She sat idly on her chair facing the arched window and stared into the complete darkness outside. The room reflected her present state of mind: complete chaos. Scattered books, paper cuttings, electronic gadgets and paraphernalia. The wall was half covered in writings and the rest half was water soaken and peeled off paint. But she was very comfortable in her present abode.
She changed her position in her chair. She should have been fast asleep. But here she was, wide awake. She had a diary in front of her. On the first page of it, she had doodled the words, "Dreamer's paradise". For the last fortnight, this diary had been her sole companion of her sleepless nights.
It was not that she couldn't sleep. She did not want to sleep. She wanted to keep an account of all her dreams. Lazily she etched her name across the page. Olina Faye.
Something dark and big she thought. Furry she wrote down. Face unclear. Lurking on the downside of the Nicosal bridge. She kept her pen down and stared into the darkness once again. Black as midnight she wrote and laughed at herself.
It wasn't the first time, she dreamt of something lurking under the bridge that was a few blocks away. Maybe a nightmare she thought. But surprisingly, never once, she was afraid of it. What if I give it a name she wondered. The thought itself seemed full of fun. Sleepy Brown she wrote. Though she was sure it was black, she felt more inclined to name it as Brown. She felt that naming it Black would be an injustice. She took another sip of her coffee. Tucked her brown curls behind her ear. Glanced at her watch. 3:00 am. She let out a heavy sigh. She closed her diary. It was of a beautiful lavender hue with spirals of all colours and sizes spread throughout the cover. She loved her Dreamer's paradise so much. She carefully hid it under her cupboard. She didn't want anybody to read it and think her to be insane. She went back to her sleep. Now it was a pleasant dreamless sleep.
She woke up when her phone rang. With drooping eyes, she looked for the time. It was past 10:00am. The window was heavily curtained, allowing not even a tiny ray of light through it. The room bathed in complete darkness. She snoozed the alarm and went to open the curtains. Stretching herself, she went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She had come to the city searching for a job. Being all alone, she decided to take up this unlikely hobby. Dream tracking.
The rest of the morning was spent on mundane activities. Around afternoon her bestie Chelsea Chalcedony called, inviting her to go shopping with her. Well, Olina loved Chelsea more than one would love her sister. But she, in the recent past, felt a pang towards her bestie. It was especially, whenever Chelsea mentions about her office. After all she was human being too. Quickly, Olina felt ashamed of herself for having such thoughts. Who am I trying to kid? It is the fault of neither of us she thought as she gulped her food. Brushing the thoughts away, she got ready.
"You look so pretty!" said Chelsea to Olina. She was wearing her favourite t-shirt and her faded jeans.
"You always tell that whenever I wear this shirt." Olina tried to be modest. But she could hardly supress her smile. "You too look amazing!"
"Nah. After a tired day in office? Nah." Chelsea tried to copy her grandpa’s accent. Both the girls had a hearty laugh.
Soon they were walking hand in hand. When they crossed the Nicosal bridge, Olina couldn't stop her eyes from moving towards the downside of the bridge. There was nothing there.
"What are you looking at?" asked Chelsea.
One part of brain, wanted to tell her. Other said a strict 'no'. What will she think of me? As a little girl afraid of her dreams?
"Nothing. Thought something moved in there." Olina replied, keeping her face as solemn as possible.
The shopping mall literally ate most of their time. It was past dusk when they started back. They left with full tummies and gallery full of selfies. They had to part near the bridge.
Olina waited for Chelsea's head to disappear. She quickly got to the downside of the bridge. It was dark in there. The dim streetlight did not reach till there. She took a deep breath and looked there. Black as midnight she thought. She shone her mobile flashlight but still nothing was to be seen. "Sleepy Brown!" she whispered lightly. Still nothing.
Not today. Maybe another day. She started walking away.
What was I thinking? Trying to find a creature from my imagination in reality? Oh goodness! Maybe I should stop writing. Her thoughts raced as she walked back to her room.
But as soon as she reached her room, her thoughts changed. Maybe I will find something in my dreams and analyse it. Or even write a thesis! She smiled at her own intelligence.
