The Spiritual and the Divine

"Amara we need to go now!" I'm being pulled by the hand amidst dozens of people, also running for their lives. I look up to see who's doing the pulling, even though I already know by now, it's the same woman every night. I don't recognize her from my real life, but I've had this dream enough times for her to be familiar. It's all always felt real, as if I were experiencing deja vu or something. Everything from the mountain range, to the smell of the fires burning all around us as everything in the beautiful little village, goes up in flames.

I never get to see the beginning, never know what has happened. What's caused the fire, what we're all running from, who this woman is to me. It's always just running. I try to look around more and take in as many details as I can, but the more I look, the more smoke surrounds me and clouds my vision. Almost as if I'm not meant to see more. And then I look forward once again. I see the tree and the Barn Owl. Perched on the large bough like a guard we need to appease in order to gain access to safety from whatever it is we're fleeing from. Its eyes both unyielding and affable.

And then I wake up.

I drag myself groggily into the kitchen, desperate for my daily fix of caffeine.

"Have the dream again?" Kaz, my roommate and best friend of 8 years asks as I grab the pot of coffee and a straw. My way of answering her question without words.

"Oh Briar, you should really go talk to my professor. Her grandmother was a great Shaman, Sha-woman...? Point is, she's very wise and I told her all about this dream stuff you've been going through and she said she could help if you'd like."

Henley was our new roommate, she had just moved in a couple of months ago but in that short time, we'd all become pretty close. She was very into all that spiritual ju-ju and has been insisting I go talk to her 'Spirituality and the Divine' professor at our college about the strange recurring dream I have been having.

"I know you don't believe in this kinda stuff but I think she could really help you, please just say you'll consider it?" Henley was just so adamant and insistent, and her eyes always glistened in the most innocent way that just makes it so hard to not be convinced. The girl should make a career in sales or something I swear.

"Okay, okay. I'll go talk to her, what's the worst that could c0me of it?" Besides being a huge waste of my time. I kept that comment to myself.

Henley's Professor, Ms. Torro, seemed extremely eager when I called to schedule the meeting with her. Almost concerningly eager. Made me both off-put and curious. And since the curious side wins over every time, I made my way. This was totally taking time away from my busy Saturday that I had planned to do absolutely nothing with. But still, nothing is nice, especially with how little I've been sleeping as of late.

Starting to feel oddly uneasy as I got to Ms. Torro's office it took everything in me to not turn around and book it back home. "You're here to talk to some random spiritual broad about a recurring dream, get it together Briar." Giving myself some tough love, I knocked on the door. It was already open so I stepped in.

"You must be Briar!" a boisterous voice announced from somewhere in the back of the room I couldn't quite see. Taking in my surroundings I had to do a double-take at almost every new thing that came into my vision, unsure if what I was seeing was correct. The room was the most colorful, chaotic array of artifacts ranging from the Vikings to Native American culture. And everything was tied together in an almost bohemian-esque style that though there was no rhyme or reason to any of it, still worked somehow.

Suddenly, a woman came from the back. If the way she carried herself didn't give way to the fact that this is who I came to talk to, then her haphazard and chaotic appearance would have. This was the Spiritually Divine Ms. Torro. No doubts about it.

"Yes, um hi Ms. Torro. I am Briar, Henley's roommate, er friend slash roommate really, she's great. " I internally rolled my eyes at myself and my inability to sound like an intelligent human being. She chuckled "I sense a little hesitation, but I promise there's no need for it. And please call me Ruby." Her smile was comforting, she did seem as nice as Henley had said she was. "How about some tea to calm the nerves?"

I was of course a coffee gal, but I doubt caffeine would help the nerves at all, and I didn't want to be rude. "Tea would be great, thank you." Accepting her offer.

As she poured a cup for me and one for herself she sat down opposite of me and asked me to describe my dream for her. "Don't leave anything out," she insisted. As I explained all of the details to her, her expression was one of great interest and excitement, eyes lit up almost as if she had just been told the best news in the world.

When I finished, she asked me to follow her. Doing as I was told, Ruby led me to a back room that I assumed was her office off the classroom, which was where we were before. But instead I walked into a space with more artifacts, much older in appearance, and very important feeling. The kind of stuff you'd find in museums or something. She stayed silent, watching me as I looked around.

I stopped dead in my tracks. Hanging there on the back wall was her. A portrait of the woman from my dreams. The very same woman who had dragged me away from the danger every night. She was so stunningly beautiful it was heartbreaking, I had never noticed before. And standing next to her was an adorable little girl, who I didn't quite recognize but still somehow knew. "What...how did you...who is this?" I stuttered, unsure of how this was even possible.

"That's Illiana Sachimin of the ancient Red Tree Tribe, theirs is a lesser-known and quite sad story. And the little girl next to her is her daughter..." "Amara." I finished the last bit of her sentence as I already knew her name. "What happened to them?" Still in complete disbelief with a hint of shock, I couldn't believe I was so close to finding answers!

I really have to remind myself to buy Henley a present or something.

