But it was Just a Dream

Bridget, Trinity and Alice walked down the cracked sidewalk of Oldtown. It was kind of a tradition for them; going into stores that looked really strange. They had already been into Kitty’s Knickknacks, a small store known for its useless but cute paperweights, and Shipshape Science and Technologies when they spotted a store named ‘Mystical Manuscripts’. It looked interesting and different enough, so they went in to take a peak around.

It was an odd book store.  In any ordinary bookstore, you would expect to see sections like Psychology or Fiction, but in this book store, the names of the sections were more unique, and somewhat mystical. Some sections were entitled ‘Paranormal’, ‘Magic’ and ‘True Myths’. They headed for the only normal-looking section, separated slightly from the rest, called ‘Self Help.’ They  skimmed the bindings of the books and noticing the peculiarly exotic titles, decided this section fit in perfectly with the theme of the store. One book, however,  probably due to the simplicity of its title, caught their attention. The only print along the spine plainly read Dreams. They eagerly pulled it out, quickly noticing its lack of thickness, another trait unique about the book. It was only about a fourth of an inch thick, with few pages, with most of its’ inside taken up by a thick-skinned box.

The front page was red, blue, and purple, with the title embroidered in gold thread. They opened it and immediately saw a miniature vial containing a swirling blue half-liquid, half-gas. Silver stars, designed in intricate patterns, were wound up the sides of the vial, looking almost as if to protect the glass. It was small enough to be some sort of a charm, and looked like it could be put on a chain because of a delicate loop at the top. Enchanted by the charm, they bought the entire book.

On the way home, while Trinity was driving, Bridget opened the book and read aloud,
Dreams are easily controlled if you have the correct tools. This charm is such a tool. It simply lets you enter either your own dreams in a more realistic manner, or allows others to enter your dream with you in a full body experience.
While you are within your dream world, you will find controlling the events quite easy, all you must do is think of something, and what you imagine will become reality.
As a simple disclaimer, it would be extremely advisable to be careful. Just as everything happens when you think of it, things not thought about won’t happen. So, to an extent which could never be stressed enough, exercise caution.  And never assume.
Now; to enter your dream alone, all you have to do is be in contact with the vial when you fall asleep. If you are entering your dream with others, all must be in contact with the vial when the dreamer falls asleep.
Reminder: the one actually sleeping is the one who is controlling the dream, as it is their subconscious that is host to the dream world. This person is the only one who is in control, so be careful.

Being a skeptic, Alice couldn’t help comment on the ridiculousness of the idea, but Bridget told her to loosen up, she believed it might work. Trinity grinned and told them that the only way to find out would be to actually try it. Alice rolled her eyes and groaned. Bridget grinned, but they all got out at Trinity’s house to set up.

As Bridget put it, “If they were going to do something with a feel for magic and mystics, they might as well do it right.” So they set to work. Alice pulled the curtains closed in the living room while Bridget created a comfortable pillow circle in the middle of the floor and Trinity gathered every candle she owned and randomly lit them around the living room. They sat in a triangle and reread the directions. Realizing that they needed to pick a person to fall asleep, Alice was voted as the dreamer because of her ability to fall asleep quickly. They put on some relaxing music and Alice lay in the middle of the circle between Trinity and Bridget that way they could all touch the charm.

As soon as Alice was asleep, Trinity and Bridget noticed the liquid-gas inside of the vial start to spin more rapidly and a picture started to form from the gas. Soon the picture was clearly visible, and unbelievable. They were so entranced by the image of Alice standing by a river that it didn’t even register to them when they had stopped looking at the image and had become part of the image. Alice blinked at them, slightly stunned, and then burst out laughing.

Trinity looked at her and asked, “Are you ok? You seem to be kind of going crazy.”

To which Alice between giggle-fits replied, “You are absolutely right, I must be going crazy, because there is no way you can logically explain how we are all at camp.”

Bridget looked around as she said this, “You know, until you said that this was camp, I didn’t even notice.”

Alice responded with, “Another reason that we all must be going crazy, because I was thinking of this place when I went to sleep, and all of a sudden I was here. That just isn’t possible.”

Amused, Trinity looked at Alice and tried to explain reasonably (though sounding slightly ridiculous even to herself) that this was exactly what the book said would happen, and to prove it to her, told her to think of an elephant. As soon Trinity said this, they noticed an elephant not 20 feet from where they were standing; it wasn’t abrupt, more like they all just noticed it at the same time. All three of them blinked at it, then ecstatic, Bridget suggested they take a canoe down the river. When the trip was suggested, they all just noticed a river and little boat along the bank.

Absolutely amazed, Bridget started walking toward it, closely followed by the others. They all got into the boat, and relaxed. They started a conversation about all the good times they had had at the camp, the same one that they went to every summer. As they talked, and as fond memories were brought up, they were noticed.

As they floated down the river, Bridget remembered the tire swing and the way it squeaked as someone swung back and forth, and then they could actually hear it. When Trinity recalled playing basketball on the courts, they could hear the ball bouncing as well as loud footsteps and happy-sounding laughter. They were starting to get used to the idea of the dream-world when Alice felt a little pull on her eyes that made them itch and feel the need to close. The book said nothing about this, but they interpreted it as Alice waking up. So Alice imagined herself coming back into reality just as she saw her friends’ faces get a panicked look on them.

Too late to go back into the dream-world, Alice woke up. She turned to ask Trinity and Bridget why they had looked scared, but they weren’t there. She began to panic as the warming from the book replayed in her mind. “Just as everything happens when you think of it, things not thought about won’t happen. So, to an extent that could never be stressed enough, exercise caution. And never assume.” She hadn’t been careful, and she hadn’t thought about her friends exiting the dream-world too. They were stuck there.