Disturbance in the matter

I reach the door to my place and put the key in the lock. Then sigh, frustrated. The little bugger is stuck again. I fight with the lock until it budges and eventually just kick the door open. I hear someone from upstairs shout something indistinctive and smile. Oh, look at that, someone is having a bad day too. I walk in and shut the door with a bang. My oversized bag flies in the air and lands on the big blue sofa. I look through a few letters that I left on a small table next to the entry and moan. Bills and adds.

The most mundane part of my life. At least I had the money for it and a place that was mine, and that I lived in since I was seventeen. Would have been sooner, but the elders wanted me to train close by their side until I achieved my basic skills. Everything else I learned on my own. The power expanding in me, in a natural way. My life energy growing with every day.

I was born with the ability to make my powers increase over time, channeling and harvesting it from the world around me. Using nature and the life that supplied it. Which didn’t mean I was causing damage, I only used what was already functioning in the matter. Well, until now. In order for the plans of our people to work, there would have to be some sacrifices made, but not just yet. There was still some time.

...

I take off my leather jacket and it falls to the floor. I swiftly kick off my high heels and take care of my dress, making a mess as I go. I walk to the kitchen just in my underwear and open the fridge. Then I frown. No, this won’t do. I look at the almost empty contents of my fridge, except for some eggs, milk and orange juice. I stare at the Chinese takeout and wrinkle my nose as the smell reaches me. Groceries, another mundane thing. I throw the stuff out to a metal bin, standing next to a small island in the middle. I grab a green apple form a ceramic bowl and take a big bite. I slowly walk to the only bedroom at my place and pick out a t-shirt and some cotton shorts to wear and tie my hair in a loose bun on top of my head.

I sit on the sofa in the living room, my back straight against the soft cushions. My eyes closed as I try to concentrate. I do this always when I get back to the flat. I like to keep my mind sharp and use my energy to exercise. It’s like stretching out my brain waves and releasing the stress of the day. I change my position, sit cross-legged and lift my right hand. I let the blue light fill every cell of my body, causing my particles to change their structure. My body changing for the time being, in order to obtain the life force that I channel from everything that moves around me. Each atom dancing around me and passing through my skin. Just like magic.

Oh baby, you make my particle barrier drop every time.

I smile to myself, using the joke that I overheard years ago when practicing my powers. One of the older students, really enjoying the flow of the energy and making the small group of pupils laugh. Though I wasn’t laughing back then. I was very serious as a child and didn’t understand why someone would disturb the lesson like that.

I calm down and let the light travel through my blood vessels, my muscles and finally let it leave through my fingertips. I feel sparks tickling my skin and form an energy ball without opening my eyes, waiting until it lifts and floats above my head. My eyes open and I look up, smiling. Easy. I form a couple more and let them float in the room. They swirl in the air but don’t damage anything, just coexist with the space around them. More like fairy lights rather than a deadly weapon of destruction. I watch them as the sunlight in the tall windows fades, replaced by the streetlamps outside.

I hardly notice it, my mind stuck on just one thought. “She will cause you trouble”. I shake my head and try to think about everything I learned from the elders and all that I know about her. It couldn’t be a coincidence that she looked exactly like the girl I was supposed to fear and later conquer. Though one could argue, that it was more a case of mathematic probability and the right gene pool.

I look at the energy balls flowing in the air and watch them swirl faster and faster with tension, perfectly mirroring my mood. One of them reaches the red brick wall and there is a bit of smoke in the air. I frown, lift my hand and make the blue light return to its rightful owner. And as it reaches me, I feel a weird sensation, a bit of a sting. I narrow my eyes. That’s a first. I shake my head again and decide to go to bed. Maybe sleep will calm my frustrated senses. I reach my oversized bed, in a not too big bedroom and just fall on the white sheets. I let my heavy head sink into the pillows as images of an upcoming dream start to swirl slowly in my mind. Sleep pulls me in, and I’m gone in just minutes as if I was intoxicated by something.

The sound of twigs breaking, rocks shifting, sand and dust lifting in the air. Feet bouncing against the ground, a steady breath, muscles moving and flexing with every step. Arms moving with rhythm. Someone running with speed faster than an average person. A young woman on a trail surrounded by the forest, and a late afternoon sun. At first, I don’t see her very clearly blinded by that sun. I feel it warming up my skin as my gaze follows her every move. I see her better now. Her black hair falling on her back as she runs. She doesn’t stop and seems to run for miles. The light fades slowly as the scenery changes... and then I see it.

