Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 71) Sam
Nadja knows how crazy all of this sounds, but her trust has been shattered so many times that she no longer knows who is a friend or who may be a foe. One single step in the wrong direction, one gesture of kindness turned against her, or one moment of letting her guard down and her entire life may take a drastic turn that she may never recover from. She knows this as fact and it frightens her to the bone.
“Oh no, SoapSuds. I just realized you are still online.” Viktor types in a private message to Nadja. “I thought you were signing off, if I had realized this sooner, I would have delayed my story. I hope in comparing the facts of my dream world to your true world they have made a split. I mean. . . I hope none of this is an accurate depiction of your daily life.”
Unsure if she should respond, Nadja pauses in her thoughts. The rambling of her mind keeps trying to twist and combine the possibility of Aaron acting as Viktor but, it cannot be possible. He is capable of many things, but going to this much of an elaborate stage does seem a bit exaggerated.
“Hi Viktor, it is alright. I was the one who said I was signing off so no worries. No, this is not my everyday life, however I have been known to make a few bad decisions which could very well take me down such a path. I should probably try to be a little more careful, huh?” She replies.
“Yes, when you put it that way, please be careful. My name is Viktor, by the way. It is nice to meet you, again.” He states in his note to her and then adds. “Hey, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m a light sleeper and tend to wake up a lot through the night. So shoot me a note and I will respond, you know, if you want to chat. I just thought I’d toss that out there.”
Shocked to hear this openness with a total stranger, Nadja surprisingly feels comforted by Viktor’s words. However, to keep her identity a secret, she decides to reply with a fake name. The first one that comes to mind is Sam. He is the owner of the small store near the train station and is a good friend of Carl’s. Besides, the name Sam is valid for both men and women.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 70) Fate
“I watched her flee the room,” Viktor writes on his blog, “but being inside the cabinet and behind the glass, I was helpless in assisting her. The next thing I hear is a massive crashing sound, like a truck running through a building! I even felt the massive earthquake like eruption in the cabinet!” Viktor methodically types. “That episode was bad enough, but nothing compared to the succession of screams from that beautiful girl that set me straight up in bed! I have never heard anything like that before in my life. It was horrific and sad and it literally jolted me out of my dream!”
Gasps and comments come flooding in from all of Viktor’s followers as they discuss the story he just told. A few of his closer friends even joke that he has reverted back to the childhood night terrors that used to pull him awake nearly every night at eleven o’clock. Most seem to be shocked with the level of fear and anguish he just described to them.
Nadja is now staring at the screen of her laptop wishing she had not lied to Viktor by stating she would sign off and read his note later. She wishes she truly had left the blog, for now she does not know if she will be able to sleep. Not after the direct description of where she is currently staying along with the many unknown factors that caused the girl in the dream to scream with such despair. It is frightening and she almost believes this scene may be a premonition of her true fate.
As Nadja rubs her hands up and down her arms quickly to warm them from the dampness in the room, she wonders if Viktor is like her aunt Josephine. Can he see the future and if so, is this a foretelling of what she herself will go through? Furthermore, is there anything that can be done to change the outcome? Yet again, could this all be a ploy put into action by Aaron to draw her back to him? Is he feeding her fear and creating this situation all to teach her a lesson and to dread being alone? Has the persona of VikT1000 been put into play as some elaborate game Aaron is playing?
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 69) Privacy
“Oh,” Nadja says under her breath. “What if I’m being tricked?” She looks behind her at the window. “Am I being set up?” She quizzes as she looks back at Viktor’s writing. “Is this Aaron on the other end of the blog? But it can’t be, this blogger helped me with my spider dream when I was still with Aaron, what would have been the motive for Aaron to be on the blog at that time?” She nervously bites her bottom lip. “No, Viktor is just a guy with vivid dreams, I’m putting more thought into this than I should. I’m tired and I’m building things up in my mind.”
“SoapSuds1920s, are you still with me?” Viktor asks. “I must tell you, I’d like to talk to you off line if that is the case, you know, if I am describing your home. Think of how cool that would be if I am seeing your house!” He hits enter then quickly follows with, “Yet, since you feel some of my descriptions closely resemble your everyday life, I hate to go on with this blog tonight, especially if you are heading off to bed.” Viktor explains. “It gets a little rough.”
This last sentence bothers Nadja for she can only imagine how Aaron would act if he was attempting to gain entry into the cottage. There would be no holding back and he would do everything from breaking windows to knocking down doors just to get at her. Another trickle of fear rushes down her spine and she shivers. It feels to her as if the temperature has dropped dramatically in the room.
“I am still here.” She replies to Viktor’s question. “You are correct, it is late where I am and I must get some sleep.” I will sign off now so you can finish your story. It might be best if I catch up with it in the morning.”
Nadja has no intention of signing off the blog at this point. No matter how bad the rest of the story is, she feels she must hear it. Viktor is describing so many of the items around her and in dramatic detail. It is almost as if he is standing, right here in the room with her, listing all that he can see. Again, she turns to look behind her at the exposed window. Quickly, she dashes toward it, pulling the thin curtains over the glass to gain a little privacy.
