Dream Killer: Book One in the Nadia Chronicles

Waking on a dusty, sand covered beach reminded Nadia of the dream she had the day before she arrived in the strange new place. She was instantly put on her guard. She stood up slowly trying to avoid the nausea she felt and dusted off the sand from her clothing. She was tired and her body felt like it had been hit by a truck. But the feeling that Nadia got from this dream realm was significantly better than the other dreams she had had. She had, after all, been in a beach world once before that week and her small victory then had given her courage. The dream I had in my own bed about the boy in the ocean I bet is also connected to this place, she thought. She would have to ask her panther friend when she woke up again.

Just thinking about Dimitri gave her a broad smile, girly giggles and strength she hadn’t known she needed and that really confused her. She had never had a real connection to any man in her life, let alone one she met for only a few minutes. But it was there. There was something so strong and comforting about him and yet he still seemed fragile. She felt like she needed to protect him. She smiled at the thought. She was only 5’5” she ‘had’ to protect a man a foot taller and clearly much stronger than her. She knew she would never hesitate to help him.

She shook her head at her own hero syndrome as she took in her surroundings confirming that she was on a beach, perhaps even an island. It was a beautiful paradise complete with palm trees, colorful birds, and crashing blue waves. It was the kind of place that most people dreamt about visiting, though she never really was a beach girl. Then she laughed aloud at the irony of that statement. She was dreaming after all. She was kind of surprised at how casually she could think about that place being nothing more than a dream and for that matter how easily she could laugh about it.

“I mean, I did ask for an adventure and now I’ve got it,” she trailed off when she heard scuffling. She kicked herself for not being on her guard and just standing in the open. She would have to ask Dimitri about the broth he had given her, because it seemed to make her slap happy, even in her dreams.

“Why ask him, when you can ask me, child?” the voice was old and raspy as if the owner had been a smoker for 40 years or was abnormally old. The latter was true. A very small, very old woman was standing directly behind Nadia with a mischievous grin on her face. The ancient woman was leaning on a knobby old walking stick and had salt and pepper hair to her waist. It was braided loosely with wispy, fly-a-ways sticking out all over. The woman was hunched over and shoeless. Her dress looked like it could have been a large nightgown and her overcoat might have been a large quilt at one time. Now, the coat was worn and the colors and patterns were no longer recognizable.

After Nadia gained her composure, she was captivated by how old the woman was, but was not completely foolish. She tensed, not trusting the new woman and took a tentative step away from her. Nadia was not entirely sure why but she did not fear her. Nadia wanted to question her about everything that had happened.

“Smart,” the amused stranger said. “You should always be on your guard, but also trust your instincts Nadia. You are able to trust your instincts, are you not?”

“Yes, but who are you, if I may ask?” Nadia felt that she needed to show this woman a great deal of respect as if she was talking to a professor or royalty of some kind.

“You may ask and I may answer. I know that you have many questions for me Nadia and I sense that your questions will never end.” At this she smiled the smallest of smiles that transformed her whole face into that of a loving grandmother. Nadia could not help but smile with her as she nodded.

Nadia had always been a very curious person and loved to learn. She would study one subject until it was exhausted or the people around her were exhausted from having to listen to it. Then she would move on to the next.

“Come, Nadia,” the woman gestured back toward the thicker vegetation of the island. “Let’s talk somewhere a little less exposed and a little more comfortable”. The old woman started to walk away, but turned back to see that Nadia had not moved. She could also tell that Nadia was torn with the idea of going with her or staying on the beach. “Why do you not follow?” She asked kindly, but not without an edge to her voice.

Nadia flinched ever so slightly as she tried to explain, “I am so sorry. You seem like a kind person, but I have been through so much already that I fear to do anything without careful consideration. If you don’t mind, might I ask you a few questions before we go someplace else?” Nadia said aloud while adding internally, “Someplace I may not be able to get away from as easily.”

