A Peculiar String of Bizarre Dreams

Chapter 39: Tattered Old Bench

I text Yuna on her phone:

"Meet me at the Park in twenty?"

She replies back instantly:

"I do need a time-out from my freak out. The Park will do. See you there."

Before heading out, I grab a floral patterned scarf and wrap it around my neck, and stuff an obese Sachelle into my pocket.

I walk out into the Junipers garden. There are spots where the soil is upturned but otherwise the garden looks as good as new. They must still be pulling out weeds. A butterfly hovers over an iris and it makes me think of Specka and the insane look-alike poisonous butterflies. I shudder at the memory, but seconds later the sunlight hits my cheeks and the familiar sights before me warm me inside out. It is so good to be back, I think to myself. I love Avian Oaks.

The Junipers are probably inside, I assume, they work on their garden in the early morning and sometimes early in the evening. I will try to catch them later, I make a mental note and begin walking towards the Avian Oaks Park. It's barely fifteen minutes away. For the sake of visualization, imagine a place with about fifty fat oak trees and several beautiful gardens. It even has a lake with ducks and swans simmering about.

Walking there, I pass by Words Haven Cafe. I can't wait to meet Vazouk and give him his gem. Lykineria was a really cool realm, he has to accept the gem whether he likes it or not. I wonder what I will say to him. He's going to be suspicious about this whole ordeal. He's not the believing/has-faith-in-gems sort of a person.

The walk is mostly uneventful otherwise. School is out of session and everyone is out of town for summer. Avian Oaks is comfortably deserted at this time. Usually, people are seen hustling and bustling about around lunchtime. I check my watch to see if I'm good on time, and I am.

The Park finally comes into my view. Many a family with children is scattered across grass patches. It is not too crowded but it's not entirely empty or quiet either. Mothers run behind their unruly and brightly-dressed offspring. Some stroll by with their baby strollers.

I walk through the merriment to a spot where I usually meet Yuna. It has a tattered old bench under the thicket of refreshing greenery. For some reason, children are scared of it. It may or may not have something to do with me and Yuna; we tell them the bench is haunted. And then, we let their imaginations do the rest. Rumours spread quickly. Often, children are seen nagging parents about the bench being haunted by evil witches and ghosts. Quite conveniently thus, families tend to stay away from our spot.

When I get there, I find Yuna waiting on the bench. Her shiny black hair is held back elegantly by a blue hair band; her eyes closed, her huge red headphones blocking out the noise around her. I get close enough and then tap gently on her shoulder.

Her eyes scram open as she pulls off her headphones and smiles at me.

"How's it going?" She asks.

"You tell me, friend," I go over the other side and scoot next to her on the bench.

"What were you listening to?" I ask her.

"This and that. Mostly Nirvana."

"Hmm...I'm not sure if Curt Kobain will have a positive influence on you right now. You know, what with your stress levels lately."

Yuna rolls her pretty black eyes, "I won't kill myself, I promise. But I see your point, maybe I should listen to something else. You think instrumental music might be a safer choice?"

"I recommend Explosions in the Sky, and Mogwai. Definitely good places to start."

She nods at me thoughtfully, "Yes, yes...," she mumbles while contemplating the bands I mentioned, perhaps replaying tracks in her head to confirm my hypothesis.

"I have a gemstone for you," I say, slipping the chrysanthemum into her hand.

"Wow," she sighs in awe, "This is beautiful, Jemma."

"It brings you courage. It also takes away fear, sort of replaces it with happiness. And does a bunch of other things which I can't remember right now."

Yuna's brows shoot up, "Should I be offended that you think I need courage?"

"Think as you please," I grin at her.

She considers the gemstone in her hands, "It's so beautiful, I don't care what it does, I think I'll wear it around my neck, maybe. Which reminds me — that necklace you're wearing, I've never seen it before. Is it new?"

"Mamma left it for me apparently, Dad gave it to me last night."

I undo the necklace clasp from around my neck and snap open the locket to show her the embedded sapphire.

"Sapphire for wisdom, he said," I add.

"I didn't realize you guys had gemstones at your house. I always thought it was strange considering your Dad sells them all the time."

"It's true...it is strange," I nod.

"It's cryptic, I like it but I love my gemstone. Thanks, Jemma!"

Clasping back the sapphire locket around my neck, I reply, "You're welcome. Remember to call and tell me when you start feeling joyous and courageous and fearless, okay?"

"Of course, I will do just that," she says looking a bit uncertain. But I don't mind, at least she likes the gemstone.

"I have to go now," she says recalling something suddenly. "My aunt's flight from Tokyo lands in about an hour, she's coming over for lunch. I can't wait to answer all her questions about my ambitions, my hopes of having children, et cetera et cetera, now that I've gotten a good chunk of minimal education out of the way."

I smile sympathetically and wish her luck, and fiercely hope that the chrysanthemum works.