Flight of Fancy

Chapter XXXVII: TO STAY OR TO GO?

For some reason, Ana decided to watch a bit of television after lunch. She usually didn’t really enjoy it, as it was mostly mindless drivel made to dull the senses and the mind, but she supposed she needed to dull whatever she could at this time. Even though there was the prospect of a reunion with David, there was still doubt in her mind and countless other thought. The noise in her brain didn’t want to die down and she needed to give it a sedative.

Stupid female brain.

She usually enjoyed the efficiency of her thinking process and all the options and possibilities she could come up with from just one situation, but on this particular day, things needed to be kept simple. So, television seemed like a good option. After about half an hour, she felt her eyelids getting heavy. She didn’t usually sleep in the afternoons, but she obviously needed it and something from the TV, either the radiation or the boring programme, seemed to have served its purpose. She switched the TV off with the last of her strength and was suddenly transported into a dream world. She knew straight away it was a dream. It was similar to the last time that she had dreamt of the wolf.

The scene before her was different than the last time. She was in a sort of jungle, surrounded by all sorts of vegetation that was familiar yet somehow foreign to her. The air was oppressively humid and lay heavily on her chest. It was hard to breath. If she had to guess, she would say she was somewhere in Asia, probably near the equator. Still, it was a dream vision, so it was likely that there would be some changes.

She looked around and felt a chill down her spine. She couldn’t account for the sensation. It was almost like a precautionary alarm system, telling her that something was afoot, that perhaps something unfriendly would be paying a visit. Despite the urge to run, she remained planted in her place, realising that she couldn’t run even if she wanted to. Her legs seemed to be frozen with fear, like when you’re being chased by a monster in a nightmare.

Thank heavens it’s only a dream.

Usually, when nightmares like that paid you a visit you weren’t lucky enough to realise it was all merely an illusion.

Or is it?

Some people believed that dreams were doorways to other dimensions, or parallel universes, so what she was experiencing could be all too painfully real, either for her or someone else whose life she was experiencing.

It’s all so confusing.

The sky became dimmer, as if confirming her suspicions about an oncoming danger. She tried to find a safe spot, from where she could have a good look in most directions around her. There was a big tree close to her, which could serve as a good place to lean her back and observe anyone approaching. She wouldn’t be able to see behind the tree, but she would have to rely on her other senses to feel any oncoming predator. She managed to move her paralysed legs somehow to make the few paces towards the tree. Once there, she breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed she was out of breath, somewhat due to the strain of moving her lead feet and somewhat due to her instinct telling her of the oncoming threat.

All of a sudden, the jungle became silent – the birds and insects stopped making any noise. There was what seemed like absolute silence at first, then there was a light rustling of foliage and leaves. It was obvious that whatever was coming was big and judging by the reactions of the jungle animals, it was also scary.

Gripped by fear, she waited for any sign of the beast and soon enough, she could see movements of the leaves just in her eyesight. Then, she could also observe movements to her left and then her right. Listening carefully, she could just make out something approaching behind her as well. It seemed like escape wasn’t an option and she knew she couldn’t run anyway.

As the beasts were disturbing the trees and bushes ever closer to her, all of a sudden a sense of serenity came over Ana and she felt that everything would be all right. She now observed the phenomenon with interest instead of dread and was interested to see what would show its ugly face, so she could look it in the eye and spurn it with her own gaze.

From the dense greenery the beasts were approaching, their movements louder and louder. Then, from behind the bushes came the first sight of the creatures. They were lizards, perhaps the largest she had ever seen. They were probably some remnants of dinosaurs, who had become smaller in time, but still impressive in size and capable of inflicting a great deal of damage to anyone, especially in their current numbers.

The ugly beasts studied her with their expressionless eyes, as if trying to find the best way of disposing with her. They progressed towards her now slower than before, but still menacingly and with deadly intent. They were perhaps about ten yards away from her before their march came suddenly to a halt. The creatures began sniffing the air and turning around, as if an even greater predator was in the vicinity. Ana was merely watching it all unfold, reduced to an objective observer watching a performance.