“Here I am, in a safe house, in the middle of the woods and I’m running around like a frightened child.” She says to herself as she peeks out to double check the chair she propped under the door handle is still there. “I need to secure the back door as well.” She says as she heads to the kitchen.
Returning to her room and the laptop after placing the other kitchen chair under the handle of the back door, she reads what VikT1000 has posted. True to what he stated, that things became a bit rough toward the end of his dream, she reads his words with intensity.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 68) Details
At the bottom right corner of the window, Nadja can see a branch of the plant pressed up against the glass and as the wind blows, the stem moves. Again, the strange sound occurs as she continues watching it move across the windowpane.
“Debunked.” She says with confidence. “Now back to VikT1000’s weird dream.
As she sits down once again, she begins to read the blog where she left off, which happens to be Viktor’s description of how the older woman pointed to the new door in the room. He explains the creepy feeling that came over him when he turned to confirm with her that this is what she was expecting him to see, but states she had vanished into thin air, she was just. . . gone.
“Okay, now that is a bit spooky.” Nadja thinks to herself.
She looks out through her bedroom door to the sofa in the living room. It is uncanny at how many of the details VikT1000 is writing about match up nearly perfect with the layout and furnishings of the cottage. So much so, that Nadja steps around the door frame to inspect the wall for a mystery door.
“Yes, it is getting late and you are spooking yourself.” She laughs.
She returns to her seat and the blog just as Viktor begins to tell of the older woman standing in the grand cathedral type of room. He describes how bad it made him feel to see her crying and how odd it was to find himself inside the wooden cabinet looking through the mirror. Nadja glances at the tall deep stained wardrobe cabinet of her bedroom. Once again, it is frightening reading his details for they resemble so many of the items around her.
“Hey VikT1000, have you been snooping around my house?” Nadja grins as she hits enter, adding her comment to his page.
“Ha ha. No.” He replies to Nadja. “Does this dream place sound familiar? Do you dream about it too by chance?”
With a laugh, she starts to reply. However, as she continues to read on, and the man at the window enters the story, a chill rushes across her shoulders. It is Aaron, there is no doubt that the man at the window in VikT1000’s dream is him, but this isn’t possible. How could this total stranger know so much about her life and the place she lives if they have never met?
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 67) Blogging
In the time difference of three hours away, Nadja is up much later than normal and has decided to visit the blogging site before she goes to bed. In her bedroom, with a chair pulled up in front of her dresser, she looks at her laptop. Her evening has stayed quiet with no further calls from Aaron and this is perfectly fine with her, but it is also frightening.
“What is the saying? Revenge is best served cold?” She questions to herself. “He would definitely want revenge on me for leaving him.”
Nadja leans out from her chair to look at the lock on the front door. The bolt is thick and long and she feels confident it will keep most intruders out without a problem. Yet, she knows Aaron’s anger so well that she feels no door or window will protect her for long. She cannot help but want to add more strength to her security. Walking to the kitchen, she takes one of the chairs from the table and carries it to the living room. Pushing the back of the chair up under the handle of the door, she hopes this will add one extra barrier to anyone trying to enter and by anyone, she means Aaron.
“He has not called back and I do not know what that means.” She mumbles as she sits down, once again, in front of her laptop.
After signing into the dream blog, she reads a few notes from fellow participants and then notices Viktor’s blog has lit up once again for the second night in a row. She begins to read his description of the cabin and older woman. Shaking her head a bit dismayed, she cannot help but think of her aunt Josephine when she was in her late forties. She would wear her hair down like that at times and in typical fashion for her aunt, she would have been very understanding of anyone who may have wandered by the cottage.
“Wow, this is very interesting.” Nadja types as a note to VikT1000. “It sounds a lot like my Aunt and her cottage.” She says aloud in a light-hearted manner as she types the same words.
Nadja continues to read the narrative of the events he experienced while other bloggers offer their input as they usually do here. The wind outside the cottage seems to be gaining strength and the shrub outside her window scratches at the glass creating an odd and somewhat frightening sound. Turning around in her chair, Nadja looks out at the darkness of the night and there it is again, the scratching sound.
“What is that?” She questions as she gets up from her seat and walks over to inspect the window.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 66) Relax
Quickly, the young woman dashes toward the doorway of her room then disappears into the darkness of the adjoining space. Glancing back at the window, it is now empty of the ominous male who seems so determined to gain entry. Suddenly, there is a crashing loud noise as if a door has just been broken down so violently that the cabinet Viktor is in even shakes in response. The screams that follow are deafening and distressing to such a level that Viktor jumps, nearly leaping out of bed in fear.
“Holy. . .!” Viktor yells as he sits up in his bed ready to defend himself against some unseen enemy.
The clock in his bedroom reads 3:33 a.m. and the sweat beads on his forehead feel cold to his skin as he sits in the darkness of his room. Still unsure if he is awake or asleep, Viktor looks toward his window at the thin curtains holding back the light of the street lamps. They only allow a pale blue tint to filter through into the room. Shaking, he gets out of bed and stands in the middle of his room, listening as if expecting to hear the woman scream once again, but nothing happens and his heart begins to slow its pace as he forces his body to relax.
