Welcome! Welcome, one and all to the adventures of our eponymous hero Franklin Reverie, born to a dreaming mother who never held her son. Chronicled here the first of many episodes in the saga that is known as Phantas Magoria so sit back, relax and prepare for a tale of wonder. Without futher ado

Here is Episode 1 - The morning after the night before

It’s raining, for a few days in March it seemed at least one superpower had experienced some of the effects of global warming. But no one complained, as quick as it came the heat in London had packed up and moved west to make way for the enormous canopy of clouds that did just the opposite.

          Franklin thinks to himself as he wakes up and looks on to London from his window. He thinks to have a cigarette and then he remembers. It’s Saturday, he takes out his cigarettes and then his weed and skins up a big spliff before going into the kitchen and making some tea. He remembers before when he used to live with his parents that there was always a paper in his kitchen when he woke up in the early afternoon. He would glance at the front page for anything too terrible and then turn to back and read the sports; he didn’t have to feel sorry for the sports stars.

          Franklin is in his living room the television is turned on but it’s early morning and the only thing on CD: UK. It’s agonising to watch talent less hacks get paid so much money for saying words and phrases over and over again. It’s agonising because it’s not him up there. He has a different path.

 

Three doors down the road Phantas Magoria is still asleep. He sleeps for the most of the day, every day. He once said to his mother who still lives with him that he could control his dreams better than he could control his life. He said it was an obvious choice

 

Across the road from Phantas wakes Jack Wanton. Jack is an upmarket lawyer who got ‘real rich, real quick’ as his friends said. Across the road was not Jack’s house though, it was Cindy’s. Jack’s house is in the other side of London with his wife Trudy and two sons; James and Brian. Jack sits up and waits for Cindy to come back from the toilet and untie him. He has a lot of work to do.

 

Half a mile northwest of them Eldritch Throe has been awake for hours. There’s not much point in sleeping it doesn’t rejuvenate him. He has too much to do. He’s so tired. He’s still so far away.

 

 

Franklin’s anxious. His dreams were not for him last night. He had to help this witch find her cat. She said she got lost in his dream and wondered if he could help find it.

Black cats wander through thousands of dreams he’d replied.

I know, but you know where my cat is she argued. He accepted that he did. Of course he did. He always knows.

So they set off. He had been at a party with old school friends. That girl, she was hotter in his dreams. I didn’t realise you liked me- she’d said. I have for quite a while. He replied. Well I like you too. They had been just about to kiss when the witch turned up.

“Reverie!” She’d screamed. For a moment Franklin thought it was his alarm so he started to wake up but she pulled him back into his dream. “You’re Reverie”, she’d stated.

“Who are you?”  Franklin had responded.

“Don’t you already know?”

“I don’t care, this is my dream, a damn good one at that. Where’s that girl?” He asked a straying vision from his past. Who? Was his response and then the party was in the other room and then moving down the street.

“Where’s my cat!” The witch shouted.

“Where’s the Lord of this realm why is he not helping you.”

“She’s not around. Besides she’d just tell me to come to you anyway.” Franklin didn’t argue he knew it was true. He was only mortal and he was like the Lords’ lackey.

“Alright Hilda, Barboso was here I saw him smoking pot in the other room so he’s probably gone with the others to the park.”

“That little bastard I told him not to get high off catnip so he waits till he’s asleep and goes to the first party he can find. How do we get to the park?”

“This is my dream Hilda, we already in the park.” And as he finished the sentence it was so. There they were in Clysol Park, or something like it. By the stage that straying vision was talking to that girl, and Franklin cursed his luck. In my own fucking dream, I swear he thought to himself.

“Stop moaning boy, and find my cat.”

“Have any of you seen a black cat?” They all shook their heads. “Where’s the weed at?” Franklin asked although he did not intend to say anything. He hated it when they did that.

“Over by the swings.” Said the same stray after pulling up from kissing the hot girl. No need for thanks. Franklin looked over to the swings and saw some people but noticed the smoke signal coming from the kids’ playground.

