Story: Every time Danny dreams he sees her hears her is part of her world. Then he wakes up and the 21st century is his background. Every dream is longer and more real …every waking moment feels like it’s the dream….he has to choose which world he wants to be his reality. Does he break the relationships he has had for a lifetime? Does he ignore the war and leave her to a terrible fate?
Would you turn your dreams in to reality or Find comfort in the things familiar?
Title?-shifter
Micah-real girl
Larissa-dream girl
Frosbin-elder, seer
Explanation to shifting world:
’So this is heaven?’ Daney asked
’To some it might be. To some it is a transition to someplace else, others it’s just a dream’ Frosbin replied
’Huh, I don’t get it?’ questioned Daney ’is this heaven, a dream...where am I, what is this place?’ Frustration was building up in Daney. His palms were sweating; the back of his neck started to hurt and every muscle was pulsing with tension. He hadn’t felt this way since he was a kid having night terrors.
He huffed out a breath as Frosbin walked on to a picnic type table in front of the giant house tree. The trunk looked as taller than the redwoods in California. Daney had been there once with his grandparents. Daney remembers driving though one in the car. He never thought he never see anything so big in his life ever again. He was wrong. He was currently sitting in front of a tree that could easily fit several department stores in it. It looked to be some sort of market. There were several villagers wandering among colorful tables, wafting aromas, and creative music.
Daney sat next to Frosbin and Larissa. ’Well,’ Frosbin stammered as he rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. ‘It’s all of those places Danel. It all depends on the dreamer’s point of view. You know what the universe is created from?’
Daney gave a shrug ’matter?’
’Energy, my boy’ Frosbin slapped Daney on his back with a smile. ’Energy forms matter, it’s all fluid. Our world is just one of many an energy soul can move to and recreate themselves back into matter. you see, depending on where the soul wants to go, this place can be heaven, a dream ,a transition, whatever you want to call it’ Frosbin spread his hands out in the air , head up, showing off the world.
For the first time Daney looked up. It was beautiful. Tall redwood- like trees dotted the area. Many carved into building. The sky was bathed in blue tinges of sunset. The vast stars glittering in the darkening heavens. It had the look of a glossy space print, real and unreal at the same time.
“Something out of…well a dream” Daney thought.
’Well I’m not dead, at least, last I checked...oh crap, please tell me I’m not dead?’ Daney began to feel fear rising up through his spine, into to his throat as he thought he would scream or throw up. Frosbin patted his shoulder and said, ’ no, no you’re not dead. While it is unusual sometimes an energy of the soul can slip in between world matter before they give up their space in another’
’Ok, so I am dreaming?’ quizzes Daney
’Yes technically’ answered Frosbin
Daney looked at Larissa, who had been sitting quietly though this whole exchange. ’What do you think about all this?’
“Well I was just thinking there hasn’t been a true soul shifter in many years. Our history teaches us, a soul shifter only comes when the balance of the worlds is being threatened. Therefore, I think you being here is very bad for my people. I need to confirm what I remember, please excuse me’
Larissa got up and walked south of the where they were sitting.
’Um, yes, excuse Rissa, she tends to take things very seriously when it comes to the boundaries ’ Frosbin said with a frown.
’Yeah, um no problem, I get it. So care to explain more of her doom attitude to me.’ Daney looked very careful at this funny old man. He was short and a little hutched over with age. He had thinning white air in need of a comb. He had a weathered face. He wore a soft green robe with an intricate pattern on the collar and sleeves. It was hard to tell Frosbin’s physic under the thick garment and leather pouch slung across his chest. He gave Daney the impression of a lovable grandpa with a hint of mob boss.
‘Well that might be a little harder to explain’ Frosbin frowned as he scratched his white stumbled chin. ‘Let’s get something to eat and I will try my best to answer your question.’
He pulled Daney up heading toward the now lit market place tree. Daney awkwardly followed.
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Chapter One?
Danny sat on the bed his hands in head. He knew it was time to go. He looked over at Micah.
‘Was she still a sleep?’ he wondered. He stood up just as she rolled over, her arm reaching for him. Danny walked to the dresser. His gun was hanging from the mirror. It was taunting him, begging him, always ready for a fight. He leaned his head against the cooled glass and closed his eyes. He took several deep breathes before he grabbed the strap and wrapped it around his chest. As he turned, he saw an image in the mirror. It was someone standing in a glade, wearing a silver leather suit of armor carrying a blue blade. He shook his head. That blade was just like the one in his dreams. He looked again; this time it was only him standing in his jeans, undershirt, and his gun wrapped around his body like a woman. He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.
