"WHO ARE YOU?" Pearl mumbled in an anxious tone, her forehead was filled with beads of sweat and eyesbrow knitted. "WHY... oh, why can't I get you out of my mind, yet I can't remember you?" But there was no response-- nobody would answer her question. She was met with defeaning silence... whether she liked it or not.
Pearl glided into a building with a huge glass door at the entrance. It was a brightly lit place, as neat as a new pin, with colorful walls and artsy branding in vibrant color. She couldn't see faces, but a few of many people were walking around back and forth. She could even hear faint mumbling and maybe even laughters coming from them.
This place seemed filled with so much energy that she could feed into it and found herself feeling light, maybe even a little excited. Her heart felt full for some reason. This place was not known to her, yet it felt like this place belonged to her. She could read something or a brand name written on the wall.
Wait! What? Was it 'Dreamz' with a Z in the end? Haa!! Was this place her future office or..? Nah! This shit cannot be her past, and she was barely... Whatever! Pearl rolled her eyes, and no way this can be her future too. That was impossible in caps and bold letters.
Her parents would not allow her to work in some fancy office. At least not something that looked like 'glam shop stop'.
She further glided into the corridor, and her eyes landed on a cabin at the extreme end. Her heart raced with excitement, of the unknown. She opened the door to take a peek inside, and her smile dropped, but her heart swelled. This cabin was quite the opposite of everything she had noticed at the entrance. It was like a cave hidden deep inside a forest. Enchating and intriguing, if that made sense. Because to Pearl it did not, and so she shoved that weird feeling away and stepped inside.
This room was dark blue—almost black in color. It was as clean as the floor outside, like a mirror where she could see her face. Well! If only it wouldn't have been this weird and creepy. Because of the color—it was depressing.. in many ways.
Who likes such dark colors?
Honestly, Pearl liked the color black. She had dresses and shoes, also bags that were black in color, or at least a dark shade of blue, but this room hit her differently.
She noticed a brown table, a black cushion chair, and a burgundy couch.
Too many weird combinations. Definitely not her choice of colors for a workplace. Hers would be brightly lit, open windows where the sun could play all day, and she might watch the sun set, in case she would have to work until late hours. She loved watching the sunset. Watching the sun hide behind the fluffy clouds, playing hide-n-seek and eventually wave goodbye with a kiss of orange color filling up in the sky.
A grin stretched on her lips, just thinking about it.
Now watching it every day from the window where she was seated in her office, sounded like a great idea. Soon, the soothing sensation of the moon and its soft light will show up amid twinkling stars.
Erm..!! But then again, who did this cabin belong to?
Pearl was sure it belonged to nobody she personally knew. It was too weird and didn't match the preferences of anybody she grew up knowing.
But what amazed her was the punching bag and the dumbles. "What place is this?" Pearl scoffed. She blinked a thousandth time, when her eyes landed on a woman with a tattoo on her neck, wearing a black loose tank top and a grey track pants, slamming her fist on the punching bag. Pearl wanted to call out, but what was that woman's name? She cleared her throat to get that woman's attention, and certainly, she managed to get the attention and that woman suddenly stopped punching the bag to turn around and face Pearl.
Pearl sucked in a breath and almost choked on it. She was looking at one breathtakingly beautiful woman. Those grey eyes were nothing less than hypnotic, and her lips were fuller and.. k-kissable. Damn!! she was such a stunner. Pearl had no doubt, every man in this world would go crazy dreaming about her and want to have such a beauty for himself.
The woman smiled at her and Pearl was hit by the gentleness in it. But.. why was the woman smiling at her? Did she? Did they know each other by any chance? But how... how in the heavenly earth was that even possible?
Pearl may not have the sharpest memory, but she would never forget ever meeting a goddess like her. Not just her heart, Pearl could feel her bosom swell as well, and her nub was erect wanting to be touched. GODDAMN!!
I mean seriously, how could Pearl not feel this way, after landing her eyes such a enchanting being? She was the sight for the sore eyes.. in literally every way possible.
Pearl swiped her dried lips with her tongue to moisten them, then couldn't help but clutched the lower one between her teeth.
