This is the first 1,500 words of a potential novel that I submitted to Novelry’s “Next Big Story 2025” contest. I did not win, but might still write the rest of the story. Your feedback would be most appreciated.

Daniel Freeman always had wild dreams, but never while he was awake. This morning, while walking to the bus stop down the street, the sidewalk gave way to a forest path winding through a thick wood. Rays of a dual sunset shone through the leaves. Daniel stopped to take a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, everything was back to normal.

As the bus pulled into traffic, Daniel was shaken, not by how jarring that was, but by how familiar the forest felt as if he had walked that path before. He closed his eyes and tried to recall what he had seen — a deep, dark, thick forest. Sunlight breaks through the trees. Two suns?

Could he still smell the trees?

He got off near his favorite coffee and donut spot. As he paid, pine needles fell from his sleeve.

“Ah, did you have a fun weekend in the mountains, Daniel? Arrowhead or Big Bear?”

“Uh, neither.”

“Alright then, keep your secrets,” the man at the register said, giving him his change. “Have a good day.”

Daniel left the shop and continued with his morning. Downtown was busy as people shuffled around the city. Crowds went between buses and buildings — students, office workers, politicians, and vagabonds mixed here daily.

Daniel found himself in the middle of a stream, waist-deep. A voice called out from the treeline.

“Fine then, leave. Disappear. They won’t be happy…I won’t be happy. Just promise not to forget us. I will know if you do.”

Daniel looked around to find the source of the voice. The water began to swirl and splash around him.

“You forgot, didn’t you?”

Daniel was now face-to-face with a withered old man in the middle of the street.

“You told them you wouldn’t, and you forgot.”

“Good morning, Benny.” Daniel walked around him and came to the sidewalk, all the while, cars were honking.

“You bore the sword, you slew the chosen one, and you forgot.”

“Not now, Benny, I’m having an odd day. I don’t have time for riddles.”

“No riddles, Daniel Freeman. A reminder and a warning. They are looking for you. You forgot, and now the time has come.”

Daniel ignored him and kept on walking.

“You forgot!” Benny yelled at him as he walked away.

Unaware of the strange looks he was getting as he walked through the office, he sat down at his desk, confused by the morning’s daydreams. He looked down to see that his pants and shoes were completely wet.

He placed his head in his hands and took a deep breath. He had to get a grip.

“Is something the matter, my lord?”

Daniel looked up. Before him was a bird dressed in fine clothes. Was the bird talking?

Nervously, the bird continued, “My lord, the captain has just delivered his report on the goblin remnant in the mountains. Do you have a reply?”

Dazed, Daniel shook his head while squinting at the bird.

“Captain,” the bird turned to address the other person in the room, ”we will consider these matters closely and call on you when we have a plan forward. Thank you for your service to the realm.”

Daniel looked at the captain as he walked away. From behind, he looked like a walking boulder. Where was his neck?

“Did you have a rough night, Freeman?”

The bird’s voice gave way to Steve’s peering over the cubicle wall.

“Or morning?” Steve looked down at the puddle around Daniel’s feet.

“I uh, wasn’t paying attention and stepped into a puddle.”

“Hopefully, it was just water. We have stand-up in five, dry off before you come to the back.”

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, much to Daniel’s relief.

On the bus ride home, Daniel thought about his visions. He pulled out a notebook and began to sketch the bird from his vision.

Was it a raven? A crow?

“Is that a corvid?”

Daniel looks up to see an older woman sitting next to him. Her silver-gray hair was braided and fell around her copper-brown skin.

“And dressed to the nines, I see.”

“Yeah, I’m just doodling.”

“That’s an oddly specific doodle. Such a noble corvid. Not quite as bold as a crow, but still as wise as a raven. I wonder if it’s musical like a jay?”

“His songs are beautiful,” Daniel paused, surprised by what he just said.

“Do you know this bird?”

