I laid my head down. It was ten o'clock at night and I needed all the sleep I could get. I shut my eyes and immediately fell asleep. My eyes opened back up. It was two o'clock at night. I was still wearing my black t-shirt and plaid red/black moose pajamas. I got up and walked over to my laptop that was sitting on my desk, adjacent to my bed. I flipped through Google News and immediately focus in on an article. "British Celebrity Dies in Plane Crash" I read to myself. The article didn't go into much detail on who it was but it said that the plane went down over the Atlantic Ocean at around nine-thirty p.m. My body got up out of the chair but I stayed in the chair. I was having an out of body experience. I watched myself change into a pair of black cargo pants and my black and grey stripped hoodie. I watched my body pull the hood over his face, hiding his eyes and only leaving his chin/beard and his nose exposed. He glanced as his watch and I glanced at an alarm clock. Both read two o'clock a.m. I watched my body for a few seconds as his facial expression changed, into one of a someone concentrating. I quickly grabbed him as we both disappeared. We appeared in the middle of a plane. The cabin had only a few seats and a few tables. The décor and lack of people inside indicated that this was a private jet. I followed my body as it made its way to a seat, facing away from us, with a person sitting down in it. "Excuse me Miss," my body said it approached the seat and looked over the side. I had to look over the shoulder of my body. It was Francoise Boufhal, British glamour magazine model and interviewer for Rio Number Five Magazine. She was wearing a white blouse and a black skirt. She had obviously been asleep as she rubbed her eyes. "Who are you?!" she said in her Gordie accent half asleep. "Who I am isn't important," my body said to her as it glanced down at it's watch, "In about thirty minutes this plane is going down, you need to come with me.". She stood there speechless. "I'll come back for you in a few minutes," my body said as it ran towards to the cockpit. My body banged it's fist on the door. "This plane is going to crash, you need to come with me!". I could hear the door lock as I stood next to my body. "I can land it! Just give me a chance." A loud explosion could be heard behind us, then screaming. My body put his hand over the door and made the same concentrated face I saw my body made earlier. I couldn't hear anything in the cockpit after that. My body ran to where Francoise should have been but there entire plane had split into two. At that point I became one with my body. I jumped out of the plane and spotted Francoise freefalling, her arms failing. I quickly dove for her. The fast moving air hitting my ears blocked out all other noises. I could only hear my breathing and my heartbeat. Everything felt like slow-motion. As I got closer and closer to her, my heartbeat and my breathing sped up. I was almost there, our hands were only a few inches apart. I lunged for her and my hand caught hers. I felt her cold hand clamp onto mine. I yanked her into my arms and held on tight. "GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!" I screamed in my head. The next thing I knew I was sliding across the floor of a room as Francoise landed on a couch. My back slammed into the drywall, cracking. I grunted as I reached my stopping point. "Too Close." I thought to myself. I got up and noticed Francoise shaking. I looked around and picked up a blanket sitting on an Ottoman, putting it around her. "You alright Boufhal?" I asked her in a deep superhero-ish voice. "Who are you?" she asked me. "I haven't really come up with a name yet." I said to her. "How did you. . .?" her voice trailed off. "I really don't know myself," I said to her. "How did you know to…take me here, to my apartment?" she asked. I looked around. I hadn't realized it, but I had actually taken her to an apartment. With all the pictures of herself by herself and with other people everywhere, I was sure it was her it place. "I guess, I'd have to chalk this up to a lucky guess." I said to her. I walked over to a dual set of doors that lead to a small balcony. I opened them both up and climbed up to the railing and stood to looked over the city of Newcastle. "Will I see you again?" she asked as she stood up. I turned my head to the right and smiled. "Only when you're in trouble." I said. I looked back down and jumped. I felt the breeze flow through my fingers as I thought about landing in my room. My room whizzed into view under me and I front flipped and landed on my feet. I looked around and saw that everything was just as I had left it, it was still two a.m. I walked over to my computer and checked the news again. This time, the story read a CNN special report about Francoise and the pilot being save by a hooded figure. When asked for a physical description of her hero, Ms. Boufhal couldn't say much saying that he was quote "a blur". "Well I guess I figured out my name." I said as I plopped down into my bed. I shut my eyes. I opened them again and was surprised to see that I hadn't woken up.
