Arthur Turner and the Elevator Of Time

Arthur's Dream

C h a p t e r S i x ~ Arthur's Dream

Marion found herself the next day lying on the cold stone ground, among

some debris that covered her. Marion immediately coughed from the little air

that was let through. Only a little sparkle of light shone through the cracks.

Marion didn't have much time to remember what had happened. All she

knew was she had an enormous pounding in her head. When she touched her

forehead, she felt blood trickling down her cheek. To Marion then, she could

have been hurt anywhere. She didn't know yet how bad it was.

Marion reached out with her arm, covered in gravel, and pushed through a

layer of rocks and dirt. She felt the warm sun on her hand, and the wind.

Thankfully, she knew she wasn't buried deep. Her other hand reached

through as well, and pulled away the rocks so she was then able to see. She

breathed deep to get as much fresh air as she could.

Just to her right, she could now make out that some disaster had happened.

All around her, the ground was now a ruined pill of earth. Only few people

were lying helpless just like Marion. And even they were already being

helped by a few firemen that roamed around, lifting up any piece of debris

and checking for people who needed help. Marion was glad for this.

Marion tried to breath out a word, but all that came out was another cough.

"He…." She coughed again.

"Help." She said, with a muffled voice.

"Help!" She repeated just a little louder than before.

"Stavo per farti uscire!" She heard.

"Non preoccuparti!" She heard again.

Marion then realized that she was in Rome. It all was coming back to her

now. The elevator, the man and the tree, falling. Nothing she could make

any sense of although. All she remembered was being more frightened than

in all her life.

"Ciao! Sei okay?" A strange face, covered by a black helmet, appeared

before Marion.

"Aiutare Sono male e non posso alzarmi." She said.

(Help. I'm hurt and I can't get up.)

"Dami la mano!" He said.

(Give me your hand)

Marion reached out again, offering her hand. The man took a firm grip.

"Resisti!" He said, groaning.

(Hold on!)

Marion was immediately pulled from the earth, and she came out a dirtied

mess. Her skirt had been torn just above her knee and her leggings had

tremendous holes in them. The sleeve of her shirt was nearly torn off too,

and her hair was all about her with dry dirt covering her from head to toe.

It took her quite some time to get used to the sun, and the breeze that soothed

her so. She still struggled with coughs, but at least now she was safe.

"Sei ferito?" He said.

(Are you hurt?)

"Non lo so."

(I don't know.)

The man looked at her head, he could tell she had been hit it pretty hard.

There wasn't much blood, but there was enough to harm her if she wasn't

helped immediately. Besides that, the man saw no other injury except for a

few bruises.

"Stai bene." He said.

(You're okay.)

The man turned around.

"Medico!"

(Doctor!)

"Medico?"

(Doctor?)

She said, confused.

The man just smiled.

"Stai bene."

(You're okay.)

"Qui é adesso."

(Here he is now)

Marion saw a tall man walk up wearing a white doctor’s jacket, who looked

unusually like the security guard she remembered vividly, but still there was

something that made him look so different from him as well.

Clearly this was the doctor. Marion, was frightened that she would be held

up by this. Perhaps never finding Arthur. But the man had a kind face, so she

felt she might be able to get out of it.

"Dove sei ferito?" The doctor said.

(Where are you hurt?)

His voice did not match his features. He sounded like a depressed man with

anger, and Marion regretted thinking she could get out of there soon, if at all.

"No, non mi fa male." She said.

(No, I'm not hurt)

"Sí sta sanguinado."

(Yes she is, she's bleeding.) The fireman gestured to her head, showing the

deep cut on either side.

"É grande, deve essere fasciata. Potreberro essere necessari punti."

(It's big, it needs to be bandaged. It might need stitches.)

"No. Mi scusi," she said, beginning to walk off.

(No. Excuse me.)

Marion thought just leaving might work, even though she was nearly sure

they wouldn't stop until she had the proper attention.

"Come si chiama, Lei?" The doctor ran after her.

(What is your name?)

Marion didn't hesitate at this, she knew resisting too much would lesson her

chances of escaping.

"Mi chiamo Marion." She said.

(My name is Marion.)

"Marion? Marion, parché non andiamo dentro. Possiamo fissarti."

(Marion? Marion, why don't we go inside. We can fix you up.)