“I-I-I don’t know,” Daniel replied. The bird seemed familiar, but he wasn’t sure why, “It’s just a dumb doodle.”

“I don’t think he would think so.”

“Heh, what do you mean by that?” Daniel looked over only to find that she was gone.

“Hey, sis, mind if I come over for a sec?”

…

“Cool, cool, cool. I’m already here.”

…

“No, I’m not kidding. I’m walking up to your door.”

…

“I’m about to knock.”

The door opened just before Daniel’s knuckle hit the door.

“What are you doing here, Dan?”

“Good to see you too, Jess. How are my nieces?”

“At school. What do you want?”

Daniel pushed past his sister and sat down at the kitchen island.

“Hey, um, do you remember that summer we spent at that cabin?”

“You mean that one afternoon. Are you still stuck on that?”

“No. I’m not stuck on anything. I am completely unstuck. Stuck on what?”

“Dan, come on. You act like we were there all summer. Months and months. Sometimes years. But it was one afternoon. Dan!”

“Yeah,” Daniel refocused on his sister.

“One afternoon.”

“So you still don’t remember?”

“Dan, there is nothing to remember. We made up some stories and pretended to go on an adventure. That’s all it was. That was like, thirty years ago. Why are you bringing this up? I thought you moved past this.”

Daniel slid the drawing of the bird across the kitchen island. Next to the bird was a thick, stocky knight in blocky armor. Words were scribbled around it in a mix of legible English and ornate swirls.

“What is this supposed to be?”

“Do you recognize them?”

“Nooo…”

“I do. It was the strangest thing. The other day at work, I had this flash, like a memory. I was sitting in a hall when this bird was talking to me. This guy, “Daniel, pointed to the knight, “was giving me updates on a campaign. And it all felt familiar, like I had been there before.”

“Was this one of your wild dreams again?” Jessica looked at her brother with concern.

“No, Jess, this was different. It was like when you remember a trip you went on, or a place you visited years ago. Like you can see it and it feels familiar, but not at the same time.”

“They were just stories. They were just stories…” Vesper trailed off.

Dan looked up to see tears rolling down her face as she looked off into nothing.

The kitchen became a dining hall. A hearth was crackling, and the table was set with a meal.

“Is something wrong with the food, my lady?”

Jessica looked over to see a bird staring at her, head tilted with curiosity.

She looked at Daniel, who looked the same but leaner than he did seconds ago.

“D-d-dan. Is that you? Is this…?”

“Yes, it’s me. You see it too.”

She slowly nodded. Then covered her face and wept.

“My lord, is everything okay? Does Lady Jessica need assistance?”

“Can you remind me of your name? I’m afraid I’m having trouble recalling things.”

“My lord, I have ever been your servant and friend. Certainly…”

“Humor me.”

A bit nervously, the bird replied, “I am Kibal Blackwing…”

The kitchen returned. The smell of the meal hung in the air. They sat in silence for a moment.

Jessica spoke just above a whisper, “Dan, I would like you to leave? Do not come back until you have put all of this behind you.”

“But Jess, you saw it, you were there too.”

“They were just stories. We made up some silly stories and pretended to go on adventures. They weren’t real, they weren’t supposed to be real.”

“But what if they were real and we just forgot?”

“Daniel. There was nothing to forget. You are nearly forty. It’s time you grew up and moved on.”

Dan scoffed and shook his head.

“I’m serious, Daniel, I would like you to leave. If you come back with your dreams and your talking birds, you will not be welcome here,” Jessica shot him a stern glance.

He scooped up the picture and headed out.

As he was crossing the threshold, he looked back.

“I’m not sure why you’re denying what you saw. I hope you’ll be there if I need you. If not, I’ll go it alone. Tell my nieces I love them.”

Daniel Freeman walked off into a warm and muggy evening.

Hello there! I’m Barnabas, a poet and illustrator currently based in Colorful Colorado. Since you’ve read this far, I think we should be friends — leave a comment or follow for more.

Laughter in the Wind