Left With A Flower
By Ukyou
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Chapter Seven - The Second Dream
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There was a river nearby, and I walked over it to wash off my face. I kneeled down, splashing the cool liquid upon myself, the coolness of it soothing and relaxing. It was quiet, except for the sound of the quaint stream, in its own silent whisper of travels.
I then got up, finding the path leading into a large bamboo forest, one that stretched out as wide as the mountain's feet ahead of me. The air was cold, and frost was gathering upon the edges of the grass that swayed near me, and you could hear them constantly being pushed by the wind, back and forth in a line. It was almost as if you could see the wind as it ran against the heads of each blade.
I followed the path forward, the forest growing larger and larger as I neared it. It was an arch, it seemed, that began the forest, complete darkness in the presence of midday. Quite strange it was, and magical perhaps, small lines of light seeping down to the path though the thick leaves of the bamboo, disappearing as they hit the ground. It was dramatically colder within the forest, and above me, the bamboo branches seemed to bend over as to greet me. A tunnel, it was, and visibility was all gone in a place where the bamboo stalks soon became walls of the path, preventing you for straying, or climbing. They were two great walls at my side, each going up for many many feet.
'Syaoran, good to see you' I heard from behind me suddenly, and turning it around, I could see it was John.
'John?' I asked, tilting my head slightly to examine his face. He had short brown hair, combed back. His clothes were that of an old light-brownish suit, a white shirt and a pair of trousers that were a single size too big for him. From his hand, a small pocketwatch, gold plated, and ticking away the hours. He spoke with a British accent, but the kind you would expect from a fine distinguished gentleman, the kind that would riddle in conversation with poems.
'In the flesh' he answered, twirling around the watch about his hand. 'Perhaps we should take a walk and enjoy the splendor of it all, shall we?' he asked me. I agreed, and we walked, side-by-side deeper into the forest.
'It does get cold in here, Syaoran, have you brought a jacket with you?' he asked me. He then looked about me, and laughed. 'Well then, perhaps I shall lend you mine!'
I turned down his offer.
'Ahh, but a modest man you are' he exclaimed. 'Why, would you freeze as to not trust me, for to you I am as real as last night's dream, or the one before it?'
'Modest you call me?' I questioned, continuing my stride, hands in my pockets. 'I have air to breathe, the legs with my feet work perfectly, and my camera is here to see the world for me.'
'A camera you say? But did not God give you the eyes to capture the world on your own?' he asked back, going faster until I found him walking backwards in front of me.
'A mind is there for oneself, but not for others to view, John.' I answered again, slowing my walk as to not collide with the man.
...and then he stopped, his hand holding a finger up.
'Syaoran, I would declare, but I have no rock or stair to stand upon. Instead, I will merely state it to you.' he said in a low voice, smooth yet rough upon the bottom.
'..and John, what would that be?' I asked him, looking puzzled. He smiled, and then stood back up straight.
'Syaoran, the camera you speak of, it is not on you. Thus, do you find yourself blind to the world until it is pressed against your bosom by its thick thread?' he asked.
'They are my eyes, John' I laughed. '..but they are not the only eyes I possess, for these two are what I use to gaze upon you now!'
'Yes, but soon it will grow dark within this forest, so dark that the fireflies themselves will be our only guiding light!' he laughed, while running down the path. I soon ran after him, his brown coat trailing behind him.
'Run Syaoran! Run after me! I fear that the fireflies will eat me if I am alone!' he joked, running into the darkness ahead. It was queer, lights blinking off and on from within. Quite the image of fear, and yet I ran in, following John's riddles. He was a man who loved to hear his voice it seemed, and one that spoke loudly. A man that loved speeches.
It came to the point in which I was stuck in the dark, and it was completely silent. Not a single word spoken, not a single footstep taken.
'John! John?! Where did you go?!' I yelled, until I felt a hand upon my stomach, and a 'shhh'
'Syaoran, do not talk so loud, or you will be scaring off the fireflies!' he scolded me. Then, in front of me, I saw a small light quickly disappear at the sound of the clasp of hands.
