“Your joking, right?” Kira suggested.
“What do you mean?” David asked. “What about that is so hard to believe?”
“Look!” Kira said as she pointed to the screen. David turned to look up to see a new and breaking story was unfolding before him. David’s heart skipped a beat as the image that he saw was something completely familiar. It seemed that less than half an hour before an earthquake had begun on the west coast and vast amounts of land were breaking off of the coast and falling into the ocean. “That is it!” David commented. “That is exactly what I saw…even where I saw it.”
“Well that’s impossible.” Kira commented. “You woke up hours ago and this is currently happening. It is just coincidence.”
“Are you sure?” David asked. “It is precisely like what I am seeing.”
“There is no chance you somehow saw this.” Kira commented. “Just relax, they got rescue people and scientists and such out there…there’s nothing we can do about it.”
David nodded, ultimately Kira was right. I was just a really big coincidence. It was unreasonable to think that it was connected. Perhaps there was some kind of report the other day about the dangers of erosion or something and he subconsciously watched it and dreamt about it. The actual quake was just the culmination of it. David fund himself calmed by the logic and soon began to focus on his friend and the rest of his day.
That night David lay down to sleep, the earthquake had caused a lot of damage but luckily very few fatalities. He was worried that he would again dream of the earthquake
but decided that it was fine…dreams were not real and things that happened to him while he was asleep weren’t real. Soon he nodded off and comfortably began to dream. David found himself walking down a street in rural area in a city. He could see taller buildings further off but where he was seemed quiet. He looked at a street sign but found it impossible to read. David shrugged it off and kept walking. He did not quite know what he was heading toward, he just felt like he should be walking. There were other people on the street, an older man was walking his dog. David said hello and the person looked back at him, saying something he could not understand. David shrugged this off and continued. Soon, he was interrupted by a booming sound from the sky above. He looked up to see some kind of object streaking through the sky, leaving a long trail of smoke behind it. The item came closer and closer and people began to panic. The item streaked like a bullet as it got closer, skimming over the tops of trees and striking a warehouse at the end of the block David was walking. Everyone seemed to be running away but David felt the urge to run closer. He went to a jog toward the warehouse as smoke rose to the sky. He reached the front door, straining against the doors and opening them. He looked through the smoke as it began to clear…then he saw it… the object that had fallen from the sky.
David woke up in the morning with what he saw still vivid in his head. It was just as real as the coastal earthquake but this dream had no real danger or loss of life. He did not feel nearly as disturbed and found it rather easy to push it out of his head. He went to work, sitting at his desk and not thinking too much about his dreams and the former coincidence that resulted. It wasn’t until people gathered
by the water cooler that he took notice that something was up. He walked up as he saw a news report on one of the computer screens.
“What’s going on?” David asked as he tried to make sense of the chaotic scene on the screen.
Meteorite or something in Russia.” One of his coworkers answered. “Came down and crashed into a warehouse.” David paused, remembering n his dream that he could neither read the signs nor understand peoples words. It did look like Russian on the signs now that he thought about it. David began to feel a cold feeling crawl up his spine. Not only did he dream about the thing falling from the sky…he dreamt where it would be. David signed out of work early and texted Kira…he needed advice and now. Shortly Kira met him at a café, looking confused to the emergency. She had a sketchbook out and was drawing some manner of fantastical bird for her webcomic. She looked up as David took a seat.
“So what is the emergency that we both had to miss half a day at work?” Kira asked.
“The thing that fell from the sky in Russia.” David began.
“I dreamt about that last night,”
“This again?” Kira asked. “There is no chance of that…you know this!”
“I dreamt that this was going to happen and I can prove it.” David admitted.
“Really now?” Kira asked. “You are going to have to come up with something pretty profound to make me think that my best friend can see the future in dreams.”
“Ok!” David said as he turned to the cafes screen. It showed scientists in protective suits emerging from the warehouse and talking to the people gathered around.
“They are discussing what the thing is…they are about to reveal it was in fact not a meteorite at all.”
“We are getting reports that they have identified the fallen object.” The newscaster revealed. “We have a live worldwide exclusive and we are getting information now.” “It is a prototype satellite.” David said as he watched.
“Launched by a company called Chaotech.”
“We are hearing that the meteorite is in fact a fallen satellite.” The newscaster revealed. “Likely the same prototype GPS satellite launched by Chaotech not one year ago.”
“How the hell did you do that?” Kira asked. “How could you have known not just the fact it was a satellite, but the company that launched it?”
“It was all in the dream.” David replied. “I went in the warehouse, I saw the satellite and the logo on it.” “You are really freaking me out.” Kira admitted. “That was way too close to be a coincidence.”
“I know.” David admitted. “I wanted to believe that it was just a fluke but there was too much detail…I knew what it was because it wasn’t just like I had a dream about it…it was like I was there.”
