What Dreams May Come: Chapter 5 (part 1)

Here (finally) is the first part of Chapter 5 in the supernatural thriller “What Dreams May Come.” This chapter has run away from me a bit so I am putting up the first part only, the second part to follow soon (hopefully). Hope you enjoy!

What Dreams May Come
Previous Chapters:
           Chapters 1 & 2
           Chapters 3 & 4

Chapter 5: Exit, Enter, Pirouette (part 1)

She was back in the break room, the stark white walls nearly glowing under the bright florescent lighting. All of the chairs were still where she had left them, though the ceiling was back where it belonged. Across from her the doorway gaped open. As she moved towards it she noticed for the first time the pictures on either side of it. They were almost art deco in style, their subjects two gargoyles, their thin boned arms folded back along their muscular bodies. They seemed to stare right at her, their teeth bared in anger.

“Just some damn pictures.” Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kaia sidled past them and through the black mouth yawning before her.

Blinking, she emerged onto a deserted street. Every window and every street lamp was blacked out as sirens wailed forlornly in the distance. Over head the droning of planes swelled, echoing off the buildings, together with the sirens doubling back ever louder until she had to clamp her hands over her ears. A tall man in a trench coat was running past when he spotted her and slowed to halt. His large hands grasped her shoulders tightly as he dragged her close so he could shout in her ear.

“It’s an air raid; you need to get yourself inside right now!” She could barely make out his words above the din and then he was gone. Kaia looked down at the note he left folded in her hands. Her fingers shook as she slowly opened the thick paper. Scrawled in a strong masculine hand was an address.

“60 Fifth Street.”

There was a flash of gunfire overhead, the bright flare briefly illuminating the street, in that instant, Kaia was able to make out the sign marking the street to her left as Fifth street. Shoving the note into her pocket, she jogged to the street corner. As her foot touched the pavement, an invisible hand flung her to the ground. Her ragdoll body flopped along the pavement as bits of debris shattered into the earth around her. Willing her boneless arms to move, Kaia pushed herself up until she managed to kneel shakily on the street. In the light of the dying bombshell, she made out a black sign adorned with three casks flanked by flowering hops. The Three Tuns. Dragging herself to her feet, Kaia stumbled towards the opened door of the pub.

The heavy oak door slammed shut behind her and Kaia sagged against it, fighting the tears which stung at her eyes as her brain began to register each of the myriad cuts which crisscrossed her body. As the sudden silence roared in her ears, Kaia edged deeper into the empty bar. A single lamp burned atop a small table in the center of the room; beyond it stood the door. Nearly sobbing with relief, she flew past the gargoyles glaring down from the faces of the mugs along the shelves and threw herself into the door. The knob clattered beneath her clenched hands, stoutly refusing to turn. Abandoning the handle, Kaia flung herself against the wood repeatedly, the sobs bursting from her body with each sharp impact. At last, exhausted, she crumpled into a ball along the floor. Kaia shuddered and tilted her head back, her eyes falling on the little stand alone in the middle of the bar. Carefully she rose to her feet, narrowed eyes never leaving the table. As she drew closer, she noticed three small boxes, their tops covered in tiny mosaic tiles. It seemed almost as if they would form a picture except that they were jumbled.

Kaia grabbed hold of the table’s edge as the floor swayed beneath her. The glass was rattling ominously in the panes, the light from another bomb burning red along the edges of the blackout curtains. Next to the boxes lay a sheet of white paper, written with the same bold handwriting that scrawled along the note in her pocket.

Illuminate through open space. Obscure the way again.
Brass and iron yield at touch. The instruments of men.
I pledge my body, to only you, the one with whom I lie
but loyalty is fleeting, sir, no hand may I deny.
For I am but a single half though more of me may spin.
Exit, enter, pirouette, so you might step within.

