Wazzup Pilipinas!
"Dream catchers are one of the most fascinating traditions of Native Americans. They are ancient spiritual tools used to help assure good dreams to those that sleep under them. A dream catcher is usually placed over a place you would sleep where the morning light can hit it. As you sleep all dreams from the spirit world have to pass through the dream catcher.Only good dreams can pass through the hole in the center while the bad dreams are caught in the webbing and are destroyed by the morning light."
When dreamcatchers were originally made, the Ojibwe people used willow hoops and sinew or cordage made from plants. The shape of the dreamcatcher is a circle because it represents how giizis- the sun, moon, month- travel each day across the sky. There is meaning to every part of the dreamcatcher from the hoop to the beads embedded in the webbing.
It is shown in the story that Luna doesn’t believe in dream catchers. Just like the author, the characters kept their nightmares a secret to one another for they are afraid the others will think they are paranoid. It was also shown obviously that she too cares for the safety of her friends yet wasn’t able to save them because of the situation. In such scenes the author might have done the same thing. All in all, the author and the characters both fear supernatural things.
Please read on below and enjoy our short story for the day.
There I was again, back in the place I never had a chance to know. It was dark and a struck of lightning lit up the starless sky though it wasn’t really raining. I walked slowly shivering from the cold shrill running down the back of my spine.
An uncomfortable feeling that I was being watched made the scene even creepier. I looked around trying to see anything aside from tall trees but failed. Suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck stood and it became colder. I walked even faster and folded my arms on my chest to stop it from shaking. I caught a glimpse of a figure beneath the woods in my peripheral vision but didn’t saw one when I turned.
Terrified, I broke into a run as the figure appeared again and started toward me. I ran as fast as I can, not knowing where to go or what’s running after me. All I saw that the figure wears hood and as dark as the night. Beneath those hood was an enormous black eye.
The moments drag on and I didn’t dare turn to see if my pursuer was any nearer. It’s as if I’ve been running forever my side hurts, my feet sore and it’s getting harder to breath. I feel very weak, very vulnerable. The tears I’ve been holding back now flows unstoppable down my cheeks. I continued to run almost dragging my feet and felt my pace slowed down but I didn’t stop knowing that the shadow is advancing nearer. My vision blurred and the next thing I know I was laying on the damp ground hopelessly. I tried to stand but my body failed me. I screamed and cried desperately as the figure reached its rotten hand to me and heard the roar of thunder as the darkness swallowed me. I woke with a start.
I never knew what woke me up. It’s either the horrible feeling or is it the roaring of thunder outside the window. Still breathing heavily I stood up and paced my room trying to calm myself. The room was quiet except for the sound of my footsteps and pouring rain outside. I looked out the window it was rather raining heavily and the sky is not even a shade lighter casting a gloomier effect on the already gloomy room. This didn’t help my mood to brighten up so I decide to wash myself and go downstairs where my parents were already eating breakfast.
“Good morning dear seems you’re a bit early today” My mom said beckoning me to join them. I took a chair beside my mom and started to eat too.
“It’s exceptionally cold today” I answered as casual as I can to prevent my voice from shaking.
“Yeah, it’s not really a good weather, it’s been raining for a week already” My father said setting his newspaper aside and helping himself with a mouthful of eggs.
I didn’t really have an appetite so I ate slowly. I wish my parents talked more so my mind will be occupied to keep me from thinking about my dream. Luckily they did.
“Your friends Cassie, James and Bryan will be keeping you company tonight.” My mom said eating the last bacon on her plate.
“What?”I asked drawing my eyebrows together
“Your father and I are going to a company outing today we forgot to remind you yesterday, thought you’ll remember.” My father answered
“Oh” I’ve forgotten that last week they already told me but with all the consecutive nightmares I’ve been having it’s hard to remember things. And those dreams are always exactly same and kept happening over and over again. And now that I think about it, the dreams------ or should I say nightmares------- started when Cassie gave us each a dream catcher. A necklace one and it’s really beautiful. I never told my friends about my nightmares because they will only think I’m being paranoid. I never believed in such things but Cassie does anyway and it’s hard to say no with such a beautiful gift. So far no one ever said a word about them having nightmares so I think I guess their right.
My parents left after my friends came. I bid my parents goodbye and told them to enjoy and so do they. When they have left I smiled at the sight of my friends. We didn’t have any contact with each other since Bryan and James attended basketball practice and Cassie visited her grandparents.
“Hi long time no see” I smiled forgetting all about the nightmare.
“Luna. We’ve got a problem” said Cassie
“What problem?” I looked over to Bryan and James as we walked to the living room. But they just shrugged and sat down the sofa.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t experience it when we all did?” She said eyeing me with those blue eyes.
“Experienced what?” I tried to sound really confused though my heart hammered loudly inside my chest.
“The nightmares! Gosh I’m planning to send the dream catchers back to the old lady who sold it to me. I can’t take the nightmares anymore!” With this Bryan and James nodded.
“Well I sort of experienced it and… and every time I woke up I felt like the necklace grips stronger at my neck.” I confessed
After my confession we started talking about the dream and just like mine they were the same terrible one so we decided to take the dream catchers back after the rain subsides which is unlikely to be. The night came and we were all restless discussing still, how to take the necklace back. It just occurred to us that we didn’t know where the old lady was. We kept on discussing about it when we ate when suddenly someone rang the doorbell.
We tensed when I opened the door and saw no one. And that when all started to go wild. Many of the times after we ate someone would knock and we will saw no one. Another instance was when Cassie screamed and said she saw the old lady soaked in blood in the mirror. Everything turned scary especially when the shadow from our dream appeared out of nowhere and started toward us. We panicked and got separated screaming and running with all our might. I ran all the way up to my room but shocked to find myself peacefully sleeping on my bed. And then I finally realized that this is a nightmare and I have to wake myself up to stop this but the door burst open and the horrible face of an old lady came into view.
I stifled a cry and then heard no more screaming. “What did you do to them?” I asked biting my lips for my voice quavered.
“I killed them just like what I planned and your next!” She then gave a shrill laughter.
“You killed them? Yo-you’re the shadow?” I asked panic and anger building up inside me.
“HA HA HA. Yes and I’LL KILL YOU NEXT!” She launched toward but I dodged and desperately tried to wake myself---- the sleeping me in bed---- but with no luck t5he me in bed just rolled and grunted.
“That’s no use dear for this is not your dream but mine and were getting in the best part and that is” she hissed the last word as if enjoying my agony “killing you”. She launched again and this time caught me. I struggled and with all my might but failed. The next thing that happened, the house was echoed with earsplitting shriek of a dying girl. And that was me.
Contributed by Yorienhel Edma
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
This is an unusual plot of a story. Good job!
ReplyDeleteVery original and unique. The beginning truly intrigued me. The construction of the story was well-made and excellent choice of words. I like reading supernatural stories and this one satisfy me just fine. Except that there were some questions left hanging and the plot somehow escalated quickly, I had a great time reading it. Good job!
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