So, this is actually based on a dream I had the first night of the inclimate winter weather Louisville had a few weeks back. Some aspects of the dream really shook me up as this almost foreshadowed some elements of my life over the next few weeks. I think the story that came out of it turned out well but I was thinking of submitting this to a writing contest and would love some constructive criticism. So take a look and hit me back either on here or on my facebook. Hope you enjoy regardless.
I closed the door strongly on my way out into an asphalt playground covered in white powder with a thin layer of frozen water in between. I couldn’t drive in such unsafe conditions so I put my legs and feet to work. The sky was bright, much brighter than normal almost as if a demi-god had my neighborhood under a microscope. Likewise, the air was thick and left a bland taste in my mouth whenever I exhaled.
Recently, a friend had called me and wanted to hang out if I could come to his house. He didn’t seem too happy and wanted some company. He was going through a rough time in his relationship and, I suppose, needed some advice. These conversations are always better in person, and his house wasn’t too far but took some time to walk the distance. The time would pass if I could listen to music. So, I took the headphones lying across the back of my neck and placed them around the appropriate ears. I took one concentrated look at the eerie sky before simply staring off at my feet for every step I took.
I resided close to the mall which broke up the trek. My local mall wasn’t abnormal; it was five-stories tall and had red painted bricks with azure windows that lacked any glistening qualities to make them shine. I could see the mall grow larger in my eyes as I came closer to it. Every step I took made it shake in my vision as my thoughts morphed into a fearful idea of ambiguous fright. Some sixth sense was telling me I shouldn’t be out right now, but as I looked behind me there was nothing there but a long street with a ruby red car speedy down at increasing velocity.
The car pulled up beside me with no roof. The car was a Mini-Coop convertible with the top laid down in the back of the car. I hadn’t seen the driver for some time. She stepped out and leaned down to speak to me. I couldn’t make out her strange language or how she now dominated my past tall body. Had I shrunk or had she grown? No matter, I looked up at her expressionless face but her voice carried a tone of fear and worry. All I could make out was that the rain coming. From where and how long, I didn’t know. I was thrown into the car as we drove into the parking lot of the mall.
In the car I realized with whom I was riding. A face from my brother’s past, I believed he dated her some time ago. I was never angry at her or understood why their relationship ended but I assume it was a good reason. We rode into the mall’s parking lot in haste. I couldn’t even recall the memory in much detail. The only detail not left in obscurity was this lady telling me, “The rain is coming. The flood is coming.” My reaction was to get to higher ground. I had to get to higher ground.
In the mall I could we could access the roof five stories up from the ground. My driver took off in lightning speed. I paced around the bottom floor telling the mall patrons a foreboding of the coming flood. I saw people rush up the stairs and I came up behind the crowd.
There were stragglers. I watched as two little boys, assumedly brothers, in red shirts and anonymous faces storm down the stairs in the wrong direction. I was so anxious at the time that I reached down to stop the children. I could get a grip but the older of the pair looked up at me was surprised eyes and a sense lost childhood innocence. I was stirred up to have an ability to father. I shouted, “What’s wrong with you two? Don’t you know there’s a flood coming? Come up the stairs and find your dad!” In a great fear the children followed me up four flights of stairs and out the roof access door. Immediately they rushed to their fathers sighed who hugged both of the in one explosion of relief. I turned to my left to see the young lady from my brother’s fast – never quite finding her name on my tongue.
She handed me a strange cell phone I couldn’t figure out how to operate and repeatedly told me to call my mother. The phone didn’t ring but I knew my mom was on the line. I was panicked and left struggling for words. All my thoughts were focused on telling my mom something comforting.
My mouth filled with water and with every ounce of effort I attempted to gargle the words, “I just hope you’re happy.” I was left with the sentence: I just hope you’re safe… as the rain poured down from the sky in buckets.
