"Thank you brother."
As the whisper resounded in his ears August immediately woke up from his sleep.
In the middle of the night, he panted heavily while his body was covered in cold sweat.
A cold wind blew from the window of his room that was left open.
His throat felt dry so in the darkness, he looked for water beside his bed.
Finally taking a large sip of cold water, he calmed a bit.
His heart was still racing fast, his breath ragged but at least now his mind was at some rest.
Enough to realize that it was all just a dream.
His wife, his child. His life, full of struggles. None of it was real.
He was still a nine year old child.
As he slowly returned to calmness, the feeling of desperation and helplessness he felt inside of the dream also began to vanish from his mind.
After some time, all that remained of that illusion with him was just vague details and some fleeting silhouettes.
Now it all makes sense, he couldn't even remember what his daughter looked like, nor could he remember the beautiful face of his wife.
Only the feeling remained in his heart that she was majestically beautiful.
Not that it matters now anyways.
It was not real at all.
His work, his suffering, the chief of the town. They had all been just a dream.
But it seemed so real. The fear, the joy, the exhaustion, the desperation. He felt that all.
If it really was a dream then it surely was a very good one, good enough to trick his senses to make him believe it was real.
Well, that's how dreams work.
But how can he be sure he was back in reality?
Couldn't it be that his life with mother, father, Shelly, everyone has been just another illusion?
Dreams didn't have a sense of time after all.
Was it reality or was it just a fabricated reality again?
"Having nightmares again?" a very familiar female voice spoke to him. Making sure that he was back in reality.
Suddenly a cold wind blew from the open window while carrying the mist inside.
The white mist swirled formlessly until it took a humanoid form of a beautiful woman.
August nodded slowly,
"Yeah, something like that."
"Oh…" the woman drifted forward, towards him. Then placed a hand on his forehead. "It doesn't seem like you're sick, just …exhausted. Take a rest, you'll be alright."
"I hope so," he replied. Clearing his throat he leaned on his bed, "what if I experience another dream?"
His tone was worrisome—he was hesitant to go back to sleep. Obviously afraid of another nightmare.
Anyone would be.
A painful dream which feels like reality—burning pain, that tricks the mind— his fear was only natural.
However, the mist woman leaned closer to him, placed her hand over him and started to slowly lull him back to sleep.
"Everything will be alright," she gave out a soft smile. "You are a strong boy aren't you?"
August nodded hesitantly and slowly closed his eyes.
"Say, August—why don't you speak to your parents about this?" she asked with a convincing tone. "They might be able to help you."
With his eyes closed August shook his head,
"No, I don't want to do that."
The woman raised a brow, "and what if …I speak to them for you?"
August heaved a sigh, "No, you won't."
He stayed silent for a while then said, his tone somber,
"Mom worries enough about me as it is. I can't imagine giving her one more reason. Besides, these are just dreams, not reality. So, there's no need for you to worry about me too."
The woman waved a hand gesturing mist to close the window. Then sighing she asked him with concern,
"And what about echoes? They are real aren't they?" Imagining his pain she gritted her teeth.
"Why do you endure them in silence while keeping people in the dark, who care for you?"
"That is exactly why," he replied. "Mom, dad and everyone who cares for me, I can't let them see me in that state. It's not that I don't want to call them for help."
His face was covered with troubled expression,
"... it's just they can't do anything to help me. That's why their presence would only make me feel guilty, would only make me hurt."
Perhaps he was starting to fall asleep as his voice began to sound drowsy,
"...I don't want tha... I don't wan ..even you …lady ..mist."
A surge of unknown emotions raged in the woman's heart. She tried her best to hold back her tears.
Augustus, she had known this boy for a decent amount of time now. Not only that she understood what kind of child he was deep beneath.
From the made up excuses of his behaviour to the heartiest depths of his nature.
It was a shame such a kind soul became a target for echoes. A shame he has to face such cruelty, such agonizing pain at such a young age.
What was worse, somewhere along the past he started to have painful dreams. Nightmares …as he called them.
But even after suffering so much pain his will to stand firm and shoulder that agony alone was nothing short of terrifying.
It only proved the fact that those experiences of his life were shaping him into something dangerous.
She gazed at the night outside, then at him. Patting him slowly to sleep she smiled looking at his innocent face—a whisper escaped her lips, accumulation of her pure wishes perhaps.
Giving it all to the innocent boy,
"May you find peace in your life."
— — — — —