╔══════════════════╗

WALKING IN THE WIND
i. SWEET DREAMS

╚══════════════════╝

  HOPE EDWARDS HAD BEEN having some strange dreams lately.

  Dreams were one of the many wonders of the world she didn't understand. They fascinated her in ways she couldn't articulate without saying, "Isn't it bizarre?!" every other sentence. Dreams often act as the key to the deepest parts of our subconscious — the parts of our brains we can't fully reach in waking. Every day, we absorb tons and tons of information, and when we drift away from this reality, that information flashes before us in bright colors, incoherent and quick scenes, and the former impossible. After all, anything is possible if you can dream it.

  Hope deeply appreciated dreams. They keep us busy while our brain and body recharge after a long day, and sometimes, dreams make for a great talking point during a dull morning. Even if she never fully understood dreams, she found herself coming back to hers and overanalyzing them anyway, which leads us back to the beginning:

  Hope had been having some strange dreams lately.

  Now, Hope believed that our dreams are a product of whatever we've absorbed in our lives. Some nights, you may dream about the advertisement you saw in the newspaper that day. Other nights, you may dream about the dog you saw walking down the street seven years ago talking to you. Not all, but most of our dreams are composed of things we've witnessed in real life to a certain degree that walks the line between irrational and reasonable.

  Hope's real life wasn't very interesting, and she doubted it ever would be. She lived in a raggedy apartment in London, England, which she thought were two equally boring things. Truly, there was nothing special about her or her life, but she didn't think that was a bad thing. Boring and bad weren't synonymous in her eyes, though perhaps they were long distant cousins.

  Hope believed life was supposed to be boring. It's what you choose to do with your life that gives it meaning. That was something she learned from reading her favorite fairytale novels growing up. The main characters of these stories were, more or less, average people with average lives. However, what made them unique was that they took their fates into their hands and found their adventures. They didn't stop to wait for life to happen to them, but rather, they sought out life fearlessly and courageously.

  Before you say anything, yes, Hope still read fairytale novels as a teenager, and she would until she died. So, save it, alright? She'd heard enough about her "childish" guilty-pleasure from everyone at this point. Well, everyone except her best friend, Odette.

  There aren't enough words in the world to describe the enigma that was Odette Dunbar, but if there were, high-maintenance, meticulous, and melodramatic would be at the top of the list. She was Hope's opposite in many regards, and yet somehow, she was Hope's best friend. Because while they had their differences, they found solace in the fact that their lives could be simplified into the same three words: average, boring, and orphaned.

  Hope and Odette spent most of their lives living in a scanty orphanage called Madame Minerva's Home for Underprivileged Children (which sounded far too fancy for a building with a rat infestation) in Northern London. Together, they lived at Madame Minerva's until Odette turned 18 and became a legal adult. She was no longer the orphanage's problem, meaning she could live wherever she wanted to and do as she pleased. However, she refused to leave Hope, who was 16 at the time, behind, so she did what any reasonable person would do. She decided to run away with Hope before her last day at the orphanage.

  The last memory they had of the orphanage was hiding from their caregivers in a wooden wardrobe before falling out of it because it was far too small to contain two teenagers. This resulted in them getting caught. Luckily, they managed to flee Madame Minerva's with nothing but two small trunks of their belongings and their spirits, and they never looked back. That was one year ago.

  Since then, they lived in a rickety apartment that creaked every time you walked and was likely haunted by the ghosts of an elderly couple (because it always smelt like freshly baked cookies and turnips). Odette, 19-years-old, was currently a secretary at a law firm in the city while Hope, 17-years-old, was a part-time nanny to a wealthy family, who just so happened to be Odette's coworkers.

  Life was undeniably average and boring for the two, which would make you think that Hope had average and boring dreams, but that was not the case.

