Vol: 1

I had a nightmare last night.

I was in a house; it use to be a beautiful house. The house had two levels and it overlooked a

body of water. A lake or a pond; I really don't know the difference, but either way it was big and murky.

The house changed though. Whether it was time or just seeing the house's bones or just how

dreams are in general; things shift without rhyme or reason.

The house changed in a split second from beautiful to an epic tragedy. It was dilapidated,

full of dirt and holes and water seeped from it's wall; as if crying.

Outside of the house, was the lake where a monster had appeared. It was shaped like a snake, only it was big;

it filled the lake end to end. The color of moss and the slippery texture of a dolphin.

She wanted to be known. She wanted the people of the land to know her presence there within

the lake. She didn't want to hide or be scared anymore. She wanted to be seen.

Before she allowed her presence to be know, the lake was like any other lake. People loved to take trips to the lake.

They'd bring their family's on sunny days and jump wildly, boldly into the murky water from the dock.

One day she popped her eyes above the surface. No one saw her but me. Her body had only been seen by men and

children within the form of folklore; The childish tales meant as only fantasy.  The murky tall tales any dark body

of water has but like a blink of an eye she desired to be known. She desired to be seen. She became bold and began splashing about. People on the land were shocked, their eyes unsure of themselves.

That day I was sitting on the dock, always drawn to the mysterious of that darkness. Always wanting

to connect with those eyes again.

When the people behind me began to stir I was shocked. They questioned their sanity like I had

questioned mine over and over again. They gawked, slacked jawed and pointed fingers.

At first it was a curve of her body that protruded beyond the surface. Then a tail. She moved with

uncertainty. She questioned herself in the moments before action like any other begin conscious of

itself. She lunged forward and I knew she must have been holding her breath. The dock stirred,

it rocked upward and my body fell down into the darkness of the water. Her head rose high that day.

The people who stood gawking, screamed and fled running faster than ever before.

Beneath the water my body struggled for air. It whipped about, clawing for anything to grip on to but

finding only fear. Above me light had be ellipse by her massive head. Panic ripped at me.

My body slammed into hers and she look down upon me, our eyes yet again meeting. I could feel her

skin but like all moments of panic, my brain refused to processes the depths of this moment.

I only knew I wanted air, I wanted to find the end of the water and the beginning of the world I knew

again. Never considering rational thoughts like whether or not she would squish me or eat me or worse, kill me on accident.

The blackness came as I image death comes to us all. In a blink I was there then I was not. The only

thing was, death did not come that day. I awoke on the edge of the lake, my body soaked.

On the other side police had gathered and waited for the chance to kill the monster that plagued their

eyes from earlier that day. The lake was now still in the moonlight. She returned to the depths,

contemplating her next move. The flashes of reds and blues illuminated the scene and I woke,

weak and with the clear understanding that this monster had saved my life.

I picked my sore body up from off the land and walk towards the flashing reds and blues.I passed them

as if I didn't exist, as if I was unseen. I wondered for a second if I had died in that lake but I knew I had not,

I knew they just had other things on their minds, other things to focus on, monsters to kill, battles to wage.

I walk to my home that was still a wreck. That night I slept in a hole in the upstairs restroom. Far from the

blinking lights and the fear that gripped the men and women outside.

Inside my house I felt fear as well, but not the same type of fear they felt. It was an uneasy sort of dread

that pulled at my heart. I knew it would be all okay if I could just put my house back together.

Clean, fill and fix it.

The morning came and with the light you arrived.

The police had gone, the land and lake were now hers. She swam around the edges of the water,

still keeping her head low but she wanted understanding. She wanted all to know she was there.

She was not a fairy tale. She was not stuff of legends but instead she knew she had strength,  

her existence created fear and oddly respect. Nevertheless, she still kept her head low but her figure

could always be seen just inches below water.

Time went by and we fixed some things; water and wood no long laid side by side.

Dirt cleansed from walls and light had been brought back into our home.

The land around the lake stayed unkempt. No one dared to get so close to where the monster haunted.

One day you wanted to go, you wanted to take care of the land. I couldn't say why? Or that you should stay.

In truth, I did not know if you would be okay or not? I did not know any truths. I had become someone else,

a quiet being, stuck within myself. Stuck inside my own mind.

I watched as you went across the the lake, walking beside it. I watched you from the second level

window of our home. Me within walls looking out upon the land, you on the other side of that body of

water tending to the earth and between us swimming freely a giant green monster who saved my life.

Then I woke up.