Marion turned to respond, but before she could speak, she noticed under his

coat, was a well hidden robe that he was wearing just like the man who

seemed to have made the earth break up just the day before.

Marion didn't finish her sentence.

She continued to stare at his cloak.

"Ho un medico. Mi resolverá."

(I have a doctor. He will fix me up.) She said.

"Va bene. Guarisci!" He said.

(Okay. Get well!)

Marion was much surprised at him letting her go so fast. She was sure he

would have noticed her staring. It seemed not.

"Graze e buona giornata!" She said.

(Thank you, and good day!)

Walking off he said,

"Sí."

(Yes.)

Marion thought this strange, of course not as strange as Arthur would have.

But she forgot about it quickly.

Marion didn't know what to do next.

She didn't know how to get out of there, and she didn't know what leaving

that dangerous man, (if that was him) there would be. Cruel, or fair? Would

he hurt the people more? Perhaps he’d hurt Arthur! He was the danger in the

song! The elevator sung it! He could lead her to Arthur!

Marion immediately started running towards the man. Her anger was

growing even though she didn't even know if the man was anything other

than an innocent doctor in Italy.

But either way, Arthur could be there, and she wouldn't just leave him.

The doctor didn't notice someone was chasing him, but he began walking the

opposite direction. Marion stopped running. It looked like he was going

somewhere. Perhaps that could lead her to Arthur. Getting at him now might

not help. So she just followed him. He never once looked back.

Where he stopped, was just a few feet away from where Marion had fallen.

He disappeared into a small space between two buildings.

Marion followed. She could now no longer see, and it was quite cramped.

She was worried that now he might find her. As the doctor walked on, (she

could just barely see and hear) he turned to the left. Marion turned as well.

Now she saw daylight, and the corner was almost at an end.

Where he stopped, was just in front of an elevator. One just like Marion had

used. The buttons were on the outside. It was placed awkwardly in the side

of a wall.

Marion could handle it any longer, he knew where Arthur was, and she

wouldn't let him get away!

Marion rushed at him, throwing him against the wall, pinning his neck there

with her elbow.

"Where is he?!" She said aggressively. Partly because of all the people she

knew he had killed.

"Who? What are you talking about?"

"Non parli Italiano?" She said, sarcastically.

(You don't speak Italian?)

"I do speak Italian, when did it happen that you do as well?"

"When did it happen you speak English as well?"

"Non parlo inglese." He said innocently.

(I don't speak English.)

Marion rolled her eyes.

"Who are you?" She said. Still leaving space for him to say he was no

magician.

"Let go."

"Are you from Italy?"

"No."

(No.) In Italian.

"Bis du aus Deutschland?"

(Are you from Germany? In German.)

"Nein."

(No, In German.)

"Eres de España?"

(Are you from Spain? In Spanish. )

"No."

(No. In Spanish)

"Anta wa Nihon kara no mono?"

(Are you from Japan? In Japanese.)

The man said nothing. He clearly couldn't speak Japanese.

Marion let go, but still blocked his way out.

"Why are you wearing robes?"

"Robes? You mean my jacket? Well, that is what Doctors wear when t–"

"No, I mean underneath."

He said nothing. Marion reached into his jacket and moved it aside to see

what he wore behind it. There they were, each a beautiful blue color, nothing

like Marion had ever seen.

"What do you call that?"

"My wife made them for me. They are very special."

Marion stood there thinking a moment. He was definitely a strange man.

How could she find out where he was from?

"Write something." She said.

"Pardon?"

"If you don't mind, please write something for me."

Marion reached into her pocket and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.

"Here." She said, handing it to him.

The man reluctantly took it. His face had now changed from steadiness to

worry. Perhaps now she had gotten him.

"What language?"

"Please, just write normally." She said.

The man’s hand shook a bit, he wrote very slowly at first, but then the pen

quickened.

"Here." He said, handing her paper back.

Marion looked at it. The writing was the strangest thing she had ever seen.

This is what he wrote:

(In Sanataen) The Lake of Stars Shall Come Again

Marion looked up, confused.

"What–". She began to say, but he was gone. As if he was never there. Now

finding Arthur was going to be much harder.

Marion gave up. It was no use. He would never tell her who he was, or

where Arthur was if he had him.

Marion let the paper fall from her hands, and on the a wet puddle on the

ground. She watched as the words wetted and blended together. Slowly, and

with much sadness, Marion walked back. She found her way into the

daylight once more. Nothing had she gained at all that day, nor the day

before.

