Chapter 05 - I Dreamt I was Young

Chapter 05 - I Dreamt I was Young

I dreamt that night of a childhood memory. Time rewound to the innocent age of thirteen, a stage shared with an adolescent group of misfits all rallying together to rebel against our future selves. Sev, Sails, Carmine, Essie, and myself would band together most afternoons to explore the wooden pines of Forest City in lieu of the many responsibilities our age beckoned. This particular morning held weight, there had never been another day the same. The season of winter was never referred to with only one noun, instead locals defined the season as Second Fall. The accurate name change reflected the mild winter that was experienced throughout the region, jeans and a jacket met the requirements of season attire as the last page of the calendar revealed a new year to come. Regardless of who or what you were, it is impossible not to recall December 6th, 1989. As if some lost bet was fulfilled by the gods and goddesses of each season, the mundane and typical morning turned unique quite quickly. Around 9:30am the sky shed a sash of snow that covered the entire landscape. This memory plays often in the cinema of my thoughts. Sails and I were in ninth grade physics as the windows that typically fostered daydreaming, froze in a downpour of white snowflakes.

SAILS: I don’t mean to interrupt, but everyone look. Is it actually snowing outside?

The entire classroom tilted in unison to view the observation.

ATMOS: We have to go check, this very instance.

I knew after broadcasting such a statement that the stonewall discipline of teacher Worthington would be tested.

TEACHER: Mmmmm Atmos, you know you have to remain in your seat. I cant just let the entire class go outside during the time allotted to learn.

SAILS: Look it’s Miss Sophie’s class, they’re all outside. We have to join them!

TEACHER: We will certainly not. Look students, I am as awestruck as you are at the sight of snow, but we must finish the lesson. After which, you may do whatever you please with your lunch break.

Sails knew what I knew, Sev and Essie were in Miss Sophie’s class, all we would need to do is get Carmine out of class to make the enjoyment complete. 

ATMOS: Sails we need to fake a fight. Get kicked out, and go join our friends in this new weather.

SAILS: That’s a stupid plan Atmos.

ATMOS: Who you calling stupid!

I jumped at Sails and tackled him off of his seat. My body kneeling on top of his, making sure to wink after the action. I pretended to grab his head in some remade wrestling move gone morbid, the opportunity needed to whisper in his ear.

ATMOS: I would never actually hurt you Sails, let’s get out of here.

Sails found his playful side and shoved me hard back, his face flooded with the notion that he hoped it hadn’t hurt.

TEACHER: Enough boys, off you go. You both will have to work this out with the principal.

He began to place finger after finger in the rotary phone, notifying the office to expect us.

TEACHER: If you are not in the main office in two minutes, well the entire school will be looking for you.

ATMOS: Understood, just make sure this guy doesn’t try to sucker punch me.

Teacher Worthington rolled his eyes and motioned his academic hand towards the exit. Sails and I kept our distance but quickly scurried into the hallway.

ATMOS: Alright, let’s head outside, side door work for you?

SAILS: Atmos they’ll be on the look out for us, I don’t think it is that simple.

ATMOS: We can outrun most of the facility here, come on for crying out loud, it’s snowing, any trouble brewing is well worth it.

Sails smirked, he was easy to convince, we headed outside to join the others.

It took seconds for our presence to be known, Essie ran over first, neglecting the words her teacher spit out during her olympic tryout. 

ESSIE: Are you guys taking this in? It’s snowing in Forest City, I can’t believe it.

SAILS: Atmos might have gotten us in trouble with Johnny Law, our time outside might be short lived.

ESSIE: Nonsense, I cannot imagine what the pines look like right now. I’d find out for detention. Hell I’d bet an entire semester of sitting in that dull room after school just to venture out. What’ll you say, I bet we can outrun the entire staff here.

ATMOS: I said the same thing!

Essie smiled. She knew Carmine held the heart I hadn’t asked for back, but she was someone who made my thoughts wander.

ATMOS: Sev, I would imagine is up for the great escape. Has anyone seen Carmine? She should be in American History right now. How do we break her out?

ESSIE: Maybe the moment needs to be jumped on, you guys already said you’re public enemy number one. Carmien can come next time.

SAILS: There won’t be a next time!

Essie kicked Sails in the knee, I knew the current company would facilitate pure enjoyment in this new weather, but I feared how Carmine would take her absence in such indulgence.