Chapters 3 & 4 of ‘What Dreams May Come’

What Dreams May Come

Read Chapters 1 & 2

Chapter 3: Good News and Bad News

Flinging her bag onto the worn couch, Kaia kicked off her shoes and wandered towards the kitchen. Pressing a hand against her growling stomach, she moaned as she thought of the meager lunch she had snagged when the class had gone on break. Digging through her purse as she walked, Kaia fished out her cell, grimacing as she realized it had died. Turning on her heel, she backtracked into the living room. She dropped to her knees and peered under the table, searching for the power cord. Plopping down onto the floor, she powered up her phone. The new voicemail message blinked back at her insistently.

“Hey there hon, guessing you let your phone die again?” Kaia felt a warm smile spread across her face as the sound of Brian’s deep voice came over the line. “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. Marcus and Devon hired me on as a lawyer now and I’ve already got my first case.” Kaia did a silent fist pump. Brian had been interning for the Marcus and Devon Law Firm since his first year as a law student, she knew how excited he must be to have been brought on as a lawyer right after passing his bar. “Now for the bad news, the case I’m handling is down in Little Egypt. I’ll be down in Carbondale for the next few days. Wish I had time to say good bye in person. Love you!”

__________________________________________________________

The two gargoyles loomed above her, their great wings spanning the archway, the heart of the labyrinth beyond obscured in shadow. Kaia stepped forward tentatively, her eyes darting between the stone guardians. White light speared her eyes and she squinted as she passed through the entrance. Blinking away the tears, she peered around her in astonishment. A typical office complex spread out before her, the neatly ordered rows of cubicles stretching as far as her eyes could see. Bright fluorescent lights washed out all color and dimension the space might otherwise have had, leaving all it touched devoid of any trace of life. There was a grating sound of stone grinding upon itself and Kaia spun about to find the way she had come blocked by a giant stone slab. Engraved upon its surface was a message and her fingertip trailed along the polished grooves as she read.

“Discovered in Africa, I spread like a tide
To become a hot staple known the world wide.
A necessity to some, a treasure to many,
I’m best enjoyed among pleasant company.

Some like me hot and some like me cold.
Some prefer mild, others only bold.
Some take me straight, while some like to savor
My essence to which has been added a flavor.

So put down your cares and sit awhile with me;
I’ll send you back refreshed and full of energy.”

Kaia stepped back and stared at the wall, her mouth twisted in disgust. “What the fuck.” Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose between her finger and thumb. “Hot staple…Africa…wait a minute…” her head came up and she frowned, remembering an old history paper she had written, “Coffee! But where would I find…” Turning in a slow circle, she peered down the stark white aisles searching for a clue as to what direction she should take. Closing her eyes, she spun around until her head felt as if it would fly right off her shoulders. Kaia waited until the tilting world came to a halt before setting off down the path before her.

Empty cubicles lay in even, geometric patterns along either side of her. Inside each was a computer, the light from their blank screens casting alternating waves of sickly white light and deep shadow as she passed. Goosebumps tingled down her arms, lifting the sensitive hairs until Kaia felt as if she would scream. There was near complete silence, only the soft droning of the computers and her muffled footfalls along the braided carpeting. She was about to turn back and try another path when she spotted a small placard beside a rather inconspicuous door.

“Room 365: Break Room. This must be it.” Her hand stretched out towards the dented brass doorknob, the metal cool against her clammy palm. As the door creaked open, she stuck her head inside. The tiled floor was a checkerboard of mottled gray and teal squares. Six chairs were placed seemingly haphazardly along the floor, each one fitting neatly inside one of the square tiles. What intrigued her the most, however, was the missing tile directly in the center of the room. Tucking a wayward copper strand behind her ear, Kaia stepped fully into the room. As her foot brushed the first of the tiles she heard the soft click of the door shutting behind her and the chilling finality of the lock sliding into place. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as a thin cloud of dust fell from the panels above and a terrible grating sound tore at her ears. The ceiling was falling.

