A Shadowlander's Dream: Book Two - Policy of Love
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Four - Slingshot Dreams
Chapter Eightteen
Kimberly stumbled down the Western dorm stairs taking them three at a time, nearly tripping along the way and stumbling into the lobby door. She tore the door opened and rushed into the lobby, "NATALIE!!" She cried out desperately searching for her friend.
Kima jumped to her feet, "Kimberly?!? What is it?" She inquired, sensing the worry in her twin she rushed to the girl's side, "Is something wrong?"
"Jenn..." Kim panted as she tried to catch her breath, "She's in trouble."
Kima helped her double to the couches, "Natalie and Kris are on looking for her. She will be fine."
Kim shook her head and took a deep breath, "May is back!!" She declared fearfully.
"What?" Kima exclaimed in confusion, "But those Sisters took her, didn't they?"
Kim nodded, "But I saw May with Jenn in a dream." She explained frantically, "She is trying to convince Jenn to come with her."
Alyson sat up from her spot on the couch, "It might be a fragment of her memories trying to trick her." She explained calmly, "My brother probably triggered something in her mind when he met her. Hopefully Natalie and the others will get to her before him. They should be able to rescue Jenn."
"But we can't just wait around here." Kimberly exclaimed.
"Yeah," Kima agreed, "May seems like the type that would do anything to get her way. I mean she even tried to kill us just because we entered Jenn's dreams before."
"But how do we get to her?" Kim inquired desperately, "Something pushed me out of her dreams like I was nothing?"
"Something pushed you?" Alyson inquired eager to learn more, "What could shove someone from a dream? Only the dreamer should be able to force another out of a dream."
"I don't know." Kim explained frantically, "It was a face made out of coloured glass. It told me to leave then I was thrown backwards."
"That means a direct route is out of the questions." Alyson commented, she scanned the room in search of some clue to how they might get around such a force when her eyes fell upon Penny and Jessica, "You can use them." She nodded at the sleeping girls, "If you jump into their dreams you should be able to work your way around to Jenn's dreams. "
Kima rushed around to Penny's side with Kimberly close beside her, "How do we do that?" She asked frantically, "I have never entered someone dreams on my own."
"It has always been by accident." Kim concluded her twins statement.
Alyson shook her head in frustration, "You two have been wandering through dreams without even knowing how?" She rubbed her forehead, "Maybe this is not such a good idea. Sling shooting off someone's dreams can be dangerous and I can't come with you like this." She gestured to her leg.
"We have no other choice." Kima stated, getting more agitated by the moment, "Please tell us what we need to do." She begged.
Alyson shifted in her seat so she was facing the girls, "You sure about this? You do realize the dangers you could be up against." Alyson warned, "We found a bugbear in that girl's room and where there is one there are sure to be several more inside her mind."
Kima nodded firmly, "I will kill every last one of them if I have too." She declared with a gleam of hatred in her eyes.
Alyson turned to Kim, "What about you?" She inquired, "You willing to fight through yet another nightmare for Jenn?"
Kim's face grew long as she recalled the first time she encountered May, then she remembered how Jenn fought to protect her from Lauren even when she did not really know Kim. A seriousness crossed her face and she gave a stern nod, "I will do anything for Jenn. I've hurt her to much and wish I could at least try to be there for her as she was for me."
"Alright then." Alyson said, satisfied by what she heard, "You've already got the heart. You just need to follow it. You both experienced her dreams first hand." She stated pointing at Penny, "Now you just need to close your eyes and concentrate on the emotion you felt while you were there. If your intent is clear and your mind not clouded you should easily pass through the girl's dreams. When you are there you will need to find the door that leads to the Hall of Mirrors. It is a maze filled with fog and lots of strange looking mirrors."
"We know of the place." Kima assured giving Kim a broad grin which Kim returned with a weaker smile, "Kim knows how to reach Jenn from there. Right, Kim?"