"GomorlaeJriri!" (Gow-more-layj-reer-ee)

Marion heard those words, just behind her back. She could not recall it from

any language she knew. This drew her attention to turn around.

There, just beside the elevator, was the doctor. His white jacket had left him,

and he now was entering the elevator.

This time Marion hid behind a corner to watch.

He pressed a button, ( Marion guessed he pressed the button numbered "6")

walked in, and the doors shut.

Marion awaited what would happen next. She had always wondered what it

would look like from the outside when the elevator travelled. But nothing

happened. At least, the elevator didn't move.

A giant gust of wind was all that changed.

Marion got up. Was he tricking her? Maybe he was still inside waiting for

her to find him so he could stop her.

Marion didn't seem to mind that. If she was taken, Arthur might be found

finally.

So she walked, quite cautiously, to its doors.

Nothing was unusual.

She remembered the button he had pressed was the one two rows down, and

three to the right. It was the "6" button.

She pressed it, and the doors opened.

The man was not inside.

The elevator immediately took off, Marion could only tell by the familiar

sound it made, and the rocking from side to side. It was time now, and then

the doors opened. There, she saw she was now back where she had begun.

Just below the stairs that led up to the window. Marion smiled wide.

Now there was no more need to look for the Doctor. It was an interesting

dilemma, but Arthur was the first thing on her mind.

Marion walked up slowly to the top. The stairs were ever as long, and even

more steep. But she made it there quicker then Arthur had.

At the top, she climbed in, ducking under the top rim of the window.

"Arthur?" As Marion said this, she turned around and bumped against Arthur

nocking heads with him. Of course, as usual, Arthur was more hurt in the

head than Marion.

"Arthur!" Marion pulled him close and gave him a hug.

Arthur's heart was pounding too fast, he could for him was real. But Marion

often did this, and would have to anyone.

"Arthur, I'm so sorry we got lost." She said.

He didn't respond.

Marion let go of him.

"And I'm so sorry about your head!" She said with a little laugh.

Arthur tried to smile.

"That's okay."

Marion noticed his quietness. He was acting quite different. But she had

barely even met him, so what did she know?

"How did we get separated?" She said.

"I don't know. Are you okay?" Arthur stepped back to look at Marion. He

gasped.

"Marion! Your head!"

"Oh, yeah. It's not much. I'll bandage it when I return home."

"Marion! It's bleeding! I'm so sorry, do you need a doctor? I could call one?

Are you feeling any pain?" Arthur was frantic as though her pain was more

painful to him than her.

"I'll be alright Mr. Turner. Don't be sorry."

"Are you sure? Is it…….. is it okay?"

“Yes, Arthur."

Arthur stopped talking then. Arthur thought Marion was annoyed, so of

course he said nothing else on the subject.

"Now how do we get out of here?" She said.

Arthur shrugged.

"Oh! The elevator!" Marion said.

Arthur nodded his head, near to tears as usual when she was there.

Arthur walked to the door and opened it for Marion. She smiled. But Arthur

was ducked behind it to hide his emotions, so he never saw it.

When he shut the door, he followed Marion across the long hall of doors, and

into the elevator.

Clearly it was the same one. And no one else was inside but them.

Arthur, had he of known what was about to happen, would have focused on

being "not emotional" for the moment. But because he didn't, while they

were on their way back to the bank, a melody began playing. It was quite

sad, and lonely sounding. Relating to Arthur in every way. Arthur thought

nothing of it, even though it matched his emotions so well.

Marion, of course, did notice it. She had never heard the elevator play music

before. And this music was not normal elevator music.

"I missed you, Arthur." Marion said.

As she said this, Arthur's head lifted, and so did the music. It became sweet,

and now there was much joy it expressed. Even excitement.

"I mean, I missed you, because, …..I felt sorry for losing you, that's what I

meant." She said.

The music became more dull now.

"Oh, well, I missed you too." Arthur said.

Marion groaned then, at a random flush of pain that throbbed in her head.

She clasped the wound to lessen the bleeding.

The music turned suspenseful.

"Are you okay?" Arthur said, quite worried.

"Yes. Yes I'm fine." She said, wincing. Arthur, of course, did not believe her.

"Please, when we return, please see a doctor."

Marion nodded.