Without much introduction, a single wolf trotted among the lizards and stopped in the middle of the army and Ana. The lizards studied the wolf, unsure of what to do next. The wolf moved towards one of the creatures, almost daring it to attack. As the lizard struck, the wolf had no problem moving away, striking several blows to the lizard on the way. This game continued with several other lizards, however the wolf became surrounded by the creatures and eventually they brought him to the ground and inflicted too much damage and the wolf lay dead on the ground. As the lizards were regrouping for another attack, the wolf suddenly jumped back to life and the game continued again, until he was once more subdued by the sheer numbers of the reptiles and fell dead to the ground once again. The creatures tentatively formed another circle around Ana, getting ready to pounce, when the wolf became reanimated yet again, once more daring the lizards to attack. Despite their apparently expressionless eyes, there was confusion in the lizards’ eyes. They looked at one another as if trying to communicate about their next move. There was forward movement by a few of them, but as soon as the wolf struck them several blows, inflicting deadly damage again, the reptiles started turning around in greater and greater numbers, until they were all retreating and the jungle came back to life.

The wolf turned toward Ana, looking at her with a gentle gaze. It seemed the animal almost beckoned her to follow as he trotted off slowly. Ana walked behind him, her paralysis a thing of the past. She saw the bushes move ahead of her, as the wolf disappeared behind. She walked through dense foliage and all of a sudden she was in a magnificent meadow in an evergreen forest, the jungle apparently long behind her. The wolf was standing by a tree on the other side of the meadow, waiting for Ana. As she came closer, the wolf disappeared into the forest. Ana followed, but just as she was going into the forest, an old man with gentle eyes came into the clearing, right in front of her. His face seemed familiar, though she couldn’t say from where.

He spoke only one sentence: “Be ready tonight,” then disappeared into the forest. Ana knew instantly there was no point in following him.

She looked into the blue sky. Out of nowhere, it started cracking and she was afraid it would fall down on her, so she closed her eyes. When she reopened them, she was back in her apartment, not exactly certain what had just happened, but aware that it was extremely important.

Ana needed a few moments to come to her senses after the experience with the wolf.

Another one.

It was more than just a coincidence and she was sure the wolf and the old man were somehow connected to David.

I hope somebody’s not manipulating me.

Her instincts were telling her otherwise and they could usually be trusted.

She went to the bathroom to wash up. She needed to look somewhat presentable if she was to spring this news on David’s parents. They said they were ready to leave, but leaving this night was a different matter altogether. Hopefully they would see the wisdom of diving into the deep end. This was no time for slow planning.

As she made her way downstairs, she didn’t have any plan of action. Somehow, the words would come out of her mouth and somehow it would turn out the way it was meant.

Ana found her mother-in-law in the kitchen, apparently making some home-made bread.

“Oh, hi,” said her mother-in-law. “Are you okay? You look a bit tired? I know you’ve not been sleeping since David’s disappearance, but you look a bit paler than usually, if you don’t mind me saying.”

“You’re right,” replied Ana. “I just had a very weird dream and whatI’m about to tell you may come as a shock.”

David’s mother put the dish with the dough on the dining room table and sat down, listening to Ana intently.

“I think David’s coming for us tonight,” continued Ana. “I know it’s hard to believe that information came from my dreams, but I hope you...”

Her mother-in-law then called for David’s father, interrupting Ana’s speech, which Ana realised wasn’t going anywhere anyway.

“What is it?” asked David’s father.

“Ana says that David might be coming today and that we should get ready,” said David’s mother.

“Already?” asked the father with a puzzled expression. “I didn’t think it would be this soon. I’m not sure.”

They were both silent for a long time and Ana let them process their thoughts. She knew these things take time.

“I believe you,” said Ana’s mother-in-law, “but now that the time is here, I feel like I don’t want to leave my home.”

“Yes,” agreed Ana’s father-in-law. “This is our home. We love David dearly, but the thought of leaving everything behind us, not knowing what awaited us.”

“You know David wouldn’t lead you to a bad place,” said Ana. “He’s a good man.”

“It’s not that,” said David’s mother. “I just don’t want to part with everything. This is where our story lies.”

“I’m afraid I have to agree,” confirmed David’s father. “We couldn’t live anywhere else.”

“But could you leave without David?” asked Ana. “Because I have a feeling that if we leave tonight, we will never come back.”

David’s parents became pensive, as if weighing all the options.

“I don’t know,” said the mother-in-law. “I just don’t know.”

“Yes,” agreed the father-in-law. “I’m in two minds as well. But we’ll be here tonight and we will see then. If David comes, we’ll know what to do.”

Thus, Ana knew she wouldn’t know if David’s parents were coming with them until the very last moment.