Kaia’s eyes were drawn back to the chairs. A memory tugged at the dim corners of her mind. There was something familiar about this. On a hunch, she grabbed the first chair and pushed until her cheeks were flushed with the effort but it wouldn’t budge. The taste of copper flooded her mouth as Kaia bit her lip so hard it bled. Stepping back, she tried to ignore the ominous rumbling of the ceiling as it fell, inch by inch, towards her head. Running over to the far chair, she gave it a shove, her breath rushing from her in a relief as it shifted a few squares. Carefully she moved each chair, square by painstaking square, until suddenly one lifted right off the floor. Tossing it aside, she began working on the rest of the chairs until at last there was only the one chair left. The ceiling was brushing against the top of her head now and Kaia was forced to crawl along the floor as she pushed the final chair into the hole in the center of the room. As the legs thumped into position, the corresponding hole in the ceiling clicked into place along the back of the chair and stopped.

Kaia flopped boneless to the floor, the cold tiles pressing against her heated cheeks sending shivers rolling down her spine. There was a sound of a door sliding open and she rolled so she could see the far end of the room where the mouth of a doorway now yawned open. Shifting her weight, Kaia began to army crawl along the floor until she reached the door. As she passed into the inky blackness an insistent buzzing sound filled her ears.

Slapping a hand along the snooze button, Kaia moaned as she rolled over. The sheets were twisted about her body. Pillows lay scattered across the room where they had been thrown. Scrubbing a hand across her face, Kaia gasped as pain lanced through her lips. Drawing her hand back, she stared in shock at the bright smear of red staining her palm as the acrid taste of blood met her tongue.

_________________________________________________________

Chapter 4: It Was Just a Dream

“It’s just weird, isn’t it?” Kaia frowned as she tore the crust off her sandwich. The weak winter sunlight struggled through the windowpane to fall along her table. Emily sat opposite her in the booth, her fork twirling absentmindedly in her pasta.

“I wouldn’t worry about it, it was just a dream. It’s probably just like Dr. Lydell said in class yesterday. Our waking life is thought to influence our dream state. I bet the combination of that puzzle book and the section on dreams is just getting jumbled up in your sleep.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Kaia peeled the pickles off the turkey and replaced the slice of bread. Her dark eyes met Emily’s laughing green gaze as she lifted the sandwich to her mouth. “What?”

“Why do you ask for pickles if you just take them off?”

Kaia shrugged indifferently as she swallowed a mouthful. “I’ll still eat them. I like pickles, just not on my sandwich.”

Emily just shook her head and popped a ripe cherry tomato into her mouth.

________________________________________________________

Kaia was perched uncomfortably on the edge of the hard wooden chair awaiting the dour librarian’s return. The same ancient lights hung suspended from the dank ceiling, their weak light casting hazy circles on the chipped paint of the floor. Her fingers beat out a quick, staccato beat as her gaze lazily perused the titles along the shelf beside her. Their careworn faces were often scarred, worn by decades of use. Once elegant gold filigree now looked cheap, it’s painted veneer flaking off to reveal the cracked leather hidden beneath. Her attention was drawn to the quiet swish of the librarian’s skirt against the shelves. Her lined face was every bit as worn as the books surrounding her. Not for the first time, Kaia thought she looked like she belonged down here amongst the old, forgotten tomes.

“Your book,” her voice was little more than a hoarse whisper, the harsh tones gravelly as if she had something caught in her throat.

“Thank you,” Kaia replied meekly as she accepted the small cloth bound book. Nearly running in her hurry to be rid of the curmudgeon, she made for the small table near the center of the room. As she slid into her seat, she found her eyes were drawn to the aisle where before she had found the book of puzzles. Ignoring the impulse to try and find that book again, she drew out her notebook and began dutifully taking notes.

A few hours and a terrible crick in her neck later, Kaia threw down her pen and leaned back in her chair until it rested solely on the rear legs. Again she felt an inexplicable compulsion to find that book. This time, however, she pushed her chair back, its feet screeching against the concrete floor as if in protest.

