Chapter 17: Daydream
Katherine awoke to utter darkness and soon grew afraid. "Daniel" she called. No one answered her calls and she felt something on her skin. It was cold and wet and it was all around her. She was able to move her hands and the wet stuff moved away and that was when she saw the light. With her hands she dug like a mad man till her body pulled itself out. Breathing in the cold air, she looked around not seeing the cabin or the lake but she knew her woods. The moon was full and that was the only comfort she had. Climbing out she began to search for Daniel. "Daniel, Daniel!" she called cupping her mouth with her hands. That was when she saw their cabin, burned to the ground and tears fell from her face. "No Daniel, Daniel where are you!" she screamed. Katherine ran towards the burned cabin but saw no remains of Daniel. That was when she saw the lake and wondered if Daniel drowned like the men tried to do to her.
Once she saw her reflection in the water, her eyes widened. Her once black hair was now a dark midnight blue; it hung down over her shoulders in thick curls like waves from the ocean, having come out of its braid. Yet, her eyes remained the same bright blue. Her dress fell from her shoulders delicately torn so it looked as if she had made it that way. The sleeves still hung down over her small hands but they now were missing the shoulders and half of her upper arm revealing the white flesh. The top was torn where a slight sign of cleavage shown and a crescent moon and star drawn in blood-red lay over the left side of her chest. The skirt she had worked so hard to mend was torn around so that her legs shown, she felt absolutely naked! The cloak she had bought instead of making was the most beautiful and mysterious of her changes for it was unchanged. It still sparkled in the light of the moon like a starry night sky, and it hung over her like a warm blanket, sweeping the ground as she moved but not getting dirty. Her eyes fell to her feet which were bare, the sandals she had worn had fallen off. Though, she wore nearly nothing, she was not cold, "Am I dead?" she wondered.
Somehow she remembered what had happened to her, being shot while running from her attackers, then being dragged by her hair to the lake, and Daniel, he yelled her name. It came in flashes like paintings instead of plays. She was weighing her options, if she was alive, why was she buried under the snow? Why had her appearance changed, and why did she not feel anything? Not cold from the snow on her bare feet or pain from the blood stains on her chest. She knew if she found Daniel it wouldn't matter what had happened to her. She took a step towards her home and her foot hit something, before she could move the snow to see what it was a light flowed over her making her question, "What is it old friend? Do you know what happened to me? Where is Daniel?" she asked.
The light softened and flooded her with warmth like that of a hug, "Yes, dear Katherine, I know what happened to you. I regret to inform you, but you were murdered by those men that came for you. I turned you into a spirit so that you could help me and find the peace you did not receive in life," Katherine nodded but when she looked up with a questioning gaze the moon continued, "Daniel is also dead, he was shot after you were drown and left for dead."
Katherine closed her eyes as if to block out the terrible things that had happened to her, tears again fell from her face, "No please no," she cried.
"Hush, my dear, do not despair. I have more to tell you about your new afterlife. You see are not the first of your kind. There are many spirits that, like you started out as people but now go around helping lead people down the right path," he spoke in a calm and gentle voice causing Katherine to relax and lose her fears.
"There are more like me?" she dried her eyes.
"Yes, over the years I have chosen people who did miraculous things in their lives, like you, to help others after they die. Each thing around you is done by a special spirit, even the frost that protects the plants from the cold. There are four people I chose to became The Guardians. Perhaps you remember the stories of Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman. They are the Big Four, created to protect the children. You Katherine are a spirit, the spirit of artistic, career, and similar desires. Your job is to help others achieve their dreams but first you must do one thing," the Moon told her.
"What is that?" she asked looking confused. She still couldn't believe the legends of these people were real, then again seeing herself and hearing the moon speak to her, Katherine was starting to believe in anything.
"Accept your destiny by accepting your new name," he said.
"My new name; what do you mean my new name?" Katherine asked.
"The name Daniel gave you," the man in the moon said.
"Daydream," she whispered.
"Yes, become Daydream and someday I promise you if you follow my instructions. You and Daniel will be reunited forever," he said.
"But you said he was dead," Katherine said not understanding at all.
"He is dead but so are you" Moon paused like he was thinking, "He doesn't have a purpose like you. Someday he will be found and given a purpose after that you will be reunited with him. Untill then become Daydream and help keep the darkness away," the Moon said.
"Okay, I trust you, I will become Daydream," she said.
Ever since that night or day, Daydream couldn't remember, she did her job. The moon led her to her cousin, Collin's house. Before she had died she heard stories of him marrying someone beneath him and also of his young bride's tragic death on their wedding night. When she reached his home, to her surprise, a young dark skinned girl played on the floor of his home. A white woman played with the girl's brown hair like she would her daughter.
"Oh Daniel," Kathrine felt tears in her eyes, "I hope this is what the future brings! People of all skin colors living in peace," she whispered to the air.
Her first act came in the form of a young painter. He was a skinny lad not much older than 16 trying to paint. "You silly fool you have no artistic talent. You try every day to paint a decent picture and nothing happens. Just give up and be a blacksmith like your dad and you won't starve," said an older boy sharply.
