… Pale morning greeted her with heavy raindrops knocking at her window. Cold autumn window blew through the open window and her diary that was lying on the windowsill whispered with its dry pages.
It was done. And now its pages were blank again (it always happens to it when it’s full).

Kaija sat in her bed and looked in the window with still sleepy eyes. She didn’t remember what happened yesterday. She felt that her hands were covered with something. Skin was too dry.
She looked down at her hands and saw that they were dark red. She licked her finger and felt that familiar taste, salty and bittersweet seductive poison.

‘Blood… Teller.’ — thought she in her sweet agony. Memory slowly came back to her.
That night she saw him for the first time. The only one who could protect her from the darkest shadows, deepest fears of her. Teller saved her then in that forest…

… — Are you alright? Didn’t hurt? – asked he calmly helping her to get up.
— Y-yes. – answered she weeping. She was so much afraid that she could hardly talk.
— Where do you live? I could bring you home. – said he looking in her eyes.
— I.. don’t remember. I’m lost. – murmured she looking at the snow.

He thought for a while and sighed. She noticed that he felt something strange.
— Let’s go. I’ll bring you home.

He brought her to his house. It was a small house near the lake surrounded by the woods. He closed the door and placed her near the fireplace.
She was silently sleeping in the arm-chair then.

— Kaija… — whispered he. — My dear Kaija. Next morn you will forget everything.
— What did you say? — asked she sleepily. — I don’t want to forget it all, Storyteller.
— Storyteller? How do you know? — asked he in his greatest surprise.
— I saw it… You’re Storyteller, right?
— Yes, Kaija. — answered he looking at her.
— You also know who I am! — smiled she and fell asleep again.

He looked at her. Such a little girl in so dangerous place. So strange…
— Sleep well, Kaija. — whispered he to her and kissed her forehead.

— You saved me that night. From that darkest evil… and now… where are you?

She didn’t expect for an answer. She just talked to herself in her empty room.
Kaija closed her eyes and saw him. He was sitting right before her. He put his head on her kneels and embraced her legs.

— I thought it would be better if… you’ll forget it all and live your life. Without magic and wonders. Your human life.
— I’m so tired of that everyone decides what is better for me.. I know what is better and what I need. I know. And I know that I want this if it meant to be so then I have to live with this. I need you by my side, Teller.

He touched her hand and she opened her eyes. He was sitting near holding her hand and looked deep in her eyes.

— Are you sure that you want this? It’s harder than you could ever imagine. It’s Hell. Pure Hell… I.. — said he looking down.
— I want this, Teller. It’s my life and I know what I’m doing. Yes.. I want this. Just never let me fall. Stay here. — whispered she into his ear. Then she softly kissed him and looked at him. She took his hand and put it on her heart. — It’s beating for you.

Sea wind took her silent song to the other lands. Like the siren she charmed him and walked to the lighthouse.

Burning candle on the writing table was slowly dying. Soon only a tiny ghost remained.
She was sitting at the table and thinking about her tales when he came in. Kaija looked at the fallen leaves, waves in the sea and dark rocks. She turned back to him and saw that he was looking at her.

– What? – asked she with a surprised look.
– Nothing. – replied he with one move of his brows and stepped closer.
Teller embraced her and breathed in the scent of her hair. He stood and held her tight in his arms.

– Kaija… why? Tell me, why we are here?
– I knew you would love this island. It’s so peaceful here… – said she embracing him. She felt so warm in his embrace. – Besides.. don’t you like being here?
– I do. Is it a game to you? Dark passion play? – asked he slowly taking off her shirt she was wearing on her white dress.
– No. Because I never play loving games though. – replied she in whisper.

Memories of the night… that night when it all began.

“I found you in the forest. You were all alone. Cold and lonely… So I took you here, to my place. You were just a child.. Kaija, don’t make me sad. Don’t do any harm to yourself. You mean a lot to me.”

… Snow. White and cold. It covered the path she came here. She stood alone in the dark night, but she wasn’t lost. She loved to take night walks when she heard that song. Silent melody of silver moon was calling her that night too.
It sounded like a violin and sometimes like a music box. Silver tune was deep and beautiful, but sad although.
It lived within her tiny heart and she followed it.

