ASBO-Boy - The Dreams

"They all dream of the sea." She said, holding his hand. Omen looked down from the wall and surveyed the bay as it swept out before them. Dotted across the surface of the ever-lapping waves lay the star shaped forms of Others, lying face upwards. Their eyes were closed.

"Are they dead?" Omen asked with a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, but when she looked at him she shook her head, bewildered.

"They are dreaming." She replied, simply. Without a second glance she stepped off the wall and guided him down to the water, floating effortlessly in the air. Beneath them a boy not much older than Omen bobbed on the water. "There are things you must see." Softly, she leaned down and touched the boy on the forehead.

The world turned to white and shifted around them until they were standing in a park. Brynmill Park. There was no one around apart from a couple sitting under a tree a short distance away. It was the boy, lying on a blanket while a girl sat next to him. "There are people you will need to help before the end. You must know them, in order to do this."

A strange feeling crept through Omen's skin, it was warm and happy. It reminded him of Spout. "Do I know her?" He asked, feeling hot and uncomfortable. Her face was warm and soft, but something about it scared him.

"She is the Elemental known as Siren." The girl said. "He is called Squeeze." She looked at Omen squarely and continued, "You will need to find him. He is one of the catalysts." Omen nodded as if he understood what she was talking about. With a gesture the world faded away again and they were standing on the water looking down at the floating Others. With purpose she led him over to another sleeping form, a girl this time, smaller and probably younger than he was. In an instant they were standing on a hillside overlooking Swansea. The sun was beating down on them and the air was warm. Long grass came up to their waists as they watched the girl leading a Pony down the hillside towards a crooked tree. "Where are we?"

"We are with Malady."

"That's not what I mean – what is this place? I feel the same as I did in the last place." Omen replied, feeling uneasy but finding himself unable to stop smiling.

"This is the Idyll." She explained. "Or, at least that's what I call it. Everyone has a place like this locked away in their heads. It's the place where the most perfect fantasies are allowed to exist, pure and unhindered by reality or possibility. Here, anything can happen."

Omen couldn't help smiling, the feeling the place exuded was infectious. He felt like a tresspasser.

"What if you see something you don't want to?" He asked her, averting his eyes.

She looked away from a moment, "That's always a possibility. But here, invariably there is goodness, however small. I believe that this place must exist even in the most evil people." It sounded uncomfortably as if she was trying to convince herself.

Omen looked away to the girl and the pony. They'd reached the tree. Sitting under the branches against a low stone wall was Siren again. Omen looked at his companion, but she was lost to him. He was forced to watch as Siren accepted the reigns of the pony and stroked his muzzle. Behind him he felt the wind change and shadows passed over the tall grass. He turned and saw figures walking down the hillside, bowed and swaying, the ill and the damned. Malady turned to them and smiled with welcoming arms.

The world shimmered around them and Omen felt his feet touch the cold water of the sea. The girl pulled his hand and he found himself being dragged towards the Marina. Above them the moon's light cast everything in a silvery glow. Space and time blurred into one, distance meant nothing here. They were soon approaching the quayside – in the distance he saw the men dragging Spout's flailing body from the water. His feet treaded carefully between the drowned simulacra in the water. The girl smiled at him benignly as her dopplegangers stared off into the abyss.

"This is me." She said pointing at the girl in the shadows. A woman had her arms wrapped around the girl's neck, they were hiding from the beasts on the far side. "They lied to us." She finished.

"Omen! Wake up!" Came a voice from beyond, breaking into his mind like a knife.

The girl's head shifted. She looked faraway, then concerned. "Something has changed in the waking world. It has begun. Find Squeeze, find Malady. You will know what to do." Omen looked down at the girl.

"This is you…" he mused, "This is actually you. this is your dream. Am I right?"

"In a way. I walk in dreams."

"What's your name?" He demanded quickly.

"Flicker."

"Will I see you again?" He demanded urgently.

"Not unless I am changed. I live only in dreams now, my waking self is lost to me. You may find my body. Say hello for me." She nodded sadly, fading into darkness.

When Omen opened his eyes he saw Spout and Swarm leaning in over him. "Wake up buddy. You need to see this." He felt himself dragged out of bed and into the light. There was smoke, the sound of crying and thousands of people filling the site. In the distance, he saw the Sandfields burning.