He was watching the screen in front of him... the Dreamnet logo was spinning in the left upper corner while the images from several decoders were loading. A cigarette smoke rolled out through his lips shaping a floating circle in the blue haze escaping the screen and dissolving in the dark of the room.
Finally.... the images were loaded and he flushed them quickly to see something he was waiting for: the latest images decoded in real time from the subject Ava.
The Dreamnet proposed many subjects and dreams to their customers, but he was attracted to Ava from the beginning. Her dreams were so twisted, so filled with symbols, numbers, toys, heroes, cartoons, movies and surreal landscapes that most of the customers were not interested to follow her - they labelled the subject as 'tripping bitch lost in nonsense ditch' in their online comments. But some were still watching Ava's dreams to find a pattern, to connect all those images which looked like a continuous reshaping riddle, still hoping to see the face which was missing in her dreams... The missing face was like a silent mind driver for all of them - if the other subjects were dreaming all sorts of events from births to funerals, from love to hate, from sex scenes to war fights scenes and the characters of their dreams were well defined, Ava's case was frustrating not only because of the cryptic journey of her dreams, but because the main character of many of her dreams was a mystery - a man without a face... and somehow, for who knows what reasons, they were hoping to see their faces completing the character of her riddles.
He was looking at the images on the screen and was shocked to see her pointing to a line of numbers, a map of a solar system and a 3D printer . He felt that she tried to tell him something, but he did not know where to start or how to combine the numbers, what were their meaning.... He lighted up another cigarette while the images changed and he saw her pushing a button on the 3D printer machine... "what the heck is she trying to print now ?" - and as if she heard him, she turned her face to him showing a beautiful smile and two liquid sparkles flowing from her dark eyes... she was crying and smiling... "what are you going to do Ava?" he asked in his mind. She turned back to the 3D printing machine and the image showed a close-up of the button she pushed. The cigarette was trembling in his fingers - the button was labelled STORM. She turned again and he saw her face changed. The tears were frozen and her gaze was sharp as a blade. The smile was ironic and 2 words were flashing red on his screen: Too Late...
He was watching the screen hoping that something else will appear, but the only image was frozen still on the flashing words. Suddenly he remembered the rabbit from Wonderland and yelled his words: "It is never too late, Ava! Wake up !"
The flashing letters blurred out and her face appeared again. She was laughing. Feeling confident that she can hear him in her dreams, he started to talk to her:
"Ava, please wake up."
"Why?" she asked with a childish curiosity.
"You're going to get lost in your dreams, Ava. I am watching you for some time and you don't seem to find your way back from the world that you created."
She was smiling. Looked around her, then she whispered:
"I feel very awake in here. Thank you for your concern. Looks like you want to save me from something."
"Ava, who is the man in your dreams ? why is he not there to save you ?"
"I'm afraid that i cannot answer your question. If you want to meet that man, then is your job to find the answer." she answered with a blank face.
He felt a wave a frustration boiling his blood... "is she playing dumb with me or she defends the asshole showing in her dreams?" He heard his thoughts out loud in the silence of the room:
"If i find that moron without a face i'll show him my idea of a man. A man who won't leave you alone in your dreams."
She was gently laughing and watching him through the screen.
"You want to find me ?" she asked smiling.
He felt like his heart was searched inch by inch by an electric current flowing from her eyes - a gaze looking straight in his soul. He found just one word to say:
"Yes"
Her image suddenly transformed and a little girl with a funny star shaped purple balloon started to talk to him:
"You must find The Man of All Seasons. He can help you find Ava."
He was watching the screen. He knew that he was not the only one watching the stream of dreams coming from the subject Ava, so he was tempted to give up the charade and let the others deal with it, He turned his back to the screen thinking of leaving the room when he felt again her eyes searching deep in his soul. "Damn it!"... he lighted up another cigarette and turned back to the screen and asked:
"Where can i find this man ?"
The little girl smiled and her face blurred for some seconds reshaping the features of Ava. She was looking straight in his soul again while whispering softly:
"You need to take your backpack and fill it with confidence, courage and spirit for adventure, but take care not to be too impatient or too impulsive while you make your first steps. Then be determined to go on your way, be patient and warmhearted and gather the fruits from the trees you'll see along your path, but don't be greedy, don't be possessive or jealous of others fruits around. Go ahead, adapt to your path, talk to the people you'll meet, be versatile, witty and eloquent but pay attention to not become tense and superficial or inconsistent. Love the people you meet, use your imagination, your intuition, feel them, protect them but don't cling to them, and let them go when needed. Don't let your moods to drive you astray. In the land of the summer be generous, creative, faithful and loving but take care to not become intolerant and dogmatic or bossy and patronizing. Remember to be shy when needed, modest if needed, use your intelligence, analyse your options, be practical but don't be harsh or perfectionist and conservative. Don't worry! When the leaves will fall you'll arrive to a town. There you'll have to use your diplomacy to find peace in things. Keep a balance while being charming and sociable. You can add a bit of romanticism to your journey but don't let yourself be easily influenced, don't become too self indulgent or indecisive. Walk ahead powerful, passionate, forceful, using your magnetism you'll gain on your path, but don't become secretive and resentful. Jealousy and obsessions won't make an easy way for you. While you'll be leaving the town and will be heading to the mountains where the snow awaits, be optimistic, feel the freedom in the air you breathe, be honest and keep a good humor while thinking of all the philosophical matters which will cross your mind, but don't be restless and irresponsible. Don't let the optimism to blind you. Even if you are tired and you still have to go, be ambitious yet prudent, careful yet practical, patient while finding a good joke for your journey. Don't feel left down, pessimistic... don't let misery to take the face of fatality. As you walk on the mountain, be friendly to all the creature you meet, be inventive and original, be loyal when needed while preserving your freedom but take care to not become detached from everything or unemotional while preserving your independence. Don't act unpredictable if not needed. When you'll arrive on top of the mountain look around: you'll see the world with compassionate eyes, you'll feel selfless and connected with everything around. Your intuition and sensitivity will fuel your kindness and imagination, but don't forget why you started the journey, don't let your ideals to drive you to a crazy escapism solution - because you are exactly where you wanted to be: starring at The Man of All Seasons who will be smiling through the snow which will fall quietly over you."
She stopped talking for a while and watched him with a mysterious smile on her face. She let her words to come out like a warm breath dancing over a frozen screen, before she turned around and left.
He was left to stare at the words shaping and slowly flowing on the frozen screen:
"Do you still want to save me from myself ?"
