Elzabet and The Cat (original) (raw)

She finally awoke. The building was...gaudy, in her opinion, with crimson colored walls and gold panels on every available space. She sat with a loud groan, fingertips gently massaging her aching head. “Where...what the hell?” she muttered, looking around at the group sleeping around her. There were six of them total, four girls and two boys. “I'm nuts, I know...but this one's a little far fetched, even for me.”

“Tell me about it. So many Dreamers all together. It's almost a heart warming sight.”

Frankee nearly screamed, and turned to face the man, her eyes quickly taking in everything about him, including the door on his bare chest. He smiled coolly and nodded towards a girl with long straight burgundy hair. “She's my Dreamer.” he grinned at the look of utter confusion on Frankee's face. “My name,” he began “is-

“Nope. I'm done. This shit's crazy, and I'll have you know I was JUST declared mentally competent. I'm gonna wake up, go to work. That's it. That's all that's gonna happen.” Frankee glared, trying to convey a sense of confidence she had never possessed. Her eyes narrowed when a large smile broke out on the man's face, and then widened when he seemed to pull a wine glass out of thin air.

“You can only exit through Dreaming's Door.” he sipped the wine that had appeared suddenly in a delicate manner, his blue eyes giving her a quick once over. “Anyways, as I was saying, my name,” he held up a finger as Frankee made to speak again, “is Cherub. I serve Key, the King of the Nevermore. Your Dream, your child” Frankee tilted her head, puzzled.

“You are the...what now? And what's this about this 'Key' guy? I don't know anyone by that name, and I'm, like, nine hundred percent sure I don't have a kid. So, you got the wrong chick, mister...Cherub.” Cherub only looked amused, shaking his head. Alright, Frankee thought, that pisses me off. “Alright, Cherub. You think I could have a KID without knowing about it. Do you have any idea about what childbirth is like?!?” This really got Cherub going. He howled with laughter and slapped his thigh.

“D-do I,” a loud giggle, “K-kno..w whatt childbirth i-is like?!?” he laughed harder. “My darling, you only know of the physical process of birth. There are may, many forms, and that is the least common of them. This child was born of your dreams. This child has more of you than any babe will ever have, and-”

“That's enough, Cherub.” Cherub gaped, and floundered momentarily.

“I...” he cleared his throat and stood straight, a posture he didn't have before “Yes, my Lord.” A tall, slender...man, walked (pompously, Frankee thought) into the room, surveying the scene with an easy confidence that she didn't like. “My Dreamer,” he extended his arms in warm greeting, “Finally we meet. I am Key, your Dream. And you, Franchescia Harold, are my Dreamer.”

“It's FRANKEE.” she roared, tired of the whole charade that was playing out before her. “Listen, I don't know what's going on her, but I'm done with this whole thing. I'm going to wake up now, and I'll be back in my shitty bed, in my shitty New York apartment, with a shitty job that I hate, with all the other shitty NORMAL people. This has gone way to far.” Key frowned, narrowing his eyes. Cherub was at his side immediately, muttering things like “I told you she'd be no help.” and “we need you. You don't need your key.” Frankee fumed for a moment, and finally allowed her curiosity to get the better of her.

“Your key? What the hell's that? Metaphor?” Their faces made it look like she had just given birth to a very large, very slimy, fish. “Don't look at me like that!” she muttered, feeling her face go red. Stupid Frankee, she thought, you just had to go and make yourself the center of attention, didn't you? She was so consumed in this thought that she didn't notice Key walking quietly towards her.

“My darling...Frankee.” he seemed to taste the name “Only you, as my Dreamer, can set me free.” he pointed to a fist-sized, very ornate door directly in the center of his chest that she hadn't noticed before. “I need to find my key to unlock my heart, and only you know where it is.”

"I don't even know what you're talking about, so how could I know where your key is?" The man, Key, smiled gently. Frankee thought he looked incredibly fake when he did. Like it was forced and not real in the slightest, and that scared her. So, what if they were dreams? Could they be dangerous? Would he hurt her? She tensed as he took another step closer, and she was surprised to see a sad, hopeless look in his eye. "I-I...er..." She sighed weakly, "alright. I'll help. But, I can't promise you that I'll actually HELP." Key broke out in another smile, this one real and very warm. Before she could protest, or even react, Frankee was pulled into a tight hug. He's so warm...she thought, burying her face into the crook of his neck. He smelled like honeysuckle and spring grass, so much like her happy memories of childhood. His fingers reached up to stroke the side of her neck, and after a few moments, they both pulled away. Frankee felt her face flush and looked away, noticing that the others were stirring.