The Heritage of Sephtis: The Returning

15: I Have a Dream

The clock read 3:33. It was dark outside the car, and the only reason there was light inside the car was because Finn was using his phone to guide Jaden. Finn was currently, of course, looking at the map on his blindingly bright screen, and Jaden was driving. Jack had readjusted in the back, and had managed to lay down on the seat, even with the cramped space. But, he hadn’t fallen asleep. He lifted his head to look at the time, and then layed back down.

    “How far are we?” Jack croaked out.

    “Seven hours.” Finn didn’t look up. Jack grumbled and let his mind wander, trying to run it enough to pass out. Seven more hours. He had been through so much to get to this spot, but he didn’t even know whether this was where he should be. He might be traveling seven hours in the wrong direction. The opposite direction. Jack shifted a bit. Maybe this wasn’t where he needed to be, but maybe it was. It didn’t matter to him at this point. It wasn’t about the destination anymore for him, it hadn’t been for a while. It was all about the destination. He closed his eyes and let himself drift into sleep.

Jack opened his eyes. Something was...different. He felt small. He lolled his head around was he in a crib? He looked up and saw a mobile turning above him with fairies and stars. Unconsciously he reached up trying to grab the stars. Then he heard voices. It was English, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying. It sounded like arguing. He could hear the voice of a man and a woman, then the man appeared over the crib. He looked down at Jack, then across like the woman was on the other side. His red hair swung as he moved his head around, and his eyes were burned into Jack’s mind. They were his own eyes. The woman’s voice sounded closer, and a figure appeared over the crib on the other side, but he couldn’t see the woman’s face. It all blurred into a mass of shadows.

    “Do you remember your mother?” A velvety voice called. “I still have more to show you.”

    Jack was standing now in a bright room. There was a man in armour standing in front of him. He jumped back. But as he looked at the man, he realized that he was doing the same things Jack was doing. He was looking in a mirror. Jack drew near the mirror, examining his face and the wrinkles that covered it, but looking down he was still his young self. He looked back up, and realized there was a woman behind him. He turned around to face the woman. She had rich coppery skin, a big head of black curly hair, and a long graceful dress that shimmered and glowed with every breath she took.

    “You must trust your guide Jack. They’re leading you where you need to go. They’re leading you to that future.” She pointed at the mirror. Jack turned and looked at his older self again in the mirror, then turned to face the woman.

    “Who is my guide?” Jack asked, confused. The woman laughed.

    “You know who it is.”

    “Who are you?” Jack stepped towards her. She smiled warmly.

    “I’m just a copy. A reflection. This body,” she gestured to her own body, “is named Raven. I am no one of consequences. Just a messenger of Faereh’. You’ve met me before, but I don’t think you’ll meet this body.”

    “Who is Faereh’?” Jack looked at her confused, but growing in curiosity with every word. She laughed again.

    “You learn soon enough.” She faded away into nothing.

    “Wait!” Jack jumped forward, but too late. Jack looked around confused. Then he turned to the mirror to look at himself one last time. In the mirror behind his he saw the ghost woman crying at the foot of a bed. The room began to dim. He turned around. His head hurt. He opened his eyes, and was in the car again. He had hit his head on Finn’s seat.

    “Can you please not do that right now?” Finn sighed. Jack apologized. Then he sat up, trying to readjust.

    The clock read 4:44.