The Dream Weavers Collection Part 1, K.R. Gomlok [books that read to you .TXT] 📗

coming to his friend who might be perishing even as he rushed out into the hallway. ?Please Melina, don?t die on me now.?
Chimera was now able to keep his pace as they rapidly approached their destination. The door numbers rushed at them, Room 516, 518, 520, and finally 522, Zach pushed open the door with unsteady hands, were they to late?
No, there in the hospital bed lay Melina Isador, her black hair tied up in braids, her dark eyes staring out the window to what lay beyond as her life signs grew faint. With obvious effort, she turned her head at the coming of her friends and offered them a weak smile, ?I knew you?d come for me in the end,? She said, her voice barely above a whisper, ?Thank you Zach, I?d like to be alone with Chimera for a while.?
Zachery nodded grimly and stepped out, his mission accomplished. Closing the door behind him he leaned against it and sighed, she could not die now? not yet. She did not look very good at the moment, true, but Zach would not accept the possibility that her fragile life might expire while yet in its youth. He would do anything to keep her alive?
Anything? wait? He thought, memories finally coming back of those rushed moments in which she had asked him to get Chimera. She had also asked him to make arrangements for Chimera to stay overnight. Sighing to himself and dearly hoping her mother would be understanding, he flipped open his cell phone and dialed in the number Melina had given him if he got lost. It seemed like most of the time she knew exactly what he would forget when he got caught up in the primary objective. He smiled at the image of her exasperated expression when he told her about this after she recovered. If she recovered?
?Hello?? His thoughts were pushed back into focus as Chimera?s mother answered. Sighing once again, he organized his thoughts and presented his case.

* * *

Zach nodded and ducked into the hallway, though it was clear he would rather stay by his friend.
?Chimera,? Melina said, looking into her eyes, a bit of life shining in her for a moment, the shadow of the smile Chimera remembered, ?we planned so many adventures back in the day. I don?t think we?ll get to carry them out.?
Chimera tried to return her friend?s expression but with little success. Lately, she had become a stranger to smiles. ?Only because we planned on doing them as kids,? She answered, making a lame attempt to refuse the statement. ?There?s still time.?
?Not for me,? Melina told her sadly, her gaze piercing through the argument, pleading Chimera accept the truth. ?My time has expired.?
Chimera turned her eyes from Melina?s stare, unable to fully comprehend or give warrant to the idea that her childhood friend was dying in front of her. She had been hardened by life in their years apart but death still stung her heart. Somehow, it was never less painful to know a life was ending? And yet, what could she do? She was utterly helpless to change Melina?s doom. Once again, things had been decided without her?
?Chimera,? Melina began, her eyes once again looking out the window, ?I want you to take something for me.?
Chimera breathed deep to hold back the tears of realization that were forming. ?Anything,? she promised, taking Melina?s cold hand in both of hers. It seemed now that her childhood friend was one of the few familiar aspects of her life left. If she willed it, Chimera would follow through, she owed her that much.
With her free hand, Melina removed a book from under her white sheets and handed it to Chimera. ?I wrote down everything in this. You?ll need it more than I do, so I want you to keep it and write whatever you think is important in its empty pages. You?ll understand everything in time.?
Chimera gently removed the book from Melina?s hand and ran her hands over the smooth leather binding and pewter bracings. On the front of the book were the golden inscribed words: The Dream Weavers, by Melina Isador, a study of the sub conscious. Chimera looked at it in simple confusion, turned it over in her hands, and looked back to Melina, hoping for an explanation, ?But what can I learn from it?? She asked. She noted with much chagrin that her voice had begun to tremble with emotion.
Melina just smiled and said, ?I?ll see you tonight, promise you?ll be there.?
Chimera simply stared at her friend, uncomprehending, as Melina fell into a light sleep. It felt like a very bad dream, one that she could only watch as darkness crept in, unnoticed by the world and all she could do was scream and wait for it to end.
Outside, Zach was making arrangements for Chimera to spend the night in Melina?s room and later tried to look casual, propped up against the door in a manner that would probably render him a fire hazard.
Chimera took one look at the patient Zachery, I wonder how much she means to him

, she thought. He looked slightly pensive, though somehow trusting that this would end okay. She wished that she might have that solace before sighing to herself and opening the book Melina had given her?

