City of IF

[Klafarius]

For the time being I am going to be focusing my attention on my SG Biv-Wacked! So until then this story is on HIATUS

As Always Feedback is Welcome!

Prologue

The room where he stood was familiar somehow even though he could not place the location. He could hear the hustling of people throughout the mansion, for it was indeed a mansion he could remember that much. Walking out of the bed room he entered a hallway with more bedrooms leading off on either side and at the end the hallway opened out into a library with shelves lined with books from floor to ceiling. A small couch with two end tables sat in the center of the room with a beautiful young woman lounging with her slender legs tucked underneath her on the couch. She wore a white lace collared sundress with a satin red ribbon tied around her waist and a red ribbon tied around her neck on which a small cross pendant dangled in the sunlight coming through the window across the room from the couch. Suddenly he recognized his surroundings.

He walked around the couch and stood looking out of the window, the knowledge of where he was both elated and depressed him. It was the dream. His unconscious mind mulled over that fact for a few moments before he turned and wondered whether he could get this torture over with fast or if this would be one of those long drawn out dreams tonight. He watched her wondering why he kept dreaming of this beautiful woman who he could not touch or even speak to. The edges of her beautiful green eyes crinkled in concentration as she poured over the book, her long wavy coal black hair draped over one shoulder with the book in one hand and the other absent mindedly twirled her fingers through the dark strands.

He turned back to the window and watched as two of the hired men worked the garden, hoeing, weeding, and watering the newly sprouted vegetables. He groaned loudly and put a hand to his temple knowing that when he eventually woke up he was going to have one hell of a headache. Hearing the young woman gasp behind him he turned his head, looked her direction and stared into the woman’s frightened eyes. He turned back to the window wondering what she was looking at through the panes that would frighten her. There was nothing outside the window. Quizzically he turned back to look at her and suddenly he understood. It was him. She could see him. Holy hell, the woman could SEE him. His unconscious mind fumbled over this new development while he watched in open mouthed fascination as the young woman opened her mouth and screamed.

[alexandrie]

Interesting, very intresting. I have but one question, what happens next? :duel:

[Klafarius]

well, I'm hopefully going to have at least the first part of Chapter one done real soon! I guess we'll find out then. :D

[Guest]

Wow is he a ghost! I love ghost stories! Very good writing.

[Klafarius]

Chapter 1

Dane woke up in a cold sweat, the sound of the woman’s scream still echoing in his ears. Groaning he rolled over and wearily got out of bed glanced at the clock realizing it was only four thirty in the morning. Sighing heavily he went into the bathroom, washed his face, toweled off and stood looking at his reflection in the mirror. His short dark brown hair was tousled, his blue eyes red rimmed and puffy from lack of sleep, and his face bore more than three days beard growth. Shaking his head he exited the bathroom and walked into the kitchen starting the coffee pot as he did.

Dane’s one bedroom apartment was minuscule to say the least. The front door opened into a combined living room and dining room separated from one another only by the delineation of carpet meeting linoleum. A wall separated part of the kitchen from the living room in a most maddening manner in the fact that the wall housed only a small gas heater and nothing else. What was worse was the fact that the wall was so far into the kitchen that if you opened the door to the oven all the way the clearance between the wall and the edge of the door was almost exactly one inch not to mention the fact that the refrigerator was actually in the dining room itself making what little useful space, well, unusable. Dane had forgone the use of a dining table and instead had placed his computer desk in the space.

Through the living room and down a short hallway and through a doorway on the left was a spacious bedroom if your sole possessions were a night stand, a small dresser and a full size bed as Dane’s actually were. On the right side of the hallway through the doorway was the bathroom equipped with a rather old looking combination tub and shower, a newer white porcelain pillar sink, and of course toilet. At the very end of the hallway was an eight foot linen closet with four shelves and enough space to pack away a vacuum cleaner, broom and dustpan, and mop with bucket.

