The Taylight Zone - Anthology Eight

12 - Dream Life - Sarah

"Hey Tay!" Aurora greeted her best friend as he walked in the door.

"Aura!!" He wrapped his thin arms around her neck.

"How are you?" She asked him.

"Great! You?"

"Perfect!" Taylor laughed until his blue eyes sparkled.

Aurora and Taylor had been friends ever since they could remember. The told each other everything. Not one day went by that the didn't see each other. Sounds like a normal everyday friendship right? Wrong.

The thing about Aurora and Taylor is that they only know each other in their minds. Every night when they fall asleep, they'd come to this little room, and meet up with each other. They've been doing this since they were infants.

"Aurora, do you remember what it was like before we knew about this? Before we found out this is a dream?" Taylor thoughtfully asked his good friend. They both sat on the floor, their heads were next to each other, barely touching, their arms crossed over their chests.

"Well, a little. I guess it was weird. We always come to this same room, and we could never leave it either. I think it's better now that we do know." She answered.

"Yeah, I was thinking about telling my mom today." Taylor said, bouncing his leg on the floor. Aurora grew tired of his leg bumping into her side, and placed a hand on his upper thigh, a sign that she wanted him to stop.

"Whatcha think she'll say?" Aurora asked.

"She prolly won't believe me." Taylor said truthfully.

"Well...show her your dream journal then." Aurora suggested.

"Kay..." Taylor's voice trailed off....he began to think....

"Wouldn't it be great to meet?" He said after a few moments of thought.

"Yeah...that'd rock! But it'll still never happen." Aurora said.

"Well....maybe..." Taylor's voice trailed again.

"Taylor, sweetie. Time to wake up." His long, soft hands rose, and rubbed his eyes with his slender fingers. Bright blue invaded the pale peach of his face, and light, rosy pink of his cheeks. His mothers fingers ran effortlessly and soothingly through his golden wheat colored hair.

"Good morning sweet heart. You spelt really well I see. It took me quite some time to wake you from your own little world." His mother's laugh rang beautifully through the stuffy air of his bedroom.

"Mmmm...morning Mommy." He stretched out his already long body, and sat up slowly. His thin arms wrapped tightly around his mothers neck, and his face buried itself in her neck. Breathing in her familiar scent, he signed contentedly.

"Don't you fall asleep again, silly boy." She gingerly rubbed his back in her own motherly way, then detangled herself from her sons tight embrace.

"Mmmtired." Taylor mumbled falling back on the bed.

"No....Mmmbop." His mother joked. He smiled a goofy smile. She lightly hit him on his tushie ( :-) ) as a sign of affection, but authority.

"Come on Jordan Taylor. It's quarter to eleven." She stated more sternly.

'Uh oh...first name and middle...better get up...' Taylor thought. He lifted his still sleep-filled body from the bed. Scratching his bare side, red from a healing rash, he grabbed some clothes and a towel, and went to take a shower.

"Ugg...this pityriasis rosea is the pits!!" Taylor mumbled while still scratching his ever-present rash.

"Your what?" His younger sister, Jessica, asked.

"Pityriasis Rosea. It's just a rash Jess, and it's not contagious." Taylor explained for her, affectionately ruffling her blonde hair. He grinned as she scowled at him while she fixed her ruffled hair.

As Taylor quickly downed two plates of pancakes drowned in syrup, the dream he'd had the night before resurfaced in his mind. Whether or not Aurora really existed was a question that remained unanswered. He really wanted it answered.

"Hey Ma?" Taylor's honey voice broke through the silence at the breakfast table.

"Yes dear?" She answered from behind the daily newpaper.

"Can someone have a sequence of dreams where you meet a person and grow up with them? Like, every night you fall asleep and go to a certain place, and that one person is always there, and all you do is talk and get to know them. Can that happen?" He tentatively asked. The newpaper dropped, and his mothers bewildered, blue, eyes met his.

"Well..." She ventured, "I suppose so."

"Can that person in the dream be a real person?" He pressed the subject.

"I'm not really sure dear, why?"

