The Dream of Quarantine

My dad has an incredible passion for gardening. Every summer and spring we would plant magnificent flowers. From tulips to bluebells, the garden would be in several blooms of colours every year. Thinking back, gardening with my dad was one of our many hobbies to do with each other alongside building and playing with our pet rabbits.

‘Can you pass me the lilacs while you finish digging the holes to plant the snowdrops,’ my Dad said.

 After I finished giving him the lovely lilacs, I started digging the holes for the snowdrops. My shovel landed on something. A clump of mud surrounded it.

‘Dad, look I found something. It looks like there’s something inside it.’

‘Maybe, but don’t keep your hopes too high, if you’re so curious go and clear off the dirt near the compost bag.’

As I walked towards the compost thoughts rushed through my mind with several ideas about what could be inside this strange clump of mud. But, like my Dad said, I wasn’t going to let my hopes get too high. Besides imagination gets the best of people, right? I guess that’s what I told myself. Anxiously I started chipping away at the mud. As it started to clear off, it revealing a key!

‘Guys, look what I found: a key! A mysterious key! I can’t believe it!’

‘I’ll be down in a bit, I have to finish folding the clothes,’ my mum said rushing.

I couldn’t wait for my Mum. My mind went through every place that would have something with a key socket. The shed full of cupboards and old things.

Curiosity took over my body. Scrambling around in our shed I tried to find what the key opened. None of them opened to the key. Until, I stumbled on to an elongated cupboard at the edge of the shed covered in dust. Silence surrounded me. Could this be what the key opens? Would it lead to something that I’ve never seen before?

I slowly put the key in and turned it with the most caution I could give. It opened! Disappointment harshly hit me. Plates and fancy glasses. I guess I should have not kept my hopes high. But I was so eager to find something, I started searching in the cupboard.

A small dusted paper sat at the back of the cupboard. I reached forward and grabbed the paper. It was written in some sort of calligraphy or old English writing. Either way I was intrigued. It read…

You found the key.

Now adventure awaits ye.

To find what ye seeks

Find your oldest reflection.

For only then a clue will be seen.

I was shook. I found the clue. Finally, it took a lot of digging through the collection of plates and glasses but I found it. Still, it was a riddle. I’m the worst at riddles. ‘Then find your oldest reflection.’ What? Maybe my dad knows what this is about.

‘Dad, I found a clue.’

‘What are talking about? A clue? Weren’t you just crumbling a clump of mud? What are you talking about?’ my dad questioned me.

‘Well inside the clump of mud. Was a key. See,’ I said showing him the rusted key, ‘So then I came to the shed and I was trying to find were that key leads to. Because you know that’s were old things live. So then it led to this cupboard and this paper inside it. Cool isn’t it?’ My dad’s jaw dropped.

‘Wow! That is amazing,’ my dad said happily.

‘Yeah, it is pretty cool. So, can you help me find out what the clue leads to?’

‘Yep, of course,’ he said reading the clue, ‘well it says reflection maybe go find a mirror. Or look at old photos in this house.’

‘I think I’ll try the mirror idea first. Hmmm… do we have any old mirrors?’

‘Yeah, I think so. Go check the laundry room.’

I rushed to the laundry room and I saw the mirror. It had a gold dusted border, with elegant carvings and a rectangle mirror inside it. I took it off the hock and looked at it. Everywhere, all around. I turned my head in disappointment until I felt something skim my finger. I turned back with a smile on my face. It was another clue. With all that dust I must have not seen it. I slowly took the clue off, making sure not to damage the mirror’s back. It read...

Well done the clue led ye here

Bricks are what build this house

But outside is were ye will find the brick

Which holds the message carved in just as this reflection

Now hurry before these shadows get to ye

What ye want will follow soon after

I ran outside. The streets were empty. Pin drop silence. I know that’s such a cliché saying. But you could drop thousands of pins and you would hear every individual pin dropping so clearly. One light flickering at the end of the street and a creaking noise. My mind was focused on one thing, the fact that, for every step I took forward, the more the street elongated. I took 5 steps forward and it felt like I took 10 steps back. As I looked down at my feet trying to figure out what was going on my eyes went blurry. I looked up trying to focus my eyes. A stench invaded my nostrils. Gasping for air I started to feel something on my shoulder.  A blurry figure creeped up on me.

I gasped once again. It was all a dream.

My brother concerned, ‘Are you okay?’

‘It can’t be? Can it?’ I said confused.

‘What can’t be?’

I ran to the window the streets were empty. ‘I had this crazy dream about some adventure that led me outside on an empty street. But I guess my imagination is pretty wild.’

‘Well, your imagination isn’t that crazy. The streets are empty because of quarantine remember,’ my brother said, trying to assure me.

‘Yeah, I guess so.’ I dreamt of an adventure that could have happened if it weren’t for quarantine. But I guess everything happens for a reason. Maybe, after all of this stops, I can actually go on an adventure. One that’s not imaginary of course. I rolled my eyes and went back to bed. Maybe quarantine will strike again with another dream of possibility.