His best friend Annie swore the person who had drawn up the plans was high and drunk. For once Dane had agreed with her. Dane hated the place but the rent was cheap.

Dane pressed the power button on the coffee pot, walked over to his computer pressing the power button on this as well, flopped into the computer chair and waited while listening to the sounds of tires against wet pavement as cars passed interspersed with the gurgling and spluttering of the coffee pot as it brewed. After a moment the operating system opened on to the computers desktop and Dane double clicked on the folder labeled Dreams. Inside were entries going back as far as three months when he had finally realized the dreams were becoming more frequent and an acquaintance who had some experience in dream interpretations had suggested he keep such a record to see if there were any correlation between dreams or if in fact any interpretations could be made at all.

Starting a new page in his journal he wrote down as much detail as he could remember about the dream. After he finished he got up and poured himself a cup of coffee and sat back down at the computer, made sure there was nothing else he could think of to add to the entry and saved the file to the hard drive. He sat sipping his coffee thinking back on some of the other dreams he had experienced but so far this last one was the only dream where he had not wandered around the house or grounds unable to interact with the dream people around him. So what did it mean? Why was the girl in his dreams now suddenly able to perceive him? The other question if these were dreams how come he could not change certain aspects of it or at least include people he already knew? It made no sense to Dane. All the different techniques of dream manipulation he had been told to try or he had read about had not worked. So why when he was not trying to do anything had this happened?

Putting the now empty coffee cup down Dane rubbed his temples feeling the beginnings of a headache. Shutting down the computer he headed back into the bathroom, took a couple of ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet, swallowed them, and climbed back into bed. Dane hoped that between the coffee and the medicine the headache would subside by the time he awoke again.
* * * * * *

“I don’t get it?” said Annie turning from the computer screen to look at Dane where he sat reading on the couch.

Dane sighed. “Annie I don’t get it either that is why I have had you pouring over my journal for the last hour.”

Annie rolled the chair away from the computer, came to rest before the well used fourth or fifth hand coffee table and looked at Dane. “They are only dreams. What has gotten you so worked up about this?”

“Annie the point here isn’t the fact that these are just dreams but also the fact of how many and how often I have had them, especially the ones regarding the woman.” Dane placed the coffee cup he had been cradling down on the table as Annie thought for a while.

“Okay I’ll concede to the point that there have been quite a lot since you started keeping your journal but even still there is the chance that all these dreams are just the natural random expressions of unconscious thoughts coalescing into just plain weird ass dreams.”

Dane nodded. “I’ll give on that point as well but there are also way too many coincidences.”

Annie pointed at a shiny red tipped finger at him. “And in many ways I already agreed with you on that point too.” She brushed a few stray strands of her strawberry blonde hair away from her face. “Look, if you genuinely feel that what you are dreaming is of an actual place then look for the damn thing and see if you can find it.”

Annie picked up her purse and dug through it until she found what she was looking for. She opened the flap of the cigarette case and pulled one out. Dane followed her when she stood and headed for the door grabbing one of his Black and Mild cigars from the pack on an end stand next to the door and continued into the courtyard area in front of his apartment. The sky was still overcast and threatened to loose more rain upon the quaint town but for now the rain had stopped. Annie surveyed the skies as she lit the end of he cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling a long stream of smoke while handing the lighter to Dane.

“So how do I find something I don’t even know exists?” Dane said lighting the cigar and taking a couple of small experimental puffs and handing the lighter back to Annie.

“Search me?” said Annie shrugging.

“I already did that and you had nothing.” said Dane his voice failing to hide the sarcasm.

Annie parried his jibe. “You could always check historical records on weird ass buildings with hot chicks that tend to show up in dreams.”

Dane stared at Annie hard for a few moments. “What?” She asked flicking the ash from her cigarette onto the ground.

“Could you at least try to be a little sensitive to my feelings here.”