"Well...I've been having dreams like that...and..well...I was wondering if maybe she was real." A light pink shaded his face, showing his embarrassment. He sounded so much like a child, not the 16 year-old he was.

"Ahh..well...I guess dreams like that are real then huh?" His mother smiled, and his joined hers.

"Yeah...dumb question." He slightly laughed.

"No question is dumb, Taylor." He nodded, "But as far as if she exists or not outside of your dreams, that I'm not sure of."

"Me too..but I wanna know....so bad..." His voice was soft, but pained. She wasn't sure if she had really heard it, but Diana had heard the desperate sound that clouded her second eldest son's voice.

"I know dear." His mothers voice was soothing. He offered her a lopsided grin in return.

"Where do you live Aurora?" Taylor's voice cut through the silence of the room.

"Willow Grove, Pennsylvania." She answered.

"Where's that at?" His brow was furrowed in confusion.

"Umm...about a half-hour to an hour outside of Philadelphia."

"Oh, okay."

"I already know yer from Tulsa." She smiled. He couldn't help but smile back.

"Yo Tay, whatcha doin?" Zac asked, looking on as Taylor clicked away online.

"I'm looking somethin' up "

"COOL! What?" Zac asked again.

"Willow Grove, PA."

"What's there?" Zac threw another question at his brother. Taylor's face showed annoyance.

"Not what, who. I have a friend who lives there."

"COOL! Who?" Zac shot yet another question.

"What is this?!?! '20 Questions To Annoy Taylor'?!?!" Taylor yelled. Zac shrunk back.

"Sorry Tay...I was just curious." Zac appoligized. Taylor's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry Zac. I'm just not having any luck.....Oh Wait!! Here it is!!" He happily yelled. Zac plopped himself on Taylor's lap, and watched him intently.

"Ugg, Zac...." His voice trailed.

"Hey, um...Dad? Can I uh...Can I talk to you?" Taylor shyly asked his father. Walker turned from his position in front of the stove and looked at his 16 year-old son.

"Sure, sport. What's up?" Taylor giggled inwardly at his use of 'sport'.

"You remember when I asked mom about those dreams I've been having?"

"Yes I do, Why?" Walker looked puzzled.

"Well...I asked her last night, and she told me where she lives." Walker looked at his son surprised.

"And she told you?"

"Yeah...and it does exist. I checked it out..and...well....umm...that was kinda what I wanted to ask you about..."

"Lemme gues...you want to go there?" Walker asked with a knowing smile on his face.

"Yeah..so..can we?"

"Tay..I don't.."

"Please?" The desprite sound in his cons voice, the vulnerable way he stood, the quiet pleading in his eyes, the shimmer of tears at the corner or each round, blue iris, and the slight tremble in his lips finally made him relent.

"I'll think about it Taylor." Taylor immediately straightened. His eyes brightened. The tears began to fall, but because of happiness, and a wide extatic grin swpet his face. He lept forward and wrapped his arms around his father.

"Oh, thank you Daddy!!" His voice seemed to decrease in age to about 6 years old.

'He hasn't called me Daddy in years.' Walker thought. A warm smile pasted itself on his face as he lightly ran his hands on his son's back.

"You're welcome, Taylor."3 Weeks Later:

The grin on his face hadn't left since it arrived that morning. He was packing the last of his things before their flight to The Willow Grove Naval Air Base. They'd gotten special permission to use the Air Base because of problems at the National Philadelphia Airport.

He was exstatic that he had a full two weeks free and also, added onto that, was the fact that he'd be seeing Aurora.

After he heard the familiar snaps on his suitcases, indicating their closure, he lifted them off his bed, and dragged them down to the van

"I can't believe you talked dad into this, Taylor. Only you could pull this off." Ike said, patting his younger brother on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well. What can I say? I'm a natural." Isaac rubbed Taylor's head. messing up his hair.

"Sure, whatever, Tay." Ike said.

'Well, at least we get two weeks break. But I get to meet Aurora.' He smiled at the thought of meeting his life-long dream-mate for the first time in reality.