"I'll be fine."

The doors, just then, opened. The music still played.

Arthur followed Marion out. There they were again. At the bank. Arthur

looked at his watch, and saw it was not ticking. Then it rolled around and

around, stopping at 4:33 P.M.

Of course Arthur knew William would be even more angry at him and

Marion. Arthur had already planned to take the blame.

"Please, Marion, go to the doctor, I can talk us out of being punished for our

absence. I've done it hundreds of times."

"No Arthur, it was my fault. I wanted to see the elevator, so I should and will

take the blame."

"No, Marion please! You’re bleeding really bad."

"Marion! Arthur?" William appeared from an office near by. This time he

looked less angered.

"I'm sorry, I…" Arthur began to say.

"Where were you two?"

Arthur realized then how had it must have looked. Him and Marion

disappearing for at least a day. Arthur would rather have died than ruin

Marion's reputation, so he immediately began explaining.

"Please, I know it looks wrong, she wanted to see the elevator. I showed it to

her and then we ended up inside a…" Arthur knew no one would believe

him.

"She fell. We got separated and, she needs a doctor. I'll take the blame, just

please let her go."

"Miss Jones, Toby can drive you, you look like you are in need of a doctor.

How did you get hurt so bad?" William seemed to have ignored completely

Arthur's words. He put his arm around Marion and began leading her out the

door.

Arthur quietly watched them get into a car that was not Arthur's. They drove

off immediately.

Once again, Marion left Arthur to stand there all alone, forcing every

emotion onto him. Not one could he shake off or get rid of. He was just

pleased that she would finally get her wound dealt with. Hopefully the doctor

was the best in the business. Of course, of all the thoughts rolling through his

mind then, The Great Wall and the elevator was not among them. He had

nearly forgotten China's greatest iconic historical site was destroyed, and

how the world would be buzzing about it. And magic, well, that was not even

in the far back of his mind.

The next morning, Arthur sat up in bed staring out his window. He had had

no sleep that night, instead he had sat there for hours without shutting one

eye or even dreaming of sleep. He couldn't get his mind off of Marion being

hurt. It was just a scratch, and Arthur knew that, but he couldn't shake away

the worry that perhaps she had been hurt worse than they knew, and perhaps

was now still at the doctor's office being treated with some extreme

medication. But this was just worry. Marion was safe asleep at her apartment

with nothing more than a bandage on her wound that was now as good as a

paper cut.

It was 7:30, and Arthur was extremely tired. He knew that soon that day, he

would be weak once more, and fall asleep during work.

"Work!" Arthur shouted.

"Marion! She’s where I work! My work!" Arthur was now quite happy. In

fact, he was very happy. The thought had not occurred to him ever since she

had first appeared there. And now he could see her! Every day!

Arthur found he wasn't always left behind. He wasn't expecting a

conversation, or even eye contact to happen more than once between them,

be at least he could see her. Hear her talk. Oh, that voice! Hearing all so

much in one day was too much for him. Perhaps that day, she would speak

less.

Arthur immediately jumped out of bed. (He wasn't really in it.) He had

picked out an outfit the night before, while he was debating whether or not to

try and sleep or just sit.

Arthur went in through a door to change. Of course, Arthur took some time.

He always did. Nearly fifteen minutes of grooming his hair. Ten of those

brushing it, five messing with it in all sorts of ways, three staring at it, and

two checking again for any flaw, of which, to him, were various.

Twenty minutes, he took changing. After looking in the mirror, he decided

the outfit he chose was not good enough, so he changed again, wasting

another ten minutes.

For five more, he spent making sure he had his keys, his hair was checked

one more time (just in case). He fastened his tie, changed his shoes, and

made sure they were actually tied. Then, he was ready.

Arthur went out the door at 8:03, without any breakfast, (it had genuinely

slipped his mind) without a jacket (it was 24° outside) no glasses, and

without brushing his teeth. (Arthur, never forgot his teeth.)

One could say, he was out of sorts and a mess. But as you will see, he was

almost the happiest man that day.

Marion, was there at work early that morning. She felt bad for losing a day

of work on just her second day. She was beginning to grow accustom to how

to work there, and things were running smoothly. Of course, because Marion

was just focusing on her work.

Arthur, she saw walk in at 8:30 which was late. Especially for Arthur.

