Story: Oneiromancy, XXI

(Part O , XX , XXII)

The beach was just as they remembered it. The message they had missed, now scrawled into sand, was the sole difference. In a world that was supposed to be constantly changing, that was an anomaly that made no sense. Stanley and Helen looked at each other. The last time they had been here, Helen had slapped the mysterious Tweedy Lady and woken them both from their slumber. Now, there was no antagonist and the island remained.

"Do you feel funny?" Stanley asked suddenly.

Helen thought for a moment, considering. "Yes, a little. It's rather like swimming in bubbles, although I've never done that. How odd."

"For me, it's more of an itchy sensation. I wonder if it's something happening back with the Professor?"

"We'll find out when we get back. If we get back. For now, something is maintaining this island, if it's not one of us." She looked at her companion, who had now been with her for so long that she couldn't remember life back at the Blue Monkey without him. "Want to explore, crazy teacher person?"

Stanley sighed, all hopes of happily waking up after no further incidents dispelled. "It may be a trap, and it may not. It may be a solution, and it may not. It may be nothing at all, and it might give us the secret to the Universe. I may be a coward, but a cry for help is a cry for help and we have to go look." Screwing up his courage, he made a sally into humour. "When this is all over, let's run away to Bangor."

"No deal. I've been to Bangor."

"Curses! All hopes dashed! Shall we proceed, milady?"

"Don't get fresh, mister, we still have to get out of this mess. School teachers!" Helen pointed into the tree-covered murk inland. "Coming?"

"Yes, miss."

"Now, cut that out!"

They began their exploration into the interior of the island.

There shall be more.