“What the hell just happened?” He questions to himself as thunder rumbles nearby. “Oh, I bet we are in for a storm. Maybe that explains the loud crashing sounds in my dream, but. . . I have never experienced strong interactions like this before.”
He runs his hands through his sweaty hair as he walks to the kitchen of his apartment for a glass of water. Glancing at the clock on the microwave oven, he shakes his head and decides that since he is usually up by five o’clock, he might as well stay awake and be constructive with his time. Pulling his chair up to his desk, he sits down and opens his laptop.
“Time to add a few tidbits to my blog, they are going to love this!” Viktor says as he rubs the sleep out of his eyes.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 65) Gushing
Pressing his fingers up to the glass, Viktor wants to make sure this is not some sort of fairytale trick where he is supposed to step through to a different dimension or place.
“No, it’s solid.” He says as he taps the glass with his knuckle.
As if this was a command of some sort, the fog quickly flows away in all directions much as it would if a gust of wind blew through the dense moist air. The rapid dissipation exposes a bedroom and across the way is a window. Taking time to focus in on the details, Viktor recognizes this to be the same room he observed the night prior, but now he can tell that someone is outside the cabin looking in. It appears to be a man, fairly tall in height and with very short hair. As this suspicious individual tips his head from side to side, it is obvious he is balding in the back, but most noticeable are his very prominent broad shoulders. The expression upon the man’s face is not that of wonder but of complete determination and anger.
Movement in the bed redirects Viktor’s eyes and he quickly recognizes the young woman from his previous dreams. The resemblance to the older woman he started this mysterious adventure with is uncanny and he knows they must be related in some way. With a startled expression, the young woman leaps from the bed and backs away from the window so quickly that she knocks the lamp to the floor.
“What the?” Viktor questions to himself. “What is going on here?” He wonders as he continues to observe this interaction.
Pounding hard on the window, the man looks menacing and evil as his appearance becomes more determined and violent. Bang! Both of his fists hit the glass and the woman lets out a frightened scream as she slides along the wall trying to make her way to the doorway of her room. Passing in front of the mirror, Viktor places his hand on the glass thinking he can touch her or pull her to safety, but in no way does his action change things.
“I warned you!” Yells the man as he grits his teeth and lashes out at the window once again with his fists.
This angry man appears to be growing in size as he watches the movement of the woman in the room. Knowing this is a dream, Viktor tries to remind himself that it is a trick of the eye and a subconscious reaction to something in his daily life, but this does not change the rush of adrenaline that is gushing through his veins at this moment.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 64) Cathedral
“I like to run the show,” Viktor says barely audible, “and this come-hither from the door is kind of creeping me out, I can’t lie.”
He slowly approaches the opening and looks in at the darkness. With each step he takes, the area begins to lighten slightly and soon he walks through the dim area into a large room. Stone pillars stand tall in this cathedral setting and the coolness of the stone causes him to shiver. The ceiling of this massive place is nearly four stories tall and long slender glassless windows streak the walls in amber light.
“Amazing.” Viktor says as he looks up in awe at this magnificent scene. “What on earth am I walking through?”
Every echoing step taken reverberates for several seconds as it blends in with the next movement. The area is open, no furniture of any kind disturbs the graceful curves of the archways or the smoothness of the floor. Viktor’s rational mind tells him this is a pointless addition to the current dream but the overwhelming feeling he has of being in such a grand place has him smiling.
“I’ve always said my dream world is beyond anything my real life can offer.” He grins. “Why can’t I just stay here?”
It is at this moment he notices he is not alone. Deeper into the room standing next to a pillar is a woman. From this distance, he is not positive but she appears to be the woman from the cabin, yet she is dressed in different clothing and her hair is up in a loose bun near the nape of her neck. Her gaze is not upon him, instead she is looking forward and seems very intent on what is holding her focus. The closer he gets the more he can see her eyes are filled with anguish and tears are slowly, one by one slipping down her cheeks as if in slow motion.
“What is it? Ma’am? Are you alright?” Viktor questions as he follows the direction she is looking.
To his surprise, standing across the way is a large wooden cabinet and cut into the center is a tall full-length mirror. It is the only piece of furniture in the entire place and not until he steps directly in front of it does he realize he is now inside the cabinet, looking out through the glass. He does not see a reflection of himself, nor that of the woman, in fact, she and the massive room are now gone. He is standing inside walls of solid wood that smell thick with lacquer and sawdust and this backside to the mirror appears to be full of mist or fog. He wonders, what image did the woman see that brought tears to her eyes and why does he now find himself trapped in this confined space?
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 63) Inviting
“So, how long have you lived here?” Viktor questions and there is a slight pause before the woman answers.
“I believe several lifetimes.” She says as she straightens one of the sheer curtains hanging across the window.
Her back is to Viktor, which tells him right away that she does not fear him. She pulls her long brown hair to one side as she moves from the lace curtain to fiddle with the throw pillows on the sofa. She is attractive and seems kind but he does not believe this is the woman from his recurring dreams, even though her features are much the same. No, this woman is older but not old enough to have gray hair. One thing he does know for sure is that he finds her answer to his question to be very interesting, so he decides to continue to seek information.