To Nadia’s surprise the elderly woman started to laugh a horse, scratchy sort of laugh but a laugh none the less. “Of course, Nadia, ask away. I am glad you are not a dim-wit and do not follow blindly. Hmmm? There is hope for you yet.”

“Thanks. I think,” Nadia mumbled. “Okay, the first and most important questions are who are you, how did you know to find me here and how do you know who I am?”

“All great questions,” she began. “I will take them in order though none are easy to explain. My name is Gaia. It is nice to meet you Nadia of Earth.” Gaia extended a brittle-looking hand that was covered in the evidence of a hard-worked life.

“Thank you,” Nadia said, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the sudden formalities. “It is nice to meet you as well.”

“What you see is only one of my many forms,” Gaia continued with a knowing grin. “I come to you as the crone today, though I prefer the name grandmother. You may see me other times as my other forms. I will not tell you what they are because I do not want to give away the game.”

Gaia paused for so long that Nadia started to say, “so, um,” but Gaia held up a hand to stop her. She gave a small, scratchy giggle before moving on. “I am one of the great guardians of this land and more importantly one of the keepers of the lands secrets. I am a teacher and a student, the sun and the moon, the sky and the land. I am everything and nothing, but for the sake of argument I am your teacher. Perhaps, with time, I may be counted as a friend and companion. As to how I knew to find you, this is my home.” Gaia gestured around the island. “I have created it to look this way, because this is where I am most at home at least for now. I change my land often as I am sure you will see. Now the final question, how do I know you? This may be heartening or frighten you. I am not sure which, because you are a most difficult one to read.” Gaia paused and looked hard at Nadia.

Nadia was unsure of what she was supposed to do, so she stayed very still. Nadia became aware of her dirty, blood stained clothing and what she could only imagine was a huge tangled mess of hair on the top of her head. She refused to touch either while under the scrutiny of Gaia. Gaia sighed without any real conviction and continued, masking any emotions she must have felt. “We have been watching you for a long time to see how you would develop. You were born the last day of the year and at the time when all those born would be unsatisfied with a normal life. However, nothing is written in stone and paths often change. Our prophecies have never been wrong but who’s to say they won’t be.”

“Okay,” Nadia said confused. She had never been someone to believe in prophecies or to take stock in the idea of predetermined destiny. She had easily handled waking in a new world, but she could not accept prophetic saviors, especially if she was expected to be one.

“Basically, you chose to come here and we knew you would,” Gaia said, seeing Nadia’s confusion all over her face. “From there, however, our prophecy ends and you must find your own path. Oh, but look I am rattling on. I always do when I am a grandmother. Now can we go back to my home and talk or must we stand out here all day?” Gaia finished with a sniff that clearly said she would not stay there even if Nadia did.

Nadia nodded her approval though her head was swimming with all the information

she had just received. Gaia answered some of her questions but most of the information just brought up more questions. Nadia studied her surroundings as she walked through the island path to a rickety little shack that could have been smack dab in the middle of the island. She noticed there seemed to be birds of every shape. As well as different types of squirrels, chipmunks, bats and larger animals that walked just outside of view. She could hear the wind and the ocean waves gently hitting the shore. She thought she heard a dolphin talking to another dolphin in their telltale squeaks. When she got into the tiny hut she was surprised at how big it was on the inside. It seemed to be several stories and thousands of square feet though from the outside it was just a large shed.

Nadia sat down onto the squishy arm chair that Gaia pointed at. She instantly felt more comfortable and less like she had been thrown down a few flights of stairs. Gaia made them both tea and sat sipping hers while watching Nadia from the other large arm chair across the room.

The room was quite large, easily fitting two larger arm chairs, a coffee table, a massive fire place, three bookshelves and several side tables scattered strategically throughout the room. It was dimly lit, relying mainly on outside light which was quickly fading. Twenty or so candles ranging in size from tea lights to unusually large pillar candles were also spread throughout the room. All the windows were thrown open to catch a cross breeze and every now and then it would work. Nadia noticed there were no pictures in view though it still felt like a home.