  See, something Hope realized around the time she left Madame Minerva's was that she didn't remember much about her past. She didn't have horrible memory problems (that she remembered having, at least). No matter how hard she thought about it, she just couldn't recall anything about her childhood: her parents, most of the years she spent growing up at the orphanage, meeting Odette. It was as if there was a veil of fog hanging over her memories, making them indistinguishable. All she knew for certain was that she lost her parents at a young age, she once lived in an orphanage, which was where she presumably met Odette, and one year ago, they ran away from the orphanage to live independently.

  It seemed that every memory Hope had before one year ago was blurry.

  What was even stranger was that Odette didn't remember anything before a year ago either. It was like they had shared memory loss, except neither girl knew how that was possible. It was an odd coincidence, wasn't it?

  Odette didn't think so. She never questioned why neither of them could recall their childhoods. She assumed it was a result of trauma, which generally causes one to repress their memories, so she didn't think it was that crazy. In fact, she was bold enough to think their memory loss was normal — because everything else in their lives was otherwise average and boring.

  Hope, on the other hand, was the opposite. It frustrated her being unable to remember the past. It consumed her. She thought about the past so often that you'd think she would remember something by now out of sheer spite, but alas, she never did.

  Though there was one thing residing deep within Hope's subconscious that made her think she was beginning to remember her past: her dreams.

  For the last year, Hope had been having strange dreams. They weren't normal dreams either. Normal dreams would be exaggerated versions of things she witnessed in her boring, average life. Maybe she'd dream about flying pigs after a lighthearted conversation with Odette, or maybe she'd dream about being one of the ducks in the park down the street. Those kinds of dreams were odd to their own degree but otherwise normal.

  However, these dreams were anything but normal, and what made it even stranger was that she'd been having these dreams nonstop, over and over again for a whole year. They were so vivid to the point where she often questioned if she ever fell asleep in the first place — like she was stuck in some weird supernatural relationship with her brain. These were dreams about faraway lands where Hope knew how to wield a sword (and she was damn good at it, by the way), Odette was a princess, animals could talk, magic exists, and the land is ruled by someone named Aslan.

  Yes, she realized it sounded bizarre, and that's because it was, in fact, bizarre and insane and outrageous! Maybe she shouldn't think about these dreams as much as she did, but she just couldn't let them go. Something about these dreams resonated with Hope more than an average dream should. These dreams about this peculiar world were so vivid that she was beginning to think it existed. Not only that, but she was starting to think she and Odette once lived there, too.

  It was crazy. It was completely crazy, especially for a girl with a supposedly average and boring life. She realized how it sounded, and that she might be better off in a mental institute, but Hope would never lie about something like this!

  And Odette knew that. However, Odette also thought it was complete bullshit.

  She thought this fantasy Hope came up with overnight was silly, another trauma-related response, and a bit worrying. Odette didn't mind that Hope enjoyed fairytales, but she was practically an adult. She was too old to believe in magic and talking animals and things of that nature.

  Odette tried to be supportive of her and her odd theories about her dreams, but Hope knew she would never believe in her dreams the way she did. The only part Odette was willing to believe was that she was a princess, but Hope was pretty sure she was joking. Then again, knowing Odette, maybe she wasn't.

  Hope couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was even a hint of truth in her dreams. It was an obsession. It was all she could think about most of the time, which was almost a blessing in disguise because she nannied children who very much enjoyed playing pretend.

  Once this obsession began, she invested in a journal to keep track of her dreams in hopes of being able to piece all of them together one day; however, this endeavor wasn't going very well for her. The problem was that while these dreams felt very vivid in the moment, she could hardly remember them once she awakened. Like her memories, her dreams became unknown to her once she was awake for longer than a few minutes. That was why she wrote them down as soon as she woke up in the morning, and she often recited them to herself in hopes of something clicking in her brain.

  So far, she was mostly unsuccessful, but that wasn't stopping her. She was determined to get to the bottom of these dreams, and she wouldn't stop until she did. They had to mean something. They had to!

  "Knock, knock! Rise and shine, buttercup!"