"Oooooh, I'm soo nervous." Taylor shook a little with uneasiness as the small plane tounched down at the Naval Air Base.

"Calm down, Tay. We've been on palnes a million times." Zac said sarcastically.

"Oh Zac!! Shut up! That's not what I meant, and you know it" Taylor said while grinning at his younger brother.

"I know..hehehe. That's why I said it."

"Come on boys, let's go." Walker gathered his children. The tone of his voice seemed very different then it had been three weeks previous.

"Taylor, hand me her address again, please?" Diana asked her second eldest son.

"Sure." He handed her the piece of paper with the address on it.

"1035 Whitehall Avenue." Diana read carefully.

"Ooops, there it is." Walker turned the corner, and down the steep hill. Taylor stared intently at the houses on the hill. He was so busy looking sround that he didn't notice his father speak.

"Taylor, we're here. Taylor!!" Walker yelled.

"What?!" Taylor snapped out of his trance.

"We're here."

"Oh." He slowly got out of the white van and looked around. The neighborhood was guiet. There were a lot of trees. Since it was spring, the leaves were all green. You could tell the grass was newly mowed, the bushes freshly trimmed. One tree looked to have been struck by lightning during a storm in the past. His attention was turned towards the house. It was small, but nice. The siding was white, and there were light sky blue shudders. One bay window allowed you to look into the house. Two sections of light brown brick looked like pillars holding up the room on the right side of the house. In between them were windows. Towards the roof were four sets, each set containing two windows ontop of the other. Lower down were 5 consecutively placed windows. On the left side of the house was the garage, with a blue garage door. There was a sidwalk leading up to the door from the top of the driveway.

Slowly, Taylor walked towards the blue front door. The ring of the doorbell rang throughout the house. Footsteps could be heard from the other side. Taylor stepped back as the door was pulled open. His jaw dropped, as did hers, when they looked at each other.

"Taylor?!?!" she asked, almost not believing he was really there.

"Aurora!!" she jumped forwards and entagled herself in his open arms.

"My God! What are you doing here?!" She asked while she held him tight.

"Why do you think I asked for your address?" Taylor asked smiling. The pair continued to hold each other, as Taylor's family stood in disbelief of what was taking place in front of them.

"Okay, so explain this again?" Isaac asked, clearly not understanding what was going on. Taylor sighed and ran a hand through his long, blonde hair.

"We met in a dream. We've only known each other in dreams. We have proof. We both keep dream journals." he explained.

"Can we see them?" Diana asked.

"Umm..I..Uh.." Taylor studdered.

"Jordan Taylor Hanson, answer your mother right now!!" Walker yelled. Taylor jumped, surprised at his father's outburst. A lump formed in his throat. His father never yelled at him.

"O-Okay...it's in my bag." He said quietly.

"Well go get it!!" Walker ordered. Taylor wasted no time, and ran outside to get his journal. He returned with a deep, cherry stained book. He didn't say anything, only handed it to his mother.

"Do you have one Aurora?" Her mother asked.

"Yeah, I'll go get it. Taylor? Come with me?" She asked.

"Sure." he whispered. No one but Aurora seemed to notice that he was upset.

"Taylor, he doesn't mean it. He's just confused." She pushed a stray piece of hair behind his ear, and stroaked his cheek with her thumb.

"I didn't do anything. He never yells, and it's been get worse. I'm worried." He leaned over and laid his head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him, and rubbed his back like his mother had done.

"I know, Tay." She said.

"It's really just my Dad. I think he's started drinking." Taylor informed. Aurora nodded.

"We'd better get back. We're only supposed to be getting my journal." She stood, and grabbed the blood red book.

"What took so long." Walker snapped. Taylor inwardly shuddered.

"I couldn't find it. We had to look for it." Aurora lied, as they both sat down.

2 Days Later:

"I can't believe they match exactly. Well almost exactly. The events are the same." Dr. Morris said about Aurora and Taylor's journals.

Mr. & Mrs. Hanson and Mr. & Mrs. Atriatom decided it was best to talk to a professional to see what was going on.

"I've seen cases where people dream different lives, but never have both people had the same dreams and been real people. It has been studied, but I've never had a patient personally." He continued.