Without thinking Nadia asked, “Do you have a family, Gaia?” Nadia sat trying to take in everything at once and didn’t notice right away that Gaia had not answered. She was embarrassed to see Gaia was staring at her, but soon realized that Gaia was staring through her. Gaia was seeing a time or place that Nadia could not. She blinked and came back to the present.

“I had one once,” Gaia said in a soft voice, struggling with emotions Nadia could not understand fully.

“I’m sorry for asking,” Nadia said apologetically. “I did not mean to pry.”

“No, child, do not fret,” Gaia said with a wave of her hand as if to brush away Nadia’s apology. “My family is far away from me now and it has been many years since I have seen them, but we do not have time for tales of my life. It is you I am concerned with.” She stopped to sip her tea, before continuing. “Outside the back door is a well. Please go and bathe you tired hands and face in its cool water and drink your thirst away. While there, take time to reflect upon the water. Once you are through I will have some food for our enjoyment.” With another wave of her hand, Gaia dismissed Nadia and left the room.

Nadia was not entirely sure where the back door was or what Gaia was hinting at. She got up and headed toward the opposite side of the house anyway. Sure enough, she found the back door after she walked through a long dark hallway, a dining area of sorts, and a sunroom that seemed to be a converted patio. The view from the sunroom was stunning. Nadia slowly opened the door into a tropical paradise.

There were large palm trees casting shadows, beautiful birds of paradise scattered throughout, and right in the center was an ancient looking well. The well was straight out of an old John Wayne western. It had a hand crank made of rusty metal and an old rope tied tightly to an old, much-used bucket that Nadia wasn’t sure would even hold water. It would have been fast work for someone who had not been abused for the last couple days. Nadia, however, had to stop twice before she could get the bucket all the way to the top of the well. Propping it on the ledge, she slopped most of the water from the first ladle down the front of her shirt. It was freezing cold and tasted heavenly to Nadia. She thought if the water was bottled, it would make Gaia a very rich woman.

After Nadia drank her fill, she washed the grime off her face and hands. She tried to wash a little of the blood and dirt out of her clothes but gave up shortly after she started. She dumped a freezing cold ladle full of water over her head and brushed her fingers through her tangles. Nadia shivered slightly while she was working on a particularly nasty tangle and stared absentmindedly into the well. She was thinking about what she would have been doing if she had not wanted an adventure. What did her family think happened to her? She started to smile as she thought about how they would react if she told them of her adventures. Suddenly, she saw flashes of pictures in the well’s water. Nadia involuntarily leaned closer to the water. She saw her mom with her telltale curly hair on the phone calmly speaking to someone. One of her sisters was in the kitchen cutting up lettuce for a salad. The other one was bouncing a basketball to taunt the dogs that were running around her. Nadia was watching the scene as if it were on a TV with low volume.

“I know Nadia,” Nadia’s mom was saying into the phone. “We miss you too, but it

is for the best, honey. You have to get better before they can send you home.” There was a pause where Nadia must have been replying. “I love you too and I will talk to you soon.” Nadia’s mom hung up the phone with a sigh. The scene suddenly changed. Nadia’s entire family was gathered around a small urn. Some were crying; others were staring off into space in shock.

“How did this happen?” Nadia’s mother sobbed. “She was so young. The doctors said she was getting better. How did this happen?”

The water went clear for only a few seconds before Nadia could hear voices. “We know where you are,” a man’s harsh, menacing voice whispered from the water. Nadia leaned back over the well wall to see the man, but all she saw was the black smooth surface of the water. “You will die as true as you would have back where you were plucked from, but it will be no illness that ends you here. It will be so much worse for you and so much better for me!!” He laughed and Nadia rolled her eyes. Nadia thought the man was way too mellow-dramatic, just like the villains in the old TV shows that used to twist their mustaches. Nadia let out her own laugh and the voice became quiet.

