Word: Dreamscape

1.6k words

Cavendish jumped up in his bed, gasping, hand on heart.

It was him.

That blast man, that always appeared in his dreams! Who the hell was he?!

Hands shaking, one searched around for the notebook he kept underneath his pillow, the other flicking on the night lamp beside his bed. A soft light illuminated his room, forcing him to squint his eyes, only for a second. He didn't want to waste time as he threw the notebook open to where a ribbon laid within the moderately worn pages, the left page partially scribbled in, and the right fresh and ready. Balthazar clicked his pen and began to write.

I've seen him again today! It's been a few days since I've dreamt of him, I'm still not quite sure why. This time, I dreamt of the job that I am soon to have- the time traveling one. I dreamt that I was preparing for my driver's test (which is indeed, upcoming), simply sitting in the driver's seat and looking over the dials. Outside the window were swirls of colors- orange and red, green and pink. I'm not sure why. But when I realized that I physically thought and recognized the colors, I knew that I would see him.

I was right. Just as I reached my realization, my driver's side door opened and I was pushed over to the passenger's seat. I was about to complain when I saw that he was the one who jumped into the car. He winked at me, the audacity of him! He was wearing what he usually wears- the leather jacket, white undershirt, and those bloody sunglasses. I still do not know what his eyes are colored underneath those sunglasses…

Anyways. He pushed me over. I tried talking, but like usual, I couldn't get a sound out. He just rolled his eyes at my attempt, pulled the gear stick, and we were off!

I tried to tell him off, stupid in hindsight, I know, and tried changing the course of the dream. But we just stayed in the time stream until I stopped wanting to change the dream, and I assume we went to where he wanted to (I still can't figure out if he's real or not!).

We went to some sort of burrito shop…and he got burritos. In a dream.

Is this a real person, or just a weird figment of my imagination? Because if so, I need to get serious help.

After he ate (I simply watched him- I never found dream food to taste like anything, so why bother?), we tried communicating again, when something quite peculiar happened.

A rush of water passed us, with what seemed like a bus riding on top, and two children following behind it, on the rear bus door, attached by a grapple. It was the strangest thing. We followed after the bus (the man tried to slide across the top of the car, but face planted, the fool).

We followed it while the bus rode atop the waves, pushed by what I swear was a rocket atop it. Dreams are weird. Anyways, we saved the children by essentially slowing down time around us, and catching onto the bus door, then time traveling to have enough momentum to throw the door back on, and throwing the two children inside.

Once that was finished, we turned to each other for a smile, since we couldn't speak, but then it ended…

Cavendish sighed, leaning against his bed frame. Another wild dream with that strange man.

Who was he? Was he real? Sure, Cavendish had heard of people seeing others in their dreams, then meeting them in real life later. But, those were surely coincidences, right? After all, most people in one's dreams were just people we've all seen in passing, with our brains making them a side character in dreams. Surely, that was it?

But…he wasn't just a side character. He never was. This strange man in the sunglasses, whenever Cavendish dreamed of him, he was always…practically a main character. Having adventures right beside Cavendish, not just being in the background.

Not to mention, the dreams that included the man were vivid. Cavendish had trouble remembering most of his dreams, even if he wrote them down the moment he woke up. They were mostly just blurry films. But every dream with that man…it was like a picture he'd stared at for hours on end, having ingrained in his mind. He vividly remembered the dreams, even days after they happened.

But why? Why did he appear, and why were they always so vivid?

Brown, curly hair…fairly tan skin…burgundy leather jacket with a white undershirt, and olive green pants. No, Balthazar was fairly certain that he hadn't met someone like that before, even in passing.

He sighed. It didn't matter anyhow. He could think about it later. He needed to get up. He was going to be assigned his partner today for work, and he couldn't afford to be late. He needed to show that he was a good partner.

The excitement from the night before was a little drained with the slight wistfulness to return to bed and communicate with the mysterious dream man, but he forcefully tried to hype himself up in the mirror while getting ready, plastering on a smile that looked as fake as it felt. Oh well.

