Dreadful Delights

Dreams of Escape (mythandlegend)

I hear the approaching footsteps even as I stand paralyzed, my eyes fixed on the empty stable stall. My fingers grip the handles of the bucket containing the flickering threads of harvested dreams.

The footsteps stop right beside me. "Whoa, Hermes. What's with the constipated face?"

I turn to meet Hecate's stare. "F-ing crap on Hades' bathrobe!"

She quirks her eyebrow. "What's that now?"

"He escaped," I answer in an unintentional whisper.

"He got out again?"

"What? Cerberus?" I wave a dismissive hand in her face. "No, he'll be back soon."

"So... which monster are you talking about?"

I point to the stable at end, overlooking the River Lethe.

Dark life falls off her face. "You mean, the hippos monokeras?" Her hushed words strain as if they had to be dragged through her throat.

Under normal circumstances, I would've rolled my eyes at the reverence in her voice. The fear, though, I understand completely.

"Well, good luck, Hermes," she says with a shoulder pat and a look that effectively conveys her single thought: Wouldn't want to be you.

Neither do I.

***

Finding the escapee isn't hard; all I have to do is follow the screams of delight.

"A unicorn!"

"I knew they were real!"

"She's so pretty!"

Which is exactly how I find myself in this residential neighborhood with little humans running around in various costumes.

Time to think good thoughts. Difficult when I see a little one standing in the middle of the road with absolute nothingness in her eyes. Not dead but lifeless.

Then, I see another little one.

A pang hits my chest, something I haven't felt in a long time.

"Maybe they'll heal with substitute dreams."

"Didn't think you were going to come," I say, not bothering to hide the relief.

"She wasn't." Hecate points to the left side of her brain. That makes sense; Left always had it in for me.

"I'm touched."

"Don't be. I came to help humanity, not you. What's the plan?"

"Dream big and pretty," I say with as much confidence as I can fake.

"Meaning?"

"Our thoughts have to be brighter and happier than anyone else's here. Get him to follow us."

"You want me to be happy?" The look of horror on Hecate's Middle face is almost worth this whole mess. Almost.

"Oh, Hermes. You really should know better than to tease her like that."

"Right. Glad to see you. Ready?"

"Ready."

Happy thoughts. Hades falling into Cerberus' pile. Zeus pricking himself with his bolt. Apollo calling for my help.

The blindingly white unicorn emerges from behind the house, it's bottomless blue eyes and pulsating black horn pointed straight at us. "I'll lead him through the portal. You follow behind him."

With a snap of my fingers, a portal appears in front of us.

Breathing fresh air.

He closes in.

Being in the human realm.

Just one more step.

Her.

And with that, my most precious dream, the unicorn, Hecate, and I step back into the Underworld.