William was not there to scold him, instead William was off inspecting the

"strange happening with the elevators"

So Arthur entered without anyone pulling at his leg, even though he knew

most everyone was silently judging him.

Arthur sat down at the front desk, with Marion just beside him. Marion

looked at him. Her hair was done specially that day, at least it looked that

way to Arthur, as it always did.

Nothing can quite describe Arthur's dismay at this. He knew getting work

done with her in view (and looking especially beautiful) would never

happen.

And now, all his attempts at facing her with charm were dashed. He felt even

more foolish, when Marion looked at him again, noticing he had been staring

at her for the past minute.

"Good morning Arthur." She said with a smile.

"Good morning." He mumbled.

Much could have been said between them, but no one took the chance of

speaking. So they said nothing, of course, feeling very awkward.

Lunch time came quickly, of course there was the usual emptiness of no

customers that day, and no conversation. So Arthur and Marion spent the

next few hours doing work on their computers that we're leaning opposite

directions.

Arthur tried not to turn around a few times to look at her. Even if he had,

every time he would realize how anyone and everyone would notice. So his

wish of being able to see her all day was barely granted.

Marion got off late, still wanting to redeem her failure earlier. But Arthur got

off early. He thought Marion might too, but once he walked away from his

desk and noticed her still working, he knew he couldn't go back. So Arthur

sat in a corner.

He reached into his bag to pull out his lunch. But it wasn't there.

"Arthur!" He said to himself.

"You forgot your lunch." Arthur tried to be annoyed at this but he wasn't

hungry. In fact he was slightly glad he had forgotten it. Now he had one last

thing to worry about.

Arthur got back up and left to go back to his desk.

Marion, of course, had just at that time left to take her lunch break. She

hadn't forgotten it.

So Arthur sat there with an empty stomach, working twice as hard.

"Are you eating anything Arthur?" Marion said, walking up behind him.

Arthur was glad for her finally noticing him.

"What?"

"Are you eating anything?"

"Oh, yeah, I just, I wasn't very hungry today and, yeah, …I forgot my lunch

and..you know.…I felt so bad for yesterday.….I wanted to get…yeah…uh…I

just wanted to get some…work done..some extra work, I mean." Arthur

gulped afterwards, knowing he had accidentally just lied.

"Oh, are you sure? You can eat part of my lunch, I brought too much

anyway."

"No really, it's fine." He said.

"Okay." Marion stood there for a moment, as if there was something she was

going to say, but couldn't. So she walked off.

It was all so strange to Arthur. It felt like he and Marion had both seen

amazing things, but just didn't speak about it. Looking at each other was

another question of whether or not to talk about it. But they never did.

Perhaps Arthur could drive her home that night so they could talk! Arthur

loved that idea. But it immediately failed when he looked at her again.

Smiling at people who walked by. Being so wonderful in his eyes. He

couldn't do it. No, he would have to find another way.

A few hours later, Marion and Arthur were still working. The day was almost

at an end, in which Arthur had spent without purpose scrolling to look like he

was doing something important, all the while contemplating ways to be able

to speak with Marion.

And as for Marion, her mind was on other things. She too noticed her and

Arthur's dilemma at not speaking. She was also thinking of all the people

hurt by that strange doctor. Also, her work at hand.

These things occupied them both until the clock turned 5 PM.

Since William was very particular about the whole building being emptied at

that time, everyone was making a quick exit.

Arthur and Marion both were packing up, signing out of their computers,

making sure everything was how it was when they got there.

William, took the chance to walk up to them and talk, as he had been

wanting to speak to them for a while.

"Arthur and Marion come here please." He said, as usual sounding quite

different than he intended.

Arthur and Marion had finished getting ready so they walked over

immediately.

"If you'll follow me, there is something I would like to show you." He said.

Marion and Arthur both thought the same thing. Somehow had he maybe

found out about the elevator? That would be no problem to them, although it

would be a mess of an explanation of why they never said anything.

Their only other thought, was that they had, in the process, done something

extremely wrong, accidentally. But otherwise they were not prepared for

what he was about to show them.

William lead them up the stairs, Arthur was glad when they passed the

money keeping, as he didn't want to return to that oddness. William

continued on and then turned left to the hall where all the elevators were. Or

should have been.

No elevator filled the shaft it belonged in.

Arthur had nearly forgotten what Marion had first said about them

disappearing. Now it was all coming back to him. But what was strange to

both him and Marion was that the elevator they had used was not there

either.

