Dreams and Legends

Night came and with it clouds. 

Susan was in her room lying in her bed positioned against the wall facing the door.  To her left was her night stand with the lamp.  To her right was her window.  Being between the lamp and the bright moonlight from the open window was the perfect place for Susan to bury herself.  She would stay awake longer than most because of her books.  Susan hugged the hard bound book cover tight to chest and closed her eyes.  This was often her ritual before she read. 

She looked at the now much worn book cover.  She touched and drew small circles with her finger on its edges.  She smiled to herself.  It was one of her favorites, and she would reread it now. 

Susan again learned of the damsel in distress.  Hannah was her name, and she was trapped—locked away in a tower with no escape.  Hannah wanted desperately to break free—to run away… but she could not.  She was a prisoner to the evil dragon.  Often Hannah would express her desires to be saved.  She would voice her need to be rescued, but no… there was no help to be found. 

How true that is my friend, Susan thought.  But at least… you do have a rescuer in the end. 

Susan immersed herself in her book, but it had not been more than ten pages before she noticed the change.  She was one of the few who saw the approaching clouds over the sky.  The people from Green Valley were not night owls and most would be in bed just an hour or two after sunset.  As Susan turned another page in her book the light from the window begin to dim.  Usually the moon beams brightly through the night.  She pushed her bed sheet off and planting her feet on the floor turned to the window.  Two enormous gray masses of smoke were passing under the moon and for a brief moment there was no light in the sky. 

“That’s different,” Susan said to herself.  She had seen rain before but she knew how rare it was in Green Valley, especially during the summer months.  And then the most unexpected thing happened.  A bright flash of light burst in what appeared to be the middle of the village.  Susan had never seen lightning before and for a second she was blind.  At that moment the thunder struck, and it shook the foundation of the entire house.  To Susan the walls seemed to get very close.