A Fights Echo: Chapter 6

Another dream.
This time completely different from the one I had a couple nights ago. I don't even considerate it as a dream, just fragments of sights and words traveling. Scenes to what memories were placed in my mind by time. I don't remember everything, but I recall the most important things I saw and heard, since they were who woke me up.
I'm standing somewhere. Somewhere were its high, high and somewhat dangerous. But funny, where I'm standing, the dangerous location I was put in kept me away from danger. Danger of the heartless human's invisible down below, danger of the far-flung highway and the speeding cars that were racing on it with illusory speed into a gray blur, danger of him.
The scene changes.
I'm on a bridge. It doesn't take me long to recognize it as the bridge I had first met Chris on. When I had caught that man with the rifle. I'm not there, my body is, but just that. My soul, my ghost, watched down at the panorama with wondering interest.
A man with a mask on, Nathan, his name was. He was seated on the ground. No doubt terrified to a point where he seemed to be considering jumping off the ledge of the bridge. There was Chris, eyeing him blankly. And there was me, standing a bit behind, watching everything with the same expression as my ghost, wondering interest.
I tuned to what the conversation is going about.
Chris: "Nathan Leah Patterson. The JB gang. What a nice coincidence."
Nathan: "I didn't want to. They tried to bargain me with money. I said no. But then they threatened me, my wife, my kid. I had to. I told them I ain't for the job. Especially yours. They said it was easy, all I gotta do was aim and shoot. Then I'll get the money and they'll lay of my family-so sorry man, I swear you is the last thing I wanted to mess with. But it ain't in my hand. I'll never do it again, I swear. I'm sorry."
Chris: "who said that?"
Nathan: "Octopus. Octopus said that."
The scene changes.
I'm back up high. This time there are no cars, no, just trains. Moving so fast they seemed to rip the wind in front of them apart. They were lined up, how many? I had no idea, but just enough to let the world know that no woman's son is a god. They have no control over themselves. They were designed, not to fly, but to complete their purpose, and one day they'll expire like anything-everything else. They know it's just a matter of time. So they want to prove themselves while they have what's left of it. They don't know how to lie. No, those are the elements in life that are as much predictable as a saint. When it says something it will do it even if the world joined together and denied every drop of being thing in it. Because it is like a sword, when it puts its heart to something, there will not be more than one option, and it is the truth of what it is capable of. And nothing but the simple truth.

The scene changes.
I am floating again. This time above a street. A familiar street. Elliot. I was in Elliot. My body and Chris walked on the sidewalk heading toward the bus stop. They crossed the street and a gang was there. Two dark skinned and one as pale as the moon. My face looks confused, trying to catch onto the fast words that are being thrown around. They were too fast. Back than my ears were not completely capable of controlling a street accent. It was mind nerving, trying to hold on to every word. But now me, the ghost me, listened patiently to every word with no difficulty whatsoever.
Chris: "what are you doing here."
LilWayneshirtguy: "Tsk. You ain't never gonna change, is you Chris."
Paleskinguy: "he be like the dragon boy in town. Hear the new rumors going on about him? It is all yo, he be hittin' some guy for fuckin' lookin' at him."
LilWayneshirtguy: "you be nicer and I ditch the world for yo' side. Is like I'm new in town and I'm old on ya round. All for ya brothe'. All you gotta do is give up some of that cash in your pocket, I could really use some of it now"
Chris: "I asked you a question. What the hell are you doing here?"
Paleskinguy: "you is bad man. Hey. Yo. Take a look here, he be like is bad too. Who is the guy with you, looks like you gotta a cousin you ain't tellin' us 'bout?"
LilWayneshirtguy: "Octopus is back. He says you don't gotta come by and wish him well. He knows man! He knows you already do wish him all the luck. But Yo, you should, if you wanna get on his good side."
2nddarkskinguy: look at him. He be all gangster like you Chris, we heard you picked him off the streets and put him by yo' side to wa'sh yo' back for ya. He be like Chris junior or some shit?
Chris: "I'll be beatin' your asses in if you don't say what shit you're here for."