“Well we need to look at this scientifically.” Kira admitted. “We are going to operate on the idea that you are somehow indeed seeing the future. Whatever you dream tonight, I want you to get up and write down every detail. We will compare it all and see exactly how intense it is.
Can you control your dreams at all?”
“Like lucid dreaming?” David asked. “Not at all. I tried it once and it’s like no matter what I do…what happens in my dreams happens.”
“Well we then need to focus on the details.” Kira
commented. “You could be like a superhero, a person that can see disasters coming and warn people.”
“I don’t know how that would work.” David admitted. “The earthquake happened pretty early in the day so I had maybe a couple hours on it. Also…what could I have done…who would believe me? Hey there…you need to evacuate the western seaboard because I can see the future in my dreams and dreamt of an earthquake.”
“That is why you need all the details!” Kira insisted. “That stuff about the satellite is what convinced me. You need to prove it to others and you will need more.”
“Ok, I will give it a try.” David said with a sigh. “This is happening to me anyway, might as well try to make some sort of reason for it.”
“This is an amazing opportunity.” Kira said as she continued to sketch her strange bird. “This could be some kind of new phase in human evolution, a fire that could ignite a new kind of existence where reality and the will of the human mind are one and the same.”
“Ok, now you are freaking me out.” David admitted. “This is like a science fiction nightmare and I just want to wake up.”
“You know how many people would kill for your abilities?” Kira asked. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride…you are seeing the future after all.”
“I guess.” David admitted. “I will try and find the fun in it…at least for the visions where no one is hurt.”
By the time David got home and ready for bed he had to admit that he was feeling part of the excitement. Kira was treating what was happening to David like it was some kind of grand miracle. Though David still had his reservations, he could not help but feel caught up in the
excitement. Kira had given him a writing pad for him to write down all the details of what he dreamed and he set it up next to the bed. He laid down to sleep, wondering what amazing thing he would see and be able to witness unfolding when he awoke. Soon David found himself in a city, it looked very familiar and soon determined that it was in fact his home city. David felt comforted by the familiar and knew he would be able to read the signs and understand people. In front of him was a fantastical bird, unreal and colorful. He vaguely recalled seeing it in a sketchbook, possibly Kira’s. David had issues recalling his day, the realm of reality fleeting while one dreams. The creature was immaculate, seeming to move around as David looked at it as if displaying it’s splendor. It made a cry, calling out three times before spreading its wide wings, the under feathers lighting up like neon lights. It took off, swooping toward the sky and disappearing toward the darkness above. David shrugged this off, knowing that his dreams were a sort of prediction but knowing that no such bird exited in anything other than his an Kira’s imaginations. He focused on seeing the details around him.
David saw the sun hanging low on the horizon, the red glow of the sunset framing the area. However, David also became aware of a red glow coming from the opposite direction. He turned, seeing massive flames devouring buildings and black smoke climbing high into the darkening sky. A sense of fear and dread came over him but he was compelled to run toward the fire. He had to see it, he had to see it, he had to have the details. He saw one of the shopping centers of downtown, a place he had visited many times. It was starting to catch fire.
It seemed that the massive blaze had happened suddenly and was spreading faster than anyone could. The building was lit up within moments, screams coming from inside. There were probably hundreds of people inside, all caught unaware and unable to evacuate in time. The roof caved in and flames erupted out, hungrily calming more buildings around it. David shielded his eyes, the heat and smoke overwhelming.
David sat up with a start, he was sweating and his hands were clenched into fists. He looked to the writing pad he had put next to his bed and instead of using it he knocked it off onto the floor. He did not need help forgetting what he had seen, he would not so easily forget it. Despite the wonder of what he had seen before, the implications of his dreams…this was one that he did not want to see come to pass. The future was scary and if he were to be wrong about one…this would be the one.
David tried to push the images he saw the night before out of his head. The earthquake had been a ways away and not many people hurt, the satellite had hurt no one. The last dream was in his city, the fire clearly killed hundreds before his very eyes. David ignored the facts, the precedents and instead tried to forget it. He did now want to know if it was real, hoping that if he disbelieved it…maybe it would not happen. He went to work, writing away on projects, all the while the dread of what was going to happen tugging at his mind. He kept opening news websites for the city, trying to find some evidence of what he knew would happen coming. He kept being relieved when he saw nothing…but he knew deep down that it was indeed coming. He closed the window yet again, desperate to take his mind off of anything related to the fire he knew
was coming. He tried to think of how he could warn people but with all the details of the fire, none of it related to how it started. When he saw it the blaze had devoured whole city blocks. Any calls that he would make would just bee to vague and not taken seriously. At best they would think he was a crackpot, at worst they might think him an arsonist. David’s boss, Peterson came over to David’s desk, an excited look on his face.