Annie waggled the cigarette at him. “Look I’m taking a really big leap of faith here okay. Dreams can’t be anything else but dreams. Trying to read something into them is ridiculous. They are random acts of the unconscious mind. The fact that you…” And putting a heavy emphasis on the word she pointed her finger at his chest. “…believe there is something else behind these dreams is the only reason I am not calling the men in white coats to come down here and haul your ass away.” Annie ended her small tirade by taking another drag on her cigarette and waited for Dane to respond.

Dane sighed. “I know it sounds crazy and we keep going around in circles.” Annie nodded. “Okay. Lets just drop it for now. What are you doing for the thanksgiving holiday?”

Annie shrugged. “Going to go to my grand parents’ house in Connecticut and spend it with them. You?”

Dane crushed the remnant of his cigar into the coffee can ashtray by the door and folded his arms across his chest. “Probably I will drive home and spend it with my parents like I do every year.”

Annie smiled. “It will do you some good to get away from here for awhile.” Dane watched as she too crushed out her cigarette into the coffee can and then opening the door they both walked back into the apartment. Annie sat down on the couch. “Look I have to be going in a few minutes. I’m meeting Brandon for lunch and I don’t want to be late.”

Dane shook his head. “I thought you two had called it quits…again.” Annie and Brandon had one of those constantly on again off again relationships that frankly boggled everyone’s minds.

Annie shrugged once again. “One of these days we might settle down and try to have a quote…” she emphasized with the typical two handed two finger gesture. “…normal relationship but for now we enjoy our little game.” Annie stood and walked over to the computer chair and picked up her purse. Dane could not fault her honesty about her relationship. “Look I won’t see you next week. I have to be at the airport early on Tuesday morning but you know you can always call me if you need to talk.” Annie said walking to the door and opening it. “Look. Go home for thanksgiving and relax. Hell, find a party, get wasted, and get laid. Just do something other than dwell on dreams.” And with that Annie gave Dane a big hug, a kiss on the cheek and walked to her car. Dane waved as she pulled away then turned around, walked back into the apartment, stood for a moment, thought ‘What the hell’ and strode into the bedroom to start packing.

[Zeke]

Nice writing.

One critique:
Why is Dane surprised that someone can see him in his dream? People see me in my dreams all the time.

From your title I'm guessing some kind of mystical or science fiction event, but it's not clear which.

I would have expected a line something like:

"Holy Hell, the woman could SEE him...and this attempt was supposed to be part of the control group..."

or maybe "...looked in her direction and stared into the woman's frightened eyes. Her aura was all wrong."

I do have to say that I love the contrast in detail between the flowery dream world and the gritty apartment. The gritty apartment sounds like something a perennial university student would live in. Like somewhere I've lived before. I'd half expect a futon in the bedroom. :) Remember the apartment/rooming house where Neo lives in the movie, "The Matrix"? Who didn't love that movie?

I'm curious to see what happens next to Dane. Freud argued that dreams were no more than wish fulfillment. Can you prove me wrong? ;)

[Klafarius]

Quote: ...Dane double clicked on the folder labeled Dreams. Inside were entries going back as far as three months...
Quote: Starting a new page in his journal he wrote down as much detail as he could remember about the dream. After he finished he got up and poured himself a cup of coffee and sat back down at the computer, made sure there was nothing else he could think of to add to the entry and saved the file to the hard drive. He sat sipping his coffee thinking back on some of the other dreams he had experienced but so far this last one was the only dream where he had not wandered around the house or grounds unable to interact with the dream people around him. So what did it mean? Why was the girl in his dreams now suddenly able to perceive him? The other question if these were dreams how come he could not change certain aspects of it or at least include people he already knew? It made no sense to Dane. All the different techniques of dream manipulation he had been told to try or he had read about had not worked. So why when he was not trying to do anything had this happened?
As referenced in the sections above Dane is surprised because he has tried to interact with the dream people but without success. Now all of a sudden in this one dream someone has percieved his presence but not only that, the woman instead of knowing who he is, screams frightened by his sudden appearance. She obviously didn't percieve him walk into the room. Secondly he knows little about the woman and the house. How often do people in your dreams not know who you are or you know who they are? Perplexing problem for Dane.