“So how is it that one knows they have lived many lifetimes?” Viktor quizzes now feeling more like himself.
“Because, like yourself, I see further and know more than those venturing through for the first or second time.” The woman says in a matter of fact way. “You can manipulate your dream travels very well young man.”
Without a pause to her last statement, the woman raises her arm and points to the main door of the house. Viktor grins for he feels this is her way of asking him to leave. However, as he turns toward the door in respect of her command to go, he realizes there is a door on the wall, right next to the entry door. The dark wood and gold toned handle do not match the rest of the room and he knows for a fact, this door was not here the first time he ventured to this cabin. He remembers the disappointment he felt when he checked upon entering. As he turns to confirm this with the woman, he realizes she is gone.
“Um, hello? Ma’am?” Viktor questions as he leans back to gain a view into the bedrooms and kitchen. “Are you still here?”
A silent hush has fallen over him as if his ears are stuffed with cotton. The inner thoughts in his mind are loud and almost echoing as he tries to process what he is experiencing. Turning back around he hears a click and the new door opens as if inviting him in.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 62) Quiver
From his dream state office cubicle, Viktor focuses on his own reflection in the window, but with the commotion of his co-workers walking back and forth, he tries to look past the mirror-like effect the glass presents. Then he sees it, a bright yellow leaf and instantly he zeros in on it. Just one slightly yellow transformation of fall is in his sights. Closing his eyes, he envisions the cabin he found the night before and as the image becomes clearer and the sounds more audible, he opens his eyes to find he has placed himself exactly where he wanted to be. The door to the cabin is slightly ajar and songbirds are fluttering all around in a delightful frenzy.
“Well well well, what have we here?” Viktor can feel himself grin. “Damn I’m good.”
Pushing his hand against the wooden door, he swings it open allowing sunshine to stream in causing golden streaks to run across the worn wooden floor. The sun is setting low in the sky and as he steps between it and the doorway; he believes it to be nearing five o’clock. His shadow stretches out across the floorboards and this causes him to smirk.
“Well would you look at that, I have a five o’clock shadow.” He says in a joking tone.
“Who are you?” A female voice questions loudly but not in a demanding way.
Startled to hear a voice in a place he thought to be vacant, Viktor turns and finds a woman sitting on the sofa, calm and at ease with her hands folded in her lap. She does not seem to be frightened by his appearance here in what he believes to be her home, and she stays seated instead of standing in defense.
“I. . . I am so sorry, I didn’t realize anyone lived here.” Viktor states, he can hear a quiver in his voice.
“I do, live here that is.” The woman says in a soft tone. “Are you nervous? You sound shaky. Do you need to sit down?”
Viktor never loses his cool and he almost laughs at her questions yet, she is right, he feels nervous. Looking around, all of the details are exactly as he remembers from his previous dream, so he knows he is in the right place. Yet, never has he experienced an encounter like this. He feels as if he is invading this woman’s privacy, but it is just a dream, a fantasy world, yet she acts as if she too knows this.
“Are you hungry?” The woman asks as she stands up, walks behind him, and closes the door.
“Umm, no I do not believe I am.” Viktor replies now intrigued as to which direction this odd little house will take him next.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 61) Go
Nadja is not thinking clearly and with this recent turn of events, she completely realizes how badly she needs to escape Aaron’s hold. The short moments of her wishing he missed her have all vanished as the painful memories flood in and anxiety chokes the breath from her. A dizzy feeling to the room causes her to take a seat on the sofa to keep herself from passing out. She is hyperventilating and her eyes are losing the ability to see, as the room seems to grow darker.
With the long day over and his contribution to the dream site complete, Viktor prepares for bed. Heavy eyes and a slight headache only add to the distortion of the three bottles of beer he consumed. After a very swift brush of his teeth, he slides into bed and lets the cool sheets fall in around him. The only thing on his mind as he closes his eyes is the door that leads to the room with the mirror. He wishes he could make contact with the young woman behind the glass, which is his goal as he rolls over onto his left side and slows his breathing.
It is not a matter of patience to Viktor, it is a matter of strength and control. Once he realizes he is dreaming, his ability to press through those hazy insensible and lackluster segments that first seep into his wandering brain is uncanny. It becomes obvious to him rather quickly that he is wasting time. Viktor knows he must assert his ability to manipulate this dream world before night turns to day and all is lost. At this moment, he has been in a deep sleep for nearly an hour. The images in his mind are not interesting nor are they a challenge and none of them apply to the cabin and the girl on the other side of the mirror.
“So here I am at work with no pants on and a half eaten chocolate éclair is sitting on my desk.” His dream-self says with disgust. “This is stupid. Number one, I tend to wear pants, number two I never eat donuts! So, this vision needs to go!”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 60) Message
As Nadja’s attention goes back to Viktor’s statements, she now realizes what it was that caused everyone to start chattering in such rapid form.
“Doors that open to other doors,” she reads, “now that is very interesting.”
