2014-05-06 - Dream a Little Dream

Ted was at home, asleep in bed. Most people can't remember their dreams unless it's a really good dream or a really bad dream. The average dream, and the weird dreams? Usually those are the important ones. And those are the ones that are the hardest to recall.

But tonight, Ted was going to have a very weird but very memorable dream.

It was almost a memory. He was being arrested for the death of Ted's mentor, "Socker" Smith by the boxing glove with poison in a small needle in it, and was being put into the back of the oplice car. They started driving - two cops in front, Ted in back.

Ted Grant grabs at the small grill opening on the cab of the paddy wagon and shouts, "You gotta believe me! I didn't know nuthin' about no needle! It was Skinner and Flint! They wanted Socker to take a walk in the water but Socker don't take no dives, see? They framed me like a painting!"

No reaction from the dicks up front. Ted goes back to the bench and sits down fretting at his cuffs. "Socker ... I should have taken the dive when they asked me. Not like they cared who won as long as they knew it in advance for the bookmakers. Now I'll get the chair."

One of the police officers turn around. He's a lanky fellow with black hair and pale skin. Very gaunt-ish. He speaks to Ted. His voice sounds like a whisper, but at a normal speaking volume. "This really haunts you. It's a seminal moment in your life that you think about a lot. In the back of the unconscious mind. And it's all because of someone dying."

Okay, this was different than your memory of what happened. The cops were Irish. And not some goth guy and.... okay apparently a 14 year old girl with rainbow colored hair who's driving. She says to the gaunt cop, "cAn I TElL hIM?"

The gaunt cop looks over at the girl. "You'll just confuse him. You confuse everyone.""

"WADe wASn'T cONfUSEd."

"He's crazy. You do crazy. Just drive. Before we get to the bad part of this." He looks back at Ted. "I remember Socker."

Ted Grant rubs his eyes. "This fucking dream again. What's going on? This dream usually plays out the same start to finish. If you was going to hijack it you might 'a done it before the part where the six cops grab me and smack me with their batons a bit to get the cuffs on. Who're you and where d'you know Socker from?"

Socker is sitting next to Ted. "He knows alla us, Ted."

The gaunt cop says, "My little sister here feels that you're going to be instrumental in helping to make things right in the near future. And she tends to be very wise about such things.

The girl says to herself as they're driving, "rED mEAnS sTOp, gREeN mEANs gO. YeLLoW mEAnS gO REALlY fAsT!" And she speed through traffic, almost hitting a few cars.

Dream sighs a bit iritatedly as Socker smiles a bit at Ted. "Been a long time, kid."

Ted Grant looks like he's seen a ghost. Well he has actually. "... Socker ... Teach, I'm so sorry. I should have taken the dive. I never would 'a wanted to hurt you, for you to go out this way. You taught me everything that really mattered. You ... I'm so sorry." Ted buries his face in his hands overcome. Why not? It's his dream. He can cry if he wants.

Delerium whistles to herself as she drives. "i NEvEr gET tO bE iN yOUr ReaLm foR thE nON cRaZiEs. NeAT. bUTTeRFlY!!!" she says as she swerves to avoid a butterfly.

Dream watches as Socker talks to Ted. He figured it would carry more weight coming from his departed friend and mentor.

Socket looks at Ted. "Kiddo.... I ain't ever blamed you about what happened. It happened - you takin' that dive? That wasn't in you. And ... you done right by me and brought those mooks to justice. I saw all that - believe me, I saw all that. But this guy here?" he points a thumb over at the gaunt cop. "He let us have this talk cause there's a big problem in the world right now. And they need you to fix things. Just like you fixed things to avenge me when you cleared yer name."

Ted Grant is no longer Ted Grant. Wildcat raises his cowled head. He's a hero. He doesn't have time for this bawling nonsense. "Thanks Socker. That means a world to me. Okay, Slim, what gives and what do I do? I owe you for this reunion." He gives Socker a smile.

The gaunt man says, very plainly, "We need you to make it possible for people to die again." He doesnt explain further yet.