  The door to Hope's bedroom swung open with a painful squeak. Odette poked her head around the corner with a bright smile on her face. However, it fell immediately as she discerned that Hope was already awake.

  Odette groaned. "How is it that you're always up before me?" she whined.

  Hope hardly spared her a glance. Curls of red fell over her face as she sat hunched over on her small bed, busily scribbling across the pages of her dream journal. "I'm a morning person, Ode, we've been over this," she dismissed. "The real question is why on earth are you awake right now? I thought you didn't have work today?"

  Odette leaned against the wooden doorframe, inadvertently banging her head as she yawned. Rubbing her head, she grumbled, "Ugh... Wanted to get to the market early this morning. We need groceries, and I'm craving grape jam. You know how busy it gets in the afternoon. I was hoping you'd come with me."

  "Yeah, sure. I can't believe you're making me sacrifice strawberry jam for the third time this month," Hope complained. Before Odette could retort, she added, "What's the time?"

  "Quarter past seven. Why?"

  "For my journal."

  Odette slowly nodded, dragging her slipper-covered feet across the cold floor. "Right. How could I forget?" she teased. She combed through her silky blonde hair with her fingers. "Dream anything new this time? Wait, don't tell me. You fought a dragon. Wait, no, you fought fairies!"

  For the first time that morning, Hope peered up at her best friend, baffled. "Why would I fight fairies, of all things?" she queried.

  Odette shrugged. "Dunno. They seem like they'd be mean."

  "Well, I can promise you that I didn't fight any dragons or fairies or anything in between," Hope reported, "but I did dream of something new."

  Odette plopped herself onto the bed, causing it to squeak. She sighed in relief as she immediately got comfortable, snuggling up to Hope's blanket. "Ooh," Odette encouraged, sauntering forward, "do tell."

  Hope eyed her. "Are you going to call me crazy again if I do?"

  "Babe, there's not a single reality where I wouldn't call you crazy," Odette bantered while plopping herself onto the bed, causing it to squeak. She sighed in relief as she immediately got comfortable, snuggling up to Hope's blanket. "But I still love you! That's just how this friendship works! Besides, I'm a nosy little shit, so tell me everything."

  Hope snickered. "Alright, fine. I was in the castle—"

  "My castle?"

  "Mm, I don't think so. Your castle's small and sad. This one was the bigger castle — the one with all those paintings of those kids. The two brothers and two sisters, remember? I think they're the king and queen's children," Hope explained. "Anyway, I'm not entirely sure what was going on. All I know for sure is that I was running."

  "Ah, now that I can believe. I've never seen you go a day without running around somewhere."

  "I think I was running away from something. Or... someone? It's hard to say. I could hear people chasing after me and shouting at me, but it was hard to understand. I could only focus on what I was saying," she explained, ignoring Odette. "I was talking to that Aslan guy again. I think I was asking him for help, but I'm not sure because I didn't see anyone running with me. But I know for sure that I was calling out for him to help me."

  Odette hummed almost absentmindedly. "And what exactly were you saying?"

  "I couldn't get all of it, but I remembered most of it," Hope said as she glanced down at her dream journal. She cleared her throat and read aloud, "Aslan, I know we usually talk after dinner, but I really, really need you right now. Please, please, please, get me out of this. I wish I could run away and forget about all of this. Please, help me."

  "Sounds like you were having a ball," joked Odette, to which Hope reached out and hit her forehead with her pen. "Ow!"

  "You'll live," she teased. "You know, Ode, I reckon this might be important to figuring everything out. What if this Aslan person's magical? Like, what if I specifically asked him to erase my memory and send us here because of... whatever was going on at the time?"

  Rolling onto her side, Odette challenged, "If that's true, then why don't I have these dreams or any recollection of this stuff? I didn't ask this guy to erase my memory! I'm a victim here!"

  "You're going to be a victim if you keep shouting in my ear," Hope grumbled, winching. "Anyway, to answer your question, I didn't get to ask or figure that part out because Aslan Jr. was scratching at the window again and woke me up."

