Fallen Dreamers

Chapter 1

They said that the prisoners of Fallen Dreamers were all crazy. Thrown into a pit in the ground, which led to a prison that supposedly had the power to turn dreams to reality. That's why it was everyone's greatest fear, because nightmares can be dreams too and there are always nightmares you don't want to let out. Especially prisoners, who would be forced to have their dreams of their crimes turn to reality. To see what they did over and over. That's enough to drive anyone a little mad. I was once terrified of it too, until I did something awful enough to get me sent there. I won't tell you what I did, not yet. I want you to keep reading. I want you to read this tale and when you finally find out what I did, you'll be too far gone to care if what I did was awful. However, it would be rude to not tell you anything. Let's just say that my crime was bad enough that I will definitely have nightmares about it, but not any guilt. I do believe I have told you all that I am willing to at this point. My name you shall find out soon enough. So, find a comfy seat and let's begin.

I was being thrown into prison. Usually when people say that, it's merely a cell that they are tossed into. Not so in my case. I was being thrown into a the Fallen Dreamers prison; the prison where the only way to get in was apparently a hole in the ground. I had heard the rumors, of course. The door to Fallen Dreamers was the mouth of a great monster that swallowed you, a swirling black portal, or that there wasn't a prison at all, and there was only a quick death by sword. Everyone had their own theory, whether they be rich or poor, young or old. I pondered all of these as they led me down a winding flight of stairs, through dark corridors and shadowy crypts. The theory that they drowned you in a giant vat of ale was my favorite. It sounded sooo much more fun than being beheaded. But, I digress. When we reached the end, it was merely a ordinary hole. A simple square, lined with brick pavers, like a common well.

"Well," I drawled to the blank faced soldiers, "what a disappointment." They said nothing, but they were probably used to throwing unafraid lunatics in. Not that I wasn't afraid, but I hid my knocking knees and shaking hands well. I always have hid my fear well. The soldier behind me prodded me with his spear towards the pit. I walked towards it with my heart in my throat. I stopped on the pavers and looked into the darkness that I couldn't see anything through. My chains rattles as I twirled around on the edge of the pit, to face back the way I came. I gave the soldiers a deep bow and a wink, then I threw my arms out wide and stepped backwards off the edge. I fell backwards into the pit on purpose. I wanted the soldiers that threw me into the Fallen Dreamers to see that I was unafraid and to go back and report that to their master. Their master who was the one that caused me to fall so far. I knew I succeeded when I saw that flicker of fear that made it all worth it. I plunged down towards my new reality.

The wind snatched at my hair as I fell. I tumbled end over end, until the concept of up and down seemed like a fantasy. Bizarre lights flashed before my eyes, and I heard sounds: screams, howls, laughter, sobs, and music. Such wonderful music. If I hadn't been falling to my possible death, I would've danced. The pit smelled earthy, not bad earthy, but the smell of the world after a large rain that covers everything. I managed to straighten myself up, so I was falling in a sitting position. I arranged my tattered dress around me and tried to appear composed. I seemed to fall for a hour or so, but it was hard to keep track of time. While I was falling, I wondered, What will the infamous Fallen Dreamers look like? I pictured everything from a giant building in a cavern surrounded by a moat of lava, to a alternate world where the trash of every kingdom in every universe is thrown away. Then I saw a steady light below me, and I fell right into my new home.

It was a gigantic cavern. There was no sun, instead there were moving, glowing patterns that looked like they were carved into the rock ceiling. I didn't have time to study those beautiful patterns, although I would be glad to watch them all day. On the cavern floor, there was a shining city with a river flowing through it. The edges of the cavern disappeared into a all encompassing fog. I saw all of this in a instance as I fell toward the floor. There wasn't any point in screaming, nor was there time to. I was hurtling towards a flat stretch of ground. I prepared for my demise, but then the air seemed to catch me. I was gently lowered till I was a few feet above the ground, then I was rudely dumped on my rear. I cursed. I mean, I cursed a lot and at everything. Nothing was spared from my merciless onslaught. When I finally finished cursing, I surveyed my surroundings. I was in a empty field on a hill about a mile away from the city. The patterns on the ceiling gave barely enough light to see by and everything was shrouded in shadows.

I thought for a moment and then muttered, "I suppose the only smart plan of action would be to go the suspicious city inside a prison. A city that is probably filled with insane criminals." I took a few steps in that direction when I heard the thud of the knife. I turned around and there it was. A knife with a long blade and a good solid hilt. I swiped it up and looked up toward the ceiling. Hmm, I thought, they must give all of the prisoners a knife to defend themselves. Or to kill them by dropping it on their heads. I was no stranger to knives and I knew I could handle almost anything that the suspicious city could throw at me as long as I had a knife. I flipped the knife into the air and caught it.

Smirking, I said to myself, "Watch out my fellow prisoners, because I am here and ready to have some fun." With that, I headed off to find out if I was crazy enough to belong here.