And went to bed happy. Maybe another day, I will find Sleepy Brown.
She changed her position in her chair. She should have been fast asleep. But here she was, wide awake. She had a diary in front of her. On the first page of it, she had doodled the words, "Dreamer's paradise". For the last fortnight, this diary had been her sole companion of her sleepless nights.
It was not that she couldn't sleep. She did not want to sleep. She wanted to keep an account of all her dreams. Lazily she etched her name across the page. Olina Faye.
Something dark and big she thought. Furry she wrote down. Face unclear. Lurking on the downside of the Nicosal bridge. She kept her pen down and stared into the darkness once again. Black as midnight she wrote and laughed at herself.
It wasn't the first time, she dreamt of something lurking under the bridge that was a few blocks away. Maybe a nightmare she thought. But surprisingly, never once, she was afraid of it. What if I give it a name she wondered. The thought itself seemed full of fun. Sleepy Brown she wrote. Though she was sure it was black, she felt more inclined to name it as Brown. She felt that naming it Black would be an injustice. She took another sip of her coffee. Tucked her brown curls behind her ear. Glanced at her watch. 3:00 am. She let out a heavy sigh. She closed her diary. It was of a beautiful lavender hue with spirals of all colours and sizes spread throughout the cover. She loved her Dreamer's paradise so much. She carefully hid it under her cupboard. She didn't want anybody to read it and think her to be insane. She went back to her sleep. Now it was a pleasant dreamless sleep.
She woke up when her phone rang. With drooping eyes, she looked for the time. It was past 10:00am. The window was heavily curtained, allowing not even a tiny ray of light through it. The room bathed in complete darkness. She snoozed the alarm and went to open the curtains. Stretching herself, she went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She had come to the city searching for a job. Being all alone, she decided to take up this unlikely hobby. Dream tracking.
The rest of the morning was spent on mundane activities. Around afternoon her bestie Chelsea Chalcedony called, inviting her to go shopping with her. Well, Olina loved Chelsea more than one would love her sister. But she, in the recent past, felt a pang towards her bestie. It was especially, whenever Chelsea mentions about her office. After all she was human being too. Quickly, Olina felt ashamed of herself for having such thoughts. Who am I trying to kid? It is the fault of neither of us she thought as she gulped her food. Brushing the thoughts away, she got ready.
"You look so pretty!" said Chelsea to Olina. She was wearing her favourite t-shirt and her faded jeans.
"You always tell that whenever I wear this shirt." Olina tried to be modest. But she could hardly supress her smile. "You too look amazing!"
"Nah. After a tired day in office? Nah." Chelsea tried to copy her grandpa’s accent. Both the girls had a hearty laugh.
Soon they were walking hand in hand. When they crossed the Nicosal bridge, Olina couldn't stop her eyes from moving towards the downside of the bridge. There was nothing there.
"What are you looking at?" asked Chelsea.
One part of brain, wanted to tell her. Other said a strict 'no'. What will she think of me? As a little girl afraid of her dreams?
"Nothing. Thought something moved in there." Olina replied, keeping her face as solemn as possible.
The shopping mall literally ate most of their time. It was past dusk when they started back. They left with full tummies and gallery full of selfies. They had to part near the bridge.
Olina waited for Chelsea's head to disappear. She quickly got to the downside of the bridge. It was dark in there. The dim streetlight did not reach till there. She took a deep breath and looked there. Black as midnight she thought. She shone her mobile flashlight but still nothing was to be seen. "Sleepy Brown!" she whispered lightly. Still nothing.
Not today. Maybe another day. She started walking away.
What was I thinking? Trying to find a creature from my imagination in reality? Oh goodness! Maybe I should stop writing. Her thoughts raced as she walked back to her room.
But as soon as she reached her room, her thoughts changed. Maybe I will find something in my dreams and analyse it. Or even write a thesis! She smiled at her own intelligence.
And went to bed happy. Maybe another day, I will find Sleepy Brown.
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To be continued.
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