The bus ride to the office was uncomfortable, loud, and with not enough space for everyone. You'd think they would have fixed public transport so far into the future, with all the marvels of technology that have been found. You really would think.

Finally, after getting lost in one too many twists and turns, Cavendish found the office of his boss- . Interesting name. Though, who am I to judge?

He knocked hesitantly on the great oak door, gently tugging open the door after a muffled, "Come in already" sounded from inside. This is it.

Mr. Block, a staunt and sturdy man from behind the desk, with a no-nonsense presence and stern look in his eyes, looked Cavendish over, while he squirmed in his place.

"D'okay, let's see what we got here- Recruit Number 68427. Cavendish." At his name, Balthazar swallowed, though he didn't get a chance to confirm before Mr. Block continued. "This is your new partner- Vinnie Dakota."

From the chair next to him, which Cavendish hadn't even noticed when entering the room, stood a rather short man, dressed in an all too familiar burgundy leather jacket, with a white undershirt, and those all too familiar orange sunglasses. Huh.

Beyond the shaded eyewear, Vinnie Dakota's eyes twinkled with something Cavendish couldn't quite understand, saying, "Oh boy."

(Cavendish had to admit, for all the time they had together in dreams, unable to speak to one another, he did not expect his voice to be so low and gravelly. Interesting.)

Out of pure shock and pleasant surprise, Cavendish could only think to say one thing; "It's you!"

"Wait a minute." Block looked from one time traveler to the other, following Cavendish's hand as he covered his mouth in surprise. "Do you two know each other?"

Vinnie raised a hand behind his head sheepishly, giving a bright smile. "Ah, something like that. I think I've just seen him around, that's all…"

That slight twinkle behind his glasses- oh, it was annoying, but at least Cavendish now knew, it wasn't a simple out of whack, oddly reoccurring, dream.

"I believe so as well…Balthazar Cavendish. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He stuck out his hand, a million and one questions running through his head. Dakota took his hand, shaking it a few times, a smile still light on his lips.

"Pleased as well."

"Whatever." Block interrupted, waving his hand. "Get out of my office!"

The two scuffled out of the office as they were told, walking side by side to their own little area in the bureau in silence for a little while. Finally, Cavendish's curiosity got the better of him.

"So…you seem awfully familiar."

Dakota gave him a side glance, before bursting into laughter. "What?"

"Dude, we've had dreams about each other for, like, months, and that's what you say?!"

Cavendish huffed, stepping just a little bit faster. "Well, what would you have me say? You clearly weren't going to mention it, and I wasn't sure how to approach such a situation, which doesn't seem quite normal, you know!"

Dakota hopped a little to get back into pace with Cavendish, who relented his quick steps just a little. He chuckled, while responding, "Yeah, sorry, I just wanted to see what you'd say."

"Then don't judge what I'll say if you don't like it!"

A hand waved off his quick words. "Yeah, yeah. Anyways, do you actually see anyone else in your dreams, or is it just me, too attractive to take your mind off?"

"Good Lord man, I've only met you for a few minutes, and yet you're already like this. For your information, no, I have not dreamt of anyone the way I do of you- no, I retract that statement, stop looking at me like that, it wasn't willingly."

Dakota chuckled, narrowly avoiding being stepped on by a rushing agent. They've found the busy part of the bureau. "I haven't either. And I'll assume that we're both like, in the dream at the same time? You know? I doubt we can have the adventures we have at separate sleeping times…maybe it happens when we're sleeping at the same time?"

"Maybe." Cavendish mused. "It's quite definitely an intriguing situation…"

"Hey, guess what!"

"Huh? What?"

"Now I can officially say you're the man of my dreams!"

"Why are you my partner."

Thank you for reading! Have a beautiful and aesthetic morning/afternoon/evening/night, and drink a cup of hot cocoa, or tea, or coffee, or flavor up your water with a lemon, or have a slushie!