Cold Dream

The following story is for Liam Storm's 1984 challenge...

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

I was still in bed. My wife had just died the night before and after a horrible night, I had finally fallen asleep. I pondered how vivid my dream was. A man had come up to me and said that he could bring her back, at a price.

I'd seen this scenario before in so many movies. Sell yor firstborn, give me your soul. As soon as a person died, they stayed dead. I would never see my wife again. I looked out the window. The sun was shining brightly, the snow had melted and was giving rise to a new season.

But I only saw grey. The ominous look of grey. Was I depressed and needed help? I barely felt I could leave my room. I missed my wife so much.

We had been married for two years. We had decided no children. Most days were exciting and full of adventure. My wife, Janet, was a nurse and I owned a business. We had several vacations a year. We had planned a trip to Italy in a few months, now the thought of it depressed me.

I went downstairs to have some breakfast. I had no appetite so I just drank some coffee. I couldn't escape the idea that our bodies, our lives would just cease to exist. Everything suddenly seemed meaningless.

We make a routine, wake up, work, pay bills, and keep repeating. Yet we all die sooner or later. I was in this world for just a short time and while with Janet, I was trying to make it a grand old time. I decided to hell with it. I was going to sell my business, relocate and start a new life. There was nothing left here in Canada for me.

Years passed. I had relocated to Rome. Why? Because I had always dreamed of being in the city with the Colosseum. I was working casually to pay off any bills. Everyday though I would go for walks to different parts. It was the only way I could get my mind off my wife. This particular day especially did.

A strange man had told me that I would be reunited with what my heart most desired. He said the tragedy that was to be bestowed on the world was going to fall soon. A nut bag I figured. What could possibly happen right now.

I went to bed and had another dream about the man offering me to bring back my wife. This time the dream was lucid. I was able to respond to him. I told him while I wanted nothing more than to have her back with me I could not sacrifice anything to revive her. This was based both on the fact I didn't trust him, and also a renewed faith having lived in Rome for the past few months.

It was a great thing I did that too. The following day a massive tidal wave consumed most of the world. How it happened, we will never know. As it turns out, everybody had had a similar dream. Many had caved to this man in the dream and they as such were turned away from the gates of Heaven. Here I was holding a key to it. The people who failed the test were not going to get the key. As I approached the gate I saw the familiar beauty that was my darling Janet. We were united at last, not on the Earth but in this eternal after life.