LilWayneshirtguy: "I told you! Octopus--"
Chris: "if I see your face or his face around here. Tell him it'll be his last episode."
LilWayneshirtguy: "yo man, easy on the shirt! So... the rumors aroun' true as hell. That Jay, ain't it? Well I know octopus would be more than glad to hear about what we know about him. Your new brother huh?"
Paleskinguy: "you know what that means."
LilWayneshirtguy: "gotta be something to think about. But fuck all this right now, how about we start some business between you and us. Money and Octopus will never hear a word about who this little punk is. Yo' listen we'll even say we ain't layin' eyes on you. You disappeared. Nada Chris, Nada Junior. Sounds like one badass deal, don't you think?"
The scene changed.
Dark. Black as ever. The moon, like the sun in my last dream, lighted nothing. I am watching it. No, that's not it, I am reaching for it. Reaching for what no one could ever reach. How had I got here, I ask myself. How, out of the billions of people on earth was I chosen to accompany it? Was there fate? Was there reason? Was it because I am different? Different like it? Or was it because I am lost? And it too is lost? And suddenly we are put together to find each other? Who did this? Who thought of it? Fate? Fate are you there? Why me? I'm no good. Don't you know? Don't you know that I hadn't cried when my parents died? Don't you know that when I think of them I don't feel bad? Is that bad? That I don't feel for my parents? Is it bad that I was brought onto the face of the earth to live like this? I'm no diamond. I'm no planet. What so special about me? But YOU, you're my diamond. You're my planet. As long as I'm with you, the world is in peace, but you know what the real problem is? I'll tell you. As long as you're close to other planets. There not in peace. That's why I like you. Like me, you're different. The devil and the saint may not complete each other, but they sure hell have struggled to keep close enough to discover each other's different personalities.
Moon? Moon? Are you there? Why is it that you look off the planet?
Because you're ashamed? Of what?
NO. Don't say this. You'll never drop and destroy them all. You're not like this. Your heart only needs time to heal from the hate you have pooled on you. Be patient. Wait. Together we'll get there.
I dropped so fast the blackness made scared. Scared of... scared of....
The scene changed.
Chris ran across the street toward the car. Determined to wipe each and one of their existence off the face of the earth as if it were a favor he was doing for god and nothing more. They were a threat to him, to everything, but from what? Something... something... what was it though. The look on his face. The heart of hell is what it was. Nothing was stopping him. If he had to shoot himself in the process he would do it. I just didn't understand why he wanted them dead first. For all we know they could be complete strangers who did nothing but a mistake.
Why.... Why...
I floated closer to the car, closer to the figures in it.
With sudden shock, I recognized two. But I had been too petrified that day to see anything aside from the car's hood that rushed my way, wanting to know what it might feel like to kick the shit out of me.
The guy with the Lil Wayne shirt and the pale skinned one sat at the back seat, twisting their heads every now and then to see if Chris was catching on.

I woke up with a throat as dry as sand. Eating jelly worms as snacks while waitin' for Chris to fall asleep was a bitch. I'm never doin' it again.
I got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen, after drinking a couple of cups of water, I took a glance at the oven clock to see how messed up I was. I wasn't supposed to take that nap. I was supposed to wait all night after dinner until Chris fell asleep so I could accomplish my last part of the plan as soon as possible. But thankfully I had only fallen asleep for forty five minutes. And I don't exactly... regret it.
My mind shifted to the dream every now and then. Of course I don't believe that dreams mean things bullshit. I don't register that kind of stuff. But honest to goodness this dream was an entire continent of confusion and reality to think about. I don't doubt any of the stuff I saw. I've always believed that dreams are something someone creates with their ego when their asleep. It was all that to me and nothing more, just made up stuff. But this, this is entirely different. Even if I were a psychic I wouldn't have been able to put that kind of stuff together. Hell, this is information that had never registered in my imagination, and for some reason I knew, I just knew, that something was trying to give me a point I had missed out.
Octopus. that guy, who the hell was he? I sure can't ask Chris. I couldn't ask Chris. I couldn't even explain what I saw to myself, let alone tryin' to explain it to Chris.
