The Greatest Dream of All
Shadows of Light
Epilogue - The Power of a Dream
"Alanda?" the voice seemed so far away.
Alanda felt so tired, but she knew it was important that she go to the
voice.
*Have to keep going towards the voice. Have to keep -* she felt a hand
touching her own and she wrapped her fingers around it.
Using it to anchor her away from the light, towards the voice.
*Have to keep going. Count on me. MY responsibility. MY burden. MY
duty.* Alanda willed herself closer to the voice, and suddenly, she
could hear.
A steady beep. . . beep. . . beep. . .
"Alanda?" the voice - Mum?
"Is she awake?" another voice - Dad?
"Yes!" Mum whispered, "Edward, run get the doctor! She's waking up!
Alanda's waking up!"
Alanda forced her eyes open tiredly. Her mum and dad were staring down
at her like Queen Serenity and her Sailor Sensei had been.
"Mum?" she whispered hoarsely, "Dad?" she struggled to stay awake,
"What's going on?"
Cathy, Chelsea and Edward came into view.
"There was an explosion - your computer." Dad said, "You've been in
hospital for three weeks, Alanda." He explained, "The doctors said that
your body was in trauma from being so close to an explosion." He said.
"A dream -" Alanda whispered.
Jadite, Malachite, Zoisite, Darian. . . dreams. Saving Princess
Serena and the Sailor Scouts - the Earth Stone and being Sailor Earth -
all dreams. . .
"We thought we'd lost you." Edward said, a brief note of laughter
entering his voice.
Alanda forced a smile, "You still sound - American sitcom - Edward."
She whispered weakly.
"Edward's right - you dropped in and out for weeks, your vital signs
were so unstable." Cathy said, patting Alanda.
"I'm afraid I've got to ask you to leave now." A new voice - the
doctor? "Alanda will need to rest and recuperate. Her body has healed,
but she's still weak."
Alanda felt her grip on conciousness fall away.
"This is yours." Edward said softly as her family turned to leave,
whispering good byes to her.
Alanda turned her eyes wearily to Edward, "What?"
Edward pressed something into her hand, "Your lucky necklace - I've been
taking care of it till you could take it back."
Memory twinged as Alanda wrapped her fingers around the necklace - she'd
been gifted it a long time ago, and adopted it as her luck - not that it
had actually given her much.
*You're alive aren't you?*
Edward smiled down at her, "Get well soon, little sister." He said
before leaving as well.
The light of the hospital wavered as exaustion hovered at the edge of
her conciousness. But she had enough strenght to lift her hand and
stare at what was dangling from her fingertips.
It was a necklace, though not very well made. The links were large and
ungainly, made out of brass. From the center, hung a medallion with a
rearing unicorn. And above the tip of the unicorn's horn was a stone
made to look like the earth.
Alanda let her hand drop back down to the sheet, her fingers still
curled around her lucky necklace - it had all been a dream. . . But
the Mother's advice came back.
Those who make a difference are the ones who go out there and do so.
Will you follow where you wish to go or will you lead?
*I don't care if it was just a dream.* Alanda thought fiercely, *I
don't care if it was just my subconcious making all these characters up.
I'm not going to follow, I'll lead.* she thought. Then paused, smiling
wryly. *And now I chose to lead myself to sleep.* she let her grip
fall away.
***
A month later
Evertone High School
Monday, 9:00 AM
Room 207
Alanda knew that the class was staring as she walked calmly into
the homegroup room.
"Welcome back, Alanda." Mr Chestes said, turning to smile at her.
Alanda grinned. The last time she'd walked into this classroom, she had
been feeling depressed and hadn't been looking forward to a day when she
would be teased and made fun off. Now it seemed to worthless - high
school politics.
*Who cares if they tease me? Who cares if they think I'm different. I
AM different.* Alanda thought, grinning inwardly as she half listened
to Mr Chestes tell everybody where's she'd been for the past two months.
*Or at least I am now. I've had a dream to change lives.* she murmered
a thank you to Mr Chestes and made her way to a table.
Dorothy and Amanda - one of the two 'friends' she had in her homegroup -
waved at her to seat next to them. Without thinking she moved towards
them, then she caught herself. She'd almost let herself fall into the
old pattern again. The circle of letting herself be led by another.
She could see Dorothy lean over to Amanda and even from where she was
standing, she could hear Dorothy whisper:
"Great, Hopeless is back, back to the old grind of having to explain
EVERYTHING about what being HUMAN is about."
Amanda giggled slightly, looking guiltily at Alanda.