“It was shelf 5 I think,” she muttered to herself as her fingers trailed along the faded markers. She had just about given up when she spotted it lying unobtrusively alongside a treatise on the effects of certain plant oils on rheumatism. Hugging it to her, she ran back to her table and flipped through the pages impatiently until she spotted the last puzzle, the double page maze. Her eyes widened as she looked it over, every detail was identical to her dream. As she held it closer to inspect it, she noticed that something appeared to be written on the other side of the page. Gently, she turned the page, her breath catching in her chest at what she saw. The book fell from her bloodless hands, slamming against the floor with a dull thud. The pages fluttered like the wings of a bird, settling finally with that page facing her. Scrawled along the back of the page, were instructions on how to complete the maze, in her handwriting.

Her hands were shaking as she bent to retrieve the book. Kaia slammed the cover shut as she noticed now that along the opposite page was the same puzzle from her dream from the night before. “This isn’t real. It’s just a trick of my subconscious.” The hoarse whisper sounded insincere, even to her. She shoved the book away from her and grabbed up her bag. Kaia spared only a fleeting glance over her shoulder at the small, insignificant book lying on the table behind her before dashing up the steps to the main level of the library.

______________________________________________________

“You want it dragged through the garden, miss?” The heavy set man’s face was flushed from the steam pouring off the hot dogs simmering in the water before him. Chicago hot dogs are the best in the world, just ask the guys that sell them. A kosher, all beef hot dog, water simmered, topped with yellow mustard, white onions, piccalilli, pickled sport peppers, tomato slices, a dill pickle and a dash of celery salt all on a poppy seed bun. Kaia’s stomach rumbled just thinking about it.

“Oh yes, thank you.”

“You seem distracted,” Emily’s voice carried a hint of worry, “and I didn’t really want to say anything but those dark circles are god awful. Have you been sleeping all right?”

Kaia sighed and picked some poppy seeds off her hot dog bun absentmindedly as the two began walking away from the street vendor. She glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye. Emily’s honey blonde hair hang in stick straight curtains, perfectly framing her oval face as she attempted to cram a rather unladylike-sized bite into her mouth. For an instant, Kaia thought about telling her of the second dream and the notes in the puzzle book. “Brian’s gone; it’s funny how hard it is to sleep without him there.” A corner of her mouth lifted in a sardonic grin, “you’d think I’d be sleeping better without him snoring like a bear.”

Behind them at the vendor’s cart she heard an argument erupt. “But I like ketchup on my hot dog.”

“And I told you,” the vendor’s voice was low and brimming with anger, “we don’t have ketchup here. You’ll not be ruining my hot dogs with that shit!”

Emily giggled around the bite of hot dog in her mouth. “Ah tourists, always good for a laugh.”

A shadow passed over the two women as they walked and Kaia glanced up at the century old architecture of the building that loomed over them. Perched atop a crumbling stone ledge near the top floor giant stone gargoyles flanked the dark windows. Their stoic faces scowled in warning down at all who dared pass beneath them.

What Dreams May Come

Chapter 1: What You Find When You Least Expect It

“Row 8, section 4, shelf 5…” The tips of Kaia’s fingers trailed over the rough, leather bindings of the books as her hazel eyes searched for a specific title. Blowing a strand of copper hair out of her eyes, the girl sighed in frustration. “Damn it, of course it couldn’t be easy to find.” A thick coating of dust blanketed everything in sight and she rubbed some of the gray moss off one of the books absentmindedly. “Obviously no one has been down here in forever, so why isn’t anything where it’s supposed to be?” she muttered to herself.

Giving up, she began wandering back through the stacks, the dim light of the ancient bulbs overhead casting a dull glow on the cement floor. Shivering in spite of herself, Kaia wrapped her arms about her middle to fend off the damp chill. The library’s basement was little more than just that; a basement. Even the sound of her footsteps echoed loudly, the silence between each step doubling back upon itself until she got the feeling almost as if she were being accused of trespassing. Suddenly she stopped, her eyes drawn to a small, unassuming book nestled between two far larger and grander tomes. Curious, Kaia slipped it from its place and frowned at its tattered cloth cover. Turning it over in her hands, she looked for a title or an author but found none. Its cover creaked open in protest, the first few pages slowly unfurling with it.

