Page 30 of Dreaming of His Omega
“I’m meeting someone at the gazebo,” I improvised.
“Gotcha.” He sounded much more satisfied with that.
I looked out the window and nearly smashed my nose into it when I realized we were driving by Sweet Bites. It was real! Each building was more familiar than the next. I covered my mouth with one hand, almost overcome by emotion. Years of writing my books, all of the insane dreams, and now… I was about to meet my characters. MeetElarian. Could it be?
The lake wasexactlylike in my dreams. I stood in the gazebo, looking around in awe. It was all real. And now, the final test. I left the gazebo and started down the path by the lake. Traviel had walked it so many times, I knew it by heart. At least, I knew the dream path… But each turn and fork were just where I expected them. I turned down on last, narrow trail. It opened into a backyard I saw every night. It was all there. The cottage. The greenhouse…
I walked, shaking, up the front walk, stopping by the door. I knocked softly, not wanting to wake the baby. No answer. I tried the knob, knowing it would be unlocked. It turned in my hand and I inched the door open, just a bit.
“H-hello?” I called.
“Hello?”Elarian’s voice.
I swallowed hard. “Can… can I come in?”
“Sure, I’m in the living room.”
Impossible. Impossible.
Slowly, I crossed the hall and stepped into the living room. Every inch of it was identical to my dreams. The new portable crib was by the couch. And sitting there, right on the couch, alive and real, was Elarian.
Chapter Eleven
Elarian
For a long moment, I stared at the man in my living room in confusion. At first glance, I thought it was Traviel. But he wasn’t. And yet, they could have been twins.
“Who…” I started to stand.
“You don’t have to get up,” he said. He was staring at me, looking confused too. He even sounded like Traviel. “You’re still recovering.”
I shook my head, unable to think of anything to say. I final went with, “Who are you?”
“My name is Travis,” he said slowly. I didn’t miss the similarity to Traviel and narrowed my eyes. “I wrote… No, that sounds crazy.” He laughed awkwardly. Just like Traviel. “Three days on a train and I never thought to plan what I’d say to you… I guess I didn’t think it was real…”
“What do you want?” I asked carefully, suddenly nervous for myself and Kirielm. I wished Traviel was here.
“For the last few weeks,” he began. “Every time I fall asleep… I dream that I’m here… that I’m Traviel. I think… I think I really am. Him.”
“What?” was all I could manage.
“And I think whenIwake up… is whenhevanishes.”
“That’s… that’s impossible.” Wasn’t it? That sounded crazy.
He came closer and I resisted the urge to shrink back. My incision was still fresh and I wasn’t supposed to do much of anything, forget fighting off some crazy man.
“I told you…” He frowned. “Well, Traviel told you, he promised, that when he vanishes, he’ll do everything in his power to find his way back to you.”
“Gods…” I breathed. How could he possibly know the promise Traviel whispered to me one night in the privacy of our own bed? Unless…
The man spread out his arms. “Here’s me. Keeping that promise.”
~~~***~~~
Travis
“And then,” I explained, once again, for yetanotherVale Valley resident brought to life, “Some lady handed me a train ticket, and when I bought it to someone who worked at the station, he listed off the stations, including Vale Valley.” I went on,again, explaining my decision to board the train, the dreams while I was riding, the familiar face at the station. “And here I am.”