– Kaija… Kaija.. Come, Kaija..come…

She heard the whisper calling her name. She followed that calling and as she was coming closer it turned louder and louder.

– No.. I don’t want… Blood! Snow is red… – sighed she through the sleep.
– Shh, shh.. you’ll forget it soon. Or remember the whole story. It now depends on you, my sweet Kaija. – whispered Teller holding her in his arms. – Only you. Only yours…

– I’m afraid… blood. Don’t hurt me.. Please, don’t.. Help! – cried she through her scare sleep.
– So you decided to remember it all. That’s good for you, my dear. – said Teller holding her tight by his heart.

She ran through the forest. She was tired and felt that she couldn’t run anymore. Kaija fell in soft snow.
Dark shadows surrounded her. She closed her eyes in fear…

The lonely man in the lost kingdom
The king of his life but the slave for freedom
He is but all alone through the years so long
Through the madness of this cold world

He thought it was foretold
His loneliness, endless lovelorn
Dreamer’s heart, poet’s part
Chapter one for a diary of the Dark
Lost tear hidden by the hearth

Along this shore
He walked to greet the dawn
Among sharp thorns
He played the same old song

Old song for love
Of long lost years
For cold youth tears
Old song of dawn

He cried on that white lonely shore
Sharing his deep dreams with the waves
Leaving dearest wishes behind the door
Hiding them deep in night shades

He thought it was foretold
His loneliness, endless lovelorn
Dreamer’s heart, poet’s part
Chapter one for a diary of the Dark
Lost tear hidden by the hearth

“The letter to Unknown.

You don’t know me
As I don’t know you
So I can trust you, dear reader.
I’m long long gone if you’re reading this…
There is a letter for you and my old diary,
Keep it, please, for a memory.
Of me.. while I come back one day.

Faithfully yours,
Nobody.”

He kept the diary of rhymes
He saved the dreams untold
For the one whoever tried
To bring a smile and a tear to this world

‘I know it’s wrong… but she is so close. Her scent is too seductive to be true. Fate couldn’t give me such a great gift.’

– It could. You should drink if you want… I don’t mind. – whispered she bending to him.
He could feel the warmth of her body, sweet scent of her skin. He took her and put on the bed.

– Teller… – sighed she looking in his eyes.
– What? – asked he trying so hard to keep calm.
– Just never let me go.
– Never… – whispered he into her ear and kissed her neck.
This time it wasn’t so hurt. She was lying on the bed under him feeling how his tears were falling on her cheek and neck.
He drank not so much fearing to take all her blood.
Teller licked the wound on Kaija’s neck and it was gone. He looked at her with his wild eyes trying to see the shade of disgust in her eyes. But she was smiling at him.
Kaija touched his face softly and kissed his lips covered with blood.

… Castle. Dark tower of lighthouse was now only a shadow behind their backs.
Endless field was spreading to the horizon there. Pale sky was covered with grey clouds, but it didn’t seem like the rain.
Suddenly she heard the sound of waves. Enormous sea. Harsh and tameless.

Fresh air… Silent wind was playing in her hair, she closed her eyes and sat on the sand. Teller sat near.

– The sea… – sighed she. – Have you been here? – asked she with still closed eyes.
– Yes.. but it wasn’t the same. All the time I missed something. Something really important… some part of my soul. Trying to find it everywhere in this endless world I went to many lands.. but it’s still the same.
Now I feel complete. For those long long years.

She was silent. And suddenly she started to sing.

