Artificial Mates - Chapter 39

[Dream sequence no.1 Grant’s log]

A light breeze swayed the green meadow with small dots of yellow sprinkled in an anarchic way. The blue of the sky was unlike what we are used to experience. Just as if we appeared into Liliane chaotic inner image at the sync, this was the same way. Thirsty minutes after she drifted to sleep we were sucked in this place. Unlike the angry storm, this was peaceful but empty. As Demos and I looked around a little girl got up holding a small bouquet of wildflower. She faced away hiding her identity. She was about ten wearing a flowery dress. She bent down and picked more flowers while humming.

“Do you often come here?” she said. She didn’t turn to face us her dark hair braided on both sides. “I like it here, the flowers are so pretty,” she went on. I went closer to her; however, she moved away and picked another flower. Each time I reached to touch her she just took a step forward increasing the distance between us.

“Are you here playing by yourself?” I called. She wouldn’t look up, she was focused on her flowers. She paused when she had gathered too many flowers that they overflow from her arms. She sunk into the high grass and dropped her treasure.

“They don’t want to play with me. They say I’m odd,” she complained. Her tiny hands twisting the flowers into a crown. I gave Demos a peek over the shoulder. He hasn’t moved from the spot he was standing. He only frowned at the girl. Fear and mistrust oozed from him. I was curious about how it would all unfold so I took another step forward. Will she evade me again? She got on her feet and swirled around with a huge smile astounding me. Her oval face border with two long braids tilted up. Her face looked oddly familiar.

“Liliane!” called Demos from behind. Then it clicked. She had the same brown eyes; even though she smiled more, it was the same smile. A smaller version of her with dark hair. I sunk to my knees and immediately our eyes came at the same level.

“I made this for you, Grant,” she said as she placed the crown of flowers over my head. I stared at her in disbelief. She turned and picked the second crown. Demos came rushing to her and took her in his arms. He swung her around before hugging her. She giggled cheerfully and placed the crown on his head. It ended up crooked.

“Let’s go home now,” young Liliane said with a smile as she held on Demos’ shoulder. This wasn’t real, it didn’t feel real, yet, I wanted to believe it was. All my sensors screamed at me that the readings were all wrong from the nonexistent air to the unnatural colors of the surrounding. Yet, the fact that Liliane was there and she knew my name made it real on the emotional level.

“Demos! This is not real,” I shouted at him. Young Liliane slowly turned with a smile, a light breeze pulled locks of hair from the loose braids.

“In here, everything can be real only if you believe it’s real,” she voice wasn’t childlike but the a.d.u.l.t one we were used to. Demos smiled at me while holding her in his arms.

“There’s no logic in dreams,” he simply added. Dreams? I gasped at the revelation.

“Are we dreaming? Is this Liliane’s dream?” he nodded at me. Before I could hold on to the thought the surrounding bleed like water pour over a drawing.

“Wait!” I extended my hand towards them only to grasp emptiness. I blinked and found Liliane’s sleeping face resting against my chest.