  As if on cue, a small cat leaped onto the bed and curled up beside Hope. He was a blonde cat with a long, uncontrollable mane that reminded the two girls of a wild lion. Except, you know, smaller. Aslan Jr. was a stray cat that had been showing up around their apartment since they moved in last year. He never stayed for more than a few hours, but he always came back to visit them. Hope decided to name him Aslan Jr. after the man she always talked about in her dreams. She hoped the real Aslan, whoever he was, wouldn't mind sharing a name with a cat.

  Odette rolled her eyes. "That stupid cat always shows up at the worst times," she muttered. "Did you hear him knocking over our pots and pans the other day? He's got all that room around the entire apartment, and he still picks the one place where he can knock things over!"

  "Don't call him stupid!" Hope scolded. Aslan Jr. purred as she scratched a spot behind his wear. "Aslan's got feelings, too!"

  "So do my pots and pans!"

  "Awe," Hope cooed, "our kitchenware is so brave!"

  Odette made a face at Hope, causing her to immediately mock her.

  "That stupid cat's going to be the death of me," lamented Odette, sitting up and beginning to pull her hair into one of her signature braids. "Well, I'm sure whatever you were running away from in your dream wasn't that serious. I mean, if it was bad, you probably wouldn't be here right now. You'd probably be in jail. Or on the streets like your buddy, Aslan Jr.

  "I'm going to ignore that last part because I almost agree with you," she declared, contemplating it briefly. She shook her head, brushing it off. "I don't understand how you don't believe in this stuff."

  "I'll believe in it if you can dream up a boyfriend for yourself," Odette taunted. "You have all these dreams, yet all I've heard about is the talking animals!"

  "Cute, but I'm pretty sure I would notice if I or you had a boyfriend," Hope retorted. "Come on, Ode, can't you take me seriously just this once? Don't you think it's weird how we can't remember anything before a year ago? Or why I've been having the same dreams about the same place every night since we left Madame Minerva's? It doesn't make sense!"

  "Most things don't make sense, Hope," Odette countered, standing up, "like math and politics and why the bloody market is always busy every time other than the early morning! It doesn't make sense, and it never will! You have to accept it for what it is or you'll go insane! That's just how life is!"

  Hope sighed. "Maybe you're right," she confessed, setting her journal aside as she rose to her feet. "But I'm not giving up on this. When I have a major breakthrough, you'll be on your knees praising me!"

  "If you end up being right, I'll let you punch me in the face," Odette mocked.

  "I'd punch you in the face on a normal day," Hope laughed. "How about this? If I end up being right, you have to apologize to Aslan Jr."

  Odette gasped. "Me? Apologize!?" she exclaimed, pointing at the unblinking cat on the bed. "To HIM?!"

  "Yes! You call him stupid every time you see him!"

  "He's a cat!"

  "It's mean!"

  "So?!"

  "He has feelings, too! Real feelings!" Hope insisted. "Your pots and pans look better with those dents in them anyway!"

  Odette waved her hand. "Whatever, fine. It's a deal. Now, hurry up and get dressed. If they're out of the good jam by the time we get to the market, I'll never forgive you."

  "Uh-huh, I'm sure you won't, princess," Hope quipped.

  "Don't test me, Hope! I'm feeling cranky this morning!"

  "You're cranky every morning!"

  Hope and Odette lived an average, boring life, but that didn't stop them from enjoying it. Spending their days together was a blessing they hoped they'd never take for granted. Ever since they escaped the orphanage, life had gone swimmingly well, and hopefully, it'd always be like this. They didn't care about finding true love or working 9-5 jobs every day. All they wanted was to live together in peace until they were old and gray, where they'd still manage to wreak havoc wherever they went because nothing was stronger than their sisterhood.

  Unfortunately for them, life was never quite as it seemed. Soon, they'd find that dreams do come true. Sometimes, they already have.

  Everything was about to change for Hope and Odette, and it all started with their morning trip to the market.