Relato Corto Blog Fiction

The Shape of Your Dreams

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Ivan couldn’t sleep that night. He waited in front of the fireplace, watching the fire dance. His mind was lost in a labyrinth created by alcohol; without the ability to connect his thoughts. Enjoying the silence of the mind while the pirates interact with each other like children discovering fun. The tavern’s warmth protected them, while the cold of night left with the breeze of dawn: freezing those who remained on guard.

The blue metal ships have not been seen again. The possibility of them hiding beyond the sight of the most advanced telescopes was unlikely. After all, the only thing that can disappear on the horizon of the flat earth must be hiding behind something else.

Jonas’ testimony was shocking. He tried to harness the power of air currents to outrun them…the blue metal ship didn’t even raise its sails. It was clearly moved by dark magic.

Ivan waited for dawn before visiting Durisa—the witch of Sapphire island. She could have an answer from the spirits realm. She was the captain’s only way to understand what was happening. Ivan set out on his journey to the haunted cabin at the other end of the island.

This was not the first time that Ivan had visited Durisa. Somehow, he knew this time would be different.

“Come in, Ivan,” Durisa said, before the captain entered the small house by the sea. “I was waiting for you.”

Ivan frowned.

“The answers you are looking for do not want to be discovered,” Durisa said.

Ivan watched the pale-skinned woman close a large book. Then, he saw her walk around a table full of potion jars. The witch was wearing a torn dress that showed too much of her body.

“Here is the path that will lead you to them,” Durisa said.

“I’ve decided to stop drinking your concoctions,” Ivan said as he turned to leave.

“I know you have one of the invaders’ weapons,” Durisa said.

“Rumors travel fast,” Ivan said and stopped.

“No one on this planet has the knowledge you need,” Durisa said. “To find it you will have to travel alone. The contents of this vial will be your entry key. It is up to you to discover what you need.”

“I’m tired of these trips,” Ivan said, then went over to Durisa and took the small glass container. “Let it be for the good of humanity.”

Durisa was able to see energy coming out of the small vial in Ivan’s hands—a constant stream of colored smoke. The perfect combination of substances added to a Huachuma base. A drink known to many as the key to heaven.

Ivan drank the liquid without thinking about what might happen. Realizing that nothing was wrong, he looked curiously at Durisa. “Done, now what?”

Durisa looked at Ivan curiously. “Follow me, you better lie down.”

Ivan followed the witch into a dark room. There he found a place to lie down.

“This journey will be as long as it takes,” Durisa said. “Although in the time of the earth you will return at noon. I will take care of you.”

Ivan began to feel the effect of the chemical in his brain. Little by little his senses were weakened, losing the ability to experience existence. Ivan’s mind filled in the empty spaces left by his impaired eyesight; colors and shapes that only Ivan could see appeared.

As time passed, the chemical continued to invade Ivan’s body until he lost total connection with reality. He couldn’t even decipher the position of his body. For him the world stopped being what the senses perceive and the limits of his physical body disappeared.

Ivan found himself within a cloud of colors that nourish each other and emanate delicious fragrances.

Time passed and the lack of stimuli made Ivan’s mind lose its sense of itself. Having a coherent thought was impossible, but accepting that you are part of a single universe became easy. Without his senses, Ivan was part of everything…until a black cloud invaded his tranquility.

Ivan was surprised to notice the sudden change. His mind regained control for an instant, bringing him back to reality.

The room was filled with creatures that Ivan’s mind created from all the objects around him.

“Capitan”, Jostas said, “the blue-blooded beings are approaching.”

Ivan focused his mind until he could make out Jostas. “Take me with you.”

Durisa stood in front of the captain. “You are in no condition to go out.”

“My crew needs me,” Ivan said and walked towards Jostas.

The captain allowed himself to be guided through the undergrowth between the witch’s house and the docks. On the way he saw animals created by his imagination in the bushes; these figures moved, walked and looked at him. Ivan noticed that they seemed friendly and were roaming carelessly.

Upon reaching the dock, Ivan found the Land Lover’s pirates waiting. “We know they can bleed,” Ivan said. “Let’s see what they are made of.”

Ivan was the first to board and headed for the helm. The rest of the pirates took their places. “Have the cannons ready.”

Once the ship sailed, Ivan noticed that the sea was also full of beings that he had never seen before. Like the leaves of the undergrowth, Ivan’s mind filled the empty spaces: creating animals with the waves.

Ivan struggled to stay connected to reality. Realizing that his senses continued to lose strength. He took a blue metal bar out of his bag and placed it on the helm. Then he imagined the metal covering the entire boat, certain that that would be the only way to survive the attack.

Instead, Ivan noticed that he was now holding a small metal sphere. He tried to turn it into a different object; the blue metal tried to transform but turned back into a ball.

Jostas stared in amazement at the object the captain was holding in the palm of his hand. The metal seemed to change in size with a vibration that made it seem ethereal. Jostas had to rub his eyes before looking at it again. The object could not maintain a stable position; it disappeared in brief intervals.

Ivan saw a solid blue metal sphere in his hand, while his senses continued to lose connection with reality. Frustrated by the futility of his attempt, he tucked the sphere into his bag and continued to direct the Land Lover toward the blue metal ship.

About the author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.

88 comments

Relato Corto Blog Fiction

About Author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.