A bitter-sweet nightmare – Episode 10

A BITTER-SWEET NIGHTMARE

Episode 10

Dreams Vs Reality (2)

Janine had arrived at the taxi rank and got into a random taxi.

“Sister, this isn’t a taxi.” The elderly man who was seated at the driver’s seat told her.
“Am really sorry. Am just running away from someone. Allow me to be in here just for a second, please?” He begged.
“Who are you running away from, a crazy boyfriend?” The old man asked.
“Something like that, but it’s a crazy ex-boyfriend.”
“Hehehe love is something else. Don’t you think it would be wise to approach your fears rather than running away from them?” “In my experience, running away doesn’t solve anything. It just leaves uncut ties and those begin to weigh you down with time.” He told her.

From the car, she watched as the two of them walked around in circles at the taxi rank looking for her.

“Try calling her,” Markus told Max.
“What makes you think she would answer my call?” He asked.
“Isn’t that obvious? You are the ex-boyfriend and am just a friend.” Markus sighed.
“Friend my foot!”
“Why are you against me? I haven’t done anything.” Markus spoke defensively.
–
“I don’t know what to do…” Janine said as she began to panic.
“Well, sometimes you just need to wake up, the only real thing is often reality itself.” The old man said.
“What does that mean, do you even understand how shameful it is for me as a woman?” Janine asked the old man.
“If it’s as shameful as you make it sound then why do you entertain a lot of men at the same time?” He asked her, “Let me tell you something, no matter how dark and scary the night might be, one thing is always certain and that is; the sun will shine when the morning comes.” The old man giggled.
“Basically, what you are saying is that things will get better?”
“Not really, the outcome depends on which path you decide to take. It also means facing certain people and being honest with them, even if it means losing out on the benefits you attain from them.” The man told her.
“Aaah! I wish all this was just a dream.” Janine said as she panicked.
“Tell me something little one, what makes you think this isn’t just a dream?”
“Because am still here talking to you…” She responded.
“Dreams are created from the core center of our desires and things which we have exposed ourselves to constantly. What’s the point of a dream if it’s not going to feel real at all? Pointless right?” The man spoke to her, he kept his calm composure as he spoke regardless of how Janine responded.
“It seems like the guys have found you…”
“Noooooo!”

“Janine! Janine! Wake up.” Chansa called out to her.
“I told you pouring her water would work.” His girlfriend commented.
“I wonder what she’s dreaming about, she’s sweating and rigid. Get more water…” Chansa told the girlfriend.

“I don’t want! I don’t want! Just leave me alone!” Janine kept yelling.
“It seems like it’s time for you to wake up. Your friends are calling you.” The old man told her.

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“Aaah! I don’t want!!!!!” She exclaimed. She literary jumped out of bed.
Her heart was racing; her bed was wet and she was scared as hell.
“What did she take last night?” Chansa’s girlfriend asked him.
“Well, am wondering the same thing.” Chansa responded.
“Hey, are you okay?” He asked her.
“I don’t know… Am I home?”
“What kind of question is that? No, you are outside. We’ve been trying to wake you up for some time now. You were busy talking gibberish. I know who Markus is, but who the heck is Max?” Chansa’s girlfriend asked.
“Max! Did I say, Max?” She asked nervously. Not only that but it seemed she was spooked by that name.

Max was a bad thought for Janine, just the thought of him made her go crazy. ‘to think that I would have such a dream of meeting him’ she thought. Her whole body was filled with goosebumps just by thinking about it.

“Come on, let’s go. You need to bathe.” Chansa’s girlfriend said. With her help, Janine was able to get up.
“Why is my bed so wet?”
“Chansa poured two buckets of water on you.” She giggled, a little mischievous.
“I had the worst dream ever; do you know that in my dream… You and I were enemies and Chansa, well, there wasn’t much about him in the dream except that I shared a house with him instead of you.” Janine said.
“That’s a weird dream.”
“That’s what I thought as well, but it was so real, like very much real… Even right now, I can vividly remember every bit of it.” She said as they entered the bathroom.

Chansa was folding all her wet beddings when he heard a faint sound of what sounded like Janine’s phone.
When he picked it up, after turning the whole room upside down _ behold a strange number was calling. Since Janine was traumatised, he decided to answer the call.

“Hello!”
“Hello, who is this?” The person on the other end of the line asked.
“Huh! You the one who called. Am the one who needs to ask you that question.” Chansa told him.
“Hey, where is the owner of the cell?”
“Am not answering any question from you until you tell me who you are _ you arrogant prick.” He shouted.
.
.
“My name… Well, my name is Max. Now, who the hell are you?” He asked him.
.
.
The scent of soil when it first kisses rain is priceless, it’s a longing, a craving, yet, for some reason, you don’t want it to last forever but long enough to be enjoyed.

That was the last thought on Janine’s mind as she laid down on her bed to take a nap because soon, it would rain. Her friend, Lisa, had just been visited by Chansa who happened to be the boyfriend.
To give them time alone, she went to take a nap. Not only that, she was tired as hell from the shots and lagers that they took the previous night.

“Janine! Some guy is on the line. He says his name is Max!” Chansa shouted.

TO BE CONTINUED…

KENNEDY C KATONGO