Wildcat says, "... I don't off people ... on purpose. If you want me to whack someone I ain't yer boy."

Socker puts his hand on Ted's shoulder. "He don't mean that, kid. Well not exactly. They got someone for doin the dirty work. They need you to help that guy. To make it possible for people to be able to die again. Ain't you been noticing no one and nothin's been dying on the planet?"

Dream says, "Our big sister is Death. She went missing. This is my sister, Delirium. You will not remember us when you wake up, but you'll remember this message, which is why we have your friend here to talk to you. She allows death and life to happen, and she is... missing."

Ted Grant rubs his chin. "I been hearing stuff yeah. I still wasn't gonna stop a bullet to find out fer sure. Nobody dying is wrong. Much as I wish some people'd never die. Much as I've wished to die sometimes and ... haven't. Some people deserve rest. So where do I start looking? You got any leads, anyone who might want to put the bag on your sister? A description? Does she have a scythe?"

Dream responds, "Not since the 1300s. At least not in this universe. Usually. Honestly, not sure what she was planning on looking like this time. We talked but she didnt go into detail. She was a child's goldfish last century.

Delerium says as she narrowly misses hitting a pedestrian, "ShE'S NOt a fISh thIS tImE, wOUlD bE boRiNG."

Socker says to Ted, "I think they're gonna have the guy they picked out meet you. Just don't beat him up when he does. He's a little loopy in the head.

Delerium says, "u CaN iF U wANt."

Ted Grant says suddenly, "Wait a minute ... why me? I mean I been screwing up all kinds of ways lately. Why not Batman? He has good references. Why not Superman or Dr. Fate? Hey, bring back Wesley!! He does this metaphysical dream shit better than anyone! Why me and this nut burger you keep allooding to? I mean I drink, chase skirts, often ruin carefully laid plans of my egghead friends. I ain't the best detective by far. I run more towards the beat the shit out of the Riddler till he coughs up some answers! You want me looking for someone tough enough to take down death? I'm a guy in fucking catsuit! You want the Spectre!"

Delirium murmurs to herself, "cAUsE thE TP woN'T allOw thEM..." Fortunately this is one of those things that won't be remembered when Ted wakes up.

Dream says, "Because it just needs to be the two of you. And the guy who took our sister is a normal human. Like you. Batman - he's stubborn. Iritatingly stubborn .... he would be clouded. And he blocks out his dreams except for his promise. I could force it but it's a moot point. The dreams trouble him. You will remember, though. You have Socker to tell you what I said. The universe requires balance. And my little sister said that's how it needs to be, and she tends to have insight others do not. We cannot take the risk of having others, even if they are far more powerful than you."

Socker says, "Don't tell yerself short kid. You can do this. Just find the nutbar, go help him with freein' death back into the world. And if I ever hear about you cryin' about how yer a nothin compared to those other heroes, I'll come back from the dead and whack you upside your head one."

Ted Grant frowns. But he nods, "Where to meet the nutbar? I promise not to beat him silly. 'N where's the last place anyone saw your sister? Did she have any friends in town? What am I saying ... she's Death. Of course she has friends in Gotham."

Dream sighs a bit. "Yeah. Our big sister has friends with all living things. Everywhere. Not just this insignificant city on an insignificant planet in an insignificant galaxy. She adores you people more than any of the rest of us. Probably because she is among all of you so often and meets you all personally."

Socker says, "They don't know where the last place they saw Death was, that's the thing. Something blocking their ability to see where she is or was. That's why they need heroes like you. Lookit. They think some sorta clown is holding her though. Now I don't know what that means, but I'm gonna guess you do."

Dream says, "And unfortunately you're going to wake up in a few seconds... so we're almost done with our talk."

Wildcat gives a little jump and says, "Clown! Oh for f..."

Wildcat's expletive is cut short when Dream says, "Basically you have to wake up becaues most people do when they die in their dreams."

And that's when the truck hits the police car, causing Ted to sit up in his bed with a start.