Don't Drink and Dream
Swirling colors of dark hues swam before my eyes, settling into a movie like image of a shadowy alley. My mind immediately snapped into a thought-filled frenzy. Confusion and panic gripped at my heart. Where was I? The last I remembered I was safe behind my desk, sketching thumbnails for my new comic book. How did I get here? To my knowledge, there weren't any dark alleyways in the country. Maybe someone was filming a movie. Why I was there escaped my mind entirely. I couldn't act to save my life!
"Hey lady," a harsh, deep broken voice called in my direction. "You lost?"
I turned to find what I could only guess was a street bum. A mud colored jacket graced his shoulders and his knees showed through pants that were two sizes too big. Grease and grime formed a thin layer over his clothing. Thick, matted black hair crowned his square head. Deep blue peered out beneath tangled bangs, not a bit sinister or unsettling. "Umm…" Not knowing how to answer, I nodded slowly. He grinned widely. His teeth were surprisingly white and straighter than any I'd ever seen.
"You lookin' for somebody?" he asked.
Slightly dazed by the man's perfect grin, I shook my head no.
"Oh really? You sure? You look like you're lookin' for somebody. Somebody special." His eyes slid up and down my body, causing me to shift uncomfortably, only to stop his gaze at my hands. It was then I became aware that I was holding a flashlight and a crumpled piece of notebook paper. My apparel was the next thing to catch my attention. An unfamiliar blood red silk dress clung perfectly to my form, stopping just a little above my knees. Midnight black heels were strapped delicately to my feet. A beautiful jade necklace was placed gracefully around my neck. "That's strange," I thought, "I can't walk in heels." Suddenly, my heart ached, yearning for something…someone. The need to find this person or thing was so strong it left me breathless. With pain filled eyes, I gazed up at the mysterious man.
"Who am I looking for?" I asked, hearing the crack in my voice as I gasped for air.
He shrugged. "I dunno. Why dontcha look at that paper there?"
As if obeying an order, I slid the flashlight under my right arm and gently smoothed out the crumpled note, my fingers trembling over its creased surface. It was blank. "There's nothing on it." I whispered.
The man continued to grin and the pain grew stronger. The anguish I felt started to spill from my eyes in uncontrollable tears. "P-please!" I sobbed desperately, throat tight and head spinning. "H-help me p-please!"
"Tell me who you're lookin' for first."
"I-I don't know! Please!"
"Better hurry, he will be coming soon."
"H-he?" I choked.
"Yes." Nodded the man. "Once he comes, you will lose your chance to see who you want. Now, who is this person you seek?"
"I don't know!"
"Yes you do! Deep down you do!"
"I don't-" But I did know. Deep inside my heart I knew. An image of the person I sought had been in my mind from the beginning, blurred and ignored until now. The picture was crystal clear, but wrong. This person didn't exist. I had to be a psychopath to want this person so mercilessly. My mind automatically went to a more logical answer, his actor.
"But he's dead," I murmured.
"He may be dead but his character will live on forever."
"What are you saying?"
"You know what I'm sayin'."
I paused, mind racing, confused as to why I was searching for a man who didn't exist. A character who was born from thought and creativity, not by biological means. Why? What in the world was wrong with me? Was I really insane?
"Do you know who you're lookin' for now?"
"Yes." I nodded. "But…it doesn't make any sense."
His grin finally faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression, giving him the impression of a man with great wisdom. "Not everything needs to make sense in this world."
By now, the pain of wanting had subsided to a dull throb in my chest. A grin of my own spread across my face. "Yeah, you're right." I looked down at the flashlight and crinkled paper in my hands. The clanging of metal striking hard ground and paper lightly scraping against pavement echoed through the alley as I let them fall from my grip. "Thanks-" I glanced back towards the man only to find an empty space. "Where did he…"
Fingers pressed firmly to my lip in curiosity, I cautiously strode forward where the man had previously stood. A gasp escaped from my partially opened mouth. An opening in the alley gave way to a brilliant scene. Huge skyscrapers rose to the dark abyss above, the glow of the full moon overhead reflecting off their glass siding. Low yellow street lights illuminated empty streets. And it was quiet, deathly quiet. There was a strange peace just subtle enough that it took a moment to recognize it. It wasn't till I looked to the sky that I noticed one of the most famous symbols in the world. Against the cloudy heavens was the Bat-Signal. Everything clicked into place.
"G-Gotham?" I stuttered, eyes wide with delight and wonder. "Gotham City!? I'm in Gotham City!? But how!?"
Spellbound, frightened, excited, and bewildered, I walked right down the center of the warm grey road. The reverberation of my heels tapping against the hard pavement echoed throughout the vacant street. My heart raced faster and faster the further I traveled. What felt like minutes were only seconds and I soon reached my destination. A small grin plastered itself across my face as I stopped to observe the man before me. His back was to me so I waited for him to acknowledge my presence, not wanting to interrupt whatever train of thought he may have been in. My head tilted a little to the right as I stared at his curly light hair which had a hint of green that didn't quite reach the roots. Any pain that had remained was now gone. Sensing my stare, he turned to gaze back at me with dark, twisted eyes. A strange sensation washed over me as my grin widened ever so slightly, it was almost a smile now, and relief came down on my like a wave. Here was the man I had been desperately searching for.
His own face was carved into an eternal smile. Black paint shadowed his eyes. A white mask hid his true colors but not entirely. Bits of pale peach surrounded his hair line and showed through the natural lines in his face. His attire consisted of a dark purple coat and pants of the same color, a light green vest, muddy brown shoes, a long sleeved scale-patterned shirt, and a dark tie to top it off. Multicolored socks peeked out from his shoes. A gun was held loosely in his right hand. The aura surrounding him was a mixture of intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge of how the world really worked.
As I took in his appearance, he stepped forward, stopping about three yards away from myself.
"And you are?" he asked, goose bumps forming along my skin at the sound of his unique voice.
"Nobody." I replied through my grin.
He cocked his head to the side, judging me with his gaze. "Why are you here?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Just looking for something." I replied.
There was a short pause as he continued to analyze my being. "Did you find what you want?"
"Yes sir." My grin widened.
The corner of his mouth twitched upward as he raised the gun in line with my heart. "So you shouldn't mind if you're dead?"
Surprisingly, I felt unnaturally calm, my grin unwavering. "Nope." Was all I said.
His own 'smile' widened. "Give me a big ol' smile." He said, as if he were taking my picture. I answered his command and transformed the crooked grin on my face into a beaming smile.
I felt the pain before hearing the night shattering shot. My body fell to the ground with a heavy thud and warm, sweet, metallic liquid filled my mouth, spilling over onto my beautiful dress. But I didn't cry, nor did my smile fade. My killer stood over me, curiosity plainly showing in his eyes. Before the world became black nothingness, the figure above me morphed into myself. With my last bit of strength, I stretched my smile into an even greater length. I'd found what I was looking for and I was finally at peace. Cheerfully, my other self stared down at me, waiting for my end. My vision dimmed as my heart beat fainter and fainter 'til it was no more.
I woke with a start, light from my bedroom window glaring down into my eyes. "Ugh." I protested, throwing my arm in front of my face to block the annoying rays. My sketch book lay beneath my head and a pencil was held loosely in my hand. "What a strange dream. That's the last time I drink sweet tea before falling asleep."
End