(aka Bike) Part 1917 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
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I continued to float, like a piece of driftwood caught up in an ocean current. I stopped struggling and went with the flow, after a while I almost felt pleasurable as if someone else was in charge and I didn’t have to worry–not for the moment, at any rate.
I found myself being washed up on a tropical beach and as I staggered ashore, the sun warmed me through the soaking wet dress I had on. I’d lost my shoes and was quite surprised my dress was still more or less intact, as were my bra and knickers.
I felt thirsty and watched as a coconut fell off a tree and rolled at my feet. I picked it up–now if only I had my trusty Swiss Army Knife–and the thing appeared in my hand–right. I managed to sit, and wedging the nut between my knees, knocked two holes in the end of it and sucked out some of the milk, which tasted delicious.
I wished Simon was with me, and there he was sitting a foot or two away. “What a gorgeous day,” I said and he nodded. I offered him the coconut and he took it and drank the rest of the milk. After that we smashed open the nut and began to eat the flesh–well, we were hungry.
“How d’you feel?” I asked him.
“Fine, why?”
“You had a heart attack earlier.”
“You told me I didn’t have one, being a banker–remember?”
“I was joking.”
“What about the heart attack?”
“No, the banker bit.”
“Oh, so I’ve had a heart attack?”
“Yes.”
“So how come I feel fine?”
“This is a dream.”
“Oh–so how come you’re in it?”
“I’m in all your best ones.”
“So you are, but we’re not usually talking, we’re–um–sh...”
“Simon, forget sex for a moment or you’re going to set the alarm off on the monitors and then we’ll have to stop the dream.”
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, but only if you want to live.”
“Oh–of course I do–what a dumb thing to say.”
“Yes, usually you get the stupid lines.”
“I what?”
“Now keep calm, husband, or this isn’t going to work.”
“What isn’t?”
“Oh shit, here it comes.”
“What?”
“Death.”
“Death? Waddya mean?”
“It’s simple, it’s got you down for a collection and I’m here to stop it.”
“How are you going to do that?” He peered round me, “What the hell is that?”
“I told you.”
“Oh shit, you’ll never be able to keep that away from me.”
“Well, I’d like to try if you don’t mind. So keep still and whatever you do, stay silent.”
“’Kay,” he whispered.
I stepped away from him hopefully hiding him from its gaze. It was large spectral dog, a black thing with red glowing eyes and neon teeth, from which emanated a frightful stink.
I’d thrown a shield of blue around Simon and one about myself. The dog walked towards me. It had to be four feet at the shoulder and it was quite intimidating, except I wasn’t in the mood to be frightened by anything, except failure.
“Nice dog, sit,” I said and it walked up to about a yard from me and sat down, then it howled and my blood ran cold. I could feel Simon’s fear behind me–he was terrified.
I picked up a stone and threw it, “Fetch,” I shouted but the dog just slavered and by some sort of telepathy asked where Simon was. I told him it was just him and me there, and if he didn’t go I’d call the dog warden. The dog actually laughed at me–well it was a dream.
“You know he’s here, I know he’s here, I’m not leaving without one of you,” said the dog, which surprised me, especially as he sounded just like John Wayne. I was tempted to address him as ‘Pilgrim’.
“Oh well, you’d better take me then–if you can.”
“Oh I can take you, Angel Catherine.”
“Can you now.”
“Yes–let’s stop the games, where is he?”
“He’s not here.”
“Angels aren’t supposed to lie,” the dog reproved me.
“Dogs aren't supposed to talk.”
“Spectral dogs can.”
“Angels don’t lie.”
“So you’re not an Angel then?”
“That could be one implication,” I agreed.
“But...?” he added.
“But, if he isn’t here, I’m not lying ,and therefore may still be an angel, and do you really want to mess with me?”
“No, I just want Simon Cameron’s soul, which is what I have been sent to get.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but you’re going to be empty handed this night.”
“So, he isn’t here?”
“I told you that.”
“Prepare to die, Angel Catherine.”