Small objects moving in the air. Twigs, branches, and pinecones. I feel myself take a sharp breath. I can’t believe my eyes. I stare at the sight, mesmerized. Things float around her and almost dance. I try to breath slower. The objects moving in slow motion while she just speeds up faster and faster. And then she stops, distracted by something. Time stops for what seems like an eternity, stuff still floating in the air... and then it all drops.

I hold a scream, somehow feeling terrified by the situation but nothing touches her, just falls next to her... then the scene turns into a blur for a moment and then I see her by a waterfall. She jumps into it and swims with grace. I see the picture from a close-up. Her body sliding against the surface of the water. I still don’t see her face but my mind already knows. I think I knew from the first moment, somewhere deep inside me, realizing it was just a dream. Knowing who I really saw.

I watch her get out and take off her shirt. She has a beautiful body. She’s slight but has the curves in all the right places. However, that’s not what catches my attention. The air around her moving in a different way than everywhere else. As if her life energy was disturbing the matter in between the basic dimension. I knew how that manifested because I used that kind of power almost every single day of my life. My eyes linger on her bare skin and my mind freezes.

On her right side, I see a big black tattoo that starts under her bra and glides delicately under her breast. I stare mesmerized at the impressive feather, that without a doubt belongs to a raven. The feather is slightly arched and has a soft line around it. I feel fear slip through my veins. I’ve seen that symbol so many times in our old books, and in the almost falling apart ancient texts that only a few had the access to.

She starts running again but this time gets further away from me. I can’t follow her every step like before. I can’t even remember how it is to move faster, my steps slow and calm. As if I was just taking a casual walk. I try foolishly to reach her and lift my hand. Wanting to grasp her with my fingers. But she just disappears with time, until I can see her no more... and yet, I follow. Somehow knowing exactly where to walk. I see the path and feel her energy. It’s only then that I notice that I am just in shorts and a grey t-shirt. I look down, my feet bare and dirty.

Ignore all off that and keep on walking. I must find her... and kill her before it’s too late. The forest reaches its end and I look down again, suddenly forgetting why I was even here or where I wanted to go.

My gaze falls on the beautiful flowers growing everywhere. I gently pick one up. The soft blue and white petals tickling my skin. I inhale the smell and my head starts to spin. My breathing getting more shallow. I stare at the flower as my eyes start to get heavy and I feel an invisible hand on my throat. A blue heart lily...

You always had a cold, blue heart, my dear.

I feel the hand tighten on my neck and I give one more scream.

I wake up with a scream, my limbs tangled in the covers, my whole body drenched in sweat. My hair a haystack of a mess, covering my face and wrapping around my neck. I untangle myself from everything and kick off the covers to the floor. At the same time, a part of my brain putting some puzzle pieces together. My dream and the hair around my neck. It was the “hand” that was trying to choke me. I shiver slightly and try to breath slower. It was just a nightmare, just... Raven.

My body strains and my mind tries to explain everything that I saw in my dreams. I close my eyes and make myself focus on the details. I feel the tension growing in me as the memories seem to get more blurry, and faded the more I try to remember them. I groan. Dreams had this annoying quality that the more you try to remember, the more they seem to vanish away. As if they didn’t want to get caught. Too elusive, to stay with us after our eyes open for good. I calm my breathing and relive the nightmare.

She’s running in a forest. It’s sunny. She is so fast. The flying objects... Why were they in the air? Did she do it? I shake my head. The waterfall, she’s swimming, bare skin as she takes off the shirt. The feather... there were some words there... and music, there was definitely music in the background... What were the words? And some flowers? What...? And this is the moment when I snap.

Raven, you damn, wretched girl! Why are you doing this to me?!!

I scream out, even more, frustrated and pissed than before. Why is she constantly crossing my path? She can’t be the girl that we are all looking for. She has no powers and is so weak. I pinch my nose, trying to regain some composure and my mind throws images of the cafe and how heavy the tray must have been. How she was not tired, even after a whole day of working and slaving over people. I shout again exasperated, throw my clothes off and had to the bathroom. I needed a shower. I couldn’t think straight.

...

