Free Fall of Hope (Book 1): Real Heroes Don't Wear Capes by R.M. Grace Page B

fantasy? And then seen this place, not for real, but
in a picture for instance?”
    “ So,
what you're telling me is: you had a dream about a place, then saw a
picture of said place, painted by someone you've never met? Now
you're wondering how you could have seen a place that doesn't exist
when you've not seen the painting before?”
    Bobby
turns to face the opposite way when he catches something red
disappear behind a bus as it stops at the red light. Bobby spots a
middle-aged woman staring at him out the filthy window. As he stares
back, he catches the movement through the window behind her.
    Across
the road, propped against the shelter, he sees what appears to be a
man with a red hood covering his head. His features are distorted. At
first, he believes it's Gage, but the figure is leaner and much
taller, shrouded by a menacing cloud.
    As
the traffic light flickers back to green, a cloud of dark fumes curl
around the back of the bus, shielding the window from sight. He knows
Danny is talking to his left, but the words are intangible.
    When
the bus drives away, the shelter comes back into view, minus the
figure who was standing there. As Bobby studies the pavement, he sees
people moving to and fro, but no one is in a hood.
    “ Bobby,”
Danny growls as a pressure tugs at his shoulder.
    He
grabs the wall to keep from tumbling backwards, and mumbles something
about being “miles away.”
    Who
was that?
    Bobby
swears there was no face within that red hood, but the figure was
staring at him.
    It
was just my imagination. Blame the lack of sleep last night.
    “ So
now you
want to find a reason for it?”
    Bobby
shakes his head from any thoughts threatening to creep in. “There
must be a reason.”
    “ Well,
things influence our minds throughout our lives—objects,
people, emotions, events and places. These things could have all
mounted together to create what you dreamed. With there being seven
billion people on the planet, there's bound to be similarities in
thinking and such, no matter the distance.”
    “ But
to a T?”
    Bobby
drifts his eyes back over the pavement opposite. He lets his eyes
consume every walk way, wall, bush and any place a person could have
disappeared. There's no sign of whoever it was anywhere, but that
doesn't surprise him because he didn't see the guy move.
    “ Perhaps.
Who knows? Maybe the same thing influenced both of you. You could
have both saw the same photograph, sketch, cartoon, or anything, even
if you cannot remember. Even things from childhood could be hiding in
your subconscious. Maybe you saw a film recently, or heard music that
influenced both of you in the same way.”
    “ I
h aven't
watched a film in ages. I fell asleep in the middle of the last one.”
    “ They
say we still take in information while we sleep. What was it?”
    “ I
doubt it was that unless there are cliffs with white houses on space
shuttles.”
    “ Apollo
13?”
    Bobby
chuckles and nods. “Yeah, it was on TV.”
    “ How
do you fall asleep watching that, hey?” Danny cups his hands
over his face and lowers his voice, “Houston, we have a
problem, Bobby is cracking up.”
    “ I'm
serious.”
    Dropping
his hands, Danny grins. “Okay.”
    “ So
what are the chances of that happening if nothing has recently
influenced me to see that place?”
    Danny
turns away, issuing a loud whistle from his moist lips. “So
what you're asking me is: what are the odds of two people from around
the world who have never met, or spoke to come up with the same
idea?”
    Bobby's
expression is stoic when Danny turns back to face him. “Yeah.”
    “ Geez.
It must be rare, depending on how detailed it is. But judging by the
painting, I'd say it's almost impossible, especially given the time
period.”
    “ You
saw the painting?” Bobby jumps down from the wall and wipes his
hands down his trousers.
    “ No,”
Danny says as he follows. “But you said a cliff with a white
house, so I'm guessing it’s the dream with the