For now I'll just have to lay back and just wait if that name pops up again, if it does, I'm not lettin' it go. I'ma chase it to the end of the world. I looked at the clock again, Four Am. Feeling safe enough, I left the apartment.

Running as fast as I could across the streets to the city center, I'd look back every once and awhile to check if Chris was following me. The feeling of an underage runaway made me think that I was tracked. Even though as I look around, there was not a soul in sight striding the empty street.
For a while the streets stayed dark, dark and empty. The street lights were so dim; you could barely see five feet in front of you. If I wasn't so use to walking the streets at night with Chris I wouldn't have been so keen to doing it right now. Especially the emptiness, it was daunting. I felt like some rapist or some drunk abductor would jump out of nowhere and take me out.
For a slit second, I remembered who I am -or at least what I was- and my tights nerves loosened up.
I ran into the city center, and almost right away, I missed the emptiness. I missed that I was the only one around. I was semi surprised to see that this many people were awake at this time. I've seen it before; I just never cared for them to really observe their presence.
I stood adjourn at the sight and looked around, breathing hard enough to make you think I crossed the earth instead of the seven minute mile run I just did. I looked over at burden rd. It was across the street from me, all I had to do is cross over, take it, catch the next bend and id be out of here. Trying not to catch on any attention, I shoved my hands into my pockets and dropped my face between my shoulders, the air was cold enough to sting my cheeks and make em go numb at the same time. Quickly I crossed the street, as soon as I was out of sight, I took of running like before.
The streets became empty and dark again. I looked back, feeling the presence of eyes watching me, except there was no one. With a sinking feeling I realized that may be what I'm doing isn't such a good idea. Maybe it was a fucked up idea and I had better turn around and undo it before I get into deeper shit. But I couldn't, I just couldn't, not after all I had gone through.
Not after where I got to.
I was only a block away now. It is just around the streets. I walked it, since now id be meeting with the same cops and people that I had seen before. Thankfully I managed to get inside the phone booth, breathless, without notice.
Not wasting a second I dropped a quarter in and dialed the number on the piece of paper I had.
Ring...Ring... Ring... Ring.
....
I cursed under my breath and hanged up, then redialed. I ain't givin up on you, you piece of shit, I ain't givin up on you.
As the phone rang again, I felt somewhat relieved. The sound of it was composure and a hum to answers.
To waste time, I studied my surroundings. On the same sidewalk the phone booth was on, a bar was opened, with neon light tagged all over it. Three college girls walked out of it, laughing and holding each other for composure. An older man with a dog crossed the fairly empty street. It took a minute to realize he was blind. A newspaper stand stood against an empty market wall behind me. A man stood near it reading the sports page intently. Three cops holding coffee cups were leaning against a cruiser, discussing some late night case.
Ring...Ring...
I looked up at the sky and let out a silent angry growl, "answer, damn it." I whined in whispers. "It's not that early."
I was completely aware that I was talking to the tall buildings surrounding me, but I couldn't not start going psycho at the status I'm in, for all I know Chris could be awake by now. The image of him walking into my room and finding me not there blurred my vision. I don't wanna even think about what he might do, what his reaction might be like.
Anxious, I hung up and decided one last time, I couldn't go back home, not just yet.
A grouchy woman's voice who seemed to have just woken up answered on the second ring, "Hello?"
I lay back against the glass wall of the booth and sighed in relief, finally.
Quickly, I straightened back up. "Hi this is jay, Chris's roommate."
The words just fired out of my mouth, not asking permission.
"Well hello. Err, Jay. Is Chris there?"
The woman's voice sounded no less than about forty-five years old. And women that age were a normal those days to go around buying coke and gettin' into that kind of shit. That drained that last bit of question I had for Chris's answer.
"Someone called Chris from this number. Could I talk to whoever it was?"
"That would be me." she said firmly.
What the-? What would a forty some woman need from Chris? I cleared my throat, surprised, "oh alright. Is there a message you want me to send to him?"
"If you mind to know, I am his mother. But I'm guessing he'd...." I tuned her out as my though halted, then resumed at a million miles an hour.