The Dream Travelers

Where love and time have no bounds

Isabella had always had strange unusual dreams but recently they felt real. Isabella could feel her surroundings around her. If she dreamt about the fire she could smell the smoke and feel the heat surrounding her. She would feel the smoke enter her lungs as she choked and found it harder to breathe. Dreams were so vivid and so real she felt everything. Isabella tried everything to stop her dreams including taking caffeine pills. She never really finished a dream she would wake up before it took a nefarious turn. Isabella would not remember the dream after she would awaken.

Isabella knew her dreams were not normal but she had no one to confide in. She was 55 years old and had no family, nor had she ever married or had children. Isabella had no close friends and led a solitary life. Isabella had these dreams since she was a teenager but recently her dreams had become more intense. In Isabella’s latest dream it was 1898 in Cuba, she dreamt she was a teacher when an invasion occurred. The Spanish-American war began and the Americans were attacking the town. The Americans stormed the school building and found Isabella. The soldier pointed a gun at her and that is when Isabella blanks out and awakens. Isabella is drenched in sweat and full anxiety when she fully awakes from her dream. Isabella becomes more withdrawn from her co-workers at work as her anxiety gets worse.

One day, Isabella notices the vacant apartment across the hall has been rented, and she sees the new neighbor move in. She notices that the man moving in is a handsome man in his late fifties with dark hair and grey strands on the sides of his hair, his eyes as dark blue as the ocean sea. His broad shoulders as he picks up his moving boxes with ease. His arms bulging from a tight white tee shirt; Isabella thinks to herself this is the new neighbor.

By the end of the day, another neighbor drops by to visit Isabella and her name is Carmen and she is also single. Isabella isn’t really friendly with Carmen but occasionally she invites herself over to report the latest news in the building. Carmen is the self-appointed news gossip in the building. Carmen is in her sixties with white short hair and brown eyes. Carmen excitedly blurts out “I met the new neighbor across the hall, Rodrigo” and he’s single”. Isabella’s interest peaked when Carmen said he was single. Rodrigo is retired ex-military, says Carmen. Isabella replies “ Carmen, how could you get so much information in a short time?” Carmen replies “I ask sharp questions and they reply”. Isabella thinks to herself how intrusive, she wouldn’t dare ask such personal questions during a first meeting. Carmen goes on to talk about other neighbors in the building but Isabella starts to tune her out. Isabella tells Carmen she has to work on a job project she brought home with her and she would talk to her next time. Carmen leaves.

Nighttime falls again and Isabella is dreading falling asleep but she is so tired after a stressful day at work, she has no choice. Isabella falls asleep and this time she finds herself in the year 1809 in Spain and the French forces under Napoleon had invaded. She was a noblewoman riding in her carriage when it was stopped by French soldiers. She is about to be attacked by one of them when one of the soldiers with a red beret grabs her and pulls her away. Isabella fights and struggles but she can’t fight off this strong soldier who has grabbed by the waist and pulled her away. The other French soldiers do nothing and laugh. This French soldier speaks Spanish and tells her I will not harm you, no te hare dano. What is your name, Como te llamas? He asks. Isabella is suspicious of his motives and asks what he wants. The soldier responds to your safety. Meanwhile another French soldier gets anxious and checks on them. The soldier says have you finished with her? It's my turn. Isabella starts to scream when the other soldier tries to grab her arm but the soldier in the red beret begins to hit the other soldier and he turns to Isabella and says run. Isabella awakens with no memory of this dream this time. She only knows she feels safe.

The next day, Isabella is coming back from her food shopping trip and has three bags she is trying to hold onto. When she bumps into Rodrigo in the hallway. Rodrigo sees Isabella with the bags and offers to help her bring them into her apartment. Isabella agrees to let him help. Rodrigo sees Isabella and their eyes meet, and there seems to be a hint of recognition at least with Rodrigo. He asks, “Isabella if they ever met before?”. Isabella replies “No” but is not quite sure of herself as she responds. Rodrigo looks into Isabella’s soft brown eyes and says I guess not. “Let me introduce myself, my name is Rodrigo Irrizary” and he extends his hand from under the three bags he’s holding. Isabella extends her hand and says my name is Isabella Rosa. Rodrigo shakes her soft hand for a few seconds when he realizes one of the bags slipping. He lets go of Isabella’s hand to hold onto the bag as she opens her apartment door. Rodrigo asks where she would like him to place the bags and Isabella replies on the countertop in the kitchen which is just off the doorway. It is a galley-style kitchen Rodrigo comments on what a nice kitchen. Isabella thanks him for bringing in the bags and for the comment. They both awkwardly stand in front of each other and remain silent. Rodrigo anxiously takes Isabela’s hand and says “I will see you tomorrow”. Isabella nervously replies” Okay”. Rodrigo leaves her apartment reluctantly wanting to spend more time with her. Isabella feels like a schoolgirl. She is so excited to have met Rodrigo so much that she can't get him out of her head. It’s almost as if it were meant to be their first meeting.

