The Red Dream

One of those things that got lost along the way.

The Red Dream 

The sunlight blinded John as he tried to cover his eyes. He looked around, figuring out where he was. He could clearly see the endless blue sky above him. On his side, he sees tall buildings. Where was he, he thought. He looked around again before realizing he was in the rooftop of his old office building. He thought about why and how he got there, but he couldn’t remember. On his back was the door, he tried to open it but couldn’t. Strange, he thought. He used to come up here for a cigarette break but he had quit smoking long ago.

John took a step forward for a better view of the rooftop. Like any other rooftop, it was hugely white space. The railings were painted white; build to prevent anyone from falling. There at the right most part of the railing was someone.

She was wearing a ruby red hooded coat, gleaming over the sunlight. The coat was similarly fashioned to those of the medieval times, one that would remind you of the story of the Little Red Riding Hood. She just stood there, looking at the horizon.

John felt nervous for some reason. He didn’t understand why, but he felt like he knew her. She turned her head and John had to take a small gasp. Her face was pale but beautiful. She had big emerald green eyes; her lips were red but a lighter shade than that of her coat.

John was amazed by the beauty before him, once he was passed that, he realized what he was looking at. She was beautiful, very beautiful but she was also very sad, her eyes showed it. Her eyes that pierced through his and he couldn’t understand all the sorrow in it. She just stood there looking at him, her lips quivering a little. The strangest part was when her sad eyes turned to a pleading one. She needed help, John thought. He tried to ask her if she was ok, but no words escaped him, his mouth didn’t open. He didn’t know how long they were standing there.

She turned his head back to the horizon for a moment before looking at him again. She motioned her hand to her hood, and her hood fell from her head. Though he couldn’t see it, John knew that her jet black hair was long, like it fell to her hips. It was a little curvy and it made her more beautiful than ever. She looked at him again, those pleading eyes sliced through his heart.
 
 He woke up in the dark. He was nervous and excited. He turned his lamp light on and started reaching for his cane. His 74 year old hand found its way to a crooked wooden cane. He lifts himself up from his bed. His room was enough for one person. It had a bed near the window. On its right were a small table and then a book shelf. Then at the other corner, a big wooden chest was sitting. He specifically put it there to conceal it every time the door opens. He slowly reached the wooden chest.

John was excited, after all these years he finally figured out where he has seen the woman of her dreams. She has long abandoned his dreams but tonight was different. For the first time, she showed him her long beautiful hair and he saw emotions on her face. He couldn’t pin point it before, but now he knew where he had first gazed on those beautiful emerald eyes.

He opened the chest and it was filled with many important memories from his past. He was a man of attachment. He knew that somewhere in his chest was his very first watch his grandfather gave him or the book his childhood friend gave him. He had kept all those memories to remember the people in his lives. He dug his way on all the memorabilia inside. His diary was there, the only one he ever written on; the diary that were filled with memories of her. He called her Emerald because of her green eyes but he never really knew her.

His hands felt a worn leather notebook which he immediately pulled away from the chest. He walked his way to his table as he felt his fingers touching the leather. As he sits down, he thought of his obsession of the girl in his dreams and all those years she had haunted him.

“Why?” he whispered to himself.

He couldn’t remember the last time she visited him in his dreams. He never forgot her, oh no, he just stop caring. There were times when sometimes he would just daze out and all he thinks about is her. But now, his youth have escaped him, why did she come back? He asked himself. She even bears gifts, her long jet black hair and the knowledge that has been a mystery to him for almost all his life.

He has finally found her. He knew that once he opened the old leather notebook, a new mystery will unravel.