Ignorance is bliss

Chapter 3

I came to a halting stop when I saw him, the feeling that I’ve seen him before shook me up but I couldn’t put my hands on the where part. How did he end up marrying my sister? I asked myself. “I’m sorry have we met before?” I asked him. Confusion flickered on his face and then his answer threw me off-guard “Yes we have, he answered, in the dream world” he said jokingly. 

“Ha, I said laughing, like your humor” I said even though I knew that was the most likely explanation. People tend not to believe what they think is crazy. I would’ve had a hard time believing that I can travel through realm if I hadn’t done it. 

“My wife has tried her best to tell me a lot about you but she couldn’t quite place your name, I hope that doesn’t offend you?” He asked with a pleasant smile. Those rugged smile. 

I saw where this was going but I followed suit anyway “Not a bit, I died remember, and then came back to life, that, can cause lots of things.” I said. 

“Yeah, well she doesn’t know how it happened, even all of your family that is still alive don’t remember it either, how is that possible?” he asked looking directly into my eyes. 

“I guess it’s a mystery we will never be able to solve?” I replied. If I could read his mind, I’m sure he would be like just tell me this your name so I could drop all this problem on your head. 

Mother given name has never been used by Dreamers, it’s one of the rules that makes us different from other people who can travel through realms. If your real name was to be discovered, you would be locked up in a building and all your colleagues problem would be placed into your hands to solve for them and for centuries those that have fallen prey to divulging their names have always died before solving even one person’s problem. Well only one person has fallen prey so far. And I’m not about to become the second person. 

“I guess both of you are getting along fine” I didn’t hear my sister come into the room “Can I talk to you for some minutes?” 

“Sure” she replied.  

“Let’s go into another room” I said nudging her ahead. 

“Kitchen?” she asked raising her eyebrow 

I couldn’t shake the feeling of danger in the house so I unexpectedly turned to one of the rooms when she wasn’t looking and after sometimes she came looking for me so I dragged her into the room “What I want to ask you, you must not tell your husband” I said in a hushed voice. 

“What is it with you and my husband, do you guys know each other before?” she asked. 

“I can't explain everything to you now because he’s probably listening to our conversation now.”

“No, he’s not, she cut me off, my husband doesn’t eavesdrop.”

“Whatever, just promise me you won’t tell him” I pressed 

“Okay I won’t tell him, now what is it you want to tell me?” She asked with a hint of frustration evident in her tone. 

“I want to ask you a question” I told her

She gave me a go ahead look 

“What’s your real name?”” 

“Are you kidding me? She bellowed, you dragged me here to ask me for my name? And telling me I should not tell my husband? God, something is wrong with you” 

I didn’t react to her outburst because I expected this even more “Okay, this is going to be weird, but remember when I told you your husband doesn’t want me in the house?” 

“Yes?” 

“It was a lie…

“I know it’s a lie, even if he doesn’t want you to come how would you know?” 

“I have gifts, you know I do.” I replied “I didn’t want to come here before but I felt the need to, I needed to know if he is the one” 

“I don’t get what you’re saying.” she said with a confused stare. 

“I told you I can't explain everything now and I might not be able to if he gets my real name.” 

“Are you telling me my husband is your enemy?” she inquired 

“He might just be, I said, but I am not hundred percent sure he is, that’s why I need to know your real name, not just your name” 

“What will happen if he gets your name” she asked deciding to follow through the wild theories. 

“I’m going to be banned from a place I call the journey that’s where I go whenever I’m not here, I told her, and that’s not all, I would automatically get that person’s problem”

“Wait, like it would suddenly disappear?” 

“I don’t know, I have never experienced it before” I told her

“What problem does Mike have to make him want to dump everything on my brother’s head.” she thought aloud. 

“Has he ever talked about anything related to a dream world?” 

“Yes, he does that all the time he wakes up” 

“He’s working in a bank?” I asked her again to see if she was hiding something. 

“Yeah, I’m sure of that, she said but her voice said otherwise, I’ve gone there several times” 

“And?” I pressed her. 

“Well it’s either he’s not around or he’s in a very important meeting” she said very close to tears. 

“Hmm” 

“What is it?” 

“I was right the whole time” 

“What ae you talking about?” 

“Don’t worry I’m going to take care of it” I said trying to soothe her. 

“My name is Alicia; you know” 

“I know that’s your name but Is that really your name?” 

“You’ve lost me again” 

I smiled “Don’t worry I guess I… your husband: he told me you forgot my name, you’re lying right?” 

“No, I am not, I had an accident and It damaged a part of my hippocampus, so I tend to forget things sometimes” Her mood dampened as she remembered the accident. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you” I wanted to go back and make sure I didn’t see any image in my head that day but I can only stay young I can't go back to the past. 

“No problem, you just rose up from a grave after how many years? How is that possible” she said with a spark in her eyes

“We better ask your husband” I said looking at the room for the first time. This must be Alicia room when she was still a baby because baby products are scattered all over the place.  

“I don’t remember mum calling me anything apart from my name” she said with her forehead squeezed together. 

“What does mum call you the most?” 

“I literally just told you now that she doesn’t call me anything apart from Alicia” she shouted getting frustrated. 

“I know she doesn’t call you Alicia all the time, I said nagging her, trying to make her memory come back, I took a toy duck lying on the floor and waved it in her face, what is this?” I asked surprising myself. 

“What!?”

I wanted to press on but I restrained myself, I really needed that name, I don’t know why I needed the name I just know I need to get it. 

The last time, well the only time a dreamer’s name was discovered it led to the destruction of realities… 

“Realities?” she asked 

I sighed “What I’m about to tell you must not leave the walls of this room, I warned, there are different types of plains in the world, this part of it only holds ample to zero amount of power” 

“Power? Like your gift, right?” She asked 

“Yes, like my gift, I don’t have all the answers, I don’t know how I know everything I am telling you” I said. “I’m going to stay here for some few day.” 

“Few days? Where will you go?” She asked sitting on what looks like a small bouncing castle. 

“I don’t know but I just have to leave this place, something bad is about to happen and I have to be prepared.” 

“You can prepare yourself here.” 

“I can sense the danger I will bring to you if I stay, I said while my leg gave in to sit on a love chair nearby, and please a time will come when your husband will be gone and I don’t mean die, I mean gone, make sure you pack your stuff as much as you can and burn the rest. Do not leave any of your properties lying around” I said surprising even myself. 

She had confusion written all over her face “I thought you said my husband was one of the bad guys” 

“Everything I told you came from a place I know nothing of, but I would advise you to heed my warning, just make sure you’re safe.” I said.