Isabella is cooking dinner when she hears a knock on the door, she looks through the peephole and sees Rodrigo. Rodrigo looks nervous; as she opens the door. Rodrigo says “Hi “ nervously and in a haphazard way asks Isabella out on a coffee date. Rodrigo starts to speak and says “ I know we only just met, but I feel like I’ve known you forever". “ I know that sounds cliche". Before he says another word Isabella blurts out “Okay". Both look at each other for what seems to be years and not minutes. Both longing to stay together for as long as they can.

Isabella asks Rodrigo to stay for dinner. She was cooking homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Rodrigo accepts and comes inside.

During dinner, they both discuss their lives. Rodrigo tells her that he is ex-military and Isabella tells him about her job as a financial analyst in Wall Street. They talk to each other with great ease as if they had known each other for centuries. Rodrigo reluctantly leaves Isabella’s side as they finish dinner as he leaves for his apartment.

Isabella wishes Rodrigo good night as he leaves and as she closes her door she feels this strong connection to Rodrigo. She can’t explain it. Their bond is so strong that she starts to think, am I imagining this connection? Isabella does not know how Rodrigo feels, can this bond be real? Isabella starts to doubt herself as she goes into her room to go to bed.

Isabella starts to dream again this time she is in Puerto Rico and the date is 1943. There is a protest by the townspeople for Independence, the US military is called in to stop the protest. Isabella remembers tear gas being expelled, she is choking and coughing as she runs to get to clean air. Isabella sees a soldier point a gun at her and she faints. This time instead of waking up or drawing a blank she is still in her sleep. She feels strong soft hands carry her away to safety. She opens her eyes to see his face but everything is still a blur. The man smells of old spice and cigars as he gently puts her on the grounds of a sandy beach. He takes off his jacket and puts it around her. Then, the man asks if she is okay, estas bien? Isabella, still fighting the effects of the tear gas, says she is doing Okay. The man starts to stroke her light brown hair from her face. “Good “ as he replies he stands over her. The sun was blurring his face. The man bends over towards her and says “I’ve seen you in my dreams forever ever since I was a teenager”. “Now, I’ve seen you in real life. “

“I want you to be my bride and he pulls out a cigar band from his pocket until I can get the real ring”. The man’s face starts to come into focus and it’s Rodrigo. Isabella wakes up and it's 6 am the morning, she remembers her dream. Isabella can’t believe it, what was Rodrigo doing in her dream? Isabella begins to believe that is infatuated with Rodrigo and not really in love with him. After all, she’s never been in love before so she doesn’t know if it’s real or not.

Isabella remembers that she has a coffee date with Rodrigo at 9 am so she showers and gets ready for her date. When Rodrigo knocks on her door.

Isabella reluctantly opens her door, there is Rodrigo with flowers in hand. Isabella can’t help but feel her heart warm as sees Rodrigo. Isabella notices the scent of old spice on Rodrigo and the cigar smell is really quite strong. Rodrigo hands her the flowers and says Isabella I have something to tell you and you may not believe me but it’s true. Isabella intensely listens to what Rodrigo has to say, “ Isabella I have always loved you” “I have searched for you for years, the lady of my dream travels”. “It was fate that brought us together”. Isabella is secretly happy but pretends to be concerned and says "how could you be sure we only just met” Rodrigo replies “Isabella, don't you remember I gave you a cigar band in our dreams last night.” Isabella is shocked and surprised “How could you know what I dreamt last night?”.

“It was not really a dream, Isabella we were in 1943, these events happened and I saved you from the danger of the protest”. “Just like I have saved you from countless situations other times throughout history”. Rodrigo says “I knew who you were when I first saw you, the lady from my dreaming travels”. “You did not recognize me so I had to make you remember the next time you saw me, so I gave you the cigar band.” Isabella is so surprised but she knew her dreams were different, it all started to make sense.

Isabella approaches Rodrigo and asks him how he found her after all of these years. Rodrigo replies “it was just fate that I happened to move in across the hall.” It was as if the universes were colliding to make this happen. “Now that I found you, Isabella, “I never want to be apart from you”. “I’ve waited my whole life for you”. Isabella felt the same way and she knew she had found her life partner forever. From that day forward, they had found each other and their time-traveling dreams had stopped. Although they never found out why they were chosen to travel, they only guessed it was the universe’s plan for them to find love in the present.