Kim reluctantly nodded. She remembered how to get to Jenn but feared taking that path once again.
"Good." Alyson remarked, "Then I do not have to explain what you may have to face there. Just try to find Jenn as quickly as you can and get out of there right away. Understood? Do not linger in that girl's dreams longer then you need too and try not to get too involved this time alright?"
Kima flushed lightly, "I'll try not to kiss anyone is that is what you mean." She stated with a roll of her eyes.
"Kim?" Alyson glanced to the girl, "You know what to do?"
"Y... yes... " Kim stammered, she was uncertain about what exactly they were going to do but trusted that her other half would know when they got there. She laced her fingers between Kima's and closed her eyes.
Kima smiled one more time at her twin then glanced down at Penny and a frown crossed her face, "I'm sorry..." She apologized, then closed her eyes and lightly set a hand upon Penny's forehead. Instantly she could feel Penny's emotions rush through her fingertips like wild fire It raced over her body, engulfing her heart in a series of emotions. Before Kima was even prepared a wave of darkness enveloped her hand and quickly crawled over her skin. Kima tried to pull her hand away only to find it stuck fast to the girl. She felt revulsion as something slick and wet coated her arm moving across her chest. Within second she could feel cold fingers all over her flesh and she needed to clench her muscle in an attempt to keep herself from running away. Abruptly she recoiled from the girl and fell to the ground, her mind reeled against as the sensation of a million hands crawled over her skin. She felt a well of disgust fill up in the pit of her stomach and she could taste vomit rise up in the back of her throat. It took every ounce of her strength to keep herself from throwing up. She trashed about upon the ground in an attempt to regain control of her body and shake the crawling feeling from herself. Finally tears began to stream down the sides of her face and she let out a terrified scream.
"Are you alright?" A voice cut through the haze that flooded Kima's mind. A soothing familiar voice.
Kima reached out her mind towards whoever it was and forced herself to open her eyes. There knelling above her was Penny. She rolled over on her knees and let out a dry cough that felt as if her entire insides were about to drop on the floor in front of her. Her mind raced as it tried to piece together what had just happened to her. She had not felt that awful since the last time her father touched her and even then she usually had some control over her body. This was like something else entirely. Her eyes darted to Penny and the long expression upon the girl's face, "P... penny..." She chocked as she reached out for the girl only to have her pull out of reach, "P.. Penny... wait..." She called out and tried to get her body to stand only to find her legs not responding and she fell to her side, curled up in a ball.
"A... are you alright?" Penny repeated, taking moving timidly closer.
Kima rolled over on her back and sucked in a shaky breath of air. For the first time she noticed that they were in the dank basement again, "I... it worked..." She panted, staring up at the wooden ceiling. She placed a hand to her forehead and tried to shake the feel that had overcome her, "What the hell was that all about?" She asked no one in particular. She forced herself into a seated position and glanced around, "Kim?"
Penny cocked her head curiously at Kima, "Is that your name?" Penny asked.
Kima scratched the back of her head, "Sort of." She replied, "Actually I was referring to my... ummm..." She considered how to explain her relation to Kimberly and decided that lying would probably be the best road to travel, "She is my twin. We can here together."
"She might be with the others." Penny explained sadly, then sat upon the ground with her back against a crate, "Only the bad girls are sent down here." She explained dismally.
"The bad girls?" Kima massaged her legs and rubbed her arms. It still felt as if something was crawling over her skin, "What did you do?"
Penny pulled her knees up close to her chest and buried her face in them.
"Hey, are you alright?" Kima inquired as she crawled over to the girl. Lightly she placed a hand upon Penny's shoulder and again Penny shrank away, "I'm not going to hurt you." Kima assured the girl.
Penny peeked out from over her knees, "Really?" She inquired sceptically.
"Don't you remember me?" Kima inquired, "I was at the ball."
"The ball?" There was a puzzled look upon Penny's face as she scanned Kima eyes.