"All anybody knows is that there was a great fire that left not one survivor or witness to tell of how it all started."

"Until now that is." Ruby said, her voice once again dripping with excitement. Not really sure what she was meaning by that I turned to look at her, noting the giant grin that stretched across her face. "And by that, you mean...?"

"Briar, I don't think what you're having are dreams. I think it's a memory, a first-hand account of the events that took place over 200 years ago." "We just need to access the rest of the story!"

"Was there something in that tea? Cause this is crazy. How could I possibly be re-living a memory that isn't mine?" And what about the Owl?! Where does that guy fit in with all of this? He seems pretty important! This is all pretty overwhelming Ruby, I'm not gonna lie." I don't know when I started pacing. Or panicking for that matter. After a few more minutes of unraveling, I managed to catch my breath.

"What do I need to do? Just keep sleeping and hope the dreams extend past what I already see?" The whole thing makes me feel sick but like I said curiosity always wins. "Sure, you could do that. But I was thinking more of the hypnosis route." "Could help us tune into your unconscious quicker and unlock the rest of the story."

"Hypnosis?" I nearly choked on my own saliva trying not to laugh.

"You just discovered that you're experiencing a 200-year-old memory and hypnosis is absurd to you?" Ruby sternly asked. I couldn't deny what she was saying, and I felt bad for insulting her so I ultimately agreed. "You're right I apologize, today is just a very crazy day. Head's still wrapping around everything. Let's give it a shot."

Ruby lit an incense stick and put on some kind of meditation-type music. None of it was really my thing so I didn't expect any of it to work. Ruby started off talking, telling me to envision this and pay attention to the feeling of that, eventually going quiet. After a few minutes of feeling absolutely no change, I decided this was pointless and we'd just have to rely on my sleeping self to help us out.

"I'm sorry Ruby, this just isn't working." I was starting to explain as I opened my eyes. But Ruby wasn't there. Nothing was there. Not the eccentric room with all the artifacts, not the incense, no music. Just forest. And mountains. And a strange feeling of home. Just as I was taking it all in, I heard a voice in the distance.

"Amara, time for bed!" I knew that voice. I'd heard it many times before. I followed it to a hut where a calm dim light was radiating out from a doorway covered by an animal pelt. And then she stepped out. "Illiana." I couldn't stop her name from coming out of my mouth. She looked at me with a curious look, eyebrow raised. "Well I prefer mother, but yes." She said chuckling. "Come now, it's time for bed."

After being tucked in, surprised at how comfortable and safe I felt, I hastily fell asleep. Unsure of how many hours had passed by, I was woken up by an argument happening just outside of our hut. "I don't understand why we can't stay and fight! This is a coward's way." A male voice yelled. "Amandi this isn't up for discussion, the Criften army has found us. If we fight we will lose. The future of our tribe depends on this." An even more powerful sounding male voice dominated over the other.

"How long do we have Teneer?" Illiana asked, sounding almost as concerned as when she was telling me to run in my dream. "The fires have been set. Grab your sweet daughter and head for the Mountains. I have arranged safe passage with another tribe, they'll meet us at the river's edge. Amandi and the other warriors will gather the rest of the village."

That's when the chaos started. "Chief Teneer! The fire is spreading too quickly, it's already in the heart of the village!" a voice running up frantically shouted. "Illiana, grab Amara and go! We'll take care of our people."

Just then, my mother, I mean Amara's mother rushes in to wake me. Grabbing my hand, I can smell the smoke getting closer. The clouds becoming impossible to see through. I can hear the screams of the people in the Village. "Amara, we need to go now!"

Everything is just as it is in my dream. Only when we get to the tree, the Owl is nowhere to be seen, and we're still running. Darting in between the trees, every now and then catching a glimpse of some of the other runners.

We finally make it to the river where we're meant to meet up with the other Tribe. Over the next few hours a few more villagers show up. But not many. With every passing minute Illiana seems to grow increasingly worried. Less and less screams can be heard in the distance.

Movement from the other side of the river indicates that the other Tribe has arrived. Another worrisome sign. The rest of Red Tree should be here by now. They offer to send a few of their warriors back to check for survivors. Coming back with unfortunate news. At my last count, there are only 11 of us left. Illiana takes my face in her hands, a tear running down her face as she hugs me.

I open my eyes and find Ruby staring at me. After telling her what happened, she explained to me that the Criften Army, was a mighty force that devastated many cultures. The Red Tree Tribe being one that wasn't known. Their plan to fake their own demise and disappear backfiring more than likely being the reason the Criften Army were never given that credit. Illiana and the rest of the survivors would have become apart of the Tribe that took them in.

"Ruby," I asked needing to know one last thing. "The Barn Owl I always seen at the end of my dreams, he wasn't there this time."

"Oh right! I completely forgot to explain about that. It is said that the Barn Owl is a guide of sorts. Between the past and present, the seen and the unseen. Even the Spiritual and the Divine." She said with a wink.

A few months passed before the return of the sleepless nights and another person's story to figure out. The Owl had come to me once again.