"You are wrong I can too paint I just need inspiration!" the boy said with tears. Daydream watched the scene and she was angry. Who was this older boy to tell someone else what they should do? It was like her own father telling her to marry a monster for he was a rich white man. The feeling of anger grew as she heard the older boy mock the younger boy.
"Go away!" Daydream yelled and the water close to her bubbled and shot at the older boy. The younger boy watched in shock trying desperately not to laugh.
"Who did that who?" the older boy demanded. Daydream looked at her hands and the water.
"Did I do that?" she wondered. Testing her theory she lifted up her hand and water shot again at the older boy.
"I am out of here!" the older boy yelled running away in fright.
"Whoever did that I thank you," the young lad said. He returned to his painting but nothing was coming to him. Daydream walked closer to him and began to whisper in his ear.
"Paint the lake, how the ice gleamed when you skated on it with your mother. How her long red hair floated in the breeze. The way your cold breath fell out of you like a mist. Paint that Michael paint and remember," she whispered. Daydream had no idea how she knew all this stuff about this boy but soon he moved his hand with a paint brush. Gently creating the memory of him and his mother, creating the icy lake making it shine like crystals. Daydream saw a little version of him holding the hand a woman with red hair like fire. Smiling at each other as they were skating on the ice, their breath looked like a cloud of mist. It was a breath taking sight truly magical.
"Perfect," Michael said and ran with his painting as Daydream followed him. Michael sold his painting for money and could go to an art school. "Thank you my muse," Michael said to the open air. Daydream smiled proud she succeeded in her first job. But the moon called her to a new place.
Over the years Daydream helped many people. She helped a poor farm boy named Abraham go into politics and fight to end slavery, for if slavery ended then people like her and people like Daniel could be together. Speaking of Daniel during one of her trips she saw two men trying to ride a wild stallion. She stopped and laughed at the silly men for they were having no luck in riding the creature. "Oh Daniel if you were here I know you could ride that stallion without a whip," she said. When she was alive Daniel did many odd jobs but his main job was being the stable boy. He had a knack with horses no matter how wild or mean a horse could be. One touch from Daniel and they were the sweetest creatures known to man. As the years passed Daydream began to see many extraordinary things. Women allowed to vote and own land. Metal carriages called cars, flying machines called planes, and that was not all. Daydream often kept the hood of her cloak up to protect her from the changes of the world, it seemed immune to change. She was happy to help but the changes still scarred her, well most of them not like when she helped a man named Martin Luther King Jr. with his dream. The most astonishing thing she heard about was a man flying in something called a rocket to the moon.
"Another man on the moon, that is amusing," she laughed. The Man in the Moon, continued his teaching and promising but Daydream was growing impatient. Ever since she became Daydream, she did everything he told her, "Moon, when will I see Daniel, it feels like a lifetime since I've seen him," she asked.
"Soon, keep doing your job and you will be with him," the Man in the Moon told her. Katherine nodded and continued doing her job. She heard of other spirits but she never seen any around. Years passed and Daydream saw more changes in the world. Children of different colors going to school together, women having jobs like men, and men taking care of children like women did. These changes delighted her but soon her need to be with Daniel appeared again.
Daydream walked to another town glancing at the ring around her neck. She took it off hoping one day Daniel could put it back on her finger. Taking a break well she didn't really need a break. She guessed being a spirit meant not being hungry or thirsty. Daydream couldn't remember the last time she slept. Sure she could still eat and drink and sleep. But she never had the need to do these things. Coming out of a restaurant a dark skinned man was holding onto a light skinned woman. "I love you May," said the man.
"I love you David," she said and they kissed.
Tears fell from Daydream's eyes for she remembered when Daniel kissed her. Looking down at her ring she went off to the nearby woods. "Moon, when will I see Daniel, the world has changed so much that I no longer recognize it. Surely now you can lead me in the direction of Daniel," Daydream said.
"Sorry Daydream but not now you will find Daniel soon. Keep doing your job and you will find him," The Moon told her.
"But I have done my job. I've made so many dreams come true. I watched dozens of people be with their true loves. So, why can't I be with Daniel? Haven't I earned it by now?" Daydream asked getting upset. The moon went silent and that made Daydream mad. "Moon, haven't I earned the right to see Daniel?" she asked again. Still no answer came and Daydream grew angry.
Present day
Daydream sobbed in the wilderness her anger burning like fire. "You promised me I would find him. Please answer me I have done everything you asked. What more do I have to do? You told me go to this village, this town, this house and I did. Now you keep your word and give him back to me!" Daydream yelled. Still the moon was silent. He had not answered her since that night years ago. "You lied to me you said you were my friend but you deny me my true love? I am sick of waiting where is Daniel tell me!" she shouted. Tears stung her face for she learned the truth of her so called friend. He like her own father used her. Made her become what he wanted promising her a good life only to take it away from her. "I hate you! You promised!" Daydream yelled.
"Who is yelling? I know I am crazy but not that crazy?" an annoyed voice yelled.
She started thinking she was going crazy, no one would be out this time of night. Am I hearing voices? It couldn't be Daniel the voice sounds like a woman, Daydream thought. Turning around her hood fell off and Daydream said, "Who is there?"
The End
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Poetsoul61521
Poetsoul61521 Did the stories just converge? What? Can't wait for part three: Fire and Water.
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