Today was going to be a good day. The mayor’s report of decreasing crime put the whole city in a good mood. Danny let himself be swept up by hope, despite the nagging at the back of his head. He was ready for some happy. It had been too long since he could smile a real smile. As he got into his car to head downtown, his phone rang.
‘Danny Smith’, he answered.
‘Hey, honey, you left without your kiss?’ said a sweet worried voice.
‘Well, you looked so peaceful; I didn’t want to wake you.” Danny replied with a smile.
‘That’s ok, next time I’m not letting you off the hook so easy.’ She taunted, ‘we still on for dinner?’ the melodic voice asked.
‘Yeah’ Danny replied with gusto, ‘Looking forward to celebrating with you.’
‘Good, I’ll see you at seven, luvs you.’ The girl said. Daney could hear the smile on her face.
‘See you at seven.’ Danny hung up driving straight into rush hour. ‘Damn’ he muttered. He leaned back getting comfortable for the long crawl to the station. Daney tuned on the radio and let his thoughts wander.
Micah was too sweet for him. Why she put up with his cynical, depressing nature was beyond him. They had been together for three years. It was their anniversary. Micah had the whole thing planned. She had said no present this time. Danny knew better than not to show up without something. According to tradition, third meant leather, Micah could not stand leather. He found her a nice pendent with her birthstone instead.
Dream sequence
Rissa put Danny into the golden ship. It had a translucent hull, outlined in a fluid gold. It gave a shine in the sunset. The reflection gave the ship the appearance of being an illusion.
‘No!’ Danny screamed between clenched teeth.
‘Danel,’ Rissa pleaded, ‘you have to go home, you don’t belong here.’
She gave him a sympathetic smile, closed her eyes, and blew. Danny put up his hands expecting to feel mist from a wave. Instead, he felt a blast of air and being lifted on to the ship. He had just enough time to turn around to look back at Rissa before the golden boat began to sail him into the setting sun.
Danny pounded the rail and screamed. Rissa simply waved, got back on her dragon and flew away.
Danny was angry. He wasn’t ready to leave. He needed to stay to help the village, to protect her. Danny turned to face sun. He stood there letting his skin soak up the sun, eyes closed. When he opened them, he noticed two things, the golden anchor and the big boulder coming in to view. Before Danny could understand the thought forming, he grabbed the anchor. As the last rays dropped behind the horizon, Danny threw the anchor and caught the boulder. The ship turned back to the direction it came. Danny pulled the anchor back into the ship.
The moon was rising; Danny lay on the deck looking up at the blanket of stars. He smiled as the ship headed back to the beach where Rissa had put him on the ship. He looked up at unfamiliar constellations and could only see her beauty sparkling in the night sky. The night was warm, with the image of Rissa and the lull of the rocking ship. Danny could not help but drift off to sleep
1st dream as adult reminiscent of childhood dreams before actually shifting
Danny sat at the top of the slide, water rushed past his legs and down into the dark. He wasn’t sure anymore if he wanted to do this. He could hear his buddies yelling, but wasn’t quite sure if they were encouraging or warning him. It didn’t matter now, the big hairy attendant whispered in his ear ‘ready’ and with his big sweaty palm, pushed Danny down the hole. The water glides him along slowly gaining speed as gravity takes over. Danny made it past the first turn and began to smile
“This is kind of fun” he said to himself. As he rounded the next turn, a strange misty light appeared briefly before the dark consumed him again. Just has he was coming to the end of his ride he became stuck.
‘What!’ Danny shouted. Out of nowhere, the tunnel had shrunk and was now squeezing Danny. The misty glow returned accompanied by a strange lullaby. With each verse of the song, the tube got tighter around his waist. He couldn’t see anything through the mist. He struggled, screamed, cursed, nothing worked…it just kept getting tighter and tighter, the music louder, and the mist was so humid Danny couldn’t breathe… he thought he was going to die.
Danny woke up drenched in sweat and tangled in the sheet of his bed. He sat up, swallowing deep breathes of air as if it was a cool glass of water. He looked around beginning to recognize the moonlit shadows of his bedroom. This was the third time in three months he had this dream. The slide, the big hairy guy, and the mist were all the same. The squeezing was all too familiar, but the music. That was new and a little annoying thought Danny.