'There! I caught it!' John whispered contently. I could hear him take out a small jar and unscrew the lid, followed by the bright light reappearing inside it. 'Come on, Syaoran. Catch some, its all in the name of good fun. At least have some fun before you wake up and see Sakura again.'
'See Sakura?' I asked him, and I had just remembered. Sakura, the hospital, the white plastic chair, a smashed picture frame. Why, this entire thing...must have been a dream!
'Yes, and you do believe that this is usually when you wake up, but not in this case, no.' he replied, as another light disappeared. 'Perfect!' was his only exclamation.
'Yea, I'd expect it. I don't know. This is just a dream, right John?' I asked him, and he gave a snicker.
'Indeed, old friend, and yet I am as well. But first tell me, do you know how to catch a firefly?' he asked, keeping his usual tone intact.
'No, I don't. I've never done it, but it looks easy enough.' I said back to him, and he gave a chuckle in response.
'It is easy when you have a moon's light to guide you, but not when your hands are blind to you in the catch.' he said. 'Its all in the hands.'
I tried to do so, and I found that he was right. And just to mock me, the blinking lights would all be to close before me, even before I could do as much as touch the firefly in my gaze.
'Syaoran, be patient. Breathe deep, watch the trailing light, and then swiftly attack.' he said to me, whispering. '...come on, be the predator.'
..and I waited for a few moments and lashed out, the light disappearing.
'I did it!' I exclaimed in a silent whisper, but upon opening my hands, I noticed that there was no light. Instead, there was nothing to see.
'Apparently not, Syaoran. It looks like you killed it.' He laughed, his footsteps telling me that he was walking away.
'Killed? Hah, and you should talk, 'stalk it like a predator'?' I said back to him, and his footsteps stopped.
'Syaoran, when it comes to such things, the predator has no teeth.' he quickly stated, and continued his walk. Soon, I could see a light at the other end, and it was growing less dark around me.
'Here, Syaoran, take this.' he said, handing me the jar of fireflies. 'It might not be real, but it all that dreams have to offer.'
and I took it. 'Thanks' was all I said back.
'Well, I'm off Syaoran. I did have a good time this time around, but be sure to give a small wave to Sakura for me, whether or not its straying from the path now. Its too late for me to say anything to stop you, and either way, you wouldn't listen to me.' he said.
'...and what's that supposed to mean?' I yelled back at him, and he merely continued walking.
'Syaoran!' He declared, rising an arm into the air. 'Let it be a final farewell, and a great one it must be. Make it special, for perhaps you will never get a change such as this!'
...and then he ran out, still yelling. 'Let it be me that will be the first to disappear!'
---
...and I woke up. again.
I put a hand to my forehead, and then shook it. My neck felt stiff, and I stood up to stretch, but just as I stood up, I could feel something roll down my lap, and the sound of shattered glass erupted.
...and then, the small fireflies started to fly around the small hospital room. Sakura wasn't awake to see it, and I was surprised that the loud sound hadn't even startled her.
...but the fireflies in the air, John's gift, I didn't bring in such a glass container when I walked in here, did I? No...but...wait.
How could this be possible?
That question didn't linger in my mind for very long, however, for I had come up with an idea. An idea to make tomorrow night all the more magical.
Yes, I would do it.
...and I sat back down, holding Sakura's hand again. The chair was uncomfortable, but yet, I still managed to fall back asleep, and go back to the world of dreams.
Let it be me to fly off into the stars.
~to be continued
Author's Note: My tooth hurts. Ow. I keep poking it for some reason, and it keeps hurting. this really sucks.
anyways, any questions, please, feel free to instant message me at Ukyou11 (AOL)
I dunno what to say other than 'I'm tired' and 'I'm hungry'. So, I'll leave it to you guys to contact me or whatever. Right now...well, you know. read the above.
*yawn* *stomach grumbles* goddammit. lol
3:17 A.M. - July 31st 2002