When Stryber suddenly stood upright, fear gripped me. I felt for the knife on the table. But it turned and went out of the house. I saw it sniffed and circled a tree. The tree, which bore odd-looking fruits the size of football, was located on the left side of the house. It was just a small tree and I can easily reached for the fruits. I picked two, curious to know what's inside the coarse brown skin. Maybe Stryber would eat it. Next to it I saw, to my amazement, a biscuit tree! Well, not biscuit, really, more like a tidbits tree. It was really amazing, who had ever seen snacks grow on a tree before? The smooth, soft skin was transparent, almost like a plastic wrapper, which allowed me to see what's inside. It looked heavenly! Egg tarts, chocolates, sweets...my, my, what a feast we're going to have! I picked several of them to put inside the jars I found in one of the kitchen cupboard.
I tried to hack open the 'football' fruit. One swing of the knife and the skin fell aside to reveal what's inside. Immediately Stryber sprang to my side. I looked and saw that the fruit contained meat! Laughing aloud, I understood then why Stryber was so attracted to it. I put those meat on a plate and then preceeded to open the next one. Shaking my head I muttered, "Will I cease to wonder? Now will there be a salt and sugar tree too?" I tried scouring the kitchen more thoroughly and finally I found them, sealed tightly in containers.
Nevertheless, I succeeded in making a satisfying 'bruncher' - breakfast plus lunch plus dinner. I was ravenous! I tucked in like a person who hadn't eaten for ten years!, Later I was lying on the sofa, contented but quite ashamed of the unladylike way I had gobbled up the whole pot. I bet Stryber was ashamed of me too. Hah. He was lying on the rug, satisfied with his dinner. The warm glow of the fireplace and a tired body soon drew me to sleep. I could still hear the music of the forest, accompanying me to slumberland.
Before long I began to dream. I dreamt that I was in the hospital and my friend Jill was sitting next to my bed. I saw the situation as if I am another person in the room. I inched nearer to get a better look. What a state I was in! Covered in bandages, hooked up to the machine, IV bag...surely I didn't need that? How bad was my condition actually? It was so weird. This is considered a nightmare! I suddenly wanted to be inside that sick body. You know, just to get a taste of how it feels. Is it possible to do that in a dream? What a stupid feeling, who wanted to try feeling sick anyway? But maybe I could tell Stryber all about it during breakfast.
I seeped, or dissolved, or whatever it is, into the body, and I immediately felt cold. I shuddered and instinctively knew that something wasn't right. I was wriggling inside, trying to find the perfect fit in the body so that I wouldn't be so uncomfortable like this. But then I decided that it was no use and after all, it's a dream and honestly, I was starting to dislike it. I struggled with all my strength to break free again. It was terribly painful, and it struck me that maybe this is how it feels in the sick body. I hate the uneasiness that lurked in every part of it. I felt stiff and hot. I didn't feel belonged. I yearned to be back in the cottage, lying in the coolness of the night. I want to stop this really, really bad nightmare! If only I could wake up. God, I prayed, I don't want to be stuck in a time, at a place, that is unreal. I can't believe I'm caught in this, I thought. My strength was fading away...
Just as I was beginning to lose hope, so sure that I was trapped forever...a firm grip on my hand pulled me back to the present. Stryber! My eyes snapped open. I saw Jill bending over me with a panicked look. Then I saw the concerned doctor and the nurse. Nobody else. My strained eyes searched the room, but everything was white and cream under the bright light. I didn't see any black stripes. I couldn't see Stryber and I was not at the cottage. I was not even in the wood. So, it's true...I was really stuck in the dream. Recognizing defeat, and feeling so weak and thoroughly confused, I drifted into sleep, determined to go back to the cottage again if I could 'dream' about it. I swore I would! Surrendering does not necessarily means defeat, right? I would get back to Stryber.
Alas, I didn't. I was awake once again to find myself still in the same room, the same hospital ward, Jill by my side. I felt betrayed. Jill was in this! In some kind of conspiracy to keep me from the wood. Why? Because I didn't deliver Mrs Faig's eggs? I was going insane. Is there some kind of witchery? What else could have done this?
- To be continued -
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Hi...any thoughts to share? Kamon and komen...dont shy-shy. You shy i not shy.