He got up, grabbed the towel off the chair and wiped the sweat from his body. It was a cool autumn night, but that dream had made him feel like he was in the middle of a very humid summer. Danny went to the bathroom to splash water on his face. The light was harsh on his eyes; it took him minute to adjust to its brightness. He glanced at the clock by his bed. 4am flashed in a condescending blue light.
‘Nice. Might as well shower now’ Danny thought.
He had to get up in an hour anyway. He knew he would not be able to go back to sleep. So he turned on the water. He let it run until it was a nice cool mist. As he got in, he continued to feel the dream. The feel of that squeeze around his waist; It was so real that he would have felt more comfortable showering with the curtain open, letting the water soak the bathroom rug.
The water ran over his head and Danny closed his eyes. The melody of the dream song began to play in his head. It sounded so familiar to him. Danny racked his brain to remember. Just as he had gotten completely relaxed from the water, there was a loud buzz coming from his nightstand.
‘Dam’, Danny shouted as he stumbled out of the shower, quickly wrapping a towel around his waist.
He ran over to the bed and pressed the off button on the alarm. He sat on the bed and put his head in his hands. He had not realized in been in the shower that long. He looked at his fingers. They did have that prune, raisin texture on them. He shrugged, stood up and shuddered, shaking off the thin layer of eeriness that had come over him. He got dressed, grabbed his wallet, his phone and headed to the kitchen for some breakfast.
Last chapter?
‘After tomorrow, I can be with you forever, Rissa.’ Danny declared as he held her in her arms
‘What about your work, your Micah, your family? I am only a dream’ replied Larissa. Her hair fell on to Danny’s chest as she shook her head. Her eyes lowered. Danny pulled her face up and cupped her head between his hands.
“No, they are my dream. You, this world are my reality.’ he stated and pulled Larissa back in his arms.
‘After I defeat the Stealer, I will be able to shift permanently.’ Danny took a deep breath, pulling Rissa deeper into his embrace. She hugged him back and they pulled away. She sat up with her back to him.
“No Danel. You will miss your world; you will miss your family. I cannot let you stay here. When you have completed your purpose, saved my home, you must shift back and forget your dreams.’
Danny sat up, grabbed her shoulder, and turned her around. Her beauty continued to amaze him. Her long flowing reddish hair, her slender round face, her almond shaped eyes, her soft red lips and her curvy warrior body. He stroked her arm and looked right into her green eyes.
‘No I will not forget this dream. I am staying her with you’ He kissed her with such passion it left Larissa breathless. She hugged him tight. She loved being with him. She wished she could believe his words, but she had read how shifters come and go. She knew he could not stay, it just was not the way shifting worked. Danny would not believe her. This made her love him even more.
“Fine, you win” Larissa said in her best smile. “Now lie down and rest. You meet the Stealer’s armies tomorrow. You need sleep.”
She pushed him back down in the bed. Danny didn’t fight with her. He knows she did not believe him. He was tired of this same argument. He would prove to her that he was going to change the rules. He would be the first Shifter that stayed.
“Lay with me till I fall asleep. You need your rest, too” he winked at her. Larissa giggled and pushed her hair behind her ear.
“I can’t” as she got up and pulled her robe on, “I have to help the priestess with the battle prayers and spells”
Danny pretended to pout and grabbed her hand. She leaned down a gave him a sweet kiss
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As Danny lifts his sword to take the final blow, he felt a jolt. It rocked his body so violently he dropped his sword. The minion ran and Danny doubled over. Everything slowed down, there was no sound. Danny felt the wind knocked out of him but he couldn’t see his opponent. It felt like he was hit from the inside out. His surroundings began to blur. He was on his knees. Just as he started to black out he saw Larissa, she was surrounded. The brute knocked her out, picked her up and carried her toward the trees. Danny tried to scream but his voice got lost in the pain he felt. Another jolt...this time the world went black.
Danny woke with a headache, ‘what happened?’ he thought to himself
He put both hands on his head. He felt like he’d been run over, beaten and then run over again. He sat up and noticed something tugging at his arm.
‘What?’
He looked down and saw a tube running from his wrist to a clear bag hanging above. He noticed other wires on his chest and another tube stuck in his nose.
‘What the....’ It took Danny a moment to understand where he was.
‘NO!’ he puffed with such intensity that it made a monitor blip loudly.
‘No, no, I can’t be here!’ Danny huffed as he lay back down. He had to think.