Suddenly, while focusing deeply on Viktor’s writings, Nadja’s phone rings in her hands and Aaron’s picture fills the screen. Even though she felt at ease, this startles her and she drops the phone back down onto the table rather hard. Standing still, she quietly watches as the ringing stops and after a pause, the dreaded voicemail notification sounds off. It had been a few hours since he last tried to call and she knows with this third attempt, he will not be happy at being ignored. She lifts the phone to her ear and begins to listen to his message.
“Nadja, I know you are avoiding me, I’m not stupid. I also know you are listening to my messages and I need to warn you right now, you better pick up the phone the next time I ring in.” Aaron sounds angry, frustrated and determined. “You know how far I will go and that should scare the hell out of you. I will not be ignored and you will do as I say. So sit back beautiful, worry about the next move, and you better have that phone in your hand ready to answer when I call back.” He sounds as if he is gritting his teeth. “Talk with you soon, sweetness.”
A flush of color fills Nadja’s face as she becomes dizzy with fear. She softly sets the phone back on the table and raises her hand to her mouth. This is a true threat and she takes Aaron’s words very seriously. Looking around the kitchen, she tries to think of ways to secure the cottage. Aaron has never been here with her, but if he has indeed had someone tracking her, then there is no hiding place safe enough.
“What if he has someone hiding in the woods? What if he is coming here after his business trip?” She says as she paces from the kitchen window to the living room window. “Should I call Carl? No, no I cannot put him in harm’s way. Oh god what am I going to do?”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 59) Everyone
The blog is lighting up with comments and questions as Viktor tries to keep up with everyone. As expected from this group of interesting individuals, he is getting advice on what each specific detail might mean. Some even speculate there are hidden messages in all of the events he passed through. Although he does take his dreams seriously for the most part, he also knows when to deduce an event as stress related or some other emotional aspect of his personality. Most of the replies are way off target and he cannot help but laugh at the explosion of the groups somewhat helpful suggestions.
Two hours have passed and with the blog slowing down in interest, Viktor is about to sign out when he notices a familiar blogger has just joined the message run.
“Hi VikT1000, I just signed in and caught the last part of this blog run. Sounds like you were busy last night.” Nadja comments and adds a happy face to the end of her note.
After she read through a couple of her aunts journals, Nadja began to feel hungry which placed her back in the kitchen and near her phone. When she looked down at the screen, Aaron tried to call one more time before giving up for the night. To take her mind off the issue, she signed into the dream site and noticed Viktor’s run of messages and comments.
“Well SoapSuds1920s, I didn’t expect to see you chime in.” Viktor types and then follows with, “I kind of got the impression you didn’t want to talk much.”
Nadja reads this quick reply from Viktor and then she pauses for a minute, wondering to herself, was she really so obvious the last time they spoke? Starting at the beginning, she reads his post hoping to come across what it is everyone seems to be so excited about. It would be nice to assist him in deciphering his nighttime wanderings. After all, he helped her tremendously with just one little statement about her spider issue. What could it hurt to add a few lines to this blog run? As she is reading, another minute passes and she notices that Viktor has now signed off.
“Well, I guess he thought I was not going to answer him back again.” Nadja mumbles a bit disappointed. “Oh, what does it matter anyhow, I really do not need to be chatting with anyone at this stage in my life. What do I expect to gain with an online friendship anyhow? It’s not like that will ever go anyplace, not when you usually end up being half the world away, and especially not while Aaron is in the picture. Plus, it’s not like this blogger and I have anything special in common anyhow, everyone dreams at night.”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 58) Continuum
“The world is a vast place and it should never grow old,” Viktor writes to his followers, “and you should always keep opening new doors.”
This was the sentence he memorized yesterday from the dream interpretation site he spent most of his workday exploring. After typing the phrase, he gives credit to the site in case anyone else is interested in learning meanings behind their experiences.
“That is awesome, I’ve never had anything like that happen to me in a dream, hope I’m next!” One of his female followers writes.
“It was the dream continuum I had last night that is most interesting though.” Viktor states quickly so he can continue his story without a rush of comments slowing the conversation. “I found my way back to the new door and when I opened it, I discovered a long steep staircase leading down into the darkest depths. About halfway down, I slipped and was free-falling in this dark abyss.”
“Geez man, that sounds bad!” One of his male friends chimes in.
“I hit the ground hard, knocked the wind out of me, my chest and back hurt so bad.” Viktor types as he tries to remember all the details.
“And you didn’t die?” One of his regular online friends quickly states. “You must be super human! LOL!”
He laughs to himself but continues to explain his experience in a very descriptive manner, right down to the dust on his pant legs, the cabin in the woods and the second door that appeared to him. He spends most of his time describing the events that took place while looking through the backside of the mirror.
For Viktor, this was the segment of the dream that intrigued him the most. At this point of his explanation though, he is holding back the part about seeing a young woman on the other side of the glass. He is not sure why but this somehow makes him feel as if he would be violating her privacy, if she were real that is. Nonetheless, he does not feel this part of the story is necessary, at least not at the moment.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 57) Commute
Just as Viktor thought, trying to leave work a few minutes early today was only a fantasy. He has been exhausted from the moment he stirred from his dream early in the morning. Despite the tired feeling, he completed his tasks at work in record time and skipped lunch just so he could leave a bit early. Now he finds himself in thick traffic and with no apparent reason for such a bottleneck.
