Advent Prompt 24

Come here to tell your tales and meet with others. (In-character talk only)
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Bifrost Janger
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Advent Prompt 24

Postby Bifrost Janger » Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:32 am

~penned by Billy Doherty~

Alright.

My name is Bill Doherty, and I'm gonna take it up for this one. It's supposed to be about dreams and portals to other worlds. It all sounds daft to me. Ideas like that can tie you in knots if you go pondering them for too long. I don't think it's prudent, myself.

But in the spirit of the prompt, I'll give it a go. See, you never usually get to hear the opinions of lads like me - most of us can't write. But I can. This is a valuable insight I'm giving you here.

Right. Dreams. Most men say that they don't dream. But they're lying. I've bunked in enough houses and boats to know that. You hear them at night, scraping and whining like dogs by a fire. Running in their own heads. Whimpering and groaning. And thems ain't just usual sleep sounds. Oh no. Aye. I'll tell you what that is, it's the sound of dreams escaping out of your mouth.

But I don't know about this thing about portals. None of them seemed to move anywhere; except around their cot.

I'm glad dreams aren't portals, else mine might take me back. Take me tumbling back into boyhood. To the cold and the hungry. And then I might be trapped there. With no way of getting back. Aye. I'm a man, but I'll tell you what my dreams are. There's no use lying about it anyhow.

Though, I do know a person who might fit the bill, and her name is Genia. If someone had entered this world though a dream, then it's her. I've known her for years and years. But still, every turn there is a newness to her. I dunno. As though she just hatched that very morning. As foolish as that sounds.

I know her better than any - better than she knows herself sometimes, I'd wager. Don't take me wrong. I know how that sounds. But I've seen all of her faces. So I know.

All of her skin is white and white... Not a blemish or freckle or scar on her. Like the 'rifter ain't never touched her. Except for that one on her nose for what she can't remember how she came by.

I asked her, anyway, "Ey, Genia. Wha if dreams are really portals t' other worlds? 'Ow could ye tell if'n someone wa a visitor?"

Cos I like to hear what she thinks and how she's thinking it.

She said that she reckoned it was a [I]pretty thought
. Like, mayhaps we have other selves in other worlds, and from time to time, we go and live their lives. Walk around in their bodies for a bit, you know?

So like, I'm Bill here. But elsewhere there might be a Will, William or Willie. Mayhaps the other Bill's have all of their teeth and their mums are still alive.

Genia isn't Genia all of the time, you see. Sometimes she is Iphy or Iphigenia or someone else for who's name I don't know. It seems to me that she slips through them portals on the regular. She falls into another world. More like she trips - and there's no telling what can set her off and make her stumble. For her it's like a blink of an eye, but for me it can be awhile. Cos I have to sit waiting with Iphigenia, until Genia gets her way back.

But you get my meaning though, aye? They're not all the same person. Like, Genia asked me how is it I know when she floats away, and I just do. I just do. Those others just ain't her. They're not. I know cos I could recognise Genia in the pitch black dark

I don't like this prompt. I wish I'd got in on a better one.
Fear is a strange soil. It grows obedience like corn, which grow in straight lines to make weeding easier. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground. - Terry Pratchett

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