Chapter One:

I cannot explain these worlds of the subconscious, and apparently neither can anyone else in the world. It always seems we are being pushed about in our own minds by some unknown force. What would happen should I master this force and be the one who controls my dreams? What if I could stop these horrible nightmares about Vampires and other creatures of the imagination? If only I could change my dreams? I shall try it tonight. If I?m right, this could lead to something amazing?
Later: It did not work perfectly but I am now convinced that with practice I have a chance of actually forming my dreams to my liking. It is strange, when I looked in one of the mirrors in my dream I saw a faint blue marking was on my left cheek, barely visible even in the increased light I could now create. It was not of my making, so what was it? I think I know, but maybe I?m just being a silly fantasy follower. But if I am correct? I think I shall call it the dreamer?s mark: the wings of freedom.
Next night: Last night I brought Zach into my dream, he was confused at my power and perhaps a little frightened. I was sort of disappointed when he couldn?t also manipulate the dream, but he did come up with a title for me. From now on, at night I am called this, I am a Dream Weaver

Excerpt from ?The Dream Weavers?
By Melina Isador

?This is the world I wanted you to see,? Melina said to Chimera, standing beside her in the rose field. The roses, red and white, were wilting even as she spoke. ?The world I could retreat to, even after all the bad things that happened. I wanted to share it with you, before it was too late.?
?Too late?? Chimera asked, looking around at the cloudy landscape, trying to make sense of things. She could see a pavilion wrought of manzanita trees, standing like crimson guardians over looking the cobblestone paths that twisted through the roses. But it was being overtaken by the mists? just as Melina seemed to be fading, ?What?s happening to you??
Melina smiled a full smile from her unblemished face and took Chimera?s hand, pressing it to her left cheek, ?You?ll be able to control it in the end. I?m leaving everything to you. I?m sorry Chimera, this is one dream I won?t wake up from. But I promise you, we will meet again.?
She faded?
Chimera snapped open her eyes, what was happening? Groggy, she groped around in the unfamiliar room, had she fallen out of bed? She felt sheets beside her?
Then she remembered where she was. Looking over, she saw a faint blue glow from what looked like a strange tattoo on Melina?s left cheek. She was smiling. But the life signs were out.
Chimera panicked, looking around, desperate for a sign it was just a dream.
But Melina?s hands were cold as ice, and her life signs had come to a halt. No longer did she rule as Dream Weaver.

Chapter 2: Zachery

Zachery finally left the Hospital around ten thirty. He wandered aimlessly in the streets, his numb mind losing comprehension for a moment before remembering he had to get back to the Dreamoor hotel. The sky was illuminated by a full moon as he navigated the empty roads of Dremoor. He hoped Melina would make it through the night, he hoped he would get to see her smile just once more. Memories of her occupied his mind, coming before his eyes for a moment before disappearing into the night.
He made it as far as the hotel lobby before he collapsed on a bench and rubbed his eyes. What would mom and dad say? They?d probably be worried sick and furious. Which, in his experience, was a bad combination. But in his current state, all he wanted was to go to sleep, forget Melina was leaving, and dream of all the good times they had shared. Everything else could wait till dawn? or later.
The clock at the desk said 1:30 AM. Was it really that late? Everything was quiet? Zach felt his eye?s closing slowly of their own accord. Giving up, he forsook his resistance. So tired?

Chapter One, continued:

Zachery? I can?t be sure but I think he might have the ability as well. I sense it in him. Some people just aren?t cut out for it but I?ve begun to suspect how to tell. Everyone who has awakened the ability has the irrevocable mark of Freedom?s Wings, but before that they look just like a normal dreamer. I?ve run into many dreams now, the dreams of people I know as well as the dreams of people I?ve never met. If I let myself drift into the Dream River, the inexplicable force that seems to command the Dream World, I can connect my dreams with others. It?s like a puzzle but I don?t have all the pieces yet. It would take a great number of Dreamers like me to connect the dreams but if we did, the results would be beyond imagination.