"Where were you two yesterday?" He said.

Arthur and Marion looked at each other. They didn't know what to say.

"Did you say you were in the elevator?"

Marion and Arthur said nothing.

"Toby said he saw you two go in one and he hasn't seen you since. Is that

true?"

"Yes. Why?" Arthur said.

"Arthur, there are no elevators."

Arthur said nothing.

"We found them last night, ARTHUR.”

He said.

William walked to a trash can that was placed by a door near by. He gestured

for them to look inside.

What they saw, at first, was a pile of normal things you might find in a trash

can. Some old wrappers, papers, rotting food, plastic of all sorts. But then

they noticed a small, crumpled up piece of metal.

William bent down and shuffled around with the trash revealing six more

crumpled trash pieces that looked just the same as the first.

Arthur looked at William for an explanation.

"These are the elevators." Arthur said with a laugh.

William’s face stayed serious.

"I'm not joking Arthur. We flattened one out, and sure enough, it had all the

elevator qualities, just distorted and shrunken somehow."

"But how?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

“You're not suggesting that-"

"Arthur, where were you two last night?"

"We were in the elevator, and then all of a sudden when the-"

"Arthur, I don't want an explanation, I just want a confession. There were

only two things you could have been doing. Either going out with Marion,

which I doubt, or playing tricks on us and the elevator. Or were you lying

that you ever entered one?"

"I promise I did-"

"Arthur, just tell the truth."

Arthur looked at Marion with an apologetic eye. Marion seemed to know

what he was meaning, so she nodded.

"We were, actually, going out last night. In fact we are now,"

Marion was not prepared for that last part.

"Yesterday while we were about to get something from the first floor, we got

stuck in the elevator shaft, and we barely made it out. Someone said they

were working on it. We never got to it because Toby changed his mind and

said he had some work he needed to be down, so we took it home with us.

Separately. "

"What? Toby changed his mind about what?"

"Letting us off early."

William believed Arthur as he always did. Arthur had never lied to him until

now, and he wouldn't have, if not for the strange feeling inside of him

warning him strongly about telling anyone about the elevator. So Arthur said

nothing to fix what he had said.

"Okay. Well, I'm sure we'll solve this puzzle some how. Go ahead and go out

on your date. I'm sorry to hold you both up."

"That's fine." Arthur said with a polite smile.

"Good night!" William said, walking off.

They waited there until they heard him shut the doors behind him.

"I'm sorry Marion, I didn't mean to jump in with that date lie, I meant

nothing by it–" Arthur hoped that maybe Marion might say it's okay, and

then, hoping to be honest to William and leave no suspicion, Marion would

say she wouldn't mind them getting dinner together.

"That's fine Arthur! I know you are a good man. Plus, what else were you

supposed to say? Don't feel sorry."

"Thank you." He said.

Marion walked off without another word. Arthur couldn't help but feel quite

depressed. He had almost made it to a date with her, but clearly she would

never let that happen.

Arthur's week passed by quickly. From Tuesday to Friday he had expected

something to change. But nothing did. It was a repeat of Tuesday three times

over. For Arthur however, though it might not seem, they were the some of

the best days of his life.

Marion barely spoke to him, and he was never able to speak to her either, but

still her presence was the grandest thing that had ever happened to him. He

wasn't late for work at all, he always ended up arriving just a bit early,

working every hour straight.

His appetite was non existent. He was sure by the end of the week he would

have lost a few pounds, making him emaciated.

But even so, he was the happiest man in the town.

That night Arthur was again on his bed. This time, he was lying on it. But in

a much happier way. He was sprawled out randomly, with a huge smile on

his face. The normal dreariness life had so often gave him, was wearing

away quickly.

Earlier that day, Marion had gone to get herself some coffee for lunch. When

she returned, she came in with two. Of course Arthur was regretting never

going on that date with her.

She ended up walking towards him, looking at him. She gave him one of the

cups.

"Here Arthur. Someone at the store said they had ordered too many and gave

me their's for free. So I thought it might help you with work, it does me."

She said with a smile.

This was nothing to most anyone who would think about it. But to Arthur,

she had just made his day. He had poured over again and again ever since he

had returned from work. And it still made him smile.