[Zeke]

Thank you for your reply, Klafarius! It's a pleasure to interact with someone on the internet who knows how to write!

I've had frequent vivid and bizarre dreams nearly every night of my life so nothing in a dream ever surprises me. My brother doesn't remember dreaming more than a handful of times in his life. So perhaps I'm not a normal reader in that sense.

The question is, what does Darius think the dream(s) mean, right?

[Klafarius]

Zeke wrote: The question is, what does Darius think the dream(s) mean, right?
Exactly. But to answer that question you'll have to wait for part 2. I hope to have it out with in the next week or two.

[The White Blacksmith]

I don't really have dreams (that I remember), and when I do they never make any sense (apart from in DreamLand, where every and anything makes sense). Does this mean I am basically a boring person?

[Zeke]

The White Blacksmith wrote: I don't really have dreams (that I remember), and when I do they never make any sense (apart from in DreamLand, where every and anything makes sense). Does this mean I am basically a boring person?

What?!! You've never woken up in a cold sweat from a prophetic dream? Tell me you've at least had flashbacks to your troubled past! ;)

It seems to me that boredom is all too often a sign of stability and success in today's world. Time for some new challenges, I guess. :)

[Klafarius]

Okay guys so I am running late with the second part of Chapter One. It's almost ready but as I was sitting in the shade of my Favorite tree in the Lane. I was suddenly beaten unconscious by the Dreaded RL. That inescapable dose of reality sent me reeling. So now I am forced to catch up. All I'm going to say is that I hope to have it up soon.

[Zeke]

We're looking forward to it!

[Klafarius]

Alright here it is the second part of Chapter one. I know its a bit short. Hopefully I'll make up for it in Chapter two. Let me know what you guys think.

[Klafarius]

For those of you IFians who have been keeping an eye on Destiny in Time Watch closer! Chapter Two and most of Chapter Three have been penned and are ready for the klickity klack of the keyboard. Keep Watch.

[Klafarius]

Chapter 2

Traveling to his parents’ house took around eight hours of driving and almost a full tank of gas. The sun was starting to set as Dane drove his 1987 Toyota Corolla into the drive way of his parents ranch style three bedroom house. The driveway where his parents’ car usually parked was empty indicating that they were out for the evening. This did not surprise Dane as he had not called to tell them that he would be arriving a couple of days early plus they usually spent Saturday with friends playing pinochle and having drinks. His sister Penelope, Penny for short, would still be at work in the local Safeway grocery store.

Dane got out of the car forcing his protesting knees into an upright posture. Stretching the offending joints he looked around, inhaling the fresh sent of cut grass and dampness indicating the possibility of rain. The front yard had been raked of leaves recently but the two big oak trees conspiring against the humans had already begun a new assault of the freshly mowed lawn and a sparse covering of brown, red and yellow foliage lay in wait for the counter attack of rake and lawn mower.

Maneuvering himself to the trunk of his car he lifted his duffel bag out, walked to the front door, unlocked it with his spare key and walked into the foyer. His mother had decorated the house with a fall theme as she did every year. He was greeted by the stuffed scarecrow she had made one year and stuck into a giant plant pot filled with soil topped with fake moss around the rim. Dane smiled. Nothing really ever changed. His parents were creatures of habit. Walking from the small foyer into the living room he saw fall quilts on the backs of the couch and recliners, bypassing these for the moment he walked through to the kitchen. Smells of coffee and tea pleasantly welcomed his arrival. The kitchen looked the way it always did. Plates and cups from the mornings breakfast in the sink and the table set with a fall theme table runner, place mats, and candles along with a basket containing a few ears of Indian corn, small pumpkins and a couple of small gourds Dane couldn’t name. Passing by he made his way down a hall into the second doorway which at one time had been his room but when he moved out his parents had converted it into an office.