“All I want to do is get home so I can share my experience with the bloggers and do more research on the weird shift my dream has taken, but, no! We need to sit in the car, stuck in traffic with a bunch of idiots!” He grumbles as he searches for a song to listen to. “I don’t know if I can handle anymore of this, I need my vacation to start now, geez!” He says as he looks in his mirror at the driver behind him who appears to be just as perturbed with this situation. “Guess I’m not the only one, huh?”
Finally, after wasting nearly an hour on his commute home, Viktor opens the door to his apartment and lets out a sigh of relief. He had already loosened his tie in the car so he slips it off immediately and tosses it onto one of the bar stools in his kitchen just in time to catch his door before it swings shut. After locking the door, hanging his jacket up, and changing into comfortable lounging clothes, Viktor takes a beer from the refrigerator and settles down in front of his laptop.
“Wow, I don’t even know where to begin with this crazy dream.” He says as he signs into the dream blog site.
He starts with a quick hello to the thirty-seven individuals currently on the site with him. After a few quick exchanges back and forth of how their day went, he then begins to explain the dream he has been having for the past few months. He writes about the stone road and the tall buildings he explored numerous times over several months, but then explains that two nights ago when he opened one of the doors, it caused a new one to form behind it. He rattles on about how disappointed he was in being pulled from this new part of the dream by his alarm clock and how he researched what it might possibly mean. Five more people jump into this conversation as he explains.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 56) Forget
Shaking with nervousness, Nadja begins to tear up as she walks back to the kitchen and once again looks outside. It is always like this, the disagreement, the apologies, the week of good behavior, the kindness in his words and voice. Once that span of time is up, the fear, disappointment and mental abuse starts all over again, and she knows she cannot continue like this.
“No Aaron, I cannot talk right now.” She mutters as she sets her phone back down on the small table in the kitchen.
Walking to her aunt’s bedroom, Nadja picks up the last four journals her aunt used, including the one she added entries to the night she died. Wiping the tears from her eyes that seem to flow too easily when thinking of Aaron, Nadja sits on her aunt’s bed and looks down at the muted colors of the four books in her hands.
“I know something in here will help me, Auntie.” Nadja whispers as another stray tear begins to roll down her cheek. “I know your dreams guided you and many times you helped me, I doubt this time will be any different.”
She glances up at the bedroom window that looks out at the front path to the cottage. Through the pale lace curtains, she focuses on the little picket fence that creates a small garden area, but even beyond the open gate, the beauty of nature and freedom is all around. Just being here makes Nadja feel liberated, to some extent. Instead of feeling lost and alone, even when surrounded by people, this place helps her feel stronger.
Thinking about the call and message from Aaron, she knows at any other time she would have answered on the first ring. There would have been desperation within her to hear his voice and then she would go running straight into his arms. Yet, this was not the case today, not here in the place where she can be who she is without judgment or demands from others, especially from a dominant selfish man full of hate.
Opening the oldest journal of the four, she leans her back against the headboard of her aunt’s bed and begins to read the entries. Most are funny due to her aunt’s way of seeing the world and with such a jovial disposition, it was hard for her not to imagine every glass half full if not flowing over. Nadja does not realize how many times she smiles and even laughs aloud as she follows along with her beloved aunt’s writings. She does know one thing, it is definitely a great way to take her mind off Aaron and forget about her troubles for a while.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 55) Talk
A chill comes over Nadja just as the words leave her lips and she suddenly feels vulnerable, almost fearful, as if someone is watching her. Glancing around at the dense forest growth, she wonders if someone is out there hiding and observing her every move. Immediately, Aaron’s face enters into her mind. She slowly backs away from the edge of the deck and slips into the kitchen, closing and locking the door behind her. Just as she turns away from the door her phone rings, Aaron’s name is showing on the display.
“No, that is too coincidental.” Nadja says as she glances out the window to view the back part of the property. “I’m not going to answer it.” She mumbles as she sets her phone on the kitchen table and backs away from it. “Is he here watching me?”
The ringing of the phone stops but shortly after, a voicemail alert sounds and Nadja can feel her heart rate rising. It is an anxious feeling for she knows his message will be full of hate and nasty comments. He was so angry with her when she left yet surprisingly calm too, which is almost worse. Her mind begins to think of all the ways he may attempt to get back at her as she slowly walks over to where her phone sits on the table. The screen is no longer showing the alert, and just as she reaches down to pick up her phone to activate her messages, it begins ringing again. Dropping it on the table, she takes two steps back. Aaron’s photo and name appear once again but this time, after she does not answer, he does not leave a message.
The room is quiet and Nadja runs to the window that sits above the kitchen sink. She looks out, scanning the line of trees waiting to see Aaron step into the sunlight but there is no movement, nothing but the wind and birds as they flutter about. Taking her phone into her hand, she walks to the front of the cottage and peers through the lace curtains to see if anything is amiss out in the front garden. Her heart is pounding loudly now as she tries to keep calm. Looking at the phone in her hand, she presses the button to activate it and taps the screen to hear voice messages.
