The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

Liran's Dream

I'm flying through clouds. It's thrilling.

"You're doing great," I hear a voice saying behind my ear.

I turn and look and can't see anyone. But I know who it is. "Where are you?" I ask him.

I'm with you, he says without words.

I close my eyes. I'm flying, whipping through clouds like a bee whips through the white blossoms of an apple tree in bloom. I feel power and control unlike anything I've ever felt before. I know without a doubt that I can do absolutely anything.

You can, the voice says, urging me on. You're a dreamwalker, Liran. There's no sense denying it.

The awareness slips over me. I'm dreaming. I falter. I'm dreaming. I begin to lose power and slow down. I'm dreaming.

Suddenly, I'm not flying anymore, but falling. I fall through white fluffy clouds. Just a moment ago, this was a playland, now it's a nightmare.

Don't be afraid, the voice urges.

"Where are you?" I yell. "Help me!"

You have to do this on your own. I can only show you all the places you've dreamed of seeing your whole life of you can control your dreams.

"Why?" I yell. I realize he's testing me. It makes me angry.

"Because it's dangerous. For you, for me... For..."

He's talking about Imorah. I can feel it.

"There are... people who want to find her. They'll take over your dream if you're not in control. You have to do this, Liran."

I'm still falling through clouds, but he appears in front of me, stable, his arms crossed over his chest. He's not moving, and yet I am.

"You can do this, Liran," he repeats. Then he disappears.

"Do what?" I yell. I look down and that's a mistake. Suddenly the clouds below, like a soft pillowy blanket, vanish, and rising up towards me is the cold hard ground.

I feel my stomach fill with fear. "Stop this!" I yell.

I can't. You've got to do it.

"Or what? Will I die?" I scream. I know I'll die. I'm about to die.

No, Liran. You won't die. You'll wake up.

"No, no, no -- I'm going to die!" Below me is a dark blurry shape. There's brown all around. I can see the curve of the earth and the horizon. It's darker on one side where the sun has set. How far above the earth am I?

You're not going to die, Liran. You'll wake up.

The dark, blurry shape below me is growing bigger. What is that, I wonder.

It's the Library, the voice tells me.

The Library is coming up fast. It's getting bigger and bigger. At first it's just a dark, ugly scar on the earth, but now I can see patterns, roads, buildings.

Stop falling. Take control back, Liran.

I try, but I'm helpless. I'm completely helpless. "Help me!" I yell. I know he has the power to help me. "Why won't you help me?"

Because you've got to do this on your own, sooner or later. If I help you, you'll be weak.

"How do I do it?!" The ground is rising up--I can see people down there now. I feel my stomach rise into my throat. "I can't do it!"

You can! he urges.

I can't. I close my eyes and will myself to stop falling. But I can feel the wind whipping through my hair, and when I open them, I'm still falling. I'm about to die. I'll be crushed.

You're dreaming. The only thing that can happen is you'll wake up.

The awareness slips over me again. I'm dreaming. I'm not going to die. I'm dreaming. This isn't real. I'm dreaming. The wind disappears, and there is silence. I'm dreaming.

I open my eyes and I'm still falling, but there is no wind, no noise. The ground is right below me. I'm going to hit it any second.

Liran appears again in front of me. He's not falling, but he somehow remains at the same level as me. He's composed. He's graceful. He's in control.

"How are you doing that?" I ask him as I struggle to get myself into a standing 'position' in the air, but gravity and my own awkward body get in my way. I can't manage it. I'm grasping at thin air. I give up and let myself continue falling.

I suddenly want more than anything to be him. To be strong enough to.... I don't know what I would do if I was strong enough. But I wouldn't be me anymore. I don't want to be me anymore, and yet, I can't change who I am. The ground is rushing up towards me now. I'm going to hit it any second.

"You know this is your destiny," he says calmly. He's disappointed. And suddenly I see my father. He is my father.

"No!" I scream. I'm sick of that word. I don't want a destiny. This is my life. These are my choices. "You can't force me to be conscious." And with that I close my eyes as my body crashes into the ground.

I wake up.