Although I knew strings had been lassoed round mine and dear Carmine’s heart, the year proved an unusually tough tour around the sun for her. The start of the new year brought tragedy to her family with her sister and older brother drowning in an undertow believed to have been created by the new train bridges built by the extension of the railway for NightLight. Evelyn and Carmine were as close as sisters could be, differing in age by a tight ten months. A common story told of their relationship was how they would swap places from time to time, taking on the other’s role for a school detention or picture day event. Her older brother Theodore acted as a father figure for the two sisters, for an absentee father figure at the top of the patriarch. Absentee turned absent as Carmine's parents split up after the funeral for Evelyn and Marcus. I can still remember the soft sound of the rain pattering atop of each miniature wooden casket while a fancy dressed stranger spoke words of peace to a small crowd. The butter blunt edges that existed in Carmine’s personality became sharpened by the shrouded year filled with death, yet she somehow formed a beautiful bond with her mother. This newly awakened relationship kept some form of stability within the wreckage surrounding the incident. An erie detail formed and flickered like a feeble flame just outside of view, Carmine grew a fascination to death. It clung to her once and a while like a six am dew. 

SAILS: Look we need to go, whose trying out for track right now? Race to the forest? The entrance just behind the school, they’ll stop following us there.

Essie smiled the same as Sails, would the cumulative pressure neglect poor Carmine? Within seconds, they both shot off into the distance. Sev, oblivious to our conversation, saw all he needed and followed in pursuit. All eyes darted towards me, milli-seconds held the decision I needed to make in my mind, my feet bolted but in a different direction. I knew exactly where Carmine’s history class was.

The exit door slammed shut with a delay of my entry, I had two hallway turns left until Carmine’s classroom greeted me. The path left went quick as my hand turned the knob to the full room, spilling out into some unknown presentation about Forest animals, particularly dear. I noticed Carmine, sitting in the back trying her best to look as unimpressed within the moment should fallen eyes bestow her. I ran to her desk, grabbed her arm and smiled. My lips whispered through the excitement that she would soon join us outside.

ATMOS: This is a breakout, don’t try to resist.

CARMINE: That’s usually my job.

She smiled the convincing smile that everything would be alright.

ATMOS: I’m sorry professor, but it’s a family emergency. You understand, you’re part of the family, somehow.

The last note setting off a demand to stay put, we had to catch up to the others,but the stop, the person, was well worth it. The entrance to the pines never held such satisfaction. It proclaimed a new welcome as the floor bled white. 

Essie had heard our escape approaching in the distance like rainfall in the forest beginning behind you. She had a face mixed with the excitement of my company with the disappointment of Carmines.

CARMINE: I never thought I’d live to see myself beaten in a race by you.

ESSIE: Anyway. Guys can you believe what we’re about to experience? Snow in the pines, it is going to be magical.

CARMINE: I never cared much for magicians.

The group laughed, this banter somewhat common, at the time I hadn’t placed that I might be at the center.

SEV: Look, I cannot wait to share a flask by the old outcropping that overlooks the abandoned lighthouse. Maybe we start there?

SAILS: You were able to bring a flask, Sev we came from school, how?

CARMINE: What Sails means to say is thank you Sev for the appetizer.

ATMOS: Look guys I don’t care where we go, let’s just spend the entire day lost in this frozen landscape.

Sev smiled and took charge as the apex of our goose triangle, flying high in the sky to parts unknown. He slowed his pace to walk alongside Carmine and reached for the flask hidden from all. Their chatter lost to the falling snow that surrounded us. I stopped for a moment to notice the Essie following suit.

ESSIE: Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?

ATMOS: It’s like we’re seeing the pines again for the very first time. And hey by the way I think magicians are pretty cool.

ESSIE: Right? I’m glad we have that in common.

We sped our motions to catch to the group heading to Sev’s beautiful moment, catching their attention in our delay. Carmine turned her boots to walk in a direction that would intersect me.

CARMINE: Stay for a drink Atmos?

ATMOS: Aren’t we walking right now?

An eyeroll was followed by Carmine’s grip on my hand, her movement halted. She brought Sev’s flask to her mouth and poured a few seconds of liquid into her divine mouth. She came close to me, and landed her lips on mine, opening her mouth and dispensing some of the liquid held into my mouth. With partial lips she gurgled “Cheers Darling” I swallowed the toxin and smiled of my role in her playfulness.