“Hi sweetie, it’s me, Aaron.” There is a slight pause. “I miss you baby, wish you were with me. Today I am in Barcelona, my favorite city in the world as you well know.” Again, there is a pause. “Call me back, we need to talk.”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 54) Feelings
The woman does not respond to Viktor’s questions and just as he is about to toss another pebble at the mirror, loud pounding music echoes from his right and the darkness turns into a dim yellow light as the glow from the streetlights streak in through the curtains of his bedroom. He left them open by accident because he went to bed so early the night before. Blinking his eyes open, he finds himself in his apartment, in bed, and his alarm sounding loudly alerting him it is time to get ready for work.
Small songbirds are singing from the trees as Nadja walks out the backdoor of the cottage and takes in a deep breath. The misty world that greeted her earlier in the day has transformed into a beautiful landscape of early fall foliage, gentle breezes, and the bluest sky she has ever seen. It is as if the world around her cleansed itself in crystal-clear water over night. She herself feels as refreshed and renewed as this magical place appears and a broad smile fills her face in a rosy glow.
“Oh it is so beautiful here.” She says as she steps out onto the small wooden deck.
She thinks of Carl’s thoughtfulness in bringing her the cinnamon roll for breakfast and wonders if he misses spending time here. His cabin is not quite as big as this cottage, nor does his land carry the views and abundance of nature like Aunt Josephine’s. However, it is a cabin nestled in the mountains and that is about as good as it gets. Nadja cannot imagine a more peaceful existence than living out her days here on the ridge.
“I know Aaron will never have the respect or feelings for me, like Carl has for you dearest Auntie.” Nadja says as she leans on the wooden railing. “He never thinks of others like that.”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 53) The Girl
As Viktor steps closer, he realizes he is looking into a bedroom. The room is little and well-kept with a small bed and shelves full of books. Various jars with water and flowers in them line the window on the other side of the room and this is when Viktor realizes, this is not a window at all.
“I’m on the backside of a mirror?” He questions of himself.
With the shovel he attempts to tap at the oblong mirror to make sure it is truly there but he realizes the shovel is no longer in his hand. With this change he tries to step even closer he get a better view of the room and this time, he tries to knock on the glass with the knuckles of his hand, but he cannot touch it. There is now gravel under his feet, which is not helpful in keeping his footing solid, plus he is making a lot of noise in his effort. It is as if some hidden force is blocking his way, forcing him to stay at a distance.
It is now that he notices a young woman rushing into the room with a startled expression on her face and he pulls his hand back from the glass as if a wasp stung him. Her thick dark hair falls to one side as she runs to the window on the other side of the room. Slowly she peeks outside, much like a person would if they wish to not be seen.
“I think that is the girl I have been following, she must have heard me staggering on this loose gravel.” Viktor says as he steps up again to be closer to the mirror making even more commotion than before. “I’ll wave at her, maybe she can see me.” He murmurs as he stands directly in the middle of the frame. “Hello.” He says softly but she does not respond.
Instead, she turns around and looks in the direction she came from and then again glances out the window. Her skin is creamy with the slightest blush to her cheeks and he is positive she is the girl he followed down the street. Viktor reaches down and picks up a piece of the gravel that has taken the place of the hard floor. With all his might, he throws it at the mirror and the young woman instantly turns, but instead of looking at him, she stares toward the entrance of the room she came from.
“Well she heard that.” Viktor says to himself. “Can you hear me?” He states in a firm tone.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 52) Window
Pulling back on the door with the slightest of ease, Viktor tips his head to the side to peek around for a quick look. What he finds is a room, pitch black but in the center is a large window or mirror, yet he cannot quite tell which it is. Nervously, Viktor looks back at the kitchen and closes the exterior door that leads outside and then steps inside the new doorway. Hoping his eyes will adjust; he stands still and is actually afraid to move for fear of falling, much as he did when he stepped through the last door that appeared on the wall. He thought he was on steps, but they soon gave way and he plummeted to this place of mystery. With this room being so dark, he cannot tell if it truly has a floor to it or not.
“I need a stick, or a broom, something I can tap the floor with.” He says as he turns back to the kitchen.
Luckily, very close by is a snow shovel leaning against the wall next to him. Afraid to let go of the door, fearing that if it closes it will disappear, he stretches to his left and grabs hold of the handle of the blue shovel.
“Ha ha!” He says in victory. “Now I won’t feel so unstable in this dark void.”
Holding the handle of the shovel, he taps it on the floor in front of him as he takes a step forward. His focus is on this glowing freestanding oblong in the center of the darkness. With a bit of hesitation, he takes another step and then turns back to look at the open door. He can still see into the kitchen of the cabin so he feels confident, if needed, that he could run back to the door for safety. Again, focusing on the center of the room, he takes another step and then more, all the while he is tapping the handle of the shovel on the floor to prove it is solid.
“It’s a window.” He whispers.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 51) Eager
Viktor quietly maneuvers through the small kitchen and opens the back door to take a look behind the house. It is much the same as the front, tall thick trees surrounded by low green healthy plantings near the ground and again he can hear the trickling sounds of the brook nearby. As he steps backward, into the kitchen, his foot catches on the door frame causing him to lose his footing and fall against the door. With a loud bang, it hits against the wall and he knows for sure he has caused damage.