I stood up, and looked around. I was in a giant white room. The room had no form of light but I could see everything so clearly inside. The room looked like it went on forever in every direction. "This doesn't make any sense," I said to myself. I saved the gorgeous girl, I said all the right things, and made the news. The dream should be over. I should be waking up and going to work. I'm aware that this is a dream, so why am I still dreaming?". I looked around and saw a red door. Next to it, sat somebody in a big red desk. I was way too far to figure out who or what was sitting at the desk. "I guess that's the way out," I said as I walked towards the door. I took a few steps before dropping through a hole and blacking out.
I awoke standing in the middle of a party. I looked around, there was no sign of the red door or the desk. Instead I was surround by people dressed in Masquerade masks and clothes similar of the late fifteen hundreds, in fact the date 1550 popped into my head. Women in a big frilly dresses and gentlemen who wore fashionable robes. The party was very lavish, as I noticed many guests drinking out of crystal drinking glasses and even the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling seemed to be made of a shiny crystal. I noticed that there sat a man on a chair elevated on a platform to see all of the guests, next to him sat an older gentlemen and a woman who seemed of similar age. The words Count and Duchess popped into my head. I glanced down at my own clothes expecting to be wearing the black and grey hoodie and grey cargo pants but I was surprised to see that I was wearing a black overcoat with white trim. It was slightly open to reveal a white long sleeved shirt and black pants. I looked back up just in time to see a beautiful woman approach me. She was fair skinned, and she wore her red hair down over her shoulders. She wore a green dress and by the style she wore it in, I figured she was a Courtesan. She put her hand on my shoulder and leaned in close as she whispered in my ear. "How are you Detective" she asked. The name Francesca Ferrari popped into my head. "I'm fine, how are you Francesca?" I asked her as I put my hand over her hand. "Come, let's dance" she said, "We've got much to discuss.". She took me by the hand and walked me to the dance floor that was closer to the platform where the Count and his wife sat with their son. We danced. "I have finished gathering the information you requested," she said. Words like Murder Plot, The Count, and tonight burned in my head. "What have you managed to figure out Francesca?" I asked her. We swayed back and forth as the orchestra continued to play. "It's just as you feared Giovanni," she said, "With the Count's father take military actions against France, it's angered a few people. According to my girls in the red light district, some private groups want blood.". "Any leads?" I asked her. "I. . . gathered. . . some information from a possible conspirator. He didn't have much but he said that "With God's blessing, the Count will pay". What do you think that means? An attack from above?" she asked. "No, I don't believe so," I said to her, "If that were the case, he would have said "With God's Wrath" or something of that nature. Why would an enemy ask for a blessing from God to kill?". "Perhaps he meant that God will deal with it, murder isn't always the answer." she replied back. She reached into her a frill of her dress and pulled out a dagger. My hand, as if under a spell, took the blade and sheathed it under my belt on my left hip. "If anything does happen tonight, I want you to be ready.". We danced until the end of the song and the Count stood up, out of his chair, and spoke aloud. "ATTENTION EVERYONE," he said loudly. The chatter of the room ceased and everyone turned to face the Count. " Thank you all for attending my son's birthday. Well there is so much to say, so I shall hasten." The Count turned to his son, "You are on your eighteenth life this year and so you are no longer a child, but a man. I have watched you grow and am proud of the man you have become, but now it's time to put away the toys of your childhood and pick up the tools that will give you a good future. Son, right now, I am going to take you in as my apprentice.". The Count's son stood up and waved his hand at the crowd. Everyone cheered. He sat back down as his father continued. "So now, I want to make a toast," the Count said as waiters walked around passing glasses of wine out to everyone. Francesca and I took one and held it in our hands. " To Giuliano, may he live a long and vibrant life.". "To Giuliano." the crowd shouted. Everyone clinked their glasses and I clinked mine with Francesca's. "Everyone, enjoy the party" the Count shouted with a grin. Everyone went back to their conversations and the words "move closer to Giuliano" burned into my head. "Francesca, I've got to move into position." is said to her as I stopped dancing. "Wait," Francesca said as she tugged on my sleeve, "We need to talk.". I stopped and looked back at her. "Francesca, now isn't the time to be discuss. . ." I didn't get to finish. "But when is it with you?" she interjected, "I fear if I let you out of my sight, I'll never see you again. As soon as you protect the Count, you'll be gone. You always are. No goodbyes, no