Kima glanced at herself to find she was still in her pyjama's, "I guess I don't look much like I did back then." She remarked remembering for the first time that she didn't have a chance to change yet, "I was dressed in red with a red mask and you were wearing the most beautiful golden gown and there were golden leaves in your hair and a yellow feathered mask over your eyes." She let out a sigh at the thought of the sight of Penny in that dress.
Penny's head popped up a bit and squinted at Kima as if she were trying to remember something, "Red?" She inquired curiously, "I remember a girl in a red dress but she had longer hair."
Kima blushed in embarrassment, "Ummm... That was my twin..." She stammered, "I was in a suit with red gloves and a ruby mask." She shyly explained.
Penny blinked for a moment then lightly touched her lips, "Y... you kissed me..." She remarked with a flush, "But... your..." Penny glanced up and down Kima's body, "You're a girl, Aren't you?"
Kima's blush deepened and nervously scratched at the back of her head, "Yeah... Sorry about that. I could not resist."She stated, feeling even more uncomfortable by the second, "You were so beautiful." She admitted then gazed into the girl's eyes, "You are beautiful." She corrected herself.
"No I'm not." Penny retorted and proceeded to bury her face between her knees again, "I'm ugly. A nightmare that would scare anyone away."
Kima wrapped her arm around Penny's shoulder, "No, you are not." She said into the girl's ear, "When I saw you my heart raced. I never wanted to kiss someone as much as I did you."
Penny peeked up again, "D... do you... really think so?" She stammered.
"Very much so." Kima stated with a nod, "So much that just looking at your sleeping face made my heart pound. I wanted nothing more then to just hold you in my arms and protect you."
Penny she stared at Kima dumbfoundedly, "Y... you w... watched me sleeping?" She exclaimed aghast.
Kima raised her hand in protest, "It is not what you think." She hastily explained, "You passed out and we took you to the lobby to get help. I have been watching over you ever since."
"Why?"
"Because..... Because...." Kima could not even understand her attraction to the girl or her need to protect her. In truth Kimberly was the caring one, the one who felt the passion of love and the longing. Kima simply held the sexual lust, or that was what she thought she was and what she had been told. Was it even possible for her to even feel love? She did not know, however when she looked upon Penny's eyes peering over her knees, Kima could feel her heart ache in a way she had not felt in years, not since she first kissed Jenn. She rubbed her forehead as her thoughts rushed about. She was always telling Kimberly what to do when Kim knew better than herself how to deal with these emotions. Kima always acted like she knew everything when she was as lost as her other half. Right then she wished the twin was there to help her. No matter how much her double hated her Kima needed the girl at her side. She just did not feel complete without her.
"Kimberly, where are you?" She wrapped her arms around her head as she became overwhelmed by a sense of loss. She suddenly realized that she was without her other half and she did not know what to do with these feelings that were haunting her. Then she felt Penny's hand lightly set upon her knee.
"Kim?" Penny asked softly, Kima glanced up to see Penny looking at her with concern in her eyes, "A...are you alright?" The girl inquired.
Kima smiled up at the girl, "I will be." Kima stated softly, "I just need a moment."
"A.. alright..." Penny removed her hand and Kima wished that the girl would return it.
Kima glanced around the basement. A small window high off the ground told her that it was night outside. She saw a set of stairs leading up and pointed to them, "Where do those lead?" She inquired curiously.
"Upstairs." Penny replied.
Kima got to her feet and brushed the dirt off her pants, "Well that looks like the only way out." She started towards the stairs then turned to see Penny did not make a sign of moving, "You coming?"
Penny shook her head, "I..." She became silent yet again and her eyes nervously flickered over the room.
Kima returned to the girl's side and knelt beside her, "What is it? Is there something wrong?"
"I..." Penny lowered her head, "I was searching for something..." She rubbed her arms as she quickly glimpses around the room. Not like she was looking for something, it was more like she was afraid of something. Something in the shadows.