Franklin was there and he heard Barboso’s voice coming from the hut in the play park.

“You see the problem with kids today is that they don’t listen to the old stories, you don’t know what real ambition, why when Hilda challenged for black cat rights during the witching period-“

“Barboso is that you, you little shit!” Franklin shouted.

“Shit that bitch followed me here.”

“Dude this isn’t even your dream.” Replied someone else in the hut. Barboso hissed and then jumped out the hut crossing paths with Franklin. He jumped up to the top of slide.

Franklin climbed to the top where Barboso was waiting for him.

“You little fuck come on we’re going home.” Franklin said.

“Fuck you bitch I’m outta here.” Barboso slid down the slide.

“Oh for god’s sake.” Franklin exclaimed, “Go after him come on!” Franklin slid down the slide into daylight. He strayed out of his dream into Little Francis’s dream. His eighth birthday party. There were 8 year olds running around and there was a bouncy castle and endless amounts of cake. Franklin came off the end of one of three slides that were much bigger than they appeared.

Franklin came face to face with Little Francis who didn’t seem that surprised to see a man invade his dream.

“Where’s Barboso?” Franklin asked him.

“He went over there to talk to that guy.” Francis said.

“Happy Birthday.” Franklin said walking off.

“I’m eight.” Francis replied. Franklin saw Barboso behind the buffet talking to a man who looked completely out of place.

 

“So how do I get back.”?  The man asked Barboso.

“Unfortunately Eldritch you can’t ‘get back’ as it were since you have no where to get back to. You need to find the Lord of this Realm.”

“What can he do?”

“He should make you your own set of dreams.” Franklin interrupted.

“Shit it’s you. Bye Throe, good luck.”  The black cat ran through the cat flap.

“Thanks Barboso. Wait so this Lord of whatever, how do I find him.”

“Follow any dream to its beginning.”  “Stop your procrastinating boy and find my cat he went through…” I know where he went thank you Hilda. Franklin opened the door and walked onto a disco floor, lizards were street fighting on roller skates while a middle-aged man sat in the corner cradling his face. Great thought Franklin I’ve followed the little shit into a nightmare. Franklin walked up to the cowering man.

“Excuse me did you see a black cat?”

“You idiot what are you doing they’ll notice me.” The lizards turned round and stared at the man who instantly started screaming. Franklin went up to the bar. It wasn’t his nightmare at least. The barman was half-lizard, half the stereotypical barman, he was a character that belonged to the dream realm rather an individual’s creation.

“Hey Franklin what can I get you?” He asked, he knew Franklin well.

“Hey Joe, can I get a beer and a cigarette?”

“Coming right up.”  Reverie, what are you doing? This isn’t the time to get drunk

“Hey Joe, you seen Barboso around?”

“Yeah as a matter of fact he just came in, is Hilda looking for him?”

“You know very well slave, that I am.”

“He went out back.”

“Thanks Joe.”

“Take it easy Franklin.”  Franklin walked out back. He was glad to get of the disco hall, the man’s screams were quite spine chilling. Some people have nasty dreams.

Once he got outside things felt strange. For the first time in his life he felt unsure. He was stood in whiteness. He could see in the distance the black dot that was Barboso. I can’t be at the source Franklin thought. This isn’t the source Reverie, The immortal has little power here but something else does. Hilda’s voice was wryly but a little cautious, she was as uncomfortable as him. In the distance Barboso hissed and ran back to Franklin.

“Hilda, Hilda please where are you?” Hilda appeared out Franklin.

“You little shit what have you done?”  Hilda was angry but still cautious, she knew her powers were useless here too.”

“I wanna go home Hilda. I don’t like it here.”

“Well that’ll teach you for disobeying me.”

“I’m afraid it’s more serious than that Hilda.” Franklin was getting very anxious.

“Barboso, where are we?” He asked.

“This place belongs to Phantas Magoria.”

“Shit!” Franklin replied.

 

End of episode 1 join us next week for the exciting confrontation between Franklin Reverie and Phantas Magoria. Farewell dear friends.