Lyla fell softly into the dreamscape, her breathing light and tempered. The monitor was primed to note the slightest flutter, its precision indisputable. The dream catcher was ready. This was Lyla’s third cycle without producing a dream. She was expected to generate 3 or 4 each event but had become unexpectedly and inexplicably barren. This was not her usual practice. She had been prolific, exceptional even. Now they were considering decommissioning her. This was her last chance. The monitor hummed imperceptibly, the dream catcher was poised. …. An REM blink ….. A false alarm. Patience was called for. Dreams were the purview of the elite. Long extinct, the discovery of a dreamer was a rarity. Few had talent. Even fewer could produce reliably. The dream catcher was key. Its intricate gossamer web was finely tuned to frequencies unintelligible yet exacting. It alone could extricate the dream. There was only one. It could not be reproduced. The dream catcher was held in a vacuum-sealed chamber when not in use and guarded 24/7. Many partook and paid well for the privilege. The chance to dream, a uniquely transformative experience. Coveted. Bartered. Leveraged. It offered profound meaning, inexorable pleasure, and inestimable currency. Lyla lay in waiting. She felt nothing, heard nothing. She was the conduit. Synergy with the dream catcher was solely within its province. Once established, the connection was thought to be everlasting. Now this seemed doubtful. Days passed. Nothing. It was time. A decision was proffered. Lyla was deactivated. Overnight and without warning the dream catcher expired. Its delicate translucent strands hardened to a dark, cold, amber. It no longer resonated. It no longer received. No one anticipated the two would have cultivated a binding symbiotic attachment of this consequence. No one noticed the chemical and frequency changes taking place in each or the creation of their unbreakable union. The dreamer, the dream catcher, were no longer. And without warning or grace period, the nightmare came and took hold. Picture prompt: photo above
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April 2024
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