UP The Down Staircase

I shall now narrate a tale of someone who is me, yet not me!

All my life, as long as I can remember, I have had the same recurring dream, or nightmare, depending on one's interpretation of the events. I would happily arrive with my parents, who were not my real parents, but my dream parents, at the dark, foreboding, yet starkly beautiful house built on a vast expanse of land. We would somehow arrive at the front door, it would open and my slightly aging, still strikingly beautiful dream aunt would walk hurriedly out, smiling broadly and enveloping us into her warm and welcoming hugs. Her silver-grey hair floated down her shoulders freely, with no restraint or apology, giving her an air of quiet grace and poise as she urgently ushered us her into her home.

My dream aunt wore the finest jewelry, dressed herself in the most elegant clothing of a long past era, and exuded wealth and a practiced sense of charm and authority.

The house had long lost its newly built charm, the architecture reminded one of the style in which witches of old would have built their homes, with tiny turrets, spires and chimneys reaching their forms high, as if in supplication to the heavens for comfort and attention. There were roses everywhere, they reached out their healthy blooms in colorful displays, in complete beauty and contrast to the now fading house and grounds.

We would then be invited to step inside the house, with the full expectancy of it being perturbing, dark and eerie; instead, we would be greeted by the most unusual sight of a rather quaint staircase built exactly in the center of the house. An ethereal calm would overcome us, infusing our senses with peace and wonder. This feeling combined with the staircase, were so completely unexpected and seemingly out of place that it would always be greeted by audible gasps from everyone.

Aunt would invite us to climb the stairs. We obliged, but as soon as we got to the middle, she would disappear, and I would always awaken with great annoyance, sweating profusely, probably from my frustration of never finding out what was at the top of those stairs. For something was urgently beckoning me to climb to the very top.

The years passed, the dream still taunted and haunted me. My real parents got used to me shouting in my sleep. They knew nothing of any such house or family member.

I turned eighteen in June of 1996. My parents finally decided to take a much needed vacation, I was old enough in their eyes to be left alone in the house. I had no other siblings.

A letter arrived in the post addressed to me. The return address I could not locate on any map, google or library records. The content of the letter was an invitation to visit a certain address. I had inherited a house left by my aunt. I called my parents who said they had no clue about any such relation and could I wait until they got back to go visiting. I was not making any such promise, I mumbled a reply and hung up.

I went to sleep and woke up the next morning standing in front of the house of my dreams and nightmares. Try as I might, there was no recollection within my memory of how I could have possibly arrived at the address. I even pinched myself real hard to make sure that I was awake. The welt is still visible. I am awake.

What was I to do?

There was no aunt coming voluntarily to the door. I squared my eager shoulders, taking a good look around and realized that everything appeared just as it had in my dreams. The roses seemed to welcome me as the branches reached out, as if offering me their flamboyant and flowery blooms.

Slowly, I started walking towards the front door, up the steps I tentatively stepped, and knocked at the door. Someone called out 'come in'. I paused, perplexed and apprehensive about making such a dangerous decision. Yet, I knew that I would go in. Curiosity was certainly going to kill this frustrated, excited and eager cat.

The door complained loudly as I pushed it open. I stepped inside cautiously, gingerly, and with a great deal of trepidation and fear. What was I getting myself into?

"Hello, is anyone here". I called out. No one answered.

There, as it had been in my dreams was the enigmatic and troubling staircase. From somewhere above those stairs, I heard soft blues music being played.

My curiosity was now fully aroused, nothing could stop me from climbing to the top of those stairs. Up I climbed, first step, second step, middle step. I was still here, I was now fully convinced that I was not in a dream. This was real, I stepped more urgently in my quest to get to the top and discover what my dreams had been all about. The steps creaked, I paused, nothing happened. I continued up, there were many steps leading to the top.

Finally, I am there, looking around for the music, I moved towards the smooth soothing sounds of the jazzy blues. There was my dream aunt standing there, waiting. Instinctively now, I knew that she was not my aunt.

Suddenly, the house appeared to visibly shift, the walls folded, unfolded, and we were in another long ago era. On the walls hung various portraits of me, yet not me.

"Come, I have been waiting for you". She said, reaching out her hand to me. I took the outstretched proffered hand, somehow feeling as if I belonged here in this place, as time bewitchingly shifted again.

The older woman seemed to undergo a silent transformation, she started to become young again. As she got younger, I started to disappear. She pointed to the wall, smiling.

"You are the reincarnation of me. Do not worry, we have been calling out to you for many years. We are now become as one again".

"You are finally home.......", were the last echoes I would ever hear in this lifetime.

Ah! But yet, which of us is now young, and which is old? For in truth, I have always had an old soul.

I was never going to leave this house, I had been listening to it calling me my entire life. There was no escape for me. I was trapped, much like Alice going down that rabbit hole, only there was no way out.

The house had called and I had had no choice but to listen and obey.

If anyone out there should read this story, please come and find me. I have no idea where I am, look for the witching house with the mostly pink roses. My parents live at 66 Rose Terrace, Boondocks, Monterey.

Please hurry!!!!!!!

Am I awake or still dreaming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How many lifetimes have I lived?

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The other challenge.

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