I step into the shower cabin and shut the glass door behind me, and as the hot water pours over my skin, my body starts to gradually relax. The water almost burns my skin, but I enjoy the feeling. My minds sole focus only on that one sensation. I let it overtake me as my hand searches for a shampoo bottle. I spread it over my hair and feel it foaming under my fingers. The shower gel comes next and I smell the scent of jasmine in the air. I inhale deeply and my hands go everywhere, trying to relieve the stress from my muscles... eventually the water turns cold and I enjoy that as well. My thoughts more clear now, my heartbeat beating at a more regular pace.

I walk into the living room in just a fluffy towel around my wet body, and stop for a moment, trying to remember more of my dream. I clench my fists and then swear under my breath.

Oh, for the love of Mary Magdalene, why is this so hard?

I never had difficulty like that before with remembering my dreams. I could always look inside my mind and fish out even the smallest details. But not now, not with her. I lift my head higher. This was not a problem. The puzzle pieces would soon come back to me. It was just a matter of time. I turn on the radio that stands on one of the countertops in the kitchen, grab another apple from the table, and wander back to my bedroom.

I quickly take a pair of expensive black jeans and a white cotton shirt without any sleeves. I don’t bother myself with a bra, instead, I pull out a short jacket to wear on top. I pick out a pair of dark, blue satin heels. Finally, I brush my fingers through the still wet and a bit tangled hair.

I look at my reflection in a small, round mirror that hangs in the hallway. I notice the very, visible bags under my eyes. I furrow my brows but then just shrug my shoulders, not bothering myself with any make-up. I hardly used that stuff, if it wasn’t some special occasion. And even then, it was more a case of some red lipstick and mascara, rather than a whole “paint job”.

I didn’t really need that stuff, nature gave me the things that other women craved for. Soft, flawless skin, full lips and big beautiful eyes that resembled clear emeralds. I smile and look for the keys. I spot them on the grey rug in the center of the living room and smirk. I was such a slob. I pick them up and head for the door. And then I hear the radio and a song that just started to play. I listen to the words and start to shake my head. Not possible. I walk into the kitchen and stare at the fleshy, 50′s styled radio. I stare at its intense red color and turn up the volume. The words flowing into my ears and vibrating inside my body.

”...It was a way that the light

picked you out of that night

then you were right by my side

put a soul in my body

and now it’s time to close the space

between the two of us...”

I listen to the song, completely hypnotized by it. Almost certain that I have heard it before, the words sounding so familiar and at the same time so alien. I close my eyes, as the warm male voice sings out the chorus.

”...So come on and take a little bit of my

Heart tonight

No, I literally don’t mind

Just please don’t misplace it

And take a little bit of my

Heart tonight

No, baby be mine now

Baby, be mine now

Maybe it’s time we put our hearts in a parallel line...”

In a parallel line. The last sentence keeps bumping around in my head as the last words of the song end, leaving only the echo of a beautiful melody behind it. That song was in my dream. I close my eyes and see the earplugs in her ears. She was listening to music. I stand without moving for a while and then hear the local news start, and finally break out of my trance. I shake my head again. Mathematical probability. That’s all. Nothing magical or mystical about it. That song had to play eventually and because I heard it in a dream, that’s why it made such an effect on me. Even furthermore, I probably heard it before. That’s why I dreamed about it. Problem solved.

I take one more steady breath. I put the keys into the lock and close the door behind me. It was time to take care of some important matters. And when the time is right, I would do a bit of ‘exercising’ and ‘stretching’. The intense energy flowing through my body, already trying to get out. An untamed beast that grew dangerous, if I didn’t let it out every day for a little, casual stroll through the park. The corners of my lips lift softly. Yes, that should make me feel better, and more at peace with my slightly troubled mind. I walk down the stairs and open the old, double doors.

The sun blinds me just like in my dream, so I pull out my sunglasses form the back pocket of my jeans. I was no longer dreaming. I called all the shots. I step out on the sidewalk and glance at a little girl passing me by. The child seems to be four or five, and when she sees my stare, she sticks out her tongue and runs away. I smile. A rebel. She runs to the end of the street but then suddenly turns around. She grins and blows me a kiss. I laugh out, wondering about the nature of women and how complicated they were. The little ones, and the all grown up kind, that gave me nightmares and caused a lot of frustrations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idD1C2-ISlo

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And for those who want to know where the dream sequence came from.

https://theprose.com/post/222104/a-bright-new-future-part-three