January 16, 2020: Dreams
Song: “Dreams” by The Cranberries from Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
(from unsplash.com)
“Anything?”
“Anything,” the small furry creature confirmed, smiling, “Your hopes. Your dreams. Whatever you wish I can help you realize.”
“Three wishes like in Aladdin?” the boy asked, eyes wide.
The boy’s colorful new friend chuckled and shook his, head, “Not exactly. I stay for a few days, then move on. It’s not specific.”
“Specific?”
“Yes. It means I don’t have a certain number of wishes to give or a certain number of days I am here. It changes person to person.”
“Oh.”
The boy, Aaron, went quiet then. The lights were off but the room had a warm gentle glow from the nightlight in the corner. Dream Cub also seemed to radiate a little, surrounding him in a comforting orb of mild light. Dream did not understand, even after all these years, how he ended up where he did or when he would leave.
It usually boiled down to helping the boy or girl realize one larger dream. Helping Jimmy to see that he could be respected even if he was the shortest in the class. Let Maria grow to accept her parents’ separation didn’t mean they loved her any less. That sort of thing. It always started with smaller more selfish wishes: for a puppy, to be the fastest in the class, to have unlimited screentime.
But the kids were good. Eventually, they saw how the selfish things weren’t really what they wanted or needed. Then, Dream taught them the lesson they really needed, the children grew a little, found hope or truth or confidence, and away he went.
Dream didn’t realize then that Aaron was different. Aaron’s hope was not as pure. Not as innocuous.
What Dream would never know is that Aaron had heard about Dream Cub and the other Empathy Animals. He had studied all he could about them. He found an unscrupulous warlock a town away and convinced that corrupt magic wielder to disrupt the Empathy Animals “process.” To cheat it and to get Dream Cub all to himself.
“I want—” Aaron finally announced.
Dream Cub was surprised. He had half fallen asleep. He expected, like most kids, Aaron would not immediately be ready to speak a wish.
“Oh,” Dream said, sitting up, “You don’t have to start until you’re ready.”
“I’m very ready,” Aaron replied, his wide-eyed expression changing to one shrewder and more focused. Dream felt a chill in him. He would later tell his friends, after the rescue, after all the horribleness, that it was like someone take off a mask.
Dream nodded. He couldn’t seem to find his voice.
“I wish for Mr. Weathers to know what it feels like to be happy.”
Dream exhaled then and almost giggled. So silly. Aaron just wanted his neighbor to be happy. The Cub quietly admonished himself for being ridiculous. Aaron was a good kid, like all the others, after all. What was there to worry about?
But Aaron knew. Knew what it meant for Mr. Weathers to be happy. What kinds of things made the retiree smile. And Aaron knew exactly what would start once Old Man Weathers tasted happiness once again.
Aaron patted Dream on the head. “Thanks Bear!” he sweetly intoned.
“Oh, not a bear,” the Cub replied, smiling.
“Whatever,” Aaron dismissed, laying back down.
Again, Dream Cub felt his tummy drop. Again he dismissed it as dumb.
It would be two hours before the first fire was set. Three days before Dream realized what Aaron’s wish had to do with it. Thirty-three days before the Animals saved their friend. Eight and a half months before Dream slept without nightmares.