That woman leisurely walked towards her, smiling very fondly, and Pearl could see a mischievous glint in those grey eyes, and her heart raced... Damn!! She dreamily let out the breath she was holding. The woman came and stood close to Pearl and leaned down to cradle Pearl's face in the softness of her palms and gently kiss her forehead. Pearl's eyes fluttered shut, her face dissolved in those soft palms, and her insides just melted into a puddle. Instinctively, she gasped.. at the touch of those soft lips on her forehead and opened her eyes.
When her eyes opened this time, Pearl wasn't in the same room anymore. She found herself sitting on a bar stool, against the wooden table. She swirled on the barstool to look around. This must be a house—a-a haunted house, perhaps? A mauve couch, a charcoal grey bed, and reddish curtains? "Unbelievable!" she murmured and shook her head. 'Who chooses such fugly colors for a bedroom?' It looked grotesque—straight from a horror movie. As if there was a hidden chamber, where a bulky masked man was waiting to pounce on her as soon as he got the chance to, and the next thing she knows, she would be all chained up to be sawed.
"Ew!!" Pearl shuddered at that thought and shook her head. She could feel goosebumps on her skin, and so she couldn't help but flinch. Pearl nearly jumped out of her skin, when she heard a door open. She barely managed to turn her head to look at who had just entered from the door and was surprised to see the same woman – now wearing an off-white shirt, bomber jacket, and light blue jeans. Pearl gulped to avade the dryness she was feeling in her throat.
God bless her heart!! That woman looked sexy and hot like a devil from hell, and blissfully glorious as someone who just stepped out of heaven!! Pearl could feel herself gawking at this woman. She secretly felt envious of her. A person, she didn't even know. That woman undressed right in front of Pearl, went inside what looked like a bathroom, came out again after taking as shower, took a quilt from the cabinet, and slept on the couch.
Pearl exhaled slowly. Was she holding her breath just now? Again? She hadn't even realized it. Anyway, now Pearl knew this woman was loaded with tattoos and had a pierced navel. Truthfully, that was nothing new she had discovered, but each time it took her breath away. She loved the smoothness of the skin of the woman and longed to touch it with her palms.. lips would be her preferred option, if the woman allowed.
Goddamnit!!! What was she even thinking?
Pearl slowly walked towards the couch where that woman was sleeping and crouched down near her. 'How did you not see me standing there right now? And why the heck aren't you wearing clothes-- for my heart's sake, don't go flaunting that delectable body of yours?' She whispered in a low voice, that was barely audible. Her blood rushed to her cheeks, and she blushed to extent that she had to avert her eyes.
The woman opened her eyes, and the bright grey eyes looked directly at her. Pearl sucked in a quick breath, wanted to squeeze her eyes shut. What had she done? Was she really audible?
Wait! Pearl was stunned to see that woman.. now with her eyes closed again, was sweating profusely. Her brows were tightly knitted together, and Pearl did not know what to do. How was she suppose to help this woman and stop her from having a bad dream? Did they really knew each other?? Pearl wasn't sure what was happening with her right now? But.. she wanted to help.. she had to.. help.
Pearl leaned closer and softly placed her head over the woman's forehead and closed her eyes. 'Do you have nightmares too? Trust me, I know how scary it is? Tell me, what are you dreaming about?' she softly murmured.
When Pearl slid open her eyes the next moment, she found herself in front of a beach. Excitement rushed through her. She liked going to the beach but did not remember the last time she had been to one. Her parents wouldn't take her, nor would they allow her to go with her friends.
Now that she was standing on the sand that tickled her feet, and waves that rushed to reach her toe, it gave her a rush of adrenaline, and her heart was beating wildly with excitement.
The clear blue water, soft sand under her feet, birds chirping and flying, and puffy clouds hovering over them. There were hordes of people on the beach, playing and enjoying their time together. While some were basking in the sun, the others were swimming in the clear water. But her gaze undoubtedly landed on a now familiar face.
That alluringly beautifull woman, tugging at her heart.