‘The lonely man in the lost kingdom
The king of his life but the slave for freedom
He is but all alone through the years so long
Through the madness of this cold world

He thought it was foretold
His loneliness, endless lovelorn
Dreamer’s heart, poet’s part
Chapter one for a diary of the Dark
Lost tear hidden by the hearth’

Pale red sun smiled at them through the clouds sending them its last goodbye for this dying day…

Through the storm in my soul
I cannot see anything
Across the field of childish dreams
I wish I could go there again

Every path deep in my mind
Every tiny part of memory
Takes me to that night

I wish you were here now
Through the storm in my soul
I wish you were here, love
Through the pain of weeping piano
For the tiny steps on the snow
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
Tonight…

Every day is like the darkest cave
Curse, ghost of pale dream
My worst nightmare from which I cannot escape

I wish you were here now
Through the storm in my soul
I wish you were here, love
Through the pain of weeping piano
For the tiny steps on the snow
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
Tonight…

I couldn’t breathe
Bearing sweet pain
I couldn’t leave
Trembling in a dearest dream
Wishing so bad you were here

Purple forest around dark lake covered with blue ice. She walked the ice and felt no cold.
Kaija knew that it’s all her imagination. She tried to believe that it was so.

Teller was following her. She couldn’t see him while he was invisible. She only could feel someone’s watching her.

Suddenly she fainted.

– Kaija! – Teller ran to her and caught her before she fell on the ice.

‘This level is not for us. It’s not for Alive ones. We should go. Just hold me tight… Kaija. Don’t fade away. Do you hear me? Kaija!’

‘Yes.. but I’m not sure that.. I’ll feel better from being here.. Take me over there. Teller.. I.. I…’

He walked faster holding her tight. They flew over the icelake, across the field covered with purple-blue carpet of snow flowers. He embraced her whispering something into her ear.
Words of comfort made her breathe. Fullmoon level was a very strange place and it was better not to faint there.
You never should stay there for a long time. None knew anything special about this place, but many legends were flowing over it.
Someone told that there live some creatures that’re feeding with flesh of the new-comers, another ones said that anyone who comes there disappear in Silence.

But there was no liars or truth-tellers. None could know anything clear about it because not everyone could come back.

Teller saw the Moongates and walked through them. When he stepped on the white snow of Wonderland the portal behind his back closed.
He put her on the path of dead grass and whispered something to her. She didn’t move.

– Open your eyes, Kaija.. please. Kaija.. – whispered he. Slowly he touched her cheek. She was getting colder pretty fast.
– Not good… – sighed he cutting his wrist. He took some blood and gave it to her with a warm gentle kiss.
It should help. He was much stronger than her and his blood would give her some power to wake up.

He felt that she answered the kiss and then she opened her eyes.

– I won’t go back. That’s a cursed place. We shouldn’t go there.. They are going mad about it. It’s their world. Not ours. – told she looking in his eyes.
– Whose world? – asked he being totally confused.
–  Ghosts of the past ages from the far worlds. We shouldn’t disturb them any longer. They asked me..
– Have you seen anyone there? – he was amazed.
– Yes. – her voice was calm and full of confidence.

‘She is getting stronger… but how? It’s weird… she is weakly standing on the third grade… how.. She is the One. The greatest… but how…’

– I saw a child there. A little boy. He called me and asked to help. He was lost in the forest. I took him and we went ahead, right to the frozen lake. When I turned around he disappeared… and.. I found this in my hand. He left it for me, I assume. – told she and gave him a necklace with a tiny crystal heart. – It should protect All from the End.

– Oh, hmm… I never saw it. I thought it’s just a legend, a beautiful fairytale… You saw Kile. He was the first Other who reached our world. It’s a great honour to get this talisman from him. You should keep it. Never take it off. – he slowly put it on her neck and locked. Her neck was white like snow in first sun rays of winter morn. Teller felt her warmth, sweet scent of her hair…
For the first time he lost control. For the first time through long long years.

‘Dark cold ground. Bloodred sky smiles with its bloody grin. It’s a dream, it’s a dream, it’s just a dream… Where am I? Why am I here, Teller? Are you here? Do you see it all too?

I need you in this Hell. I think that it looks exactly like this. Dark cold place with dead ground and bloody sky. Without you.
I feel this thirst, oh when it will pass..? I’m all alone. In this cold world. Why?
Is it the next level? Do you ever hear me? Teller… I wish you were here..’

