Are you feeling sleepy yet?

Ok, you are given the following song with a challenge to incorporate it into a blog post... So you think, 'I can work with that'

You eventually get around to listening to the song with notepad at hand...a character pops into your head (hallelujah someone different). Maybe a short? A bit of flash? (fiction that is, mind - gutter - tut tut)

Little did I know that I would fill half a note book in two days and be thinking bigger?!?!? Can I not just deal with one story at a time?? I have already told one to wait in favour of an altogether louder and more demanding couple, now I have someone else screaming just as loud...ring the men in white coats, Sleepy is going to implode!!!

Any way, I was going to post the results of my little exercise on here. However if I do that I think you will either be asleep by the end or will get nothing done (or of course you could just give up half way because it's crap). I will however post a paraphrased sneaky peak because I promised I would, I hope you like it!!

Dream a little dream

Elspeth was not a stranger to being awake in the middle of the night, the fact she still tried amused her sometimes. Tonight the heat was stifling and she had managed all of about 2 hours. The digital clock was blinking over the minutes 2.28, 2.29, 2.30. 'That's enough,' she thought, 'it's warm enough out, if I'm was quick enough I can be on top of the world for sunrise.' She may even catch the last of the stars.

Minutes later faded jeans, random band t-shirt, walking boots and El were all heading away from the tiny hamlet. Heading towards the promise of a breeze. It wasn't pitch black, although she had been know to make the journey without being able to see the path ahead, the moon was full and the world was in splendid monochrome. El always felt more relaxed when the world slept, her brother used to tease her and say she was a vampire, that was when she cared what others thought. Permanent tiredness tends to render you a little snippy and not many people stick around through that for very long, let alone the better part of twenty years.

There it was; the summit and the breeze. Oh and the night sky was amazing tonight. Sitting on a nearby rock she meticulously untied her boots; loosening each loop of her laces, slipping them off and tucking the laces inside before placing her socks in the top. The cool grass on her naked feet was divine; she closed her eyes to savour every sensation and began to walk towards the eastern cliff face.

Svajonė was watching her, he had been watching her for fifteen years, but lately he was watching more than he should. He had seen her go through some fragile times, times when she considered the unthinkable. Sva thought she was over that, crap was he wrong? Was she there again when the time was so close?

She was getting so close to the edge, he could watch and hope that she made the right decision again. It almost tore him in two before; he was willing her with all that he had just to stop. But her eyes were still closed...

"Wait. Don't" Sva shouted. He had let her get too close. She lost her footing turning to see who was on the hill with her. Sva saw her falling, legs over the edge and arms failing to grab anything of substance.

Sva didn't think, if he had the stupidity of his revelation would have occurred to him. In a whirlwind of sand he lifted Elspeth into the air before she could slip completely over the edge. He carried her back to the rock and set her down so gently El had to reach out and make sure she was back on solid ground.

"What the hell? Who the hell? What the...." Elspeth breathed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean...." Sva turned his gaze to the blades of grass at his feet, how the edges were turning brown from the heat of the last few weeks.

"I was alone. Or at least I thought I was? No one is usually up here in the dark." El rambled, confused. "What the hell happened?"

Sva kept his eyes firmly downward desperately trying to think of a way out of this. Trying to find a way to escape. He couldn't think of how without jeopardising her trust in him and he couldn't chance that, her transition was only weeks away.

"Ok let’s start simple, what’s your name? I deserve to know that at least don't I?" El was starting to lose it a little. He put her in danger and saved her in the same 30 seconds, she did not like the feeling that she was being kept in the dark, metaphorically instead of literally for a change.

El was just about to lose her rag with this guy, "Svajonė, my name is Svajonė" he blurted out.

"And what didn't you want me to do?"

That question got his attention, their eyes met and Sva cocked his head to one side, like a dog does when he hasn't got a clue what his owner is saying. Realisation dawned in both at the same time, Sva turned scarlet and El fell about laughing.

"You are about six months too late for that one!" El heaved trying to keep her sides from splitting, "I was just getting a good seat for the sun rise!"

"But..."

"Now lets move onto the more difficult question!! What the hell?"

"Sorry, I...." Sva muttered under his breath and retreated to staring at the ground again.

"Oh no you don't. How did I get from falling over the edge to here?"

"I..." Sva started

In three short strides El was face to face with him, he raised his head looked into her eyes. He intended to apologise and take his leave. But he couldn't and time was running out.

El sensed the resistance in him slip away and her anger began to drain, "seriously, just tell me what is going on!"

He took her hand in his; it was warm to the touch, the warmth of sand heated by the sun, an even kind of warm. He led her to a larger rock on the summit, leaned against it and slid down so that once seated his knees were at his chest. It shocked El; it was how she sat when times were hard and she needed to think, in the same spot.

"I haven't got long" he began, "When pink hits the horizon I will have to follow the moon. In the mean time I will tell you what I can"

El was sat next to him now and just listened. She had a habit of interrupting but something told her this was important.

"I have been assigned to watch you and I have been for some time. Have you ever felt that there is a reason you don't sleep well? Some way that you don't fit with the rest of humanity?"

"Yeah, I guess" El said, but her mind was still stuck on him watching her.

Sva looked over to the horizon and the graduated shades of blue were beginning to lighten and a spot of purple was creeping in.

"I don't have enough time to explain all of this tonight. I want to try something, will you let me?"

"Try what?" El asked. 'Why am I even contemplating this? He could be a total nut job! But...' Sva cut off her thinking by moving to look her straight in the eye.

"I am a Sandman" El giggled "a Dream Bringer to be precise. I want to try and deliver you a dream but you have to be at least a little sleepy first."

El was about to fall about laughing when she caught Sva's serious look and stifled it. "I could get into serious trouble for telling you any of this before your transition."

"Wait my what?"

"Your transition. I had planned this conversation to go in a whole different direction!" Sva sighed. "You are a potential. Your disposition lends it's self to this line of work but we have to wait to see if you have a gift. As such a member of the fraternity is set to watch you until you come of age, twenty before you ask, to make sure things go as expected. It is then our job to mentor you through the transition."

El just sat there speechless.

"If we are going to try this it has to be now"

"Nothing like pressure on an insomniac to fall asleep if all you want to do is keep them awake!"

“Come here"

"Huh?"

"Here, lie down and put you head on my knee. You'll be ok here for an hour. Then tomorrow I will find you, whatever happens and I will explain it all"

El hesitated for a moment but wondered what she had to lose, nothing she had nothing to lose! It was all gone already. She curled up in the grass, head on his lap facing him and for the first time she notice how gorgeous this guy was. His hair was the colour of golden sand, flopping over his face. His skin the colour of a tropical white sandy beach and his eyes like the ocean, a deep enough blue to dive into! Strangely she began to relax.

"Close your eyes." he whispered and then so quietly, if there had been a stronger breeze it would have carried his voice away before it reached her, he began to sing one of her favourite songs. His voice so melodic, her breathing began to slow and deepen. Every part of her drifted and let go.

 

So what did you think? Does you inspiration ever come from a strange place? What is the strangest thing that has ever inspired you?