nothing. Then when you have another assignment, you come back into my life. As if you had never left.". "We do this for the greater good Francesca, you know that," I said to her, "Years from now people will live better because of the action we took now.". "How ironic," she said to me coldly, "You spend all this time thinking about the future, but you are blind to your own.". "What do you mean?" I asked her. "Giovanni," she said to me, "you can't spend your whole life doing this. You have to give this up some time or another.". "So what are you saying." I asked her. "I'm saying that there is no point of a "Greater Good" or "Future" with someone I care about if they don't feel the same way about me. . . I'm done with this." She walked away with tears in her eyes. "Francesca, I. . ." I tried to follow her out but I stopped as I heard the church bell ringing. Gears started to turn in my head. "The church bell," I thought. "God's bell. . . god's blessing. . . They are making their move now!" I quickly made my way to the Count's platform. I saw several men make his way to the platform as well. The Count stood up to face him. I hurried to the platform but was blocked by the Count's private guard. I could only watch as the man unsheathed a dagger and swung at the Count. Giuliano jumped up and stepped in the way of the blade. The blade sunk into his chest and Count held his body as the Duchess screamed with her hand covering her mouth. The guards ran towards the attackers and they all scattered. I ran towards the attacker. Several of his friends stood in my way. The crowd in the ballroom scream and start to run. I ran towards the three accomplices that accompanied the killer to the Count. The first one unsheathed their sword and swung at me. I grabbed his arm and shattered it with my elbow. The attacker screamed in pain and I wretched the sword out of his hand as he fell over. Two more attackers come at me. I deflect with my blade and slice at his throat. The attacker falls over clutching his neck. The other one swings crazily at me, but I kick his blade away and I skewer his abdomen with my blade. He grabs by shoulder but kills over and goes limb. I slide the blade out and drop it. I look over to see the Count kneeling over his dead son, the killer standing over him about to slay the Count. I flick by wrist back and a small dagger slid out and into my hand. I immediately took aim and threw the dagger at the killer. It explodes into his hand and he drops the dagger. He falls over, clutching his hand. He sees me running towards him and bolts. A spear toting guard flies out a door and looks around wildly. He see the killer running away and he corners him with his spear aimed at him. "No don't kill him." I shouted. It was too late. The guard slammed his spear into the killers chest, pinning him against the wall. The killer gasped his last breath as the guard pulls out the spear. The killer's body slid to the floor and the guard spit on him as he walked away. I ran to the dying killer. "Why did you do this!" is demanded. He only smiled at me. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he went limp. I searched his pockets but failed to find anything. I ran to the Count and picked him up. "I'm sorry for what happened, but you must get to safety.". He pushed me aside and went back to looking at his son. "I know you are upset, but if you die his death would have been for nothing. He died protecting you. Honor that, by staying alive.". He looked at me and nodded his head. His eyes were watery. The spear carrying guard picked him up and nodded to me as he escorted him away. "Are you alright?" a voice said to me. I recognized it immediately. "Yeah Francesca, I'm fine.". She walked over to me and stood on my right. "If I had not walked away, you would have. . ." she stuttered. "Save it, " I said to her, "I tried to search the killer's corpse but failed to find anything, could you try? Maybe you'll find something I missed." She walked to the lifeless body of the killer and I turned my attention to Giuliano's body. I pulled the dagger that went into his chest and put it to the side. His face looked like he had not fear, but his eyes were still wide open. "Rest young one," I said to his body as I slid my palm downwards on his face, shutting his eyes. "You died a hero's death. May you find peace and reward in your death.". I stood up as Francesca came back to me. "I didn't find much but I did find this," she said as she handed me a folded up sheet of paper. "Where did you find this?" I asked her. "When you work in my profession as long as I have, you learn that men keep their money in their pockets but keep their valuables in places that can't easily be picked." she said back to me. I unfolded it and read over it. "This seems to be a letter from. . . the street merchant guild in Venice?" I said to her as I handed her back the letter. "And the plot thickens." she replied. She put the letter away and walked closer to me. "I heard the crowd screaming, and thought the worst." she said as she put her hand on the back of my arm. "I'm careful, you know that" I said to her. "But. . . " she leaned in closer. The words "Kiss Her" burned in my head and I leaned in and closed my eyes. I got closer and closer and before our lips touched I felt the room change around me.