"So there's nothing to worry about?" Diana asked.

"Absolutely not. It's farely rare, but we're seeing it more often now. The human brain is still evolving further than ever before. Might I make a suggestion though?" He answered.

"Certainly." Mrs. Atriatom answered.

"Don't split them up. A pair as connected as you two children, have senses like you wouldn't believe. When one is in pain, the other knows. When one is sick, the other knows. One can call the other, or make them fall asleep. But we've found that the closer together they are, the better it works." Dr. Morris said.

"So basically, they're like a bodyguard to each other?" Mr. Atriatom asked.

"Well, yes." Dr. Morris answered.

"Thank you so much Dr. Morris." Diana shook his hand.

"I was my pleasure. Make sure you come back every once and a while, Okay?"

"Of course." Mr. Atriatom said.

0 "This is really odd, isn't it?" Taylor said to Aurora.

"Yeah.....now we don't have to go to sleep to talk." She smiled.

They were both in her room back in Willow Grove. Plans were being made for Aurora and her parents to travel with the Hansons while they went on tour.

"How's your Dad?" Aurora asked. Taylor's eyes glassed over, and the smile left his face.

"He's getting worse. He actually hit me today."

"When?!!?" she sat up quickly and looked down at Taylor, who was still lying on her floor. A tear forced it's way out of his eye, and fell to the floor.

"This morning. I didn't get up quickly enough. He pulled my hair, and smacked my cheek." Taylor found Aurora's arms around him quickly. Tears fell freely out of his eyes as he remembered that morning.

"I don't understand it. He's never been like this. I don't understand..." Taylor's voice trailed off.

"I know..I don't either. You always told me how great he was. How much you loved him." Aurora remembered all the conversations they'd had during their dreams.

"I still love him..but..I don't think as much as before...." Taylor's sad voice faded out as he cried on her shoulder.

"Mom?" Aurora poked her head into her mothers room.

"Yes dear?"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Of course."

"I'm worried..." Aurora started.

"About what sweetie?"

"Taylor. His dad is getting kinda violent."

"Violent how?"

"He hit him this morning. And he's been yelling more. Taylor said he thinks he's started drinking."

"I don't know what to tell you Aurora. I guess to only keep your ears and eyes open to anything abnormal. And always keep your mind open. He may be calling." Aurora smiled.

"Yeah...I will."

2 Months later:

The Hanson's and the Atriatoms were on the plane bound for London, England. 'Hanson' was starting their first World Tour. Their second major label album was a huge success, and soared to number 1, where it stayed for 11 weeks consecutivly. Keeping with the idea of having Aurora and Taylor close, The Atriatoms were going with them through the whole thing. Aurora would be studying with the boys and their tutors.

Taylor walked slowly to his seat. He wanted to sit with Aurora and didn't want to miss her. He saw her auburn hair from over top of a seat. A smile appeared on his face, and he moved quickly to where she was seated.

"Boo!" He yelled as he sat down.

"Ahh!" She played along with him.

"Did I scare you?" Taylor asked.

"No." They both started laughing. The captain came on the intercom system and told them to fasten their seatbelts because they would be taking off. "Never? I'm in them all the time." Taylor informed her.

"I know silly." she smiled.

2 Weeks Later:

The Atriatoms and the Hansons were still in London. Mr. Hanson had gotten worse over that period of time. He'd yell at his children for no apparent reason, and had even lashed out at Aurora. said she'd looked at him wrong.

Presently, Aurora was out shopping with her mother. Her father was helping Mrs. Hanson with her children. Walker had taken Taylor, Isaac, and Zac to a practice. They wouldn't be getting back til late.

"I love that color on you, Aurora." Mrs. Hanson gushed after they'd returned from their shopping trip. It was about an hour after dark, and the boys weren't do back for at least another 2 hours.

"I know! I saw this, and went 'I have to have it'" Aurora laughed.

"You did very well I see. Quite a few bags." Diana looked down at the endless amount of bags on the floor.

"Women and shopping." Mr. Atriatom shook his head.