She was surfing, and it further intrigued Pearl. Looking like a pro, swaying with the waves, Ms. Beauty tugged at her heart and a smile crept on Pearl's face. Why was she so excited looking at that woman dancing with the waves, was beyond Pearl's understanding. But she was thrilled to watch the woman flail along with the waves, that was for sure.
Her brain was getting spent due to this weirdness, to understand the reason behind her feeling so thrilled about someone-- a woman. Pearl shifted on her feet to turn around, only to find a pair of hands wrapped tightly around her waist. A chin resting on her shoulder and warm breath teasing her neck, that face was nestled into the crook of her neck, and it felt weirdly amazing. Her pulse quickened. She could sink into the warmth of the embrace, but who was it? Pearl turned around to face the person, only to find herself out on a street, that she didn't remember ever going to.
Not only the person who had embraced her a few moments earlier, but also 'Ms. Wet Dream' was nowhere near to to be seen. Pearl scuttered around the street, didn't know what to do or where to go. She ran and stumbled and ran again, looking for something that would look familiar to her or that woman she keeps finding everywhere around her. Even in the open street, with people walking around her, she was feeling scared. Pearl felt lost until she found that woman standing right in front of her.
Pearl balled her fist and smacked that woman rigorously. She knew that woman must be hurting, but she couldn't care less, she was alone, lost, scared and for some reason, worried that she had lost her everything. And it felt like dying.
There was something about this woman, that drew Pearl to her, tugged at her heart and also her core. There was a connection between them, that Pearl had no idea about, but it was a strong, an undeniable feeling. It made no sense to Pearl because she had never met her, and not to forget, the woman looked much older than her.
Nonetheless, Pearl couldn't deny she was indeed drawn to the woman, and it was not just because she was enchantingly beautiful.. this was something more. As if Pearl longed for her, yearned for her touch, and melted whenever she was around. Her scent captivated her, and brought her a kind of calmness.
"Who are you? Why do I keep seeing you?" Pearl demanded to know. "Why am I happy when I see you, and worried when I don't?" Tears welled up in her eyes, and she didn't know what else to do. She kept repeating the questions over and over again, but that woman remained silent, as if refusing to answer.
But, the smile on the woman's lips never left, the warmth in her eyes remained. And that made Pearl's heart flutter. She opened her arms wide, and Pearl flew into her embrace and threw her arms around that woman. As if that was just the place she wanted to be. The soothing relief she felt in the embrace was the same she had felt .
In a blink of an eye, their lips came crashing together and unknown excitement churned inside Pearl. Her head felt muddled, and the scent of that woman made her intoxicated. Her kisses were lingering and soft, and they were making Pearl's knees go weak as if her bones were melting. Her heart was racing and skipping beats at the same time. But why? Why was Pearl so intrigued by this woman-- when she didn't even know her name. Pearl reluctantly broke the kiss and stepped back.
"Please tell me.. Who are you, woman??" Pearl earnestly insisted. But in return, the woman just smiled. She brushed the tears away on Pearl's face with the pad of her thumb and kissed both her eyes. When she opened her eyes, the world started to spin faster than she could probably handle.
Pearl found herself standing in front of two women engrossed in kissing each other. Among the two, one was the woman with whom Pearl kept bumping into, and she recognized her right away, but who was the other one? Before she could figure that out, Pearl felt a pang of jealousy hit her, and she turned her back on those two women, not wanting to witness their private moment.
Just as she turned, Pearl found herself in front of a car, and she thought she was knocked unconscious on the road. But the very next moment, she could feel the pressure building on her neck, as if somebody was trying to choke her, and Pearl was barely breathe every passing second. Pearl strained her eyes to find that woman was the one trying to kill her. She picked Pearl up, still holding her neck, and slammed her to the wall.
Pearl could hear a faint gurgling sound coming from that woman. What had she done for this woman to turn so angry at her, Pearl swore she had no idea. But Pearl was not dumb and could sense that she was in trouble because the woman looked vexed. "Whatever made you angry, ma'am." Pearl blurted out.
