When Brian came to, he discovered he was in his bed. His skin was covered in cold sweat. For a while, he just lay there, willing his pulse to slow down. Why did he have the sense that something catastrophic was about to happen?

As he lay in bed, listening to the sounds of early morning outside his window, he tried to remember his dream.

There were black trees. He recalled the juxtaposition of the black branches against the colorless sky. He also remembered a blue stream. It was the bluest blue he’d ever seen.

Suddenly his reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door. Brian got up and pulled on some pants before opening the door. A young woman stood there. She was wearing over-sized black sunglasses and a long, white gown. Her black hair was plaited with red ribbons and intertwined with roses. She looked both romantic and foreboding at once.

Before Brian could regain his speech, the stranger took off her sunglasses, revealing vivid blue eyes. Eyes the same color as the stream from his dream.