She walked through the broken gates and saw dark ruined house. It looked more like a castle or temple. Who knows how long ago it stood there ruined. She needed to find a shelter for that night. Kaija knew that she was alone in these lands. She walked ahead so soon she was right by the door of the small house near a broken temple. It wasn’t locked and she came in.
She was impressed with that she saw. It was that great castle within this small cottage.
Huge fireplace decorated with golden paintings, glorious carpet before this fireplace, small but elegant writing table in the middle of the living room. The room was so big that she could hardly see the end of it. When she reached the end she noticed the stairway leading to the second floor.

There she found her bedroom for that night. That room wasn’t as huge as the previous one, but still really big.
There were two doors leading to bathroom and the small room. It was dark there, but she could see through the darkness very well. Finally she could feed. Bottle-blood wasn’t so good as the fresh one, but when you feel terrible thirst all the time and hellish flame burning within your throat it’s unbelievably great to sip even cold blood.

‘Kaija… you found my gift. I hope you’ll like the bed.’ His thought-voice was like drunken bliss for her.
‘Teller.. come. I need you.’

She never called him. She never asked him to come, but she felt really bad.
Kaija knew that she wouldn’t spend that night without him.

Other day she used to lie in the sunrays, run across the field or just walk the dew grass. But she had to think about another things now.

– So we make people’s wishes come true, right? – asked she looking through the window.
– Not exactly. We help them to reach their dreams. – told he sitting next to her.
– Ah, okay. I see now. – said she touching his hand slowly.

He looked at her with deep eyes of philosopher and dreamer.

‘I remember you such a little girl. Innocent child of light.. Forgive me that I turned you into a beast.. I had no choice. You were meant to be.. You are the one.’

‘But why? What is so special about me? Why me?’

‘You will get to know soon.. very soon.’

Their thought connection became stronger day by day. She couldn’t control that anymore and she could hear every his thought. It was so strange and unusual but his emotions and thoughts made her comfort.
Even through the distance so far. They had a connection so special.

– I am always here to ease your suffering in this. Even being far away from you I’m always here, right behind you. Watching you. – said he embracing her and kissing her forehead.
Kaija blushed in his arms. She knew him for ages but every time she had that strange feeling she couldn’t explain.

Thinking about it all she fell asleep in his arms. Teller was slowly stroking her hair and breathed her scent.
Nightmares were gone for a while but then..
” … blood again. It’s everywhere… I cannot breathe.. Thirst. I’m hungry… I want this.. only one sip. One drop.. give it to me, I’m burning with desire. Please, let me drink. Feed me…”

She groaned and sat in bed. She felt unusually weird.
– I think we have a problem. – said Kaija looking at Teller. Her lips were covered with blood and she showed him her fangs.

– No, it’s a part of transformation. – nodded he. Teller was always so calm and serious that made him so wise and patient.

– A part of transformation? I am not a human anymore, am I? – asked she confusingly.
– No. We all are not anymore. It’s the first level or step.
– I am afraid. – whispered she with tears in her eyes.
– Don’t be. You’ll feel better soon… Now you can feed… if you’re hungry and want a sip.. – smiled he embracing her so she could feel his scent, his heartbeat…

‘I know that it’s only my imagination. I watch a lot of movies and listen too much to the songs about storytime and fairytales.
But that night I saw that dreamful magic mirror of his eyes. He is the one so special. He is Teller.

He changed the whole world around me. He is the one who holds my hand and makes me feel also special.
I know he is the Other but… I am the Other one too.’

It was a pale morning when she woke up from another nightmare.
She breathed heavily and tried to turn on the light. Her room was still dark because it was too early.

– Nightmares is the only way we can pay for this. – said he silently. Teller was sitting on her bed looking at her.
– How long are you here? – asked she eyeing him.
– You know the answer. – said he and smiled.
– For all my life isn’t the answer. – smiled she. – Well, nightmares.. what else? Drinking blood, walking under the moon, dancing in the air, burning in sunlight.. what else is the way to pay for this?
– You will see it soon. You’ll feel it, if to be clearer. – smiled he back at her.
– Thanks… – sighed she. – It made all so clear.

He sat closer to her and took her hand. He closed his eyes and whispered some words. Kaija looked at him and kissed him.