She decided to be honest with this woman, then maybe that is how she would reach the truth behind the repeated visits to these unfamiliar places, "I haven't done anything. I don't know what's going on. I keep landing into different places and bumping into you over and over again. I keep seeing you, wanting to meet you, but--" The woman walked away without listening to what Pearl had to say.
Pearl turned to look where the woman was headed. Both her curiousity and worry peaked.
Shortly after, Pearl was dragged in a car, where that woman was seated beside her, and the vehicle they were traveling in was at its breakneck speed. Instead of getting annoyed, Pearl found herself sticking out her hand from the window, feeling the wind on her hand, then she stuck her upper body out of the window.
Her parents would never let her do this-- in her entire life. They were too uptight about everything that Pearl wanted to do. And as a result, driving or even sitting on the passenger seat when the car was smoothly and wildly slithering down the street was an absolute no-no. Pearl wasn't even feeling the vibration of the car moving until she opened the window. And Pearl craved for this feeling-- just how amazing she was feeling right at the moment.
The feeling was indescribable for Pearl and it only happened while she was visiting here.. this woman. She wanted to embrace every moment of it. Not caring where this woman was taking her. The wind in her hair was so perfect, and the thrill of the speeding car, that she would not mind dying the next moment. It was way better than dying of boredom or being tortured by overbearing people in her pitiful life.
Just as the thought of living her life carefree, hit her, the car began careening down the road and crashed into something. In a flash, she found herself floating. She didn't know the answer to the 'what' or 'why', but this feeling definitely felt good.
Damn! Nothing could prepare her for what happened next. When Pearl landed, she found a pool of blood around her. And laid in front of her was someone, she couldn't quite see the face of.
There was no doubt it scared Pearl a lot. Her heart sank in her stomach, as if she had lost something she had owned. That mysterous woman was also nowhere around too, and Pearl had no idea what her name was. So she could not holler out to her. No matter how many times Pearl had asked, it was averted in one way or the other. She regretted not knowing that woman's name.
This was not new to her. It was repeated in the same order.. every single time.
All of a sudden, Pearl found herself running, as fast as she could. Hiding from something or someone, like her life was in danger. She could see no one or hear any voice. Though she felt like footsteps were fast approaching her way, and that person was the one, she was hiding from.
Who was that person? Pearl did not know. Or why was she in a state of panic, running like a person out of her mind.. without knowing which direction she should head towards, or would she find someone ahead on this road, who would help her and keep her safe.
Pearl simply kept running and going forward in the direction ahead of her. Occasionally, she heard those footsteps behind her, and this gave her an eerie feeling, but she dared not to look and kept going forward. Pearl felt like she had heard someone calling her name, but why didn't it sound like the name was 'Pearl'? She felt like it was a different name, however, she was sure it was her name.. being called.
'What was that name again?' she mumbed to herself.
Running without knowing where was the end, felt really exhausting. But perhaps, it was her gut feeling that told her not to stop at any cost, or she would die. Whoever was following her was after her life. Also, someone was calling her name-- the name and voice that sounded unfamiliar to Pearl. Yet, Pearl kept heading towards that voice, it was perhaps someone guiding her out of this strange circle she was stuck in. Or she hoped that would be the case, but she knew what was waiting for her.
Not far away from where she was, Pearl saw that the mystery female stood in front of her, and had her hand stretched toward her. Pearl stuck out her hand and stretched her entire body to get hold of that hand, but it kept drifting away. Pearl was slowing getting exhausted and had a feeling she might faint if she had to run for more than five minutes. Her throat was hurting because it was parched.
Pearl struggled, stumbled yet kept reaching out to that hand that was extended towards her. Pearl drew a long breath and one last time reached out for that hand. She stumbled, but leaped out and finally managed to grab the hand. Her lips stretched into a grin and she heaved a sigh of relief.
But her relief was short lived, as the owner of the hand fell backward taking Pearl along with her. They both were careening down the hill and as soon as they were jostled on the ground, that woman vanished into the thin air. However, Pearl sprang out of her bed, sweating profusely and breathing heavily.
