Children of Morpheus

Chapter 12

    I opened my eyes, as I grunt in pain. I looked around me and I was lying in bed made of wood and huge banana leaves. The walls are woods of some sort, that glimmered on the light from a flower-like lamp.

Then flashes of memories came slicing in my mind that ached while it's all coming back. I remembered the claw that pushed through my body that made me jerked and sat on the wooden bed. I lifted my shirt and there was a small wound that was still healing. I stroke my back just to make sure that there was no hole or something. But nothing. . . just a small wound. 

    I hissed in pain.

    The planked floor squeaked for every step that I made. The dimmed light emitting from the lamp glimmered the room like glitters. Then the place shook while a heavy footsteps thud across with a deep growl. I jerked my body and put my hands on the window sill. My eyes widen in surprise with my jaw dropped open, as I gazed outside. 

    I was high up in a treehouse with a purplish blue sky with three moons aligned as it overlaid behind one after another. Thousands of twinkling starlight glimmered as shooting stars trailed off like a beam. The ground was shaded in complete bounty green and violet with glowing flowers in different colors. Fireflies flew in a group, trailing to huge trees around. Pods hanging around the grove like a parasite in the trees, glowing. But this can only be explained in one word—it's magical.

    What is this place? Where am I? New questions came knocking at my head.

    Then a rumbling came knocking from beneath the trapdoor. I panicked and grabbed the first thing that I saw—a wooden chair—and held it like a bat with both of my hands. The door opened up and the cloaked man climbed in, as my heartbeat runs. I slowly moved to the side of the bed and get ready to swing the chair.

    The man stood and shut the door. Then I whirled the chair into him, he dodged.

    Maybe he saw me, I said to myself.

    He paced on me and put his glowing green hand on my forehead as I shut my eyes to get ready for the unknown pain that is about to come. . . 

    I shivered in anticipation waiting for the pain to come. But I felt no pain. Then I remembered my uncle Dean as I took a small peek, and I was back home. It's all just a dream. I ran outside my room and saw Dean down in the living room with a worried face, then I called him. He fixed his head into me and called me as his eyes start to pool. We met on the foot of the stairs then he hugged me tightly.    

    “Where are you?” He asked me in a paced tone and with concerned eyes.

    “W-what are you saying?” I smiled and hugged him again. “I'm here, right?” 

    Then he stared at me with his eyes. I don't know what's happening, why is he being like that? I'm so confused! Then slowly my smile fades away as I realized what this is. It's only just a dream.

    “S-so this is a dream,” I said, still confused. “And, this is your dream?” 

    He nodded.

    “Where are you?” He asked again and held my shoulders. 

    “I d-don't know.” I replied as flashes of memory shot my mind. I felt like I will break into a million pieces and die. “I thought it was all a dream, but wherever I am, i-it's very far from the town.”

    “Are you alone?” He asked as his body trembled. He gazed around and looked back at me. "Rafael, are you alone?"

    Then my eyes grew in terror. I remembered the cloaked man that attacked me. My breathing came to me like a bag of rocks, it became heavy on every breath I take.

    “No.” I replied with panic and fear starting to fill me up. "Someone just―" I stopped.

    “You need to wake up, Rafael! He began shouting. “Wake up!”

    I jerked and open my eyes with heavy breathing. A man stood and slowly walk backward raising his hands, trying to calm me down. I jolted and raised my hand towards him, as it glowed like the flowers outside this treehouse. He stumbled and fell down, he then crawled away from me, but still kept trying to call me down.  

    The man was wearing a dark green mantle cloth, with a full top armor with a leafy look and texture that fitted him perfectly, which shows his broad tapered physique. Silk medieval trousers with the same color as his cloak. And, boots with whipped vines around it that looks like it was made of plant skin, that all gave an overlook nature effect.  

    “I'm a friend.” He suddenly said while his back is against the wooden wall. “I'm a friend. I'm not here to hurt you.” 

    “You're one of them!” I firmly said while I'm still raising my hand towards him. “Why would I ever believe you?”

    “I'm helping you to heal,” He replied as his brown and copper-ish hair glimmered under the nightlight of the sky. “I'm helping you to heal. That's a trust worthy act.”

    I gave him my hand and helped him stand. He then dusted himself, while he's eying me, watching my moves as I sat down on the bed. He sat across me in the chair in silence. Then I suddenly grunted and panted in pain on my stomach as it began to bleed.  

    He moved quickly beside me and held my back. Then I screamed in pain as I felt the wound getting bigger, tearing my skin slowly. He helped me lie down on my side while my clothes are wet with blood. He reaped my top revealing my wounds front to back. 

    I cried and panted.

    His eyes glimmered in water just before I close shut my eyes in pain.

    “You need to sleep while I heal you,” he said as he raised his hand in my forehead.

    “How can I sleep when I'm in this state!” I hissed. “What are you doing?”

