Author's notes:

Chapter 2 is somewhat of an experiment with me. Originally I was going to post the revision of Chapter 1, but decided against it because of how I wanted to portray the story. The only things that you really need to know from the Chp. 1 revision is that the librarian is now an older woman that acts as somewhat of a "mother figure" and Noah meets a thief in the middle of the forest named Dillon, that helps him in the battle against the dark creatures. Since a major critique was the lack of development of the real world in the first chapter, I decided to make that where the entire chapter takes place, save for a page where Noah enters the dream world while napping in class.

I decided to change the tone of the story where Noah isn't so much a lonely and miserable kid wanting to escape reality, but more of a bored and apathetic individual with a mean streak and a love for books, but still with a desire to escape. The purpose of this chapter was to introduce the other main characters as well as establish another major setting which influences Noah's life (and by proxy the dream world). I would like to know if it feels like too many characters are introduced or if it feels like Noah is being taken out of the spotlight. I would also like feedback if it is evident that their is potential conflict beneath the surface between the characters that can lead to something happening in both worlds. Even feedback on just the character's themselves would be helpful, as I try to give them a little spice to them, but don't want to make them cliched card-board cutouts.

DreamScape Chapter II

            School was the most important thing for now, and the only reason I say that is because I knew that I would be in even more trouble with Father if he knew I skipped school, especially so close to finals. But the anxiety was killing me. I had to return this book. I don’t know what sort of twisted joke someone is playing, but I don’t want anything to do with it. Not when it nearly involves getting killed! Well, it was only a dream, but who wrote that in the book? I thought it might have been Kyle or Father, but neither of them are the type that would take the time to do something like that.

            I arrived at my locker to find that a couple of my books were missing. In their place was a sticky note. Written on it was “You shouldn’t be so violent. What comes around goes around.” I really didn’t know how to take it. Was I going to get beaten up later or was Robby trying to be poetic and claiming this theft as an act of violence? I didn’t know, and didn’t care. My goal for the day: survive the day so I can return the book. I took the old book out of my backpack and placed it in the locker. Maybe if he tried to steal my books again, he would take this. Either way was good for me. I didn’t have to worry about it.

            The first class of the day was English, which always bored me to sleep because it was just the teacher, Mr. Artisson, talking for fifty minutes straight. Since my book was stolen from my locker, I had to rely on my friend Lloyd’s book. He wasn’t very fond of the class either because he always struggled with me to stay awake. It would be bad when both of us would fall asleep because then we wouldn’t be woken up, unless it was by the teacher. I could feel myself dozing off, even though it was a bright day outside. I shut my eyes, but was immediately woken up by Lloyd tapping me on the arm.

            “Don’t fall asleep man,” he said.

            “Mr. Winstor,” I heard Mr. Artisson say. I knew I was about to be called to answer a question I didn’t know. “Can you tell me what the punishment is for the slothful in the fifth circle of Hell?”

            I remembered this from before. “They are punished by being submerged in the river Styx,” I said.

            “Very good Mr. Winstor. And did you know that in Purgatorio constant running redeems the slothful? The redness of their faces shows how hard they are working. With finals exams coming up, don’t let your fate be like the slothful in Hell, but repent of your slothfulness and study so your face and mind will be red from the work.”

            A couple of forced chuckles filled the brief few seconds until the bell rang. Lloyd and I quickly got up. The hallway was flooded with other students, all of them trying to rush to their next class before the bell rang. The school we went to was considered to be a college prep school so all the teachers were pretty strict about punctuality. However, Kyle never showed up to his classes at college on time. Even if they were late in the day, he would still show up five minutes late. I know one thing I can look forward to after high school.

            We saw Katie off in the distance, the first person that befriended us when we came to this school. She was trying to maneuver her way through the crowd to reach us. Before she could get to us, someone who wasn’t paying too much attention bumped her pretty rough. She dropped one of her books, and before she or I could reach down to pick it up, Lloyd had already picked it up for her. She fixed her glasses and took the book back.

            “Thank you Lloyd!” she said, smiling at him.

            “No prob. We still meeting during break?” Lloyd said.

            “Yeah, I’ll see you both then,” she said before walking off.

            We still had a few minutes to spare before the beginning of our next class, Chemistry. I would need all the energy I could muster to get through this class. Thankfully, Robby didn’t take my chemistry book, because I would need it to help me decipher the teacher’s poor excuse for handwriting. Lloyd was looking out the door and let out a heartfelt sigh when a certain girl passed by.