“Oh,” Nadia began. “I can’t laugh along with your joke? That just doesn’t seem right.” She finished sarcastically dropping the bucket back into the well before she walked away. As she entered the house she could hear a growl come from the water at the same time as the island started to tremble. No one can take a joke, she thought.

She jogged, the best she could, back into the front room to find Gaia. The room was empty and half the candles were out. The wind had picked up, whipping through the room. Nadia went around latching the windows closed, and re-lit the candles while she waited for Gaia to reappear. She had just sat down as a woman rushed into the room. She was in her mid-forties and dressed in highly polished metal body armor.

Nadia stood to greet her, but was cut off when the woman said, “Don’t just stand there, girl. Come here.” The voice was that of Gaia, though it sounded younger and fiercer.

“Gaia?” Nadia crossed the room to her.

“Yes,” Gaia responded impatiently. “And we have precious little time. Do not interrupt.” Gaia took a deep steadying breath before continuing, “I know what you saw in the well and I know now that this place is not as well fortified as I had hoped. He must be hell bent on getting rid of you now or he would never have made an attempt on your life here.” Gaia paced around the room, gathering materials and searching drawers for other things. She pulled out a worn, leather-bound book, pausing only a minute to gaze at it with a faraway look before tossing it into Nadia’s hand.

“This book,” Gaia said hurriedly, “is for you to read but not yet. Give it to Dimitri for safe keeping. I am not sure if this place will survive this battle and this book cannot be lost. At all costs, just short of losing your life or Dimitri’s, you must safe guard this book. You must leave here as soon as we can manage it.” Gaia took a step toward the door with one hand reaching for a sword slung across her back.

“What is coming?” Nadia asked in a hurried whisper. “What do we do to stop it?”

“We, child?” Gaia half turned toward Nadia. “No. You must leave before they arrived and remain safe for as long as you can, which I fear will not be long.”

Gaia looked at Nadia and smiled as a tear slide down her cheek. She walked slowly over to Nadia and looked into her eyes. Without speaking, she laid both her hands-on Nadia’s cheeks and stared unblinking into Nadia’s eyes. Suddenly, Nadia was getting flashes of pictures in her mind like a movie in fast forward. When she blinked it was over, but the older woman did not stop holding her face or allow Nadia to look away. She told Nadia without making a sound, “I will stop what is coming, but only for a short while. I had hoped I could prepare you better, but I see that I was wrong in thinking that we had time. I have given you the history of this land straight into your memories. You will soon discover how to access it. History often repeats itself so use the knowledge I have imparted on you well and wisely. I will now give you the only gift I can for it is your destiny to have it, though you may find it to be a burden without training. You have a strong connection to the land as well as the other elements, so I grant you this. Dimitri will be able to train you in a pinch. Trust him.” As she said this last statement she leaned in and kissed Nadia on the forehead. At first nothing happened. Then, there was a searing white-hot pain through her whole body, starting with her head, moving down to her toes and back. Nadia would have fallen if Gaia was not holding her up.

“Last,” Gaia said urgently. “Let go of the past pains you have had to endure in your body and your mind. When you awake you will be healed from past physical wounds but only you can heal your heart. Now, go.” Gaia let go of Nadia with a small push.

“I can’t leave you to fight whatever is coming alone,” Nadia stammered so full of emotion she could hardly speak. Nadia had to blink back tears to see again and she rubbed her forehead as the pain subsided. “Please let me help you.”

“No, Nadia. You are not ready for this fight and I plan to make quick work of these intruders. You will fight very soon and when you do you will win some and lose others.” Gaia crossed to the window to peek out. She smiled back at Nadia touching her cheek gently, “Do not lose hope. Never lose hope.” Nadia gasped as the ground trembled. “Go with my blessing and use what I have given you,” Gaia said gripping Nadia’s shoulders. “It was always meant to be yours. Trust your instincts and your heart.” A terrible explosion rocked the house as Gaia yelled, “Go now!”