Dreams

Story by Nina Nigo

It’s dark... Am I... floating?

I felt weightless. When did I lose so much weight? I don’t remember. I can’t open them, my eyes, it burns. Where am I? It hurts, I’m scared.

My body is screaming, is something clawing at me? It hurts, make it stop. Help me, please help me. I’m sinking, is something pulling me down? What is it? I’m scared, please help me, please help me.

“Open your eyes.”

A voice, who is it? Who’s talking? Open my eyes, why? It hurts, it hurts, I don’t want to open them.

“You’re losing. Don’t give up so quickly.”

Losing? What? I don’t understand. I can't feel anything besides the pain. I’m suffering, why? Why am I suffering? What did I do? Please, voice, tell me what happened. I don’t understand.

“Open your eyes. Look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look....”

The voice chanted. I want to look, I do, I really do, but I can’t. It hurts, please heal me. You want me to look but I can’t open my eyes, help me, please help me.

Suddenly the weight returned, and I felt myself sink deeper. Into what, I don’t know. I need to open my eyes, I need to see, let me look, please let me look. White flashed behind my closed eyelids. The pain lessened, what is this?

“Look.”

Slowly, painfully, my eyes opened, and a dark abyss filled my vision. I looked down; I was floating. Strands of my long brown hair floated around me. It felt like I was in water, only... I could breathe?

“You did well.” That voice, I knew it. It was familiar, but from where? Where did I hear that voice before? A figure formed in front of me, or... Was it just a cloud? It had a body, a feminine one and its hair floated up above its head. Its entire body was white as if it was painted completely. Two yellow dots glowed in the place of eyes, but there was nothing else. There was no mouth. They stared, what was going on?

“Where am I? Who are you?” That is what I wanted to ask but nothing came out. My mouth opened but no sound released, so I closed it. The figure floated closer, and my body tensed.

“I am you; you are me. We are one.” The figure circled me, and I felt my body involuntarily relax. What is this? Why does this... person make me feel safe? I don’t understand.

The voice was soothing, like that of a mother. I have a mother, but this is not her. I felt safe, why? I don’t understand, I don’t understand. I was sure my face showed how desperate I was for answers, but the figure made no move to answer them.

They floated closer until they were a foot away from me, “The answers you seek are not within me. Follow your mind but beware of your kind.”

My kind? Humanity? What does it all mean? Please, don’t leave me in the dark. You helped me before, right? Can’t you do it again?

The figure lifted their hand, placing a finger on my forehead. A rush of heat flooded my head.

“Now wake.”

And suddenly, I woke in a cold sweat.

Nina Nigo is a junior.

Mushroom During Fall

[Untitled Still Life]

Lea Azua is a freshman. She takes photographs for the yearbook and art class.

Gary Cook, Senior

Senior Gary Cook is a senior in his second photography class, and he also takes photographs for the yearbook. He enjoys the classes he has taken and plans to continue. He will attend Benedictine College next year.

Gary’s took these photographs for an assignment on texture in his photography class.

Closeup of Tree Bark