            “So are you going to ever work up the nerve to ask Julia out?” I asked.

            Lloyd started to get flustered. “I… I don’t know! She’s just so…” he stammered.

            “Unreachable? A senior? Way out of your league?”

            “None of that matters. Someday, I will do it!”

            “Well that someday better be soon because she’ll be graduated and out of here in less than a month.”

            “I know, I know. But love will not be stopped.”

            I let him continue with his fantasies as class starts. Every class in chemistry is like a challenge between the students and the teacher to see who can take the most notes. By the time the class was over, I had nearly five front and back pages of notes. But now, I have to do my own deciphering and remember the context of everything.

            It was time for break, so Lloyd and I made our way to the cafeteria. Katie was already in there waiting for us. There were enough seats near her that we could comfortably sit away from everyone else. That’s just how everyone was there. You had to have at least one seat between you and whatever group was next to you. While Katie was busy studying her notes, I started eating some beef jerky that I had brought. Lloyd was tilting his head in Julia’s direction every once in a while.

            “I’m going to do it. Soon.” Lloyd said.

            “Do what?” Katie asked, taking her eyes away from her notes.

            “I’m going to ask Julia out. There’s only so much time before she graduates.”

            Katie shifted her eyes back to her notes. “I don’t know what you see in her.”

            “She’s beautiful and smart! What’s not to like?” Lloyd replied. I saw Katie gaze at her notes, not like she was studying them, but like she didn’t want to look in either Lloyd or Julia’s direction.

            “Well, Robby’s considered to be smart by the school, but do you hear the answers he gives in class?” I say, trying to change the subject.

            “I don’t see why you’re harping about that. Everyone gives made up ‘trying to sound smart answers’ all the time,” Lloyd said. “I’ve seen you do it before.”

            “Yeah, but at least I stammer and stutter, trying to make it sound like I’m thinking. He just straight out says something. Maybe he’ll say something today during the reviews. I don’t know.”

            “So what are you guys going to do for summer vacation?” Katie asked, “Anything special? Going somewhere out of state?”

            “I’m not really sure. Probably be just staying at home. Father never takes us anywhere on vacation because of work. But it will be a good break from school.”

            “Yeah, and only one more year until we graduate too!” Lloyd said with excitement.

            “Yeah, but that’s when things get serious. You’ve got to find out what you want to major in in college and what you want to do with your life,” Katie said.

            “Well how am I supposed to know what I want to do with the rest of my life right now?” Lloyd asked.

            “Just pick something you like,” Katie told him. The bell rung and everyone got up to go to their next class. As we were making our way to our lockers, people were rushing to their classes and shoving whatever food they didn’t finish into their mouths like squirrels. My next class was History, which was like an extended break for me. This was mainly because Lloyd and Katie would be with me. Of course, I would always let her sit next to him. History was also an easy class for me. Maybe I would major in that…

            When I opened my locker to get my history book, I noticed that the big book was missing. While my first instinct was the blame Robby for the theft, I began to think someone else might have taken it. While deep down, I really didn’t care what happened to that book, I knew that I needed to at least return it to the library and ask the librarian about it. I would have thought she would have known about that book.

            We were all cramped together into our history class. Our usual teacher was out sick, so we had a substitute teacher, Mr. Allen. He would actually make the class entertaining rather than read from the textbook for fifty minutes. He was writing questions on the whiteboard as we were coming in. Unsurprisingly, when I saw Robby walk in, he was carrying the big book. I was really hoping it would have been a change of pace, but whatever. The bell rings and Mr. Allen turns around. Everyone pulls out their books, including me, but I also take a book out titled The Watchmaker’s Apprentice and place it in my history book, so it looks like I’m reading the textbook.

            “Ok you know the drill. Mr. Winchester is out so I’ll be here today. He’s not feeling too well and we don’t know when he’ll be back.” Mr. Allen said, “So let’s get started with the basics of the review. We’re going to start with the founding of the nation. Who can tell me the date of when this nation was founded? All of you should know that, now who wants to actually say the answer?” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Robby reading the big book. “Robby!” Mr. Allen called on him, “When was this nation founded?”

            “That’s easy! It was founded in 1492,” Robby said with utmost confidence, “By that Christopher Columbus guy.”

