The sky was a deep indigo by the time John reached the park. Valerie was already there, waiting under the same lamppost from the night before, her silhouette softened in the faint glow. She looked up as he approached, her dark coat trailing in the breeze, giving her a ghostly quality.

“You’re early,” she observed, her lips curving into a small smirk.

John shrugged, keeping his voice even. “I wanted to go over the details. Noah’s been very specific about what he wants, and I think it would help if you understood his vision fully.”

Valerie raised an eyebrow, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “A dream world built to spec. Very professional.” She let out a soft laugh. “But dreams don’t always work that way, John. Especially not mine.”

John felt a spark of irritation but kept it buried. “This isn’t about indulging in theatrics, Valerie. It’s a kid’s dream. It’s meant to give him some freedom from everything he’s been through.”

Her face softened for just a moment, though her tone remained guarded. “Freedom,” she murmured, almost to herself. She met his gaze, something shifting in her expression. “You’re more invested than I thought.”

He nodded, feeling the truth of that settle over him. “These kids… they don’t get second chances. For Noah, this is as real as it gets.”

Valerie nodded slowly, a flicker of something unreadable passing over her face. “Tell me about this world, then. The one Noah envisions.”

John pulled out his notebook, flipping to the page he’d filled during his talk with Noah. “He described a forest where the trees whisper secrets, mountains that reach the clouds, and rivers that glow under the starlight,” he recited, glancing up to catch her reaction. “It’s all a little fantastic, a little surreal—he wants something alive, I guess. Untethered from everything back here.”

She listened, her eyes lighting up with interest. “A place with no rules. I think I can manage that.”

He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “There’s more. Noah also mentioned a lake that reflects the stars, even during the day. He’s imagined a world that doesn’t follow nature’s rules. Do you think you can create that?”

Valerie’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Dreams are my specialty, John. That’s exactly the sort of world I can create.” Her gaze lingered on the notebook. “This freedom he’s after… it’s more than just running around without limits, isn’t it?”

John hesitated. “Noah wants a world where he isn’t sick, where he doesn’t have to worry about limitations. He wants to feel strong, free from everything that holds him back here.”

She looked away, her face almost imperceptibly softer. For a moment, he thought he saw something like understanding. “I know the feeling,” she murmured. “Then let’s make sure he gets it.”

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He felt a flicker of relief, though it was tempered with a trace of caution. Valerie’s intentions seemed genuine, but he knew her well enough to understand that her power carried its own perspective, its own version of truth. Dreams had a way of shaping themselves around her, a force he couldn’t fully control. Still, he hoped Noah’s wishes would be enough to anchor her vision.

“So how does this work?” he asked, closing the notebook. “Do we both enter the dream and start creating it together?”

She gave him a sly smile. “Something like that. It’s a bit more intricate than just stepping in. I’ll need to set the framework first—a foundation that connects with Noah’s mind. Once that’s set, I’ll bring you in, and we can add in the details he wants.”

John shifted, feeling a mix of anticipation and apprehension. “Will he know we’re there?”

“Not at first,” Valerie explained. “I want him to explore on his own a bit, to feel the world come alive around him. Once he’s settled, we’ll join him as guides.”

John nodded, but a vague unease tugged at him. He’d seen Valerie’s power in action before, back when they’d first met, but it had been years since he’d ventured back into her crafted worlds. She had learned so much since then, but he couldn’t shake the memory of how easily her creations could blur the line between what was real and what wasn’t.

Valerie seemed to sense his hesitation, and she tilted her head, studying him. “You’ve changed, John. You weren’t always this cautious.”

He managed a small smile, though it was tinged with sadness. “Maybe I learned a thing or two.”

“Or maybe you’re afraid of what my dreams might reveal,” she replied, her gaze intent.

Choosing not to answer, he glanced at her, determined to refocus on the reason they were both here. “Let’s stick to his vision, Valerie. It’s important to him. And I don’t want… distractions.”

“Distractions?” she echoed, a faint arch to her brow. “Oh, John, I’d never want to pull you off course.” Her words were light, but there was something darker beneath them, a memory they both felt without having to name it.

Valerie took a deep breath, her gaze growing serious. “Alright. I’ll set the framework, and I’ll keep it close to his ideas. But once we’re inside… well, I can’t promise things won’t shift a little. Dreams have a way of shifting when more than one person’s involved.”

John took that in, choosing his words carefully. “As long as it’s safe for him.”

“It will be,” she replied, holding his gaze. “But remember, dreams reflect who we are. Whatever Noah brings to this world will shape it just as much as I do.”

She stepped back, rolling her shoulders as if preparing for something strenuous. With a slow exhale, she closed her eyes, her hands lifting slightly. The air around them grew dense, charged with an energy that felt like a pulse, echoing through the quiet park. Her outline blurred, merging with the shadows as the park around them faded, replaced by a faint, swirling mist.

They were standing on the edge of something vast, the mist clearing to reveal a landscape that was both beautiful and surreal. Trees towered above them, their branches reaching up into a sky streaked with colors he couldn’t name. Rivers of light twisted through the ground, winding toward mountains shrouded in clouds.

John felt a sense of awe, mingled with the uneasy knowledge that they were no longer in the waking world. This was Valerie’s realm, her creation, brought to life through Noah’s dreams and her own.

Valerie opened her eyes, which gleamed with a light that was almost otherworldly. She looked around, satisfied. “The framework is set. Now we add the details.”

John nodded, taking a few tentative steps forward. The ground beneath him felt solid but seemed to hum with energy, as though alive. “Will he be able to shape it too?”

“Yes,” she replied, her gaze sweeping over the landscape. “Once he’s here, his thoughts will help shape the world. And with you here, he’ll feel safe enough to explore it.”

As she spoke, she reached out, her fingers moving delicately through the air as if drawing invisible lines. The forest around them responded, colors shifting, trees growing taller, their leaves casting shimmering, otherworldly shadows. John watched her work, a quiet admiration stirring within him despite the lingering unease.

“It’s beautiful,” he murmured, almost to himself.

Valerie glanced at him, a flicker of something proud in her eyes. “Thank you. But remember, beauty and danger are often two sides of the same coin here. I hope you’re ready.”

He forced a smile, pushing aside the weight of memories that her words stirred. “For Noah’s sake, I’d better be.”

Valerie stepped back, watching the landscape settle. “Then let’s bring him in.”

As she began the final steps of the ritual, John felt a strange mix of anticipation and tension, knowing that soon they’d be joined by Noah in this surreal, enchanted world. It was a world crafted by Valerie’s power, shaped by Noah’s dreams, and grounded—he hoped—by his own presence. But beneath the awe and excitement, he knew there was something more, something that bound them all together in ways he couldn’t fully predict.