"Oh Daddy, stop that." Aurora scolded her father playfully.

"I wonder how the guys are." her mind drifted off.

"Dreaming of Taylor?" They teased. Ever since they had met, everyone had teased her, saying she had a crush on Taylor.

"No!" She blushed. "We're just friends. I don't like him like that."

"Uh huh..sure. Then why are you blushing?" Diana continued to tease.

"I dunno! I just am!" Aurora tried to find a way out.

"Come on..admit it. You like him." her mother joined in.

"Well..he is cute...but I've known him forever. I can't like him." She looked down at the floor.

"OOoooooooh.....someones got a crrruuusssshh!!" Her dad said.

"Fine I like him, okay! I admit it." She finally relented to the pressure.

"Oooohhh..I knew it!!" Diana clapped.

"So, what do you like about Taylor specifically?" Tina, her mother, asked. They were having a 'girls night'.

"Umm..well..he is really cute. And he's soo sweet. I can tell him anything."

"He is cute...in a boyish teen way." Tina said.

"Hey..this is my son remember." Diana laughed.

"And yer son happens to be gorgeous." Aurora said.

"What can I say? He gets it from me...and his father." Diana said. Aurora frowned.

"Hopefully he only got looks from Walker." she mumbled. Her mother smacked her.

"Aurora! Mind your mouth!" she scolded.

"It's alright, Tina. I know Walker's attitude has gone down south. He's not the man I married anymore." Diana said. "I don't know what happened."

"Taylor's been telling me things. He told me he's been hitting him lately. He also said that he's hit the others too." Aurora confessed.

"I'll kill him." Diana muttered. "When he gets back...I'm gonna kill him."

"What time is it anyway?" Aurora asked.

"Umm...around 8:30." Tina said.

"They should be back by now shouldn't they?" A strange feeling rose up inside Aurora. She felt suddenly tired.

"Woah.." She fell back onto the bed.

"Aurora!?" Tina yelled. Both she and Diana shook her, but it was no use.

"She's asleep. You don't think..." Tina asked.

"Maybe Taylor called her. I hope nothings wrong." Diana said.

"Taylor?!? Are you alright?!" Aurora yelled as she ran into the room she knew so well.

"No." She heard a faint voice speak from the corner.

"Oh My God! Taylor?!?" She ran towards the voice, and saw his curled body, huddled in the dark. His hair was knotted, and blood was tangled in it. She could see bruises on his arms, that were wrapped around his knees. His jeans were torn along with his shirt.

"What happened?!" She knelt down beside him.

"He got mad. I didn't sing right. We took too long.....Ike..and Zac...." Taylor's voice trailed.

"Where are you?!"

"The bridge.....he's gone mad Aurora....you've gotta help us.....please...don't let me die...." Taylor began to cry.

"He's got Zac over the edge...Ike and I can't move to help him....he beat us too much."

"Oh my God! Help me wake up....Help me save you Taylor.." She began to fade. Her hand reached out and touched Taylor's bruised cheek.

"Don't worry...I'll help you."

"Hurry....Zac's fighting as much as he can..I don't know how much longer he'll last."

"She's waking up!" Diana yelled as Aurora's eyes opened.

"What happened sweetie?" Tina asked. Aurora didn't asnwer. She jumped up and grabbed her coat.

"Come on..They're in trouble."

"Where are we going?!" Tim asked, as he followed his daughter's directions.

"The bridge. Taylor called me. He said Walker went mad because they didn't sing right, and took too long. He beat them senseless, and now has Zac hanging over the bridge." Diana's face paled.

"When I get my hands on that bastard..." She trailed off.

"Ahh!" Aurora yelled. Her stomch ached, and her arms suddenly hurt.

"They're hurt really bad. I think Zac went over, and he's trying to lift Taylor." The car came to a hault at the bridge. Their hearts stopped when they saw Taylor's limp body go over the bridge.

"Nooo!!!!" Aurora yelled. She ran quickly and dove into the water. She swam frantically, looking for his body. Her hand passed something. She lifted it to the surface.