“The Inescapable Maze: Puzzles to Elevate Your Consciousness.”

Snapping the cover shut, Kaia turned about, looking for one of the reading tables. Her thesis forgotten, she dumped her messenger bag on the floor beside her and tugged the chair out. Settling down, she flipped through the cover pages until she reached the first puzzle. It was a simple maze and she quickly found her way through it. On the back of the page she found the answer key. A slow smile spread across her face as she saw she had finished it correctly. Each puzzle became a little bit harder than the last, until she was forced to make notes in her notebook to finish them. Kaia rubbed at her sore eyes and stared at the last puzzle, a grand maze that took up the entirety of two pages. Its intricate passages wound about themselves like a twisting den of snakes. Grinning to herself, she bent over it, pen poised over her notebook in anticipation. Lost within its myriad pathways, the girl failed to hear the soft click of approaching footsteps.

“What’re you doin’ here?” Kaia’s head snapped up guiltily, her finger frozen in place, marking her spot in the maze. A balding older man loomed above her, his gaunt face haggard in the murky light.

“The library closed three hours ago.”

“Oh,” Kaia checked her watch, her eyes widening as she noticed she had spent eight hours poring over the book of puzzles. “I’m so sorry, I lost track of time. “Unable to resist, she took a quick peek at the back of the page where the answer key should be; if she had to leave, at least she could know if she was on the right track. A small frown formed between her brows as an empty page stared back at her. Reluctantly, she closed the little book. “Would it be all right if I checked this one out?”

“No one’s here to do that for you. ‘Sides, can’t check nothing out from down here.”

Her fingers lingered on the book’s cover. “All right then, sorry again.” As she followed the custodian out, Kaia tossed a look back over her shoulder at the small book lying innocently on the table and made a silent promise to return tomorrow.

The cold night air took her breath away as she stepped out into the brisk, Chicago night. The muffled tones of her cell rang out and she dug through her bag, smiling as she saw the face of her boyfriend smirking up at her from the screen.

“Hi Brian,” starting off down the sidewalk, she aimed for the beat up old Ford at the back of the lot. All around her the city of Chicago glimmered in the frosty air, the pink haze of light pollution giving a sense that dawn was perpetually minutes away. In the distance the lights atop the Sears tower blinked lazily, seemingly suspended in the gloom.

“Hey Kaia, just wondering when you thought you’d be home?” Brian’s deep baritone rumbled across the line as she fumbled for her keys.

“Sorry love, lost track of time. I’ll be there in a few.”

“Dinner’s ready and waiting. I can’t wait to tell you my good news.”

Kaia felt a smile crack her already numb cheeks at the excitement in his voice, “And I can’t wait to hear it. Love you.”

The chill of the metal door made her aching fingers burn as she pulled it open. As she warmed them on the vents, her thoughts drifted back to the book and that last puzzle.

---

“Hey love, I’m home!” Kaia called as she flung open the door to their small apartment. The warm, spicy scent of Cajun chicken greeted her and her stomach rumbled greedily in response. “If you tell me you’ve made red skin potatoes with that, I promise to love you forever.”

Brian appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, wiping his hand on his stained “Kiss the Chef” apron. His blue eyes crinkled as he laughed and planted a warm kiss on her cheek. Kaia smacked him playfully on his backside as the two moved into the kitchen. Peeking under one of the lids, she closed her eyes as the smell of brown rice filled her nostrils. Slipping a spoon into the dish, she snuck a taste.

“Hey you, not until dinner!”

“Ok, ok.” Smiling, she wrapped her arms about his waist and rested her chin against his broad chest. “So what’s this good news about?”