            “Uh… no. Columbus found America in 1492, but even that’s up for debate. It was George Washington and the Founding Fathers that founded the nation and that was in 1776.” Robby crossed his arms, his face scowling. “A free English lesson for you today. Found and Founded technically refer to two different things. I’d go into more details, but that’s not what they pay me for.” Mr. Allen said, turning back to the board.

            I jotted notes down every few minutes just to look like I was paying attention. I knew Robby would screw up an answer, and he didn’t disappoint. I saw Robby flipping through the pages of the book, like I did when I first looked into it. I saw him go to the beginning of the book, where the text was written this morning, and he began to read it earnestly. I doubted he could read, given how stupid he could act.

            After History, we only had one more class until lunch. Biology always gave me trouble. Memorizing lists always gives me trouble. It’s different with history, where things piece together like parts of a story. Unlike my previous classes, I was by myself. I usually sat alone, even though the tables were designed to have multiple people sit at them, which means I sat at the end with a few feet between the nearest person and me. I saw Robby coming up to me and I tensed up for a bit. I closed my eyes and heard a thud. I opened my eyes and the old book was in front of me. Robby had already walked off.

            Lloyd would have killed to be in this class because Julia was there. She came to class dressed basically the same way everyday: blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, a plain gray t-shirt, and khakis. But when she got into her cheerleader outfit, I couldn’t deny that she looked impressive. She was definitely smart as well. She correctly answered most of the questions that were asked during the review. When class was over, she was the first to leave, like always. Though every guy was crazy about her, she never talked to anyone here at school. Before I went to the cafeteria, I put the old book back in my locker.

            Lunch was mundane like usual. Discussion from break continued about what we were planning to do with summer vacation and even afterwards with college. Robby came up and sat down in front of me. There was a playful smirk on his face.

            “So what’s the deal with that old beat-up book? Is it some dumb story your writing?” he asked.

            “It was something I had gotten from the library. I didn’t write in it,” a half-truth on my part.

            “Whatever. I’m sure you got my note this morning. Are you looking forward to your punishment?”

            “I got that last night when I got home. Besides, if you beat me up, your status as a sports team member won’t save you.”

            “I’ll find a way. It’s just taking me a while to think of something.”

            Robby got up and walked back to his friends, all clad together in their jerseys. They and the cheerleaders were sitting together, no doubt talking about the pep rally coming this afternoon. While I normally didn’t care for them, they cancelled the last class of the day for it, meaning only one class left, which was Math. The bell rung and everyone got up and rushed to class. I had Math with Katie and she was always a big help. She took very detailed notes and had no qualms sharing them with me. Thankfully, with this review, the teacher gave us a giant study sheet and she just told us to come to her if we had any questions.

            Lunch began to settle, and I quickly became really tired. I put my head down on my desk, barely able to keep my eyes open. Katie sees me dozing off and gives me a fierce tap on the arm. “C’mon Noah! Don’t fall asleep when you could be finding out what you need help on,” she said but I ignored her. Before long, my eyes were shut. The cold plastic table was hardly a comfortable pillow, but the sound of pencils slowly lured me into sleep.

-

            I felt myself trying to open my eyes, but no matter how hard I tried, they just wanted to remain shut. I’m waking up but I notice something’s different. It’s supposed to be the afternoon, yet it’s night outside. As I become more conscious, I realize that I am on my back. I jolt up, still drowsy, and notice that I am on a bed in what looks like some run-down shack. I see a very dim light coming from the door. Though I don’t want to get up, I didn’t want to stay in an unknown place either. I get out of bed and groggily walk to the door.

            I open the door to see a large plaza welcoming me. I look up towards the sky and see that it is completely covered with clouds. The moon could be seen as a dimly lit spot. I look to the ground, which is covered in some sort of dark, shiny dust. It glittered like stars in the sky would and was colored a dark red and purple. At the center of the plaza, I saw two figures shrouded in darkness. From what I could hear, they seemed to be talking to each other. One of the voices sounded very familiar, so I decided to walk up to them. As I got closer, the darkness began to fade away and I immediately recognized one of them.

            “Dillon…?” I asked, my voice still sounding tired.