‘How? How did he get back here…he did not go to sleep…he remembered about to behead a minion...then being knocked to his knees…seeing Larissa taken....’ Danny pounded his fist on the bed while the image replayed in his head. ‘After that I blacked out...now I’m here...”
Danny closed his eyes to think, reliving every moment until his black -out. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he heard someone come into the room. He opened his eyes and saw the nurse reading the monitor.
‘You’re a wake...that’s a good sign...you have visitors.’ She pointed to the door.
There stood Micah and Danny’s parents. The nurse finished updating his chart. “I’m going to let the doctor know you’re a wake.” She said and left.
Micah came around the bed, sat down and gave him a nervous smile.
‘Well son you gave us quiet a scare’ said Danny’s dad in his standard booming not happy pleasantry voice.
‘Hey dad, mom...you guys didn’t have to drive all the way down here.’
“Yes we did” scolded his mom “you were in serious condition…anyway we were planning a visit.”
Danny looked at Micah. She had tears in her eyes.’ I found you unconscious. You wouldn’t wake up; I saw the bottle by your bed, so I called 911 and then your parents. You really scared me.’
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He had been in the hospital for almost two weeks…he didn’t understand. He had tried to dream and couldn’t. When he slept, everything was black, nothing. He kept hearing the lullaby from his nightmares before he learned he was a shifter.
‘Why?’ he kept thinking...he needed to get back, find Larissa, and talk to the seeker. He closed his eyes to try again. He felt something brush against his arm.
‘What?’ Danny startled.
‘Shah…Danel it is me Frosbin’
‘Frosbin, how...What? Am I dreaming did I make it back? Wow that’s the fastest I’ve been able to shift.’ Danny kept rambling as he looked around. He realized as Frosbin was trying to calm him that he was still in the hospital.
‘No no...The seeker sent me to find you. Now be quite Danel...I need to think. We have to leave this place, you are being watched’
‘Watched? By who? How?’ Frosbin held up his hand and Daney laid back down in frustration.
‘The stealer is watching. He is the one who sent you back. ‘
‘How?’ that’s not possible…is it?’
‘Apparently it is’...replied Frosbin. Daney lay back, then suddenly lifted his head and said ‘what about Rissa?’
‘She was taken by the minions to the stealers mountain. Lyason and Laira followed her after they saw you disappear. It seems to have been a trap. Once you were gone and they had taken Larissa, the minions stopped fighting. Seems the stealer found a way to shift without dreams. ‘
‘What? How?’ Questioned Daney.
Frosbin shook his head and put his finger to his ear. ‘Shah...I will tell all as soon as we get out of here.
Daney was about to protest, but Frosbin had turned his back and began mumbling….the air began to buzz. Daney felt the hairs on his arm stand up and a whoosh of air fly past is head causing him to blink. When he opened his eyes, he was laying in his bed at his apartment.
‘Whoa, that was awesome. How did you do that?’
‘There are some magic that never leaves, the people have just forgotten them. We must hurry, Danel, get some clothes and food. It will not be long before they figure out what happened. I have a much better place to hide, and then I will tell all.’ Daney did what he was told.
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They came to an alley down by the industrial district. It was littered with steel trashcans, grocery carts, cardboard boxes and the inhabitants that claimed these things as possessions.
‘This is your great hiding place?’ Daney exclaimed.
Frosbin smiled and replied ‘what better place to hide then among those no one sees.’
Frosbin started strolling down the alley looking for something on the walls. Daney shrugged and shook his head. He had to admit the old man had a point. No one gave the homeless or hungry much thought. Even when he was working as an officer, he never noticed until he had to use one as a witness.
Frosbin found what he was looking for…a door covered by ads, dust and graffiti.
‘Come boy; let’s get out of the elements. I’m hungry and tired.’ Daney followed him in and was awestruck. The inside was beautiful. Ornate light fixtures illuminated a grand room strewn with pillows, rugs, and tapestries. The tapestries had images of the dream world and this world. Danny stopped in front of one that shows a great battle.
‘Ah,’ sighed Frosbin, ‘that was the day the portals closed forever. This place...,’ Frosbin said as he lifted his hands to the ceiling and slowly began turning, ‘...was a sanctuary, meeting place, an embassy between our two worlds.’
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The Sanctuary chapter
“Uh!”
Across the room flew a leather bound book hitting the wall with small thud and sliding to the floor.
“I’ve had enough of study, meditation and hot tea!” Danny screamed, “I haven’t shifted in a month!”
He crumbled to the couch, head in hands.