Kima held her hand out to the girl, "Let's get out of here." She stated boldly.
"But we can't leave." Penny anxiously explained, "We will be punished."
"I will not let anyone hurt you." She remarked soothingly, "Maybe I can help you find what you lost?" She beaconed for the girl to take her hand.
Penny watched the hand warily then gingerly placed her hand in Kima's and nodded.
"Good." Kima smiled at the girl, "Now what are we looking for?"
******
"KIMAA!!!" Kimberly called. She had no idea where she was or where her other half disappeared too. She did exactly as Alyson explained and yet she found herself lost yet again, "Why does this keep happening to me?" She muttered under her breath as she scanned her surroundings. She stood upon a long narrow muddy path surrounded by many trees. At first she thought she was back in the Western woods when she noticed that the trees did not react in the same way as those of the woods. These trees were normal bark and leafs and showed no signs of movement other then the occasional passing breeze. A wind that carried a scent of spring upon its wings, a mix of wet leaves and damp earth filled Kim's lungs and she let out a shiver. The mere smell made her feel wet then she noticed that her dress was indeed damp with moisture as if she had been standing in the rain for hours. However, the sun case a warming light from overhead that cut through the chill that threatened to overtake Kim's bones.
Kimberly's eyes drifted down the path to see a odd looking building in the distance. Discovering nothing in the opposite direction she decided that any house was more welcoming than standing in the middle of an empty trail. She took in a deep breath and let out her worries with an exhale, then began her trek towards the house. Mud squeezed between her toes as she tread along and they started to ache with the cold, yet the closer Kim go to the building, the warmer and safer it felt to her. It almost emitted a warmth from it's walls that called out to Kim and she suddenly broke into a jog trying to get a closer look. As she approached the building the trees parted and gave view to a grand house sitting upon a large lot. A small brick wall about waist high surrounded the entire plot, Its bricks constructed of many colour stones of varying shapes and sizes. Atop the wall was a tall iron fence that hauled Kim's approach. Its iron bars stretched off high overhead with bright green vines covering it making Kim feel more like she was the prisoner looking upon such a wonderful land.
Kim peeked through the vines to get a better look inside however found, to her disappointment, several bushes obstructed her view. She walked along side of the wall trying hard to get a glimpse of the house beyond those bars when she came across a break in the stones. Cut into the wall was a set of small steps with an iron gate at the top. She climbed each stair not even noticing that she became younger with each step until she was no more then ten years of age. She was too excited to notice the change in her height for from here she could now see beyond the massive yard within. There were many beautiful flowers all about the yard and several trees covered in the tangles of vines that also covered a portion of the house. The house itself seemed rather old and has a worn look to it's exterior, yet despite its age it seemed welcoming. The building was a large two floor structure made of red bricks with a large front patio surrounded by a hand carved wooden railing. Kim could see a swinging benching attached to the overhanging roof by long bits of chain that squeaked in protest. Two small girls in yellow summer dresses sat upon the bench and giggled as a third taller girl lightly pushed the swing with her foot as she sat upon the railing reading a book. The girl suddenly looked up over the top over her book and to see Kimberly watching them. She gave Kim a warm smile that only made Kim want even more to pass beyond the gate before her.
"Hey!!" The girl waved to Kimberly and jumped from her spot on the railing to rush down the steps to a small path that lead to the gates, "Come on in!" She opened the gate and offered Kim her hand, "Come join us." The two girls on the bench stopped swinging to see who had caught their friends eye, they too waved at Kim to join them.
Happy to be invited in the fun Kimberly reached out to take the girl's hand and allowed herself to be drawn towards the patio, a smile upon her face.
*****
To be Continued . . .
*****
Note: The world of the shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish visit my site and see some of the art based on this series at http://www.KatAndNekoManga.ca
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at Kathryn@KatAndNekoManga.ca
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