            “Noah. Are you awake?” the figure who walked up to me was Dillon, but why did I remember who he was? “Noah, it might be best if you go back where you were and just rest. You had a scare back there in the forest. Just go until…”

            I heard an ear-piercing screech that was so painful, yet so familiar. “They’re here. I didn’t expect them to come so soon,” Dillon said. Out of the glittering dust of the ground rose an imposing figure, cloaked completely in black. Two glowing dots were pressed against where its face was. It rushed for the three of us. I didn’t know what to do other than run. As I flee, I look back to see Dillon and the other guy with chasing after me, casting some sort of light at the growing number of dark creatures. Black faces jumping out of the dust like fish repeatedly block their image. I trip and fall to the ground. I feel pain radiate throughout my body. I try to get up, but I feel the creatures pulling at me, holding me to the ground. They begin to swarm over me. I hear Dillon call out for me, but my vision slowly gives way to darkness. The last thing I saw before everything went to black was a light beginning to penetrate through the darkness.

-

            “Wake up Noah! Class is over!” I hear Katie saying.

            I force my eyes open. I’m back in the classroom now, seeing the warm sunlight of the afternoon and the other students around me packing up to leave. I look around one more time and place my hands over my eyes, letting out a deep sigh.

            “Are you okay Noah?” she asks me.

            “I’m fine. Just had some weird dream. That’s all,” I tell her. School was over for the day. The only thing I had left to do was attend the pep rally, which was mandatory on the student’s part. I quickly head to my locker and get all of the books I need to study this weekend. I got the big book as well. I carried it with me rather than putting it in my backpack so I wouldn’t forget to take it back to the library.

            The gym is already packed with students. I find where Lloyd and Katie are sitting and get a seat next to them. Katie is balancing her notes and her books on her legs while Lloyd is eyeing the cheerleaders, particularly Julia, who appears apathetic about everything going on around her. The rally starts, the people begin to cheer, the players come out clad in gear, Robby among them, and the cheerleaders lead everyone in a unified cheer. Already bored with the sight in front of me, I open the big book. Both Katie and Lloyd look at the bounded behemoth in my lap.

            “Where did you get THAT!?” Lloyd asks, “I didn’t even know they made books that big!”

            “What’s the book about? It must be a long story or difficult subject with that many pages,” Katie says.

            “I really don’t know what it’s about,” I say, flipping to the page that had the writing on it, “Every single page was blank when I first got it, but then…” I stopped.

            “But then…?” Lloyd asks.

            I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There was something on the once blank page that was next to written page.

            “He was taken to the village by Dillon, who left him alone in a bed to rest while he discussed business with a friend. The boy woke up, confused as to where he was and fearful of the darkness around him. Outside, the bright moon was shrouded in clouds and a glittering dust was across the ground, signaling their arrival. The boy saw Dillon in the distance and when he went to talk to him, the Shadows emerged from the darkness and began to chase after him. These terrifying apparitions, soulless monsters with evil light in their eyes. They overpowered the boy and began to plunge him into the darkness. All hope was lost, until a light came to help him, though he did not know what it was…”

            I closed the book. Heavy breaths began to leave my chest.

            “Is something wrong?” Katie asks me.

            “Yeah, you don’t look too good,” Lloyd said.

            “It’s… it’s nothing.” I knew they could tell I was lying. “I… I have to go.” I sling my backpack over my shoulder and begin to head out of the gym. I had to get rid of this thing as soon as possible. I don’t know what’s going on, but it stops here. Every step that I took made my heart beat even harder. The sky was beginning to be covered by clouds and the wind was picking up. I began to walk faster. Memories of that dream were flooding back to me. When I saw the library, I began to run. I dodged many people on the sidewalk and they tried to dodge me when they saw I was careening their way.

            I ran into the library, a silent and safe haven from what felt like a fierce torrent about to come outside. The librarian was sitting at the counter, reading a book, like always. I slowly walk up to her. My heart begins to lessen in its beating. The book is going to be out of my hands soon. She sees me coming up to the desk and puts her book down.

            “Ah, you’re the young man who was in here yesterday,” she says. When I place the book on the counter, she places her hand on it. “What did you think about the book?” she asks.

            “I… I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, or whoever it is,” I say with a trembling voice, “but I don’t want anything to do with it.”

            “What do you mean?” she asks.

            I open the book and show her what was written in it. “This is what I mean. These pages were empty when I first checked the book out. I had some very surreal dreams and then the book is filled with what it is I dreamed! I don’t know who wrote it, but I don’t want it anymore. I’m leaving it here.” I turn around to leave and I hear the librarian chuckle.

            “Don’t act that way. The reason you are dreaming like that is because the book has chosen you,” she says.

            I freeze. “Chosen?” I turn around. She’s smiling at me, but I don’t know how to interpret it.