“Well that probably left a big hole in the wall.” He says as he gains his footing. Wincing as he pulls the door toward him, he is surprised to see another door. “Wait a minute that was not here a second ago.” He grins. “Okay, this is awesome. Am I going to find doors behind every door I slam into a wall? I haven’t had time to investigate this place yet; do I want to even see what is behind this one?”
As eager as a child on his birthday, he grabs hold of the handle and turns it, popping the door open. With hesitation, he looks around the kitchen, glances back out the door to the rear of the cabin, and then looks once again at the entrance of the new door.
“Okay, I just need to remember how I got here because I need to replay this until I’ve had time to see all there is to see here. But damn, I can’t just walk away from this new door.” Viktor deduces aloud. “I’ll look inside but not enter. Yeah, that’s all I have to do.” He convinces himself.
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 50) Jinx
With the tips of his fingers on the wooden door, Viktor slowly nudges it open so he can enter the small house.
“Hello?” He says in a normal tone as to not frighten anyone if there does happen to be someone inside. “I know this is a dream but, I’ve managed to scare dream people before.” He mumbles to himself.
He walks into the main room of this little place and instantly feels relaxed. The fireplace is adorned with photographs and dried flowers that at one time would have been in full bright and brilliant bloom. Even in their dusty delicate state, they seem to add a softness to the area. There are three rooms off this one, and with a quick glance, he believes two are bedrooms and one is a kitchen.
In order to test his theory that a door will appear where he has opened another, he pushes the main door all the way back until it touches the wall. Fearing he will jinx this create-a-door effect, he shuts his eyes as he closes the front door, then slowly turns and looks at the wall.
“Well hell. . . it’s just a wall.” He states in a very disappointed manner. “Hello?” Viktor questions again but not at all expecting a reply. “I just needed to check one last time.” He mumbles as he steps into the kitchen. “Hum, let’s see where the back door leads.”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 49) Doors
This forest appears to be deep and without end so Viktor stands up for a better look. Slowly he begins to turn around to look behind him and to his delight, the dusty barren grounds he was wandering through are nowhere in sight. Instead, a large smooth lake is in its place where just moments ago it was a wasteland. Even though he has never been to such an area, Viktor has the sense that he is high up on a massive mountain range.
“A calm lake in a dream.” He says to himself. “I’ve had to interpret this several times for others.” He grins. “So if I am lucky enough to find a setting like this in real life,” he looks at the small house, “then I will have security and peace of mind. Sweet!”
After spending a few moments in awe at his surroundings, Viktor turns toward the small wood and stone house. He is not sure if it is a cottage or a cabin, but since both are small in structure, it probably does not matter how he refers to it. As he steps closer to the entrance of this little place, he hears the sound of gurgling water and realizes there is a small brook running alongside the yard.
“Nice little additional touch to have for this cozy place.” He says as he holds his hand up, prepared to knock on the door.
Surprisingly, the latch clicks all by itself and the door slowly creeks open about the width of Viktor’s shoe. He stands extremely still, he even keeps his hand up in the knocking position, but nothing happens. He leans in closer to the opening to see if he can hear any movement inside but again, all is quiet.
“Well this should cause me to run like hell, but now I’m really intrigued.” He says in a whisper to himself as he laughs. “Hello?” He questions trying to sound serious. “What is my new motto?” He pauses for a second to think. “Oh yeah, you should always keep opening new doors.”
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Doors To Mirrors (Excerpt 48) Dust
Viktor has a way of talking his way through life if no one is there to converse with, and he does quite well with his own narration. His active mind is ever thinking, which to most would be a bothersome problem, but to Viktor it is all he knows. With such a keen memory, he can quickly overcome most obstacles and deduce problems rapidly for an insanely fast resolve. One of the quickest ways for him to decipher a situation is to talk his way through the various aspects at play. In fact, this is what he is doing as he moves closer to the mysterious house.
“So everything is dead as far as the eye can see, just like my life,” he mumbles as he grins, “except for this strange oasis in the middle of it all.” He squints from the brightness of the sun as he continues to focus on the rooftop. “I’m so glad I got past the odd door in the rain, but I have to admit, I’m not sure that I’m going to like the direction this is going.” He states a bit worried. “Oh yeah, you just had to push the issue. I want to see what’s behind the door.” He mimics himself as saying. “And now you’re stuck in the desert like an idiot. Good job there Vik!” He says in a likeness of his supervisor at work. “And when the hell did I give him approval to call me Vik?” He grins out of sarcasm, shaking his head back and forth as he looks down at his dusty pant legs.
A puff of dust swirls up into Viktor’s face causing him to stagger as he tries to keep the granules out of his eyes. The grit stings so he blinks quickly and in doing so, stumbles and falls onto a plot of thick green grass.
“What?” He questions as he looks up.
To his amazement, he is in a lush shaded garden of pink, white, yellow and purple flowers. Before him is the house he was working so hard to travel to. However, it appears much smaller than what his eyes witnessed at a distance. All around him is moist rich soil and thick healthy plants as well as tall broad branched trees clustered with shiny green leaves.
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