“Bad dog,” I said then realised how futile that was. The dog stood up and stepped towards me, I was about to try and stop it with whatever I could but instead sat down in front of it. As it stepped even closer and I could smell its rank breath–phew what a stink–I drew my wings around me–it’s a dream okay? I felt the dog’s maw close to my head and I imagined drawing down all the love in the universe. My heart began to swell, and suddenly it seemed to burst, showering both of us in an eruption of rose pink light.
For a split second nothing happened, then the dog began to shrink, “Depart in peace and love,” I said, and wished it away. It simply faded from sight.
I rose and looking at Simon could see he was shivering. I picked him up and we flew on my wings back to the hospital, where I returned him to his body–his heart had stabilised and I could see he was still surrounded with the blue light.
“Yes, who are you?” challenged a nurse and I simply disappeared, my work was done. I heard her calling as I felt myself returning to my body and sleep.
“C’mon, sleepyhead, time to get the kids sorted,” Stella was rousing me. I felt knackered but complied. Answering the questions of, ‘Where’s Daddy, his car’s here?’ were more difficult than organising breakfast.
“He wasn’t very well last night, so they took him into hospital,” I finally answered Trish as we drove out of the drive.
“Did you fix him, or do I need to do it?”
“Waddya you think?”
“Okay, I was just askin’,” she shot back.
“You can go tonight,” I informed her.
“Can we all go?” asked the girls.
“We’ll see.”
“Is he going to be alwight?” asked his favourite.
“Course, Mummy’s an angel, in she?” I began to wonder if I needed a chat with her English teacher.
Comments
Not what I'd expected
but good. looking forward to Simon explaining his wild and crazy dream.
Nor I
Definitely different. A different way to present how death comes to claim us, versus like what the Twilight Zone episode in Rod Serling's series showed it.
Kim
Me too Woody
things like your wife facing down a massive dog while you hide away just do not happen do they... Well not in Simon's world they don't..
Kirri
I suspect that
Simon has come to realize that the unexpected is common when you're around Cathy for very long.
Dreams
Mine aren't that detailed. But I am happily hopeful that Si is OK.
I just dreamed that I was 26 and had been given to an 80 year old man as wife. I then woke up to the worst Asthma attack I have ever had. No grave digger yet.
Gwendolyn
WOW! Talk about a dream!
Wonder if this was a way the Glory was protecting Simon or Cathy?
May Your Light Forever Shine
A dream?
I don't know. I suppose depending on your viewpoint it could be interpreted either way.
I am leaning toward Cathy having an out of body experience watched over by the Glory and now is on the edge of doing some serious thinking about her 'belief' about Shekinah.
And how many times throughout the entire story has death or near death been the trigger for something supernatural in Cathy's life?
It just doesn't add up to me for this to have been a dream.
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Well it's a different ...
Well it's a different take on the tunnel and the light and all the usual balony.
I reckon when you die, you just die, - end of. But I suppose it's whatever takes your fancy. I don't even believe in life after death except in other people's memories. However I know other's need the reassurance of some sort of continuity for their soul spirit, sentience or whatever.
Good story though Ang. Good imagination.
XX
Bevs.
Au revoir, death
This isn't the first time she's faced off against a personification of death - she's done so on at least one previous occasion (possibly several) in the form of an old hag.
As for Cathy's viewpoint on the world, I think innately she knows the supernatural exists (as she's had numerous supernatural dreams before, not to mention encounters with Shekinah and the BLH), but outwardly denies it as she cannot reconcile those experiences with her world view that the supernatural doesn't exist and there's a rational scientific explanation for everything - no exceptions. To add to the confusion, she's had bad experiences with people puporting to be Christians in the past, and doesn't want to be seen as some kind of messianic figure - her life is complicated enough, thank you very much, without yet another media invasion.
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
I very good and fulfilling
I very good and fulfilling chapter.
Shouldn't the dog have been SPEAKING IN CAPITAL LETTERS though?
A lovely Episode
As usual, I managed to do my weekly catch up of ‘bike’ another great week of episodes Ang, culmination in the dream sequence. I hope that Cathy has managed to save her beloved Simon. Was it just her worries manifest or something else? Either way, she will deal with all that happens in the real world as usual.
Love to All
Anne G.