– I feel it… I feel thirst inside. My throat is burning.. I want to taste you… – groaned she licking his neck and sharp teeth went deep in his milk-like skin.

– No!! – cried she through the night waking up.
– Nightmares is the only way to show us that deep inside we’re children. Forever. With pale fears, with bitter tears and deep wish to run away. But we have no hideaway to run to. We should face our fears day by day.
Kaija, don’t be afraid. I’m here for you. I’m always here.
– Embrace me.. I feel cold. I want to ask… if..- she paused looking at him.
– Good, you can send me your thoughts pretty clear. Good girl. No, we don’t have to feed with blood. But you can try if you’re curious.

He sat near and touched her shoulder. His eyes were sure and she found herself in his arms sniffing his neck.
She licked his skin and very soon she felt its taste. Bittersweet taste of bloodred wine flowing in his veins.
Kaija made a couple of sips and healed his wound. He taught her so many things for last several months.

– Would you like to try mine? – asked she looking at him. She saw his wishing glance and she noticed that his hands were shaking.
She felt his hands on her shoulders, he lay her down on the bed and kissed her neck gently.
– It would hurt.. a little. – said he and she felt a sharp pain for a while. Sip by sip she felt no pain at all. Suffering became a sweetest bliss and she embraced him holding him tight.

– Teller… don’t stop.. – whispered she in sweet lustful agony.
– No. We aren’t immortal. I will kill you if… I have more. – said he drying his lips. – You should remember this. But the taste is so good. She licked the blooddrop from his lips.

– But we don’t feed like that. – said he breathing heavily. – And I won’t drink you. I could lose control. – whispered he bending to her. – So be careful next time…
She closed her eyes but she could see him. She felt his emotions and heard his thoughts. Nothing dark. Nothing darker than light… Silver moonlight of golden leaves frozen in the rain.

– Teller… – said she thoughtfully. – why do we live for?
– We are the keepers of this world. We make them hope and believe. We let them fall in love, we let them dream. We are living for their fantasies and dreams. We are the keepers of the wishes.

“The land where your wishes are true. The land where your dreams are closer than you could ever imagine.
Dreamworld, lost paradise among everyday hell. A white island of midnight fantasies.

Take a step if you believe…
Join your part, enter our world… be one of us. Drown in ghost river for a dream of Wonderland.”

– Where am I? – whispered she looking at him.
– In your own dreamland. Neverland, Wonderland, Imaginaerum.. you can call it the way you love the most. – said he calmly.

He looked at her sitting on his bed surprised and confused.
Kaija caught his smile and sparkle in his eye.

– If it’s a joke it’s not funny, Teller. – said she looking at him.
– It’s true. – nodded he.
– But how could it be possible? – sighed she. – You are the one who makes all these wishes of mine come true, aren’t you?
– Hmm, in some way yes. But not all of them, of course. Some of them you made by yourself.
– Me? – she wanted to get up but then she decided to lie down again.
– That’s why you’re here. – smiled he.

She was silent for a while and then jumped down from the bed and ran up to him.
Kaija took his hand and looked in his eyes.

– Please, could you tell me how it happened. Why am I here? – begged she holding his hand.
– Don’t kneel. – said he placing her in his arms. – You’ll feel better here. And now.. what do you want to know? I’ll answer every your question. Honestly. – said he calmly stroking her hair.
– How… did it happen? I need to know. Are you a vampire? I heard they could take your memories away.

He laughed and eyed her.
– Dear Kaija, I am not a vampire. But I also can take your memories..
– Did you ever…
– No. Only if you ask me about it. And I hope you’ll never do. – answered he knowing her question.
– Mh, I see… well then… teach me. – replied she suddenly.
– Ah? – asked he surprisingly.
– I also want to take the memories. Could you please teach me?

She sat near and put her head on his shoulder looking in his eyes.
He didn’t know what to say. None else ever asked him about this. Kaija could see through his sight that he was unsure.

– I’ve never done that. But I guess, I can try. I’ll teach you.
– Thank you.. Teller. – and she kissed him.

… – Don’t turn around, run! It’s over here.. RUN!
Voices were dwelling in silence still when she woke up.