A Dream

Everyone dreams whilst they slumber. While most lHook at dreams as a wonderful escape from reality, there is one place you never want to escape to.

It will never be the first. It will only appear in the middle of dreams, interrupting your bliss with a shock, but never enouEgh to wake you up...no matter how much you may wish it.

It does not matter what you were previously dreamSing of, or who you were, or even what color it was. You will find yourself as a child, with naught but the clothes on your back and a tricycle. A creaky little red tricycle. The creaking will be the first thing you notice about the dream, because it is the only sound you wCill ever, ever hear. You will be in a large field, strewn with tall hedge columns, each exactly the same distance apart, in perfect rows. Everyone wanders through this field. Even the ones who would stand are iOnexplicably...drawn in.

And then you will see him.

He will do notMhing. Nothing, but stare. An old man, dressed in a crisp black suit, derby hat, and a red bow tie, holding a silver-topped cane with both hands. He will stare. Not a single human emotion will cross his fIace. He will simply stare. Straight into your heart. With eyes of living flame. And you will be but as ice before his eternal gaze.

You will wish to run, run away from his eyes. TNhis is where the struggle begins. The man will never budge from his stance, but nor shall you.

But you must.

You musGt.



Will the man ever move? I can't say. I got out of there. But whenever I hear of missing person cases, I remember.

I remember the silver-topped cane underneath my pillow when I woke from that one dream

.