A closet was off to his left, a hide-a-bed sofa stood along the far wall draped in a fall colored crocheted blanket, his parents’ computer and desk occupied the end wall and a bookcase filled with books and knickknacks stood to his immediate right. Dane walked over and set his duffel bag on the floor by the couch suddenly feeling exhausted. Sitting down he removed his shoes and lay out on the couch using one of the throw pillows to rest his head and slowly fell asleep.

* * *


Where ever Dane was it was somewhere he had never been before. He was standing in a small entry way to a room full of things. Candles on pedestal stands were placed at regular intervals around the room and along a path that weaved through the stuff. There were books and small sculptures piled on tables and larger sculptures on the floor. Paintings of various sizes and depictions covered areas of the walls. As Dane walked the path through the chaos he saw a rudimentary chemistry set of the likes he had only heard about or seen in old Frankenstein movies with beakers, burettes, condensers, and a eudiometer were some of the more identifiable parts as Danes cursory investigation led him past the table and the path maneuvered him toward another table laden with more books and pieces of parchment next to a chalk board covered in notes and what Dane could only guess was some sort of equations but most of the symbols Dane didn’t know.

As he approached the table Dane could see a figure hunched over a parchment of some kind muttering to himself. Off to Danes right a large area was cleared and a circle about five feet around marked out in some sort of whitish dust. Markings, words and symbols dotted the outside edge of the circle.

Dane approached the desk cautiously not wanting to startle the white haired man as he studied. Since he could not adequately describe how he had entered this chamber he thought it best not to draw attention to himself if the man could see him. It was a fruitless endeavor though for the man immediately looked up from his contemplations and looked in Danes direction. Dane froze waiting for the man to ask who he was and what he was doing there.

The man was obviously the young girl’s father. They shared a lot of the same facial features except that the young girls’ features were softened by youth and her nose was slimmer. The green eyes which the two shared seemed to search Danes face and then miraculously the man shook his head, shrugged and examined some of the strange equations on the chalk board. Consulting the piece of paper the man changed a few equations, nodded and rose from the table. Dane breathed a sigh of relief and the man quickly turned, grabbed a lighted lantern that had been obscured from view behind the stack of books and shoved it into the air about a foot from Danes face. He jumped back.

“Who’s there?” asked the man looking into the darkness.

Dane said nothing. Obviously the man could not see him but he could hear him. ‘These dreams keep getting weirder and weirder.’ Dane thought as he watched the man relax again after a minute of searching apparently satisfied that there was in fact no one in the chamber with him. Sitting back down the man once again studied the parchment which Dane could see was a manuscript of some kind. Dane could also see that it was written in several languages many of which Dane did not recognize but there were some that he did. Old English, French, German, and most prevalent was Latin. Standing and moving to the area with the circle the man stood in the middle and examined the symbols, markings and words making changes and additions until finally he was satisfied.

The man walked back to the table, dug under some piles of papers and came back up with a short metal rod and brought it back to the circle with him. Standing in the middle again he touched each of the four sides of the circle and said a word in a language Dane did not recognize and waited. After a few moments the man looked over the markings again a frown creasing his forehead. Confused the man started back toward the table scratching his head. Looking up he stopped dead.

“What? Who are…” The man was cut off in mid sentence as a high pitched keening sound reverberated through the chamber as a bright light exploded into being behind the man and expanded until it was roughly an eight foot tall by four foot wide oblong disk. The man whirled and stared, eyes wide and surprised. Dane lifted his arm to block the light streaming from the disk from his eyes and noted the surprised look turn to shock and then panic. Turning back to Dane could see the look on the man’s face was not panic but only what Dane could describe as horror.