Alanda shook her head wryly. 'There's no pecking order if they're true
friends.' Jadite had insisted on that. 'Friends like that anybody can
do without. If they make you feel worthless - if thinking about them
makes you feel sad, then they're not worthy of your attention.'
She glanced around the classroom for a spare seat and slid into the one
next to Ryan.
"Ooh - Alanda and Ryan, sitting in a tree." Someone hissed.
Alanda didn't need to turn around to know it was probably Dorothy.
Ryan flushed a dull red and glared at her.
"HER kind of friendship I can do without." She murmered than turned
to Ryan and flashed him a wide grin, "Sorry to disappoint you Ryan - but
I can't keep meet you in the tree at recess today. I've got a boyfriend
and he'd feel terrible if I went up a tree with you." she whispered
just loud enough for him and Dorothy and Amanda behind them to hear.
Ryan stared at her for an instant than grinned back, "A boyfriend?" he
said, loud enough again for the two eavesdroppers behind to hear.
"Yeah - from ICU. Johnaton Damio from Charleston, kisses like a pro
and has an older sister if you're interested." She offered gracefully.
Johnaton Damio DID exist - and she HAD met him in ICU, and she WAS going
on a date with him on Friday to see a movie, that much was true. What
wasn't was the fact that he had kissed her.
"No thanks - I've got enough girls waiting to 'go up a tree' with
me." Ryan said, staring at her wierdly.
Both of them could hear Amanda and Dorothy whispering fiercely behind.
"How much to bet that THAT news will be around all of year 10 by
tomorrow?" Alanda asked just loud enough for Ryan to hear.
"I wouldn't." Ryan stared at her, "What were they FEEDING you at the
hospital?" he asked, "You're different - more weider."
Alanda shrugged, ignoring the jib about being weird, "I had some dreams
while I was unconcious." She admitted. *Well, one dream.* she amended
inwardly, "Lets just say it was the power of a dream." She said, taking
the medallion out and rubbing her fingers over the round indent above
the unicorn's horn.
Ryan frowned, "What's that?"
"My lucky necklace - had it for ages." Alanda replied, frowning as
well - she'd worn this necklace every day since she'd received it. Why
didn't he recognize it?
Ryan's forehead creased as if he was confused, then he shrugged,
"Welcome back, Alanda." He said just as the bell marking the end of
homegroup rang.
Alanda did something she'd wanted to do for a long time, she lifted her
hand to her head as if she was tipping a hat and did a little bow, "Glad
to BE back, Ryan." She said, laughing at his wide eyes as she walked
out the door.
She breathed the air deeply. This was life. This was her new life. No
more being led around by her nose and being miserable and depressed all
the time.
Will you follow where you wish to go or will you lead?
*Mother, I will lead.* Alanda thought, grinning, humming a song as she
walked down between the classes to her first class.
Deep within each heart
There lies a magic spark
That lights the fire of our imagination
And since the dawn of man
The strenght of just "I can"
Has brought together people of all nations
There's nothing ordinary
In the living of each day
There's a special part
Every one of us will play
Feel the flame forever burn
Teaching lessons we must learn
To bring us closer to the power of the dream
As the world gives us its best
To stand apart from all the rest
It is the power of the dream that brings us here
Your mind will take you far
The rest is just pure heart
You'll find your fate is all your own creation
Every boy and girl
As they come into this world
They bring the gift of hope and inspiration
Feel the flame forever burn
Teaching lessons we must learn
To bring us closer to the power of the dream
The world unites in hope and peace
We pray that it will always be
It is the power of the dream that brings us here
There's so much strength in all of us
Every woman child and man
It's the moment that you think you can't
You'll discover that you can
Feel the flame forever burn
Teaching lessons we must learn
To bring us closer to the power of the dream
The world unites in hope and peace
We pray that it will always be
It is the power of the dream that brings us here
Feel the flame forever burn
Teaching lessons we must learn
To bring us closer to the power of the dream
The world unites in hope and peace
We pray that it will always be
It is the power of the dream that brings us here
The power of the dream
The faith in things unseen
The courage to embrace your fear
No matter where you are
To reach for your own star
To realize the power of the dream
The End of The Greatest Dream of All
copyright 1997: 'Shadows of Light' aka Fiona Lim and all names she may
use.
All ideas and plots written in this story belongs to the author (except
in certain cases) and cannot be used unless asked.
(Though if you ask, I'll probably say yes! *grin*)
The Power of a Dream was sung by Celine Dion and belongs totally and
utterly to her or/and anybody else who sung it/wrote it/created it. I
take no credit other than the fact that it is used in this story.
Fiona Lim 1997