SAILS: Dinner and a show, how lucky are we?

ATMOS: Anyone want some of Sev’s potion before we continue?

ESSIE: I’ll be next, Darrrrling.

Essie giggled as she mocked the scene that had just unfolded. The elixir proceeded to be passed round and round until it was empty.

SEV: Well done, let’s continue onward then. We’re close now, and I have just the topic of discussion.

ESSIE: Lovely Sev, what you got!

SEV: Well science class today had me thinking, what animal do I want to be if I were to be reincarnated. I’d bet that we all have different answers.

ATMOS: I’ve never given reincarnation much thought Sev, I’ll have to let the snow massage my mind.

CARMINE: Well the Forest Moth is without a doubt the chosen animal.

ESSIE: Aren’t moths insects Carmine?

CARMINE: They are oh so much more. I’ve never felt so connected to another species before. I’d live along side them for an eternity if I could, pity I’m afraid I cannot. My mother spoke of their brilliance daily, instilling a love for their mystic long ago. I shall say, the joy of finding a large gathering of their existence in one area, the soothing noise of a thousand wings pattering, is shear ecstasy.

SEV: Alright Carmine, good start, Moths are everywhere here in the forest, smart choice. Whose next?

ATMOS: Well I’m savvy to foxes, suppose I’d like to see what it’s like to be one.

ESSIE: You’d be a cute fox!

CARMINE: Foxes have a short life expectancy Atmos, maybe death is your reincarnation. Perhaps you could do us all a favor and pick another animal. 

ATMOS: A death has to be meaningful for it to make sense, I don’t think being a tiny critter makes the list.

ESSIE: Remind me not to ask you any more questions s Carmine. 

Carmine closed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Essie, a fair reaction for the prod. We walked through a recently cleared portion of the trees, beckoning a collection of comments aimed towards the construction that wished to bring two new stops, servicing NightLight’s research facility to the local train service. Many locals predicted the train would crash shortly after being placed into service. The speeding bullet would need to rely on the accuracy of its labor force tasked with defying the landscape. A large group of tradesmen, all local to Forest City, all with the understanding of a common enemy, NightLight. Carmine was first to prey on the scene.

CARMINE: Oh how I hope to see this train off its tracks one day, these new stops are quite pitiful.

Sails chuckled with the narrative, soaking the words with reality. 

SAILS: Let’s find a more peaceful way to burn them to the ground Carmine.

CARMINE: I’ll push you into the water Sails with one more comment like that.

Carmine found a spare spray paint can that many appeared to use to deface the work in progress. She walked over to the nearest bridge abutment and sprayed “Stop destroying the Pines or else! Sincerely C” in bold red letters. The construction site acted as a landmark, we would soon approach Sev’s desired clearing.

SAILS: You know we weren’t all together for this race that took place earlier. Shall we have a redo? This time with full participation?

ESSIE: Teams! I want to ride on someone’s back, barking orders to the sky!

My eyes deviated towards Essie, hanging for seconds as I took joy in capturing her excitement. 

CARMINE: Don’t even think about it.

Carmine spoke at a whisper, yanking my hand towards her.

CARMINE: Atmos and I, verse you three. I don’t envy whoever is at the bottom of that trio.

ESSIE: UGH, fine. You two are going to regret your decision! Sails boost me up, no offense Sev, but you can be our coach!

He nodded and surprised us all by forming an all out sprint towards a finish line we hadn’t defined. 

CARMINE: Atmos, hurry yourself as a steed.

She elegantly mounted my lower back, putting us into action towards the already mobile Essie and Sails. The moment matched the beauty of the snowfall around us. Each pair properly giggling with the innocence of the act. Even Carmine had cracked a smile among the snow flakes that increased in density with our new direction. I could barely make out the three assailants in front of us when they all abruptly stopped. 

SEV: Hey! Who goes there!

Our tandem ride ended, approaching the detour. Carmine leapt off of me and ran into the soft white falling air ahead. 

ATMOS: Wait! Where is she going? What did you guys see?

ESSIE: It was someone else, out here all alone in the Pines. I couldn’t make out much with the falling snow. But they scattered once Sev yelled out. 

Carmine screamed softly in the distance, louder than I knew she was capable of. We all ran into the white out towards her location. Seconds held the short journey to reveal Carmine sitting on the ground, holding her knee as if she had just fallen. The appendage appeared unscathed, but her face spoke of a different story. 

