Three Different Ways:
Dreams, Madness, and Myths

Melissa sat precariously on a plastic chair sized for bodies far smaller than hers and her back filed a constant complaint about the stresses annoying her. But when one is invited to a child’s tea party, one takes the pain so the child can take the joy. Across from the fruit themed plastic tablecloth, a…

Melissa’s hands were stuck to the side of the bin in the Mail Room. No amount of jerking or twisting would peel her flesh from the timeworn and cracked edges now digging into her palm. Across from her, Janice continued her assessment of the uselessness of Melissa’s presence during the years spent in high school…

Halfway through the morning, Melissa’s scheduling app announced with a bright chirp that she had been called in to work. Her paid internship with Leifert Enterprises was only part time but it came with full benefits and provided enough income to allow her to save part of her trust fund allowance. With a check-in time…

Melissa woke up shortly after dawn. The glow from her window was enough to warm her room but not enough to convince her to get out of bed. She remained comfortably sprawled under the covers as she reviewed her memory of the dream. On remembering the sensation of planting the card into her body, she…

The full moon held court in the summit of the bright starless sky and would have been quickly hidden by thickening clouds except Melissa was tired of this shit and brought the dream to a standstill immediately after becoming lucid. As such, the sun did not rise to challenge the usurper of its noonday throne…

Melissa knew that the shorter Rebecca’s answer, the more resolute Rebecca was about whatever she was answering. To throw a tantrum now in public would only entertain the card reader further, Melissa was sure. “Hey. I need you to trust me for a bit.” Melissa did not realize she had turned away from Rebecca until…

The full moon held court in the summit of the bright starless sky and was quickly hidden by thickening clouds that also smothered the sun as it moved quickly to challenge its usurper. Melissa saw enough of the two luminaries to spark lucidity and recognized that she was dreaming again. As shadows seeped up from…