“I know, but you’ve seen the mist and heard the lullaby.” Frosbin stated with hope.
“Once, I did that once,” Daney mournfully replied, “I can’t help Rissa or your people with a one hit wonder. Here is no better. The city is getting worse and Harrison is going to be elected mayor. We haven’t even discovered where he is keeping his portal or how he is keeping it open.”
“I know,” mumbled Frosbin
I need to get back to work. If I do that, then maybe I can found some answers”
“No if the stealer knows you are here”
‘He’ll what…he probably knows I can’t shift…what can he do to me here without revealing himself?”
“Well he could kill you”
‘Yeah, well I would rather be dead, than alive hiding like a mouse.”
Frosbin stood up and was about to speak
“Don’t” Daney stopped him “I’m going to try and sleep”
Daney got up, pushed open the library door and headed to his room. He lay down, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Falling asleep was the easy part. The hard part came when he tried to control his dreams and make the shift. Tonight was no different he had no control.
He dreamt he was in a long hallway, Low light coming from ornate sconces on either side of the walls. The doors opened up to offices, hospital rooms, classrooms; any kind of room that would befit this type of hallway. Daney walked down it in standard slow-Mo dream style. He was just pausing when he heard a scream. It came from the other end, he tried to run, but could not. Then all of a sudden he was there standing outside the room. He could see a girl lying on a table wiggling to free herself from her restraints. The mist started to come up and he heard the lullaby. Daney saw a whirlpool where the far wall should be; through it, he could see a warehouse. It looked like a place the police had done a raid about a year ago. The girl was crying as a minion came over to inject her with something.
“A minion” Danny thought, he stepped through the door. This felt real, like he when he shifted. Nevertheless, the moment was only fleeting because he heard a voice say, “Oh no you don’t boy”
He felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and he was thrown through the vortex wall, only this time it was not the mayor’s office, it was the Chicago skyline. He felt like he was falling fifty stories.
“Wake up, wake up, wake up’ He was yelling as he hit the pavement. His eyes flew open. He found himself on his bedroom floor. He slowly got up, feeling very sore.
Frosbin was there, sprinkling some sort of herb on him. “Frosbin, I shifted, just for a moment, but I did it!” puffed Danny. He picked up Frosbin and twirled him around. “That’s good Danel” Frosbin squirmed.
“What is that smell?” Danny asked as he dropped Frosbin and placed his hand on his nose.
“It’s muskrat hair. It anchored you to this place and kept you safe from harm.” Answered Frosbin
‘I saw her Frosbin’ Danny said as he stood up then immediately slummed back to the floor, ‘whoa’ he signed
Frosbin leaned in closer, putting a hand on Danny’s head then resting it on his shoulder.
‘You saw her. What do you mean?’ Frosbin with a concerned look.
‘Rissa, I saw her before I was thrown though some swirling pool to my death. Do you say muskrat hair?’ Danny looked at Frosbin before laying his head in his hands. “I don’t feel so good’
He crawled back on to the mound of bed pillows and closed his eyes.
‘You saw a vortex?’ Frosbin asked
‘I don’t know? Is that what the whirling death pool thing was?’ Danny retorted back, ‘I have to go back. I have to find her again’ Danny tried to get comfortable closing his eyes.
‘No Danel, you mustn’t, a vortex is not good. The old stories say they are very dangerous. We have to do some research.’ Frosbin jostled Daney till his eyes open ‘you mustn’t sleep’
‘Hey alright, alright, hey that hurts’ Daney yelped
‘Yes exactly, the prophets say the vortex can bring pain though your dreams. You can’t sleep until we find a way to navigate them.’ Frosbin was bustling about gather the hair back into is pouch, muttering as he wondered out of the room.
Daney couldn’t muster the strength to get up. He was tired, sore and anxious to find Rissa. She was alive and here, he needed to know the location the building they were holding her. As soon as Frosbin was gone and the room was quiet, Daney began to hear the music. He barely had time to close his eyes before in was plunged back into his dream.
This time felt different. It felt more of be dragged into to this dream then choosing to shift. Daney began walking down the hallway again. This time at a much slower and caution pace.
He opened the last door, not to find Rissa and a vortex but to a man behind a desk in front of a window looking out over the city.
“ So... Daney, we finally meet. Please have a seat.’
Origin story/background
Daney had always dreams. as a kid he would dreams to write stories in school. Might dream to be a writer. Maybe classic story became cop like dad. Writes fanfic
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