I opened my eyes and I was again in the white room. I looked around and noticed I was closer to the door. "That dream, wasn't anything like I had ever experienced. When I enter the dream, it's like i'm forgetting what's in here. As soon as it ends, I'm back here and remember everything." I said to myself, "I need to get the hell out of here.". I walked faster to the door but I was knocked down. It felt like I was struck in the back of the head.
I woke up standing in line in a Hotel lobby. I peeked over the shoulder of the woman in front of me. There was a table set up just a few feet in front of me. Natasha Beddingfield sat at a desk. The banner hanging over the desk confirmed that I was at a signing event. I seemed to be wearing the cargo pants and dark stripped hoodie combo from my first dream. After the woman in front of me walked up and got her autograph, it was my turn. I took a few steps forward but was pushed out of the way by a guy in a brown trenchcoat. His behavior was sketchy at best. "Hey, what the heck?" I said as he continued forward. I followed him. He walked right up to the table and pulled out a gun and pointed it at Natasha. I was behind him and I quickly redirected the pistol away from her with my right hand and used my left arm to shatter his hand. I took the gun away and held the attacker by the collar. I asked him why he was doing this. Next thing I know, I'm driving a sports convertible through mid day traffic. I get to a building, park, and enter. I walk up to a stairwell and hug the wall next to it. I hear a man walking down the stairs. When he became level with me, that's when I struck. I slammed my knee into his abdomen and clocked his chin with my fist. He went walking the other way and I quickly grabbed him, holding him as a human shield. "Your coming with me." I said in a deep voice. I pulled out a gun that I saw holstered on the man's side. I made my way up the stairs and when I reached the top, I was swarmed by two other people. One was a man holding a gun, who was dressed similar to the one I was holding, and the other was a blonde woman in a towel wielding a pair of numbchucks. I tried to aim for the woman with the gun I took, but for some reason my vision went blurry and I couldn't line up a shot. She came at me and started striking with her numbchucks. My humanshield, although cursing her out, was holding up and I was able to take out the other gunman with the gun. My humanshield all that it could take and the guy fell unconscious. She whipped the numbchucks around and I tried to dodge but she clocked me in my ribs. I grabbed my side. It felt like she broke a rib. "Damn, why did that hurt? I thought I was dreaming.". I stood up and tried to aim my pistol at her but she knocked the gun out of my hand. She swung again and missed. I grabbed one end of the numbchuck and kicked her in the abdomen, pushing her away. She let go of the numbchuck and I threw it to the side. I picked her up and held as a humanshield. I walked up a few more flights of stairs and when reaching the last one, I let her go. She whirled around punched me in the face. I fell over backwards unconscious.