ESSIE: You look like you’ve seen a ghost.

CARMINE: Essie, no one asked you anything. Ever.

The group went silent. I knelt down to pick Carmine up off of the ground, placing my arm underneath her leg. 

CARMINE: You’ll never carry me in this lifetime sweetheart.

She winked to indicate a sliver of humor in what she had said.

Carmine began walking and immediately pulled out her small notebook held in her jean pocket. The silence continued as she scribbled notes to herself.

SEV: There goes Carmine again, writing endless screenplays about made up people we’ll never get to hear.

She spun around, eyebrows level with her sharp green eyes. 

CARMINE: You know what Sev, I actually have the perfect short script to act out. You’re right, allow me to share it with the class this time. You have a great role to play in this one. You’re Atmos’s partner in crime.

A mixture of excitement and agitation had her actions performing in double speed.

CARMINE: Atmos. You’re the no thrills detective. You began a life of virtue, but you’ve fallen on hard times. You’re corrupt now, and actually the villan of this tale. Essie.

Carmine smirked.

CARMINE: Essie, you’re Atmos’s lover. Held bent on stopping him from what he’s become.

ESSIE: My goodness, I’ll cherish this day. When you wrote me in as Atmos’s lover.

CARMINE: It’s just show business darling. Sails, you’re our hero. The civilian working a dead end job, trying to do the right thing, whatever it takes. Alright folks, the scene begins and ends on a boat. A big one, think ocean tanker sized.

Carmine handed the notebook to Sails, inferring for him to read his line from the script she had created.

SAILS: Uh okay. Why not Carmine. It says I’m at a payphone, on a boat?

Carmine had an instant look of disappointment.

CARMINE: Yes Sails, do you have a problem with that?

SAILS: Nope…..Hello? Person on the other line of this phone…I have the goods. I’ll be arriving at the city shortly, see you then.

He handed the notebook over to Sev.

SEV: Stop right there! I know you have the goods. I’m not going to hurt you, I’m here to help. My partner. He’s. He’s gone mad. BAM!

Sev looks over at Carmine, small snowflakes can be seen accumulating on the notebook.

SEV: Should I read the notes below my dialogue?

CARMINE: Sev, narrate the scene properly.

SEV: A gunshot echoes throughout the air. The partner falls to his knees, looking behind him to see….

Sev ran over to pass the notebook, curious of his fictitious fate.

ATMOS: You thought you could double cross me, no one double crosses the dastardly. You there, civilian, give me the goods or else!

The book was placed back in Sails’s hand.

SAILS: Can’t we talk about this, there has to be another way besides death.

ESSIE: Wait! Detective, I knew I’d find you on this boat. Think of our future together, let this man go and sail off with me instead. I still love you as much as the first day we met.

Essie altered her voice, indicating that she was now reading notes.

ESSIE: A fight breaks out, the two men brawl as the gun is flung from the detective’s hand. They get closer and closer to the railing of the  boat. The lady in red, “that must be me!”, following them screaming for them to stop. A rocky wave strikes the vessel knocking the lady in red into the water below “Hey! No fair!”. The men stop fighting and search the water below for her. The detective realizes she is surely dead by now. “Great thanks for the cast in Carmine.”

I peered down at my next lines.

ATMOS: No! My sweet love, this is all my fault. Why didn’t I listen to you!

I began sniffling, as the script noted.

CARMINE: Sell it Atmos, more emotion.

ATMOS: My sweet love! This is all my fault!

CARMINE: More!

ATMOS: Why didn’t I listen to you!!

CARMINE: Atmos, pretend it was me who just died, pour yourself into these lines.

ATMOS: No! My sweet love! This is all my fault!

An odd aroma stung the air, poor Carmine had cracked in the moment from the trama still fresh in her bones.

SEV: Maybe that’s enough for now. A plus acting everyone. Now I’ve been patient, let’s head to the outcropping.

The group meandered past the density of trees and found awe in the sight of a snowy lighthouse in the distance, water half frozen providing beautiful reflections away from the relic. 

ESSIE: I heard a famous woman designed the structure, was supposed to be her life’s work. 

SEV: It is beauty defined.

The film reel typically burns through with the shining image. Ending the memory and the dream that beckoned its recall.