“Now we wait?”
“Yeah, now we wait.” I sat. This wouldn’t take long.
***
“How long do we wait?” Baz asked hours later.
I sighed. “Fuck.”
“Let’s start walking,” he took a step. “Maybe that will trigger something.”
“Yeah.” Grumbling, I climbed to my feet. Baz did the same and we set off through grayness.
“What are the chances that the storms have stopped?”
“It’s possible,” I said. “There isn’t anything left for them to suck up.”
“Let’s head for the green patch. Maybe we’ll find some inspiration.”
I grunted my agreement, and we went that way. In the way of dreams, we walked forever, but also in no time at all green grass cushioned our footfalls. In the distance something yellow and red broke up the green landscape.
“Is that a tent?” I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
“It does appear to be a tent,” Baz grasped my hand. “Let’s investigate.”
Hoping we wouldn’t attract another storm toward whatever was left in this realm, I set off toward the tent. I couldn’t help it. There had been more inside the nothingness storm than there was in the Unconscious Realm, and it was freaking me out.
We walked for hours toward the tent, and yet it receded in the distance.
Finally, I stopped and looked at Baz. “Suggestions?”
He pursed his lips. “At some point we’ll get there.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
Sighing dramatically, I set off, again.
This time I walked until the damn thing vanished from sight. Then I put my fists on my hips and rounded on Baz. “We’ll get there eventually?”
He shrugged and pointed.
Exasperated, I turned, and yelped. The tent practically loomed over us. “What the hell?”
“Dream logic.”
Grumbling about where dreams could shove their logic, I circled the tent. It was a red and yellow canvas circus tent and we’d come up on the backside.
When we found the entrance the flaps were closed. I stopped by the ticket taker’s stand and tapped on a bell.
For a long moment no one answered, then the flap pulled back and a very familiar person stepped out.
“Robby!” I rushed forward, hugging him. “You’re alive?”
“I’m not that easy to get rid of, Princess.” He held me close for a moment, making me think his escape from the nothingness had been closer than any of us were comfortable with.
Casey stepped out behind the jester, and I hugged her, too. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”