“Oh…No!” The man rushed toward Dane grabbing him by the shoulders. “Listen you have to help her. You have to protect her.” He looked over his shoulder. “I did it wrong! Something was wrong!” Turning back to Dane his grip tightened. “In the study under the desk drawer is a key to the safe. Take the item there. It’s the only thing that will protect you from evil. Traveler you’re the only one that can break the cycle. You appeared to my Daughter as you have just now appeared to me. I understand all now but there is no time! Go!”

Behind the man out of the disk a giant clawed hand appeared and grabbed him by the torso. “Go NOW!” The man shoved Dane backward with all of his strength sending Dane into and over one of the tables knocking sheaves of papers and books to the floor as Dane flailed. From where he landed on the floor Dane watched horrified has the clawed hand dragged the struggling and screaming man into the disk after which it vanished. Dane was momentarily blinded by the darkness until his eyes adjusted to the candle light. His mind was reeling. ‘What the hell just happened?’ Dane’s heart pounded in his ears at the sudden silence.

Dane stood looking toward the circle. That was when the hand grabbed his shoulder.

* * *

Dane shot up off the couch so fast that he startled his mother who had placed her hand on his shoulder to wake him.

“I’m sorry honey I didn’t mean to startle you.” She said

Dane started breathing again. “It’s alright mom.” Next Dane tried to get his racing heart under control.

“I think you were having a bad dream sweetie. You were moaning and jerking around in your sleep.” Samantha said looking at her son worriedly. “Are you feeling alright Dane?”

Dane sat back down on the couch. “I was?” His mother nodded. “Yeah I was having a bad dream.”

Samantha patted Dane on the head. “Are you alright?” Dane nodded. “Okay, well why don’t you wash up. I’m assuming you haven’t had dinner yet.”

Dane shook his head. “No. I got here around six thirty but I was tired and fell asleep. What time is it?”

“It’s about eight o’clock. Wash up and I’ll make soup and sandwiches for dinner then you can tell your father and I why you’re here so early. We weren’t expecting you until Monday.”

Dane stood up again, stretched and then gave his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I was going to come on Monday but Annie suggested I should come a little early. I didn’t have to work and she was leaving town on Tuesday and would be busy all weekend so I figured why wait.”

“Well, go on. Get washed up and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” His mother walked out of the room.

When Dane walked into the kitchen his mother was busy making her infamous tomato herb soup from the savory aroma emanating from the pot on the stove.

“Hey there Bud! What’s up?” asked his father smiling broadly.

“Hey Dad. Just thought I would come early. I hope you don’t mind.” Dane said sitting down at the breakfast bar. He watched as his father sliced cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches.

“Why would we mind? We haven’t seen you in awhile. Penny won’t be home until tomorrow though. She’s spending the night at her friend Emily’s.” The frying pan sizzled as his father placed a slice of buttered homemade bread into it and started layering cheese then added the second slice on top. After a few moments he flipped the sandwich over and grilled the other side. “Would you mind setting the table, Bud?”

Dane got up and went to a cabinet and brought out three plates and set them next to his father. Then going back to the cabinet he grabbed bowls and gave them to his mother who thanked him. Dane grabbed glasses out of another cabinet and silverware out of the drawer and placed them on the table all the while his mother and father asked about his work and schooling. After a bit the soup was ladled and the sandwiches divvied up and they sat down to eat.

Dane loved his mothers tomato herb soup coupled with his fathers grilled cheese. It always brought back happy childhood memories of cold rainy days. After dinner he sat with his parents in the living room sipping a glass of 2000 Belo Tinta Isabella Vintage Port his father had brought home from one of the many excursions to Napa Valley and it’s plethora of wineries.

They chatted amiably about the comings and goings on around town and about Penny and her job and how she was doing in school. By the time it was eleven o’clock Dane was once again sleepy. Saying goodnight to his parents he walked into the office and closed the door. After changing into his pajamas he brought out his notebook and wrote down as much of the dream as he could remember that he had earlier, which to his surprise was actually quite a lot and then bleary eyed he shut off the light and quickly fell asleep.

[Zeke]

Very nice!