Guided To Another World

 I couldn’t focus. The phrase played over and over in my head. Work was a blur. I could not focus. I was excited. I couldn’t wait. I was in a fog. Seemingly on autopilot. It wasn’t until dinner that I was temporarily snapped out of my daze. My sons, Robert and Declan, grabbed my attention. Robert spoke first.

“Dad!” Robert exclaimed, “I am so happy for next week! The Zoo! The Zoo!”

He jumped up and down so excitedly, his glasses bounced off his face. At ten years old, he had been twice and loved the Lions. Declan loved the giraffes. Declan was jumping up and down too.

“And Daddy!” Declan shrieked, “The giraffes! Daddy!”

“Alright, calm down,” my wife said with a chuckle.

“Time for dinner,” I said with a smile, “We can watch a movie while we eat, okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah!” They both exclaimed.

“Go on,” my wife chimed in, “wash up. Let’s eat!”

We watched the movie and we enjoyed our dinner. For the few hours I had with my kids before they slept, I was free of the fog. Nearly forgetful of the phrase. Nearly. I put the boys to bed and came out to Dani doing the dishes. She smiled at me.

“Are they asleep?” She asked.

“Almost,” I said. “I am going to take a shower and go to bed. I’m still tired from last night.”

“You have done that twice in the last few months,” she said. “You okay babe?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said. “Just some weird dreams.”

“Probably stress.” she said.

“Probably,” I hugged her from behind. She turned around and kissed me, “Don’t worry babe. I am okay.”

“I’ll never stop worrying,” She kissed me again. 

I hurried through my shower, dried off and got dressed in my pajamas. When I came to bed, she was almost asleep. We curled together under the blankets and she drifted off. I wondered what she was dreaming as my eyes grew heavy. I whispered the words.  Omnes una manet nox. 

The scenery immediately changed. I was in front of a familiar house. A two story Victorian with blue window shutters and a yellow door. This was Dani’s childhood home. An electrical fire had taken it years ago. I looked into the window and caught my reflection. I was young. A teenager of about seventeen. The yellow door opened and there was Dani! Young as well. Just like when I met her. She motioned me to come to the porch. I cautiously walked up the steps to her. She kissed me on the cheek and took my hand. She led me to the porch swing. This was where we had our first kiss. 

“I can’t believe we are here,” I started.

“I know,” She said, “I thought dad would kill us for making out right here last week.”

“I was over the porch rail in a hurry,” I laughed. 

“Maybe one day,” She looked around, “we could catch our kids kissing right here too.”

“You think your parents would sell it to me?” I asked.

“Maybe if you married me,” She laughed.

“Then I will buy it,” I said.

“Don’t be silly!” She blushed.

We laughed with joy and I hugged her and said, “The first thing I will do is replace all the electrical, then set up a basketball hoop over the garage.”

With a flash of light, I woke up. My alarm was chiming, and she moaned as she woke. We kissed each other good morning and slipped into the shower together before the kids woke up. After getting dressed, I walked downstairs and began to make breakfast. The trash was full, so I took it outside. I walked out and took a glance back at the house and dropped the trash bag. A two story Victorian with blue shutters and a yellow door. I could hear the creak as the wind guided the porch swing back and forth. There was a basketball hoop over the garage.

I was hit with a thousand new memories of buying and fixing her childhood home. Getting married in the backyard. The kids first bikes. Barbeques and dinners. A family reunion. I was overwhelmed. I felt paralyzed in place. Then a slap on my shoulder snapped me out of it. I looked next to me and there was Grandpa.

“Pick up that bag son,” he said, smiling. “This place is too beautiful to have trash all over the yard.

At Sunrise

“There is a place in dreams where a select few can allow reality to change,” She said. “We can weave in between the seams. Here is where we dwell as Lamplighters.”

“That explains Grandpa,” I observed.

“Yes,” She smiled. “He was a test.”

“A test?” I asked.

“The ability to be a Lamplighter resides in the few,” She said, “It comes when a Lamplighter is ready.”

“I am ready?” 

“Yes,” She said. “Now, I already know you, William. It is time you knew who I am. I am Nyx.

I have been a Lamplighter since the times of the Polytheistic reign of Zeus.”

“You are a God, then.” 

“An Immortal. God was just a way of explaining the unknown. My predecessor was Osiris,” She smiled,

“and He was alone in the night at first.Then I was discovered. Through the years, I was bestowed the

title of Night Goddess by the Greeks and Osiris passed on to the Kingdom along with the other Immortals

known to Egypt when Monotheistic belief began to take hold. I am one of few remaining with the advent of

monotheism in the last two millennia. Belief waned and the need for many Immortals to watch over the gift

of free will had become less of a burden.”

“So there is no God?” 

"There is one who is our leader. He has sent his two prophets and a son.” She answered, “Along with one

other, whom he cast out and replaced Hades with. Lucifer. Was supposed to be the Herald of peace. Almost

brought about the destruction of the kingdom.”

“This is a lot to unpack.”

“I apologize, but your sleep is nearly over,” She said. “I have to tell you so that you can unlock your dreams.

The darkness you have dreamt over the last six months is known as the empty time. The empty time can

last up to five years. By then, you will have forgotten.”

“Okay,” I said. “Go ahead.”

“I got off track.” She said, she paused to gather herself, “Since my time as a Lamplighter, I have known

nearly one hundred new Lamplighters. When I became one, we were known as Pixies or Fairies. Then came

the lore of the sandman. It wasn’t until after the war of eighteen twelve that we began using the name

Lamplighter.”

“I’ve never heard the name.” I said.

“We have kept it a secret since then,” She said, “Sandman became a fable, just like the pixies and fairies.”

“We,” I began, “there are others like me?”

“Yes,” She said. “Time is short.”

“What do I have to do?” I asked.

“Remember,” She said, touching my forehead, “Omnes una manet nox.” 

“Latin?”

“It means one night is awaiting us all,” She smiled. “Say it before you sleep again, then we can finish our

talk and you will learn how to slip between the seams.”

    A flash of white light and I was awake. I felt well rested and hot. I was also wet. I was covered in a

cold sweat. My ears were ringing and my eyes hadn’t adjusted to the white light. As my eyes refocused,

I saw a figure. My wife, Dani, was standing over me. She looked concerned.

“You okay?” Dani asked.

“Yeah,” I looked around, bewildered. “I’m fine. Weird dream.”

“You were talking in tongues,” Dani said. “Sounded like a catholic prayer or something.”

“No more tacos before bed, I guess,” I laughed a little and smiled. 

    She smiled too and called the kids for breakfast. She told me to get dressed and come eat. She said I

would feel better. I kissed her and smiled. As I got dressed, I began chanting under my breath.

                    Omnes una manet nox. Omnes una manet nox. Omnes una manet nox. 

    I would not forget.