I woke up leaning on the red desk in the white room at which, now realizing, a blonde secretary sat at. She wore one of those red power suits, complete with her blonde hair in a bun. I held my head. "That punch, in that last dream, felt like getting smacked in the face by a pile of bricks," I thought to myself, "Why can I feel pain in my dreams? What's happening?". I looked at the red door, it was only a few feet away. " Took a few steps forward but I felt something latch onto my hand. I looked over at the secretary and she looked at me with a twisted smile. "Your. . . you’re the girl in the towel" I stammered. She stood up and quickly socked me in the stomach. Her punch took my breath away. She then grabbed my hair and slammed it into the desk. I fell backwards. I blacked out.
I woke up in an apartment. This was still a dream but for some reason, I felt as if I was in control. I got up and went outside. I only saw one car parked on the street. I walked over to it and reach into my pocket. I pull out keys. I click the unlock button on the keys and the BMW infront of me beeped. I opened the door and got in. As I sat down the door shut behind me, without me touching it. The car started up, and the doors locked. I tried to unlock the doors but I couldn't. The car put itself into gear and drove off. The speed of the car increased at an alarming rate. I couldn't stop it and I couldn't steer it. This thing was possessed. I looked at the speedometer in fear. It was dancing at one hundred and fifty miles per hour! The demon car approached an intersection where the light was turning red. I couldn't hit the brake, the car didn't want to stop. It rear ended a Hummer and I went flying out of the windshield. The tempered glass cutting my skin. I slammed into the pavement and rolled for a few yards before coming to a bone cracking stop. Blood was pouring out of my wounds, glass was stuck inside of me nearly an inch deep. I could feel my bone sticking out of my leg and after looking down my feelings were correct.
"RRRRRROOOOOAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!" I screamed. I snapped out of the dream and was back in the white room. I was on my knees, bleeding profusely. My hand was reaching for the door. It was only a few more inches away. I felt myself fading fast. "DAMN IT!" I shouted, "COME ONE!!!". My hand was shaking. I was so close from waking up from this nightmare. My body knew it was on the verge of death, if I took anymore bad dreams I'd die. I felt a tug on my collar. I was thrown backwards and landed to the side of the desk. I looked back up. A figure in a black hoodie and black pants slowly walked towards me. His outer exterior was glowing black. The numbchuck girl stood beside him. "Why are you doing this?" I asked him faintly. He only laughed as he walked over to me. The numbchuck girl quickly darted towards me and held me down. I struggled but she was too strong. The dark figure walked over to me and put his hand on my forehead. The pain that ached in my body magnified. My whole body was shaking. This. . . beast. . . it was sucking the life out of me. I could hear a voice in my head that over powered mine own. "YOU WILL SUBMIT!!" the voice shouted angrily. I clenched my fists. Rage filled my body. "How could I let this thing control me?! I won't let it win.". "SUBMIT!!" the voice shouted even harsher. "NNNNOOOOOO!!!!" I shouted strongly. I kicked the being in the chest. It released it's grip on my head and it fell backwards. I felt my strength come back. I pushed the numbchuck girl away and rolled backwards. I tried to get up and run away but my blood loss was extensive and I fell to one knee. That was false strength. Rage just spiked my adrenaline. I was out of options and out of time. I was going to die in my sleep. I didn't even get to say goodbye to anyone. By cousin would find me dead, the autopsy would reveal I died in my sleep. Nobody would know off the hell I went through. No one would know of the pain I truly was in. I couldn't tell if it was blood or tears that was streaming down my cheeks. I felt a touch on my left shoulder. I looked up and to my left. Francesca stood there looking down at me with a smile. "Looks like you need some help boss." she said to me.
