When We Were Still Human Vaughn Foster (the kiss of deception read online .txt) 📖

abyss that surrounds the universe. Then of course, the aether— it’s what flows through every crevice of the universe, giving life to, well... everything. Some people tap into that energy, but most are clueless.” He stopped, waiting to make sure she was still with him.

She nodded her head and he continued.

“Dreamwalkers are those that can transcend reality and enter the Spirit World. Children often visit the aether in their dreams, but once they reach a certain age, they stop dreaming and this world is forgotten. Spirits come and go, often manifesting themselves as, like you said, imaginary friends, or beloved toys. It’s not uncommon for some to take a liking to the children.”

“Okay…” Avia said, trying to make sense of the cat’s words. “But I still don’t get how I ended up here.”

“You must be one of the very, very rare types that can dreamwalk into adulthood,” he said with a yawn. He paused, stretching and repositioning himself on the branch, then smiled back to her again. “This world is your playground. Conjure anything you wish; like the imagination, this place is limitless.”

Avia closed her eyes and thought of a cold margarita. When she opened them, she found the glass in her hand, complete with a small paper umbrella. Laughing, she tried again, this time imagining the lead singer of her favorite band. A deep, rumbling voice and the blare of electric guitars blasted through the jungle as the band appeared behind her, performing a concert for an audience of one. She waved her hand and the stage blew away like vapor. Smiling at her newfound power, Avia turned back to the cat who appeared to be falling asleep on his branch.

“You never told me your name,” she said. She waited for his answer as she took another sip of her drink.

“No one has ever cared what my name was…” he said, a perplexed look crossing his face.

“Really? What about the other spirits here? You’re the only one I’ve seen so far. Well, the only one that bothered to talk.”

“Probably for the best. Housed Spirits, the animals you’ve seen already, are just extensions of the aether. They’re one with the rest of this world: the trees, the grass, the sun. Free Spirits, such as myself, can be a bit… unpredictable.”

“How so?”

“Well, actually, I guess it just depends on who they are. Most come and go, but never stay. There’s not much to do here.”

“What are you talking about? This place is amazing!” Avia exclaimed.

“For dreamwalkers. For spirits, it’s just a shortcut when traveling. The ones that stick around are kinda weird. Well, I guess that’s a bit harsh. Everyone’s kind of mad here. But I’m sure if you look hard enough, you’ll find some of the others.”

“That’s okay... I don’t want to run into any of these ‘mad’ people.”

“Oh, you can’t help that,” the cat replied smiling. He leaned in close. “We’re all mad here.”

“How do you know that I’m mad?” Avia asked sarcastically.

“You must be, or you wouldn’t have come.” He settled back with a yawn. “That reminds me, you never said how you got here. You’re obviously not a skilled dreamwalker if this is your first conscious visit. What did you possibly do to have left reality?”

Avia quickly turned away, avoiding his eyes. “I took a bunch of pills.”

“Ah,” the cat remarked. He jumped down to where she sat and nudged his head against her arm. “It’s okay. Right now, you’re in your own personal wonderland. Get the most out of it.”

“What do you mean ‘right now’?!” Avia snapped, her voice cracking.

“Even as a dreamwalker, you can’t stay here forever. You walk the line between the physical and the spirit worlds. Abandoning one for the other isn’t possible. Trying to stay here would tear you to pieces.”

“Oh,” Avia said through her lowered gaze.

“But don’t think about that. Besides, I’m sure you’ll be back here sooner than you think. Focus on what you wanna do now!”

Avia looked to her right and saw the crystal blue river that cut through the landscape outside of the tree line. She hadn’t noticed it before, but there was a point where the meadow cut off at a rocky cliff. The river continued its course, then dropped over the edge into an enormous waterfall. The fish almost looked like they were animated; their extravagant scales sparkled in the light as expressions of excitement and trepidation swept over their faces before they were pulled over by the current.

“You said I could do anything, right?” Avia asked the cat.

He followed her gaze, alarm shadowing his features. “Anything your heart desires...”

“Then let’s go!”

She jumped to her feet and ran towards the bank. She slowed when she got to the rapids, then knelt and placed a hand in the water. After swirling her index finger a few times, something solid began to form under the surface. A few seconds later, she was pulling out a two-person canoe, hopping in, and positioning the oars.

“Well, are you coming?” she called over to the cat, who was still standing on the shore.

“Well… It’s just that it’s water, and… yeah.” Avia smirked when he dipped one of his paws in the water before quickly pulling it back out.

Rolling her eyes, Avia snapped her fingers, and a yellow raincoat with matching hat and boots covered his furred body. “No excuses. Now get in.”

The cat sighed in defeat and trotted over to the canoe. He jumped into the second seat and fumbled with his pair of oars.

“You never told me your name!” Avia called back over the sound of rapidly moving water. The enormous waterfall loomed in the distance, fast approaching.

“It’s Cheshire!”

It wasn’t long before they reached the edge of the waterfall and the tip of the boat suspended in the air. It was then that they began