"Oh my God, Zac!" She paddeled him to the shore and handed him to Tim, and then dove back under looking for Taylor. After 2 minutes of looking, her hand passed something again. She grabbed onto it, and pulled it to the surface. It was Taylor. His face was blue, his lips purple. She dragged him with all her strenght onto the shore. She immediately began CPR.

"Come on Damnit!! Please, Taylor! Don't leave me!!" she pressed her lips to his, breathing in air to try and get him to breathe. After a greuling 5 minutes, Taylor started spitting water passed his blue lips. Aurora held him close to her, rubbing his back.

"Oh my God Taylor...please don't ever scare me like that again." she said quietly.

"I-I'll t-try." Taylor shivered. The pair looked behind them at the police car that held Walker. An Ambulence pulled up and the Paramedics put Zac, Taylor, and Ike into the Ambulence. Diana went in with Zac, and Tina and Tim with Isaac, and Aurora with Taylor.

"You s-saved my l-life Aurora." Taylor shivered. He had three blankets wrapped around him. The color was beginning to return to his face.

"I had to. If I lost you....I'd have lost my other half." She wrapped her arms gently around him, and kissed his cold cheek.

"I love you, you know that right?" Taylor whispered, trying his best not to stutter.

"Yeah, I know. I love you too." she answered smiling.

Aurora waited paitently in the waiting room for word on Taylor's condition. He'd passed out in the Ambulence on the way to the hospital. Dry paths where the tears had fallen, were still visable on her cheeks. She felt a hand entangle itself in hers. She looked up into Diana's sweet face.

"Thank you. You saved my babies." she said.

"You're welcome. I had to save mine. Taylor means the world to me. If I lost him..I wouldn't feel whole...he's my other half." Diana smiled.

"I know. You're the only girl I consider worthy of him. My sweet Jordan."

"Thank you. I hope he considers me worthy."

"I know he does. Mothers Intuition." Diana wrapped her arms around Aurora, and smiled.

"Hey. How ya feelin?" Aurora asked as she pushed the door to Taylor's room open.

"Cold....achy..shitty...otherwise great." Taylor answered. Aurora laughed.

"I'm really glad you came. I wouldn't have made it. When I saw Zac go over...I knew I was in for it..but you came..and saved us both.

How are they by the way?" Taylor asked.

"Both are stable and on the way to a full recovery."

"And all thanks to you." Taylor smiled. Aurora laced her fingers in Taylors, and lightly kissed his hand.

"Only cuz you called me."

"Who else would I have called. I only have your number." Taylor joked. Aurora looked into Taylors crystal-clear, blue eyes, and smiled.

"It's time to take a chace." she said.

"What?" before he could say anything else, he felt her lips on his. When she broke the kiss, he looked up at her very surprised.

"What was that for?" he asked, placing a finger on his lips.

"Cuz."

"Cuz why?"

"Cuz I wanted to."

"Oh...would you again?"

"Dunno..."

Diana and Tina pushed the door to Taylor's room open, but shut it quickly when they looked in. They saw Aurora and Taylor, locked in a kiss.

"I knew it'd happen sooner or later." Diana said. Tina noded.

"How can you deny being made for each other?" she said.

"I dunno..I don't think you can." Diana said.

"How long have you wanted to do that?" Taylor asked, as they finally broke apart.

"Probably ever since I was born. Since I was made for you."

"Yeah.....I guess there really is 'the 1' out there for every one. We just got a break, and have known all along, right?" Taylor said.

"Yup...ya think we'll still meet up in dreams?" Aurora asked.

"Maybe.....we'll always live the dream life." they both smiled a twin smile.

"But know we'll see each other 24 hours a day. 7 days a week." Aurora said.

"Ya gonna get sick of me?" Taylor asked.

"Never....I haven't yet, have I?"

"Nope...You'd better not...."

"I won't..."

"I won't either."

"Love ya."

"Love you too." The pair shared yet another kiss.

"Hey...so we do still meet in dreams......cool!" Taylor screamed.

"Yup...guess so....Whatcha wanna do?" Aurora asked.

"Umm......."



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