She was still wearing her green dress from the Masquerade ball. Her touch, I could feel some of my energy come back. It felt good. I felt better and although I wasn't a hundred percent, I was able to stand up. She handed me a metal glove she was holding in the other hand. I slid it on my hand and punched my other hand with it. I felt empowered. My attitude changed. I was given an another option other than to die, fight. I wasn't going quietly. I pulled my grey and black stripped hoodie over my head and sized up my target. "Francesca, I'll take big and scary," I said as I glanced at her, "you've got anything to take on the psycho numbchuck girl?". Francesca unsheathed a sword from her hip. "That'll work." I said. I ran at the dark hooded man swinging my metal gloved fist at his face. He dodged and drove his elbow into my back. I fell to the ground but quickly rolled away from him and got back up. He rose his hand to his face, and with a twisted smile his hand transformed into a blade. He swang at me and I deflected with my metal glove. He swung again and I caught it with my glove. I spun him around by his hand and threw him into the desk that was nearby. The desk shattered and the hooded man stopped moving. "Did . . . did I win?" I asked myself. No sooner then had I asked that, then the being stood up out of the wreckage and his head spun around and looked at me. Chills ran down my spine. His body turned around to face the same direction. He walked up to me and I stood there stunned. "ATTACK IT!!" Francesca said as she kicked her opponent away from her. I snapped out of my daze and unleashed multiple strikes. I took my glove hand and struck the being square in the chin. I took my other hand and struck it in the chest. I reared up my gloved hand for a final strike to the throat. All my blows were ineffective. They bounced off and the thing didn't look like it didn't take any damage. I grabbed both my hands and turned it's head sideways. My heart stopped in terror. It smiled a twisted smile and yanked both my hands downward. It brought it's knee into my face and I fell backwards. Felt like a freight train. I looked over at Francesca. "Steven, you mustn't fear it, " she said as she swung her sword, "It's power lies in how much you fear it. Use the dagger I gave you to kill it.". I got back up and reached into my left pocket. I pulled out the dagger Francesca had given me at the Masquerade ball. I didn't even realize I still had it. The beast's smile faded and it stood there sternly. "Oh, you don't like this blade?" I said to it. I ran towards him and sliced at it's throat. He dodged but I managed to nick him. A tear appeared and the beast screamed as it held the spot. I sliced at him more and managed to expose a purple heart that was beating in his chest. "THERE!! DRIVE THE BLADE THOUGH THE BEAST, END THIS!!" Francesca shouted. I drove the blade into it's chest. It looked down at the blade and back at me. I kicked the blade deeper into beast. "HHHHAAAAA!!!" I shouted. The beast fell over backwards and screamed in agony. It clawed at the ground as the dagger absorbed it into the handle. "Good Riddance," I said deeply as the beast was inside the blade. Francesca finished her opponent and came over to me.
I pulled my hood down and looked at her. "This white room. . . everything that happened inside. . . this wasn't a dream, was it?" I asked her. She picked up the dagger and put it in a holster. "Yes and no," she said, "We are in your mind, but that thing you killed, it was controlling what you dreamt.". "What was that thing?" I asked her. "Your race doesn't have a name for it," she said, "that monster. . . I've chased that beast for thousands of years. That thing was the cause of many bad things on this planet. Things ranging all the way back to Brutus killing Julius Caesar all the way up to now when it tried to harvest your soul. It feeds on fear and souls, and finds pleasure in the destruction of people.". "What happens now." I asked her. She walked closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder. "I have many people I must restore, my broken lives I must fix," she said, "You will wake up and live life normally.". She leaned in and kissed me on my cheek. Her kiss felt hot, like putting your hand up to a bright light. I could feel my cuts and broken bones heal up and melt away. I closed my eyes. It felt like my entire body was in liquid heat. I could feel her remove her lips from my cheek and move close to my ear. "Thank you for the dance, it was fun," she whispered. I could hear someone knocking on the door. "I think that's for you." she continued. I opened my eyes and she was gone. I walked over to the door and pulled it open. A bright light exploded through and I stepped through. I woke up back in my room. "Aye, chief time to go!" I could hear my cousin from the other side of my door. "Thanks!" I shouted. I heard him walk away as I got up off my mattress. I stretched and walked to my closet. "Strange dream," I said to myself as I through on a shirt. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I quickly looked again. On my right cheek, there was a lipstick stain.
THE END
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