Shadow Weavers

The inbetween is always open,shadows lurking in every corner. They weave our lives, deadly and always silent. Many times they are nothing more than warnings at the edge of our nightmares.

I meet these shadows in times of chaos. They are similar with hardly any differences. Yet there is one who stands out amongst them. When I was little a shadow a lot like me protected me from my nightmares. Her purple eyes kept watch, protecting and judging me. Often she would make me choose, though I can no longer recall what. As I got older my dreams became stories full of adventure and shapeshifting dimensions. Eventually she faded away.

For many years I would fall asleep hoping to meet her once more. One night, I saw her again in the corner of my dream. Happy to see her, I attempted to communicate with her. I tried calling out to her but she never moved, her eyes closed as if sleeping, but I could feel her probing me. Fully awake. Looking through me with closed eyes, assessing me. Many nights passed by but she never moved, the soft glow of her eyes mere lines on her face. I tried reaching her but she always kept me away. The world would shift her into the shadows until her glow disappeared.

In the real world, I became obsessed with playing cards. I loved drawing the shapes into fancy diaries or brooches. The first time I drew the Ace of Spades the shadow took on three spades, two hair clips and a brooch. Her form became more solid, with victorian clothes and ruffled socks. Still, she didn't move. It was almost as if she was waiting for something. But what?

Finally, when I came of age she was silently waiting for me by a gate. Inside was pitch black. The hair on my arms stood up. My stomach dropped, suddenly aware of how vast and empty the dream was.

The shadow walked into the void looking back to make sure I followed. I stepped forward. Shock spread through my legs. Freezing water rippled at my ankles. A strange echo could be felt in the water. Ahead of me the shadow walked briskly towards an unknown destination. I fought furiously against the water, my legs losing feeling with each step. I lost my balance and crashed into the water. The echo became clearer. A lullably. Someone was singing a lullaby. I've never heard this lullaby before, not even in the real world. Suddenly, the humming stopped.

Shrieks pierced through me from multiple directions. Crushing me, stabbing me. A burning hand dragged me deeper towards the the sound. It felt like I was dragged for eternity. Fighting. Never escaping. Each time clawing at the water with added vigor. I only stopped fighting when my muscles started tearing from the effort. I closed my eyes against the nausea.

The darkness became still. I opened my eyes again, they were met with a disapproving glare from a golden man.

He said, "You shouldn't be here."

He stepped aside to show a small shack. There a window let moonlight shine on a small bookcase.

From then on I would always dream of that small shack. I would appear facing the window and the bookshelf, to the right was the void, to the left a three step staircase leading to different worlds. I usually browsed the books. Each time the bookcase would become a different library. I would spend hours reading the summaries on the back of the books. If I decided to read the book would take me into its story. When I felt more adventurous I would take the staircase to go exploring.

One time it opened to a multicultural festival. There were many shops selling things I'd never seen in the real world. The plants were also very beautiful. I plucked a flower, admiring its intricate design. The music stopped. A faerie approached me. It was dark and loomed against my small figure. A smaller faerie bit my hand. I dropped the flower with a yelp. When I woke up I had a bruise where the faerie bit me.

Later, my dream continued. The faeries were still angry at me. The shadow appeared behind the bigger ones. They tilted their heads towards me. The shadow took my hand, opened a random door, and threw me inside with her.

The room was an abandoned castle. It was overgrown with plants, yet a stained glass withstood the decay. In front of it was a capsule with a body. The body was covered in glowing green marks. The shadow told me the body is a book made from the memories of people that died in nature. I wanted to touch it but the shadow warned me against it. She led me outside of the building. A few yards away was the ocean. Many people were humming a lullaby.

Later in the real world, I heard someone humming the same lullaby. I ran desperately towards the sound, but the person stopped humming. Even now I wonder, who was that person? What is the shadow trying to tell me? Who is she?