Pearl squeezed her eyes shut, to catch her breath, then her eyes landed on her phone that was kept on the nightstand. It was 2 am. She still had time to go back to sleep, if only she could calm down her thumping heart. Not only was her body shivering, but it almost felt like her soul had left her body when she leaped out of that bed.
Pearl may not know what just happened to her, but what she knew for sure, was that tomorrow she would be back in that place once again. Like it was a routine she had to follow for an unforeseen future and the reason for having such sleepless nights-- the nightmarish dream, was unknown.
All she knew about her dream, was that it was a cycle that needed to be broken. There was a key-- somewhere, maybe in her dream itself. She needed to find that key that would free her from this cycle or find this woman who probably knew the answer to everything that was happening with her. The problem was, where and how would she be able to find her, if she knew nothing about her.
Pearl slouched down on her pillow and cussed. She wondered when would she stop having these dreams. Who was that woman and why did she always seem so close to her. She must be older than her, then why did she kiss Pearl, like they were intimately close to each other. Was she some friend or an elder sister? "Eww! No way!" she gulped distatefully.
Nah! Pearl wasn't like one of those girls, to go kissing her brother, sister or any close friends. Surely she loved girls and was desperate to get laid. Or at least go on a date. But was scared of her parents finding out about it. And the drama that would follow would be unbearable. However, her desperation was not to an extent to go kissing her cousins or friends, never a relative or whoever she was...
'Oh, for heaven's sake,' Pearl groaned because she did not find one single picture of that woman anywhere. Something to show to her parents and ask if they knew her. And why was she having dreams about her, every single night? It disturbed her to no end. This mystery was killing her every single time. But she was helpless.
Pearl always felt the happiest in her dreams but woke up with a sinking feeling every time. As if she had lost something very precious to her. But no, her life was saved. Neither did she die in her dream, nor in real. She was still on her bed, in her room. Like usual.
However, none of it made any sense, since she had no idea about that woman, or the places she teleported to. Yet, it always felt, at least to her, that she knew those places. Been there and lived those moments for real. In fact, it always felt like she not only had been there, physically, but she owned those places. They were part of her life.. but then again, that was impossible. She hadn't physically been anywhere, never met this woman in person, yet felt the connection that run deeper than she would like to admit and this further confused Pearl.
If only somebody could answer her questions and help solve this mystery. These repetitive dreams were exhausting her-- she always felt drained out of energy. But, unfortunately, she could not talk to anyone about this. Her parents had the least interest in what Pearl was going through because for them it was a mere dream and should be forgotten once she was out of her bed.
Pearl stayed awake the rest of the night, her back on the bed and she was facing the ceiling. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down, but the feeling won't go away. She knew what was going to happen next.
It happened every night with her, after all. This feeling won't leave her until she did not have a good cry like she was mourning the death of that woman. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she allowed them to. Not even a moment passed, Pearl turned to her side and curled like a ball, and cried to her heart's content.
'Was that woman dead? Was she some spirit trying to connect with her?' Pearl questioned herself once again. But, she knew the answer was silence. At first, the thought of a dead woman kissing her, making her feel excited and then make her sweat, later vanishing as if she was just an illusion, creeped her out.
But, by now Pearl was used to it. She wasn't scared of that woman, but curious. Her inquisitiveness kept increasing every night because it was her dream, but that woman had snatched away her only time she could be at peace-- and that was in her sleep. And Pearl had all the right to know the reason for her suffering.
"Who are you, woman? How do we know each other? And where on the earth are you?" she cried out. When her cries subsided, Pearl sniffled, "Do you also have these dreams? Do you know anything about me? Are you looking for me too?" But this eerie silence was her only answer. There was nobody she could talk to, so the only option was to wait for that day to arrive when either this woman appears in front of her or Pearl finds some information about who is she and how they knew each other.
Or perhaps, she suddenly stops having all these dreams one night.
Feeling exhausted after crying for a long time, Pearl fell asleep once again. 'Oh! Fuck me!' she whispered in her sleep. Her head was killing her now. Tomorrow is Monday and she needed to be out of her bed on time to reach before her class.
Her professors-- as a matter of fact, might excuse her for being late one day. But, her mother hated tardiness and the punishment would be severe.