, yet she looked so drained. Drained of everything; life, energy…                               It felt so painful to see her in such a horrid state, what’s worse is that I knew she could never become the once happy mum that I used to have. I reached out a frail hand for her, hopi- but my thoughts were cut short. All because of the sound of…

"Look familiar?" Aiden asked with a grin plastering his face. 

"Mum" I tried calling to her again, ignoring Aiden; but her face and her expression remained exactly the same, it was as though she didn’t even acknowledge my presence. But hey, this was my dream! 

"Oh, she can’t hear you, dim-wit"  

"Then what is she doing in my dream and what are you doing in my dream? AGAIN?!" 

"Well, I just thought I’d bring her here so you could see her, I expected you to be happy, maybe even let out some tears you know I like seeing people get emotional, it makes me feel like I actually accomplished something but you are obviously hard to impress" he answered sounding pleased with himself. That jerk! How was it so damn easy for him to get on my nerves? However, that wasn’t the thing that got to me. It was the sincerity in his voice- he’d bought her here for me. And only me. Wait- why was I thinking like that? This is just a dream.

Determined not to let him see me weak, I replied coldly, "You still haven’t answered my question properly. Why-Are-You-Here?” I said, breaking my sentence down in a patronising way, “And another thing, could you please take Mum away, I feel uncomfortable with her here, like this.”

"You do realise she can’t hear anything we are saying, this isn’t her real body, it’s just an image of what it looks like in reality. That’s how powerful a dream can be." He walked to Mum and tapped her on her shoulder and she suddenly disappeared. "And, about why I am here, hmm... I wanted you to beg for the answer but I guess I’ll just tell you seeing as I have nothing better to do. I have been appearing in your dream from the moment you were born but you were too young to understand anything and so your imagination wasn’t adjusting to me. Ever since you had that little issue with your Mum, there has been a lot of stress on your shoulder and when you are in that state of stress and depression, your thoughts become much more intense and deep and your imagination becomes a lot more creative. The more creative it is the better and clearer I will appear in your dreams." 

"Well I need to start thinking less creatively then" I mumbled in a childish manner, playing with my nails.

"Anyway, I have to go now, speak to you later" he left as soon as he said that and I woke up straight away with a sudden jolt striking through me. I checked the time on watch. ‘8:00 AM’I was going to be late for school. Not again!

I pulled myself off my bed and ran into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I went back to my room to get dressed and do my hair. 

"Caitlyn come downstairs, breakfast is ready" Dad shouted from the stairs. 

"Coming Dad, I’ll be down in five minutes" 

I tied my hair up into a loose ponytail and applied light make-up onto my face.  I’d never really been a fan of make-up too much.

I ran downstairs and saw Chase sitting in the kitchen eating a cheese sandwich.  

"It’s your first day and you're late" Chase spoke through mouthfuls, I cringed at the sight.  

"Yeah Caitlyn, why did you wake up so late?" Dad asked looking at me. Awkward. All eyes on me.

"Had a long dream"