Arthur felt he had no need for dinner, even though he had eaten only a

banana and an eggs for breakfast and a slice of cheese and an apple for

lunch. So, after thinking about what had happened just a few more times,

Arthur fell asleep.

He had many dreams that night. The first three, were all about Marion.

The dream began, in Arthur's house. He was seated at his table, doing

nothing, like in most dreams. Then came a nock at the door. Arthur walked

up to it and opened it to see who it was. It was Marion! Arthur's first thought

was to give her a big hug, but Marion walked passed him, and entered his

small house. She looked around, inspecting everything Arthur had. Then she

walked up to a chair at sat in it.

Arthur thought this was very strange and unlike Marion. But he didn't care

because it was her, so he sat down in a chair beside hers. Marion looked at

him, and slowly a smile formed, a very sweet smile, like she knew something

about Arthur. It made him feel, for just a moment, in only a dream, that she

loved him. The dream quickly dissolved in to blackness, and Arthur slept for

another while. Soon, the blackness began forming another dream. Arthur was

now sitting on a bike, riding down a street he knew well. Just ahead of him

was Marion, kneeling down next to a house. Arthur began riding to her,

believing it to be real. As he quickened his pace, Marion again gave him the

same smile she had in he dream before.

Arthur stopped his bike and got off. Marion's smile was still there, and still

making Arthur feel so happy. In the dream, there was an obvious sense and

feeling that Marion loved him. In the dream, they both loved each other.

When Arthur walked up to Marion, she handed him a cup of coffee. Arthur

took it and said thank you. Then they began walking, hand in hand, down the

street. Together they stayed the whole rest of the time, until that dream came

to an end.

The next dream, came much slower than the first. And this time, Arthur

wasn't in a familiar place. He was walking with his Father in a strange city. It

was very dark out side. Near by shops and stores were all closing down. The

street lights and lights from the stores were all that lit the way. Arthur

followed his dad to a Pizza place. The sign read Mellow Mushroom. Inside,

it was nearly empty. Except for a worker who was sweeping the floors all

alone. Arthur's dad said, "I will go get a bite." And then walked inside. Then

the sun came up, and it was morning all in that moment.

Arthur noticed that the ground began to shake, moving around like a mad

wave. Then a fire appeared, lighting the ground and burning everything in its

path. It was coming towards Arthur and the store, so he began yelling for his

Dad, screaming for help. The sun again went down, and it was night, but the

fire continued, and even brighter in the darkness.

His father came out with a pizza, but when he saw the fire he quickly threw it

on the ground. With a few stops, his father put out the fire, surprising Arthur

with how quickly it was extinguished.

There was a man that walked by, who looked like an old colleague Arthur

once knew, and passing by said,

"Marion is at the Carnival."

Arthur jumped at that, immediately he shouted to the man,"Where is the

carnival?!!!!!!!"

The man pointed down the street. Arthur could see it now, there was a

carnival. People were dancing around, there was music. And then he saw the

beautiful silhouette of Marion. A short skirt with leggings and long hair, he

knew it was her. Without a second thought Arthur began running. Jumping

over everything in his path. He thought of how happy he would be to see her

again. Still running, he knocked over people in his path, knocking over many

festivities. Arthur ran and ran and ran, but he never found Marion. Arthur ran

back to where he began, she wasn't there. He ran back, she still wasn't there.

So Arthur continued running and running and running, for hours and hours

and hours, never finding Marion.

This would have normally woken Arther up. The crazy stress of not finding

Marion was too much to handle. His eyes were almost opened, and the

dream was almost wearing off, until he returned to sleep, being forced back

down by another dream that appeared in his mind. It began with Arthur

walking down a hall. As Arthur looked back, he saw it was the hall from the

building the elevator had led him to. Arthur stopped at the end. To his left, he

found a door. A very normal door. Like everything there. Just normal. Too

normal.

Arthur reached for the door nob, but was stopped when he found he was no

longer in the room, he was dreaming. And the person in his dream became

someone he had never seen before. He couldn't quite make out much more

that a golden blur.

They walked to the door, and instead of turning the nob, they put both hands

horizontally in the center. From below where their hands were laid, came

something. It looked like wood that moved like a creature. It clasped itself

around the golden persons hands, becoming sparkled with gold.

Then from the very center, in a thin, straight line, came another moving piece

of wood. It began moving straight out, forming itself against the door.

The person removed their hand.

Now the door was a beautifully deeply brown colored wood.