    “Like what I did earlier, I made you sleep.” He replied as his hand began to glow

    It was complete darkness. I know I'm sleeping, but feeling this and seeing this void felt empty inside. I don't trust that fairy guy, but I believe that he won't kill me, or betray me. I don't know why I believe in him.     

    I hope I don't regret believing in him. That reminded me of Alexander, I know he can be annoying and unreliable, but he is who he is and I trust him. I believe that he can find the key. 

    “Rafael?” A voice asked behind me.  

    I turn back and I was in the middle of the wood back in town. The sky was brightly yellow as someone dived on me, while I landed on my back. I laughed while Alexander was on top of me, holding my arms against the ground with dried leaves and twigs. 

    He laughed.

    “Where are you?” Alexander started as he gave his hand and help me stand up. “We've been looking through the forest, even the police are looking for you on where we left you.”

    “That's just it,” I replied. “I don't know where I am. Did you find the key?” I asked as I focused on it. Then a wand came out of thin air. “Alexander, this is what it looked like.”

    He nodded and smiled. Then he wrapped his arms around me tightly as I felt his heart beating calmly and his breathing came in softly smooth. 

    “Bye, Alexander.” I whispered as I fade away from his arms.

    I woke up from the wooden bed without a top. I'm all healed up, that's a start. I looked across the room and there he was, eating an apple. He fixed his eyes on me, then he reached something from his satchel hanging on his side and threw an apple. I caught it with both of my hands and reluctantly took a bite.

    The sweetness of the apple exploded in my mouth that made me chow down more. The crisp when you bite break and the juiciness is amazing. He then smiled, staring at me eating. He threw another one and shook his head beaming.

    He walked towards a plain wooden chest beside him and grabbed something for me to wear. He gave me the same green clothes that he is wearing. Can this be in a color blue? I asked him silently in my mind, then I grinned.

    “Dressed up and I'll wait for you down the tree.” He said as he opened the trapdoor and climbed down.

    How do I wear this? The armor is light but strong as I punched the chest plate hard. I forced my shriek to stay inside me, as a silent screaming came out and knocked the wind. The good thing is that I'm not afraid of heights when I opened the door and looked down. 

    I climbed down the vines that weaved into a ladder along the trunk of the tree. I peeked behind me and the daylight slightly saturated the magnificent color of the place. Trees were bigger and taller than the ones I used to see. And, huge and small creatures stroll the forest like a normal person in a city. I jumped down and landed on my feet. 

    He stood from a huge rock, put on the hood on his head, and jumped high. And I did the same. I looked around me and almost everything glittered. The nature sound was harmonized like in an orchestra, timed, and tuned. Huge mushrooms grew on trees and sides of the path we were walking into.

    “Welcome to the Realm of the Faes.” He said behind the hood. 

    “What!” I snapped as I paced towards him.  

    He stopped and held me in my cloak. Then a bunch of small faeries walked across the way with small people that are hopping and smiling all throughout. I looked at them with my jaw dropped open, then the man pulled me again as he walked.

    “Stop doing that!” I barked, as I pulled my cloak back. “Stop treating me like a dog.” 

    He smiled.

    Then a rushing flow and splash of water came running on my ears like a roaring lion. I followed the sound behind the huge trees and saw the most breathtaking waterfall I ever saw.       

    The water was clear light blue, that glimmered and the transparency is amazing. You can see different stones and rocks .underwater Reeds growing near the land as the wind flew which made a flute sound. With small blue buzzing creatures dashing through the water in and out. Then a twig snapped behind me that made me look.

    He sat down on a stone and breathe in deeply and out. I sat down beside him as my brunette hair glimmered under the sun. 

    “It's beautiful isn't it?” He began as he gazes on the waterfall, then looked at me.

    I nodded and smiled.

    “My name is Dranvi. Dranvi of the Fae kingdom,” he said while smiling.

    “Rafael. Rafael Williams, children of Morpheus.” I said, trying to copy in announcing the name greeting.

    “What are those?” I asked.

    “Water sprites,” he replied and smiled as one flew around us. “Adorable little creatures aren't they?”     

    “Why did you save me?” I asked in a soft tone. But he didn't answer back, he just sat there looking at the water.

    Then a thumping commotion disturbed the music of the place. The sprites quickly dived into the water as Dranvi stood with a straight face. I quickly stood and fixed my cloak to cover me whole. Then steeds with armored tall men galloped around us, surrounding us as one climbed down high.   

    The horses wore a silver armor same as with their riders. They wore a full armor from toe to head, as it shimmered from the sun. It reflected on my eyes that made my heartbeat run like a high steed galloping fast.

    I started shivering as the man came closer to Dranvi. He sold me out. That's why he didn't answer when I asked him why did he help me. Because he sold me to them. He sold me to the fairy nights!