“Drum roll please.” Brian laughed as Kaia beat out a staccato rhythm on his rear. “You are now dating a lawyer.”

“You got your bar results?” Kaia squealed and hugged him tight as Brian nodded. “Oh honey, I’m so happy for you!”

---

Kaia twisted restlessly in the sheets, the thin material catching about her legs. Kicking them free, she heard Brian mumble in his sleep and roll onto his side, dragging the sheets with him. Sighing, Kaia flipped her pillow over and pressed her cheek into the cool fabric. Ever so slowly her eyes drifted shut as an image of the last maze flashed through her thoughts.

A great hedge loomed before her, its gnarled branches brushing at the sky. Directly in front of her was a doorway gaping wide, all else beyond it shrouded in shadow. Tentatively, Kaia took a step forward, her hand steadying her as she peered around the edge of the bush. Three pathways snaked out, their ends lost behind corners. Choosing the rightmost path, Kaia edged forward, her fingers catching in the branches as she went. The twists and turning of the small dirt path continued and at first she always chose the right hand path. After what felt like hours she blinked as she came face to face with a metal grate. Turning about she frowned as she realized she had come full circle back to the beginning of the maze. And that that metal grate was barring her only way out.

Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, trying to squash the nervousness that was tying her stomach into knots. Kneeling in the dirt she drew a crude map, chewing her lower lip as she thought it over. Swallowing the bad taste in her mouth, she stood and started off down the center path. Each time she was presented with a crossroads she would pause and draw another map before choosing a path. Until, at last, she found herself at the center of the maze. Two giant gargoyles stood sentry on either side of the massive entryway that led to the labyrinth’s heart. Their great stone wings stretched wide, casting Kaia in shadow. As she approached the gate began to rise. Out of the corners of her eyes, she swore the great stone beasts were watching her, though when she turned to look at them she found they hadn’t moved. There was a bright light beyond the gate and she squinted as she tried to see what lay within it.

“Kaia,” Kaia moaned as Brian shook her gently, “it’s 6 am. Time to get up.”

Chapter 2: Some Dream

“That was some dream all right.”

The two sat around their kitchen table, the remnants of breakfast scattered across its surface. Kaia scrubbed a hand over her face as she nodded wearily. “I’m sure it was because I never got to solve that last puzzle. It kept sticking in my head all night.”

Brian chewed on his toast thoughtfully, “did you ever find that book you needed for your thesis?”

“No,” Kaia sighed, “I’ll have to go back there again after class.”

After checking his watch, Brian gulped down the rest of his coffee. “Good luck, Sweetheart. I know you’ll work it out. See you tonight.” Brian dropped a kiss on the top of her head as he snatched up his briefcase and ran out the door.

Dropping the dirty dishes in the sink, Kaia frowned at her reflection in the dingy water.

“I wonder if that was the same maze from the book. It couldn’t be, could it?”

---

Kaia slipped into the overfull auditorium and waited for her eyes to adjust to the light. Seeing her friend, Emily, waving in the third row, she took off down the aisle, trying not to elbow or be elbowed as she went.

“You were almost late!” Emily’s bright emerald eyes flashed with laughter. “Usually you’re the one holding the seat for me. Nice change for once.”

Kaia blew out a noisy breath, sending the copper strands of her bangs flying. “Brian passed his bar exam, so we were celebrating. Plus I didn’t sleep very well, I had this odd dream…”

“Hey everybody, let’s get started.” Dr. Lydell’s voice struggled over the din of hundreds of people talking over one another. Students of all ages and several majors, had gathered for this conference. It was not often that Dr. Carl Lydell agreed to teach a class and as she was working towards her masters of psychology, Kaia was thrilled to have the opportunity. “For the next two weeks we will be discussing the psychology behind our dreams.”

Emily leaned toward her, her honey blonde hair falling like a curtain across one of Kaia’s shoulders. “Maybe you’ll get your answer to that dream.”