“I just got a call from a friend at the harbor front.” Peterson commented enthusiastically. “Apparently there is some strange animal species he has found down there. I want you to take your camera, get some photos, and take the guys statement. We are going to crack this one.” “You want me to go right now?” David asked. “I got other projects…and things going on.”
“You are my man on the street!” Peterson replied. “Get going, I will text you the information.”
David did not know what was going on but he really needed some fresh air and a distraction. It was dropped on him like it was something he was meant to do. He tried to think it was a coincidence as he grabbed his camera and headed out of the office. Whatever he saw it would not be as bad as what he was terrified was coming
Peter tried to rationalize everything as best he could, afraid of this future that seemed to be getting worse. He found himself thinking of all the bad things in the world, all the famine, all the wars, all the disasters and he just ignored them. Was he now seeing glimpses of what bad things were to come? How could he rest, knowing he would get a front row seat to such terrifying things that were to come. “No! These are just glimpses of things beyond my control. I am not responsible for any of it and it
is just the same as if watching it on the news. It is not my fault and it is not my responsibility to do anything about it.
David arrived at the waterfront by cab to meet the contact. He half expected to get there, and it was just a malformed duck or filthy Pidgeon. However, as he got out of the cab a birdwatcher was waiting for him and ushered him to follow him.
David set up the camera and readied it as the birdwatcher took him out onto the wharf. What Peter saw next took his breath away. In front of him was a tall peacock type bird but with feathers that were semi translucent and seemed to glow against the lights around it. It was fantastical and miraculous but seemed as if it were natural. Peter could not help but be overcome with emotion as he held the camera up to his face and took picture after picture.
“It just showed up a little while ago.” The birdwatcher replied. “I have been studying birds for forty years and I have never seen anything like it.”
“No one has.” David replied as he snapped more pictures.
“At least not in this world.”
This was not just a bird that looked unreal and out of dreams it was in fact a bird born of dreams. David wanted to think it was not the bird from Kira’s sketch but it was it in every detail. He had seen it as she drew I the day before and he dreamt it. He dreamt of a bird that did not exist yesterday and here it was today. David was not just seeing the future…he seemed to be shaping it. A thought drifted into David’s head, a phrase that Kira has dreams about him igniting some kind of new wave in thought. He admitted he was thinking about fire after that and it bled into his dream. He saw the bird and it became real, he
saw the fire and it would become real. His dreams were somehow shaping reality and this was so much different than just seeing it. It was not like watching the news at home…it was like he was making the news! David had to talk to someone about what was happening, someone who would not be cryptic about it and help him evaluate what he had. Because to David, it seemed like he had the power to change reality and he had to figure out what it was. He texted Kira to meet him, she was the only one that would believe him. She always proved a voice of reason and if anyone could help him put things in perspective…it was her.
David waited for Kira in a downtown park. He figured a little but of privacy was a good idea as he would be telling her some fantastical things and turning what they had figured out right on it’s head. He knew that the most recent developments would be hard to swallow, but he knew he could back it up.
Kira showed up with her hands in her pockets and seemingly unconcerned about the cloak and dagger message or meeting place. She simply asked what was up and waited for the answer.
“This is going to sound very hard to believe.” David began. “But I am not seeing the future in my dreams…the future is formed by what I dream.”
“Yeah, that is pretty crazy.” Kira replied in a skeptical tone. “Despite everything we have learned already…that one is a bit too far out there.”
“What do you mean?” David asked. “Two days ago I told you that I could dream the future and that seemed impossible then until I showed you proof. Now I have proof that it is much worse than we thought.”
“You are right about that I suppose.” Kira commented. “I presume that you have something to show me that will immediately put this all in perspective. Proof, like the satellite that will leave me absolutely no doubt.”
“Oh yeah.” David commented as he took out his camera and readied a picture on the screen of the fantastical bird he had shot earlier. “This will make the satellite seem like nothing,
“That’s a bold statement.” Kira admitted as she looked at the picture. Her eyes went wide and she went silent for a moment. She seemed like she was trying to debate it, trying to find some manner of way to disprove it. However, it seemed to become clear that there was no possible explanation for what she was seeing on the screen.
“That…is some pretty amazing proof.”
“I saw it in your sketchbook and I dreamt it.” David explained. “My dreams, y thoughts both dark and good are coming true.”
“Do I want to know what you dreamt about last night?”
Kira asked. “Please tell me it was just the bird?”
“No.” David said with a sigh. “I dreamt of a big fire, one in this city and it destroyed the mall.”
“Ok!” Kira said as she looked around. “We gotta call someone, we gotta evacuate the mall!”
David looked around and noticed the sun was beginning to set. He heard an explosion come from the distance and his heart knew that it was too late. “There’s nothing that we can do. My dreams dictate reality and it showed it as happening…there is nothing we can do for this now.” “Then what can we do?” Kira asked as she looked over, seeing smoke begin to rise off in the distance. “Can we control your dreams? Maybe we can stop things, maybe we