The door opened slowly from the center, becoming two small doors. And

from that, what looked like roots from a tree, came shooting out, curling at

every side, pushing the doors aside. Now there was an opening for the

person, and they walked in.

The first thing he saw, was a man. He was a father. He was sitting beside a

river with his son next to him. If the river was ever touched, the one who had

felt it running down their skin would die. Arthur felt this and knew this, and

immediately wanted to cry out to them and tell them, but he couldn't.

The Father heard a noise near by and so he turned his head to see what it

was.

His son was thirsty so he bent down to drink. As he did this, he began

coughing, and his father scolded him for drinking, for death was near to him.

The boy died quickly with no pain, but Arthur was saddened for the father.

The father yelled to the skies in anger, and suddenly his hands became black,

a kind of fog that overcame him. This was misery. He became enraptured in

the blackness, and soon became a moving mass of darkness.

Then Arthur could see he became smaller and smaller, and Arthur could now

see the whole world. Arthur was overwhelmed when he saw millions and

millions of others, who too were a dark blob. Everywhere, there was misery.

Then, they became even smaller, and now Arthur could see space. The stars,

the Galaxy, the Earth.

From the sun, was dropped a golden drop of something Arthur could not tell.

It fell onto the earth. From it, something began to form. To the right, was a

large golden arrow. To the left, a smaller golden arrow. Then numbers

appeared. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11, and 12. Arthur now saw, it had become a

clock. A large, golden clock. Its ticking was so loud that the whole Galaxy

shook.

The clock became bigger, now. And soon Arthur could see the earth again,

but this time with the clock hovering over it.

Arthur saw now, another man sitting with his son by a river. Looking away,

he did not notice his son take a drink from the river. Arthur watched the same

thing he had just seen repeat to when the man became dark.

Then Arthur found himself in a house. A very lovely house. Inside was a

mother lying on a bed with a baby that had just been born. The baby,

somehow glowed with golden light. This was Happiness.

The door was opened, and in came the dark man, with tears in his eyes.

As he saw his wife, and his new child, he came to them and held the child in

his arms. The golden magic from the child spread throughout the man, and

the darkness faded away, and once again he was happy.

Arthur now again saw space, the stars and the earth. But this time, the stars

he saw formed the shape of a sparrow. A few stars were placed randomly all

around it.

The earth again, Arthur could see. This time he was in China. On a beach

stood a man conducting the waves, destroying the Great Wall. Then he saw

Rome. A man stood against a tree directing the earth, breaking from

underneath.

A women, he saw, create the greatest fire he had ever seen, and burn much of

California.

Arthur saw sixty more stories like this. A man or woman destroying many

things on Earth in magical ways.

Then, it quickly disappeared and all he saw was darkness.

Arthur thought the dream was over, but then he saw a golden hand reach out.

It was holding the earth, but all Arthur could see was the beautiful clock on

it.

Then, appeared a black hand, just like the miserable man. It too reached out,

ready to devour the golden hand. But instead the clock began dissolving,

being drawn by the darkness and disappearing. Now the earth was no longer

beautiful. And then Arthur woke up. Arthur was stunned by his dream. It had

felt so real to him. He felt sweat trickling down his face. It scared him. It was

like someone was telling him something, he didn't know what. The only

thing in his mind, was that golden blur, and the door. He needed to go

through the door.

Arthur got up. It was 6 in the morning. But he had no weariness. Not the

slightest wish to sleep, for fear of dreaming that dream again.

Arthur sat down at his desk, bringing out a paper and pen. On it he drew

sketches of everything he had seen.

The door, the man, the clock, the stars, the child, the destruction, and the

hands. He knew it could not be just a dream. Never could he ever have felt so

real a thing in all his life.

But what was he to do about it? Tell Marion? Perhaps he should. She was the

only person who ever understood him, the only person he would always want

to tell his problems to.

But she could get hurt. No, he decided. He wouldn't tell her. It would just

make it worse. If the dream was a reality, then he would need to enter the

door. He would need not to be with Marion so he could focus. So his eyes

would be looking in front of him, not beside.

Arthur carefully folded the paper up and put in in a drawer. He knew he had

no work that day, so entering the elevator, and without Marion to notice

would be easy. (Arthur had nothing all to do that day since he wouldn't see

Marion, so giving it up entirely was no problem to him.)