Dreams and Imagination - Inspired by “Two Steps from Hell”

“No don’t be silly,” laughed the one girl, Alana while making herself comfortable in her bed.

The other, Priscilla, chuckled and lifted her head to face the other with a proud look.

“I believe it anyway, it is what me and my councillor have discussed. Dreams and Imagination are a reflective of one’s own thoughts, desires and nightmares,” she grinned. “As Sir Edgar Allan Poe once wrote, ‘All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.’” Priscilla chuckled and made herself comfortable next to her best friend.

“Well you have one messed up mind to think of all those messed up dreams you have,” retorted Alana.

Then there was silence. The two girls silenced themselves to embrace the darkness and engulfed themselves in their own thoughts and dreams, regardless of them being anything like they imagined.

Priscilla was a young and troubled child. She may not have allowed many to see, she held a good and strong facade and she like it. She didn’t like being herself, she had become quite accustomed to this facade she created. It hide all her troubles and she embraced in the comfort of her fake self in power and control of her thoughts and movement.

Although, she had only ever revealed her one true self to two persons. One being her best friend, Alana; who she had known for many years and could trust such a person with her life and all that belonged to her. The other being her councillor; who she wished to find a reason for her shameful behaviour and train of thought as herself and wondered why she thought the things she did.

It turns out that she created this facade because she was sad and feeling lonely. She liked to keep her mind occupied with the feeling of being lost and wandering. A poor lost soul trying to find tranquillity and sanctuary within herself.

As Pricilla closed her eyes she was engulfed rather quickly into the black void of her thoughts.

“What masterful dream will my brain concoct tonight?” she chuckled to herself.

The darkness seemed to wrap around her like a harsh wind, but blowing a long and warming wind. Within the darkness shone a large pale pink item. Focusing a little more on the item, Priscilla chuckled as she realised it was her brain. Holding out to touch it she felt a sudden change. In the vast distance of her thoughts, she could hear a quick drumming and quickly grabbing hold of the brain the vast void of nothingness begins to melt away and within her mind she began to concoct and transport herself to a jungle environment. The sky was bright and the air was light. Animals of vast variety of animals darted around, and in joy Priscilla began to walk in the direction of the bouncing monkeys, which swung from tree to tree, vine to vine, travelling far and wide with grace and passion. Priscilla picked up a little pace and soon found she was chasing after the furry collective.

No sooner than she began her enjoy herself, Priscilla felt an unearthly tremble and the air suddenly became heavy and hard. Looking behind her she saw all the animals were now running in fear. Clutching the brain, which Priscilla still carried tight, she ran faster than she was before and not thinking of what they could be running from. Without looking where she was going, Priscilla ran right off the cliff face, and felt her body falling down into the rocks below.

She noticed that the brain she held was glowing and pulsing again. Hugging into the brain she begged her thoughts to break her fall, and from her brain came a violent tug, as the brain expanded and moulded itself into a hot air balloon.

The landscape changed and so did the faint music, which she could hear. The higher into the sky she rose, the calmer and more tranquil her aura became. The landscape became darker and the sky glittered with stars, resting her arms on the woven basket Priscilla smiled and sighed in awe. The moment became more mystical as the Northern Lights shot across the sky and danced around as if it were alive.

Although, yet again this view was not to last, as the balloon began to descend and bring all thoughts back to the ground. It got lighter the further Priscilla descended and the more alive the world looked, as she fell into a Japanese style Zen garden, filled with a large lake, a bridge lay further upstream, as the brain shrank left her unbalanced on the water’s surface,

“Hah, I can walk on water,” she gasped, as she found her balance and held the brain back in her arms.

Priscilla had to duck out of the way of the stalk that flew in her way and landed next to her. Looking down in shock, Priscilla noticed that her clothing had changed. It went from a simple green top and trousers to a long flowing white dress with draping sleeves and shirt cuffs. The Stalk cocked its head to the side and watched, as Priscilla was pulled underneath the water and the brain slowly moulded into the form of a person. It held onto her hand and guided her through the underwater beauty. Everywhere she looked was a new and wonderful sight. Priscilla saw all the creatures of the underwater realm. Re-surfacing from the water, Priscilla rolled out onto a warm black floor. She was back in the realm of her void. The dark blank canvas of her mind her inner thoughts and her darkest dreams.

There were a few moments of silence when the smile slowly began to fade from Priscilla’s face. What was her mind up to now? Where was it going to take her?

The brain began to glow and pulsate again, letting go of the brain it formed itself into a pathway, a grey swirling pathway that lead up and round in circles. The brain began to float along this pathway and like an obedient child, Priscilla followed with great curiosity. She climbed and followed her floating brain to the highest point. The pathway disappeared as a large archway stood in front of her. It was pale grey and had vines and leaves decorated around its edges. Taking a risk, Priscilla ran and jumped through the archway and fell the entire way back to the floor. The pathway zoomed past her with great velocity, and struck fear into Priscilla’s veins. She felt cold as she collided with a flat surface in her darkness and whimpered once she saw three white misty figures before her. Backing away from the figures, they slowly revealed themselves to be her Mother, Father and Sister. Priscilla’s nerves relaxed and her darkness began to take the form of her house.

Delighted, the family seated themselves at the dinner table and in silence they ate their food. Priscilla gazed at every single one of her family and thought of how much she loved them. All the good memories they all have shared and how much she appreciates them, comparing them to her friends and how lucky she is to have those as her parents. Then she slowly began to think of all the sad and bad things they did. All the negative things that happened to her because of them and anger boiled up inside her. Before any feelings could get out she stood and ran away from her void reconstruction of the home, the house and the bad feelings.

“Run and they can’t hurt you,” she whispered.

The further away she got the more she thought of her best friend and how much she loved her. Alana came into formation as she approached her, Priscilla had enough time to embrace Alana before she was pulled back into the void of her thoughts.

Sitting cross legged Priscilla stared into space and began to tear up. She hated her family for the mess she went through. It might not have been really bad compared to others, but she felt awful and just as hurt as everyone else. It angered her that people always had to have more a traumatic story than she did and that Pricilla 'doesn’t know what we go through, we go through much more than she does. Her problems aren't as bad as mine. Your life is easy.'

She tried to be kind to everyone, and helped them all through their problems. But when she asked for help in return she was always rejected and was greeted with, “Grow a backbone and stick up for yourself.”

The tears swelled more around her eyes and the brain began to pulse again. Bright tendrils came forth from the brain this time and it formed itself into another human. Taking the hand of the bright form it held her close. They embraced and Priscilla closed her eyes. Tightening her grip around the person she heard the landscape change, it was a street, where you could hear the birds and you could feel the cold wind. The cars drove by and Priscilla didn’t care. This moment was more blissful than she could have ever dreamed of. Listening closer she could hear and feel the heartbeat of the other person. Synchronising the breathing pattern, for that long moment, they were together, they were yin and yang connected.

Priscilla could feel the wind picking up a bit more and the stronger it got, the further apart she became with the person. A giant gust of wind blew and all of a sudden, she was alone again. Folding her arms around her she fell to her knees and stared back out to the void of her mind.

“Alright, I have had enough now. Let it be morning,” she whispered.