“Moo. Moo.” Cried a boy only five years old tapping his wooden toy cow on the nose of a real cow.

 Ms. Moo, as he called her, laid down on the barn floor, her legs spread out. The boy’s big green eyes studied the cow’s white face.

“Moo.” The cow moaned. 

 His bare feet pushed again into the hay as he stood. He ran to the corner of the cow’s stable towards a bucket of water. The boy pulled the handle, but he couldn’t get it off the ground. He then scooped the water into the palm of his hands. 

“Conrad!”

At the entries of the barn. A strand of her brown hair peeked from under her bonnet and her black eyes enraged. In the olive green apron dress was his mother, Emma. 

“I told you not to come in here!” She grabbed his arm.

Conrad pointed to Miss Moo.

“Let it die in peace!” She turned away from him. “I know, father but I can’t have him getting sick too.”

Conrad followed Emma’s gaze but saw no one.

“Yes, I know, Mother. I’ll wash him by the river. It hasn’t started raining yet.”

She pulled Conrad outside. 

In Germany, the sun hid behind the clouds. The farm’s field burned in black with small patches of grass. The ash-grey of rubble by the river was once Emma’s house, where her family lived and died. 

Emma folded Conrad’s blue overall and placed them aside. “Closed your eyes.” She demanded. 

Cold water poured down on Conrad. His body trembled, but he didn’t mind. Emma scrubbed away the dirt and smell of the cow. Then dried him off with an old rag. 

She stroked Conrad’s head. “You have your father's blonde hair.” She had a faraway look of longing thinking about him. “It’s a shame it's curly like mine.” 

Across the river, a horse of white smoke watched them.

“Mama, It’s there again.”

“Stop moving! There’s nothing there.”

Emma often talked to her mother, father, and brother. People Conrad could not see, but she never noticed the horse.

“I know we are running out of food,” she shouted. “I can’t go into town. If they find me, they’ll take me back.”

When Conrad was three, she picked him up from the orphanage. Late into the night, Emma wore a white gown stained red. Since then, the farm shack was their home. They lived off the two caws that remained. Eating one and drinking the other’s milk. To wait for his father to come home.

Conrad’s father was handsome, kind, and strong. He would make the farm better than it was before. Then, they would live in a big, beautiful house. Emma said this almost every day for two years. 

“If only this river had fish,” she mumbled. “It’s all right. He’ll come for us. I know he will.” She spoke with confidence, but her voice shook.

THUNDER BOOMED. Drops of rain poured while Emma buttoned Conrad’s overalls. They ran toward the shack.  

A figure stood by the rubble of Emma’s old home. In a black-tailed coat, white breeches, and long shoes. The flat part of his hat hid a part of his face. 

She took Conrad’s hand. “Who are you!?”

 The man took off his hat and met her eyes. 

“Bruno!” She let go of Conrad’s hand and ran to embrace him.

“Emma?” His arms shuttered, but with a gentle touch, he pushed her away  

“I waited for you.” She sobbed. 

“No. Emma. You should be in the hospital.” 

“I was but then I had Conrad. And you said to come back here to the farm.”

“You... You have a child?”

“Yes.” She waved for the boy to come closer.

The man stared at Conrad, confused. 

“What do you think?” She asked. “He looks just like you, dear.”

“I-I can see that. Why don’t you both come with me?”

Emma’s smile faded. “I can’t leave. This is my home. And my family. Will worry.” 

“Then I’ll take the boy.” The man offered Conrad his hand. “He looks like he needs new clothes.”

“That’s right. Maybe you can pick out something better for him.”  

She couldn’t see it. The worried look on the man’s face. Or was it fear? It seemed to say; come with me! Hurry! Conrad turned to his mother, glowing in the man’s presence. 

“I like my clothes.”

“Don’t be rude! Her hand squeezed Conrad’s shoulders. I’m sorry for his poor manners. Why don’t you come inside? I’ll make you something to eat.”

“No. I. I still have things I need to do.” 

“You’re going?”She grabbed his hand.

“I’ll be back tonight.” He put his hand on her “I promise.”

She stared into the man’s eyes and smiled. “Tonight then.”

The rain beat against the root of the shack. Outside the window, a light flashed. Conrad loved to watch the glow in the night. 

In the distance, a horse pulled along a black box-shaped carriage. He remembered on the side of it read police. 

“Mama.”

she cleaned their small dining table. “What is it?” 

He pointed out the window.

“Is he back?!” When she saw the carriage, her face turned pale. She backed away. “No. No. Not now.”

Emma picked Conrad up in her arms and ran out into the rain. The gray cloud made way for the full moon at her back. And in front of them, the river’s water thrashed downstream.

“It won’t happen! She screamed. 

 Conrad couldn’t move in his mother’s arms. The river whipped them from above and below. She tumbled, and the water took them.

At that moment Conrad saw the horse of white spoke dived in.

The golden dining room shined. A long table, twenty seats, plates of cow meat, pies, and more. Conrade didn’t want to eat any of it. His mother and the man in the tailed coat sat at the far end of the table with wide smiles talking. Beside them were a two-man and a woman. They were likely her mother, father, and brother.

Bruno glanced at Conrad. The room turned black, and they were alone.

Without moving his mouth, Conrad spoke. “Oh. You noticed me. Can you see my horse's feet and eyes?” He wiggled his hairy three-fingers. He stroked the gray blond fur on his tummy. “It’s different but I like it.”

Bruno's grin didn’t fad.” What is happening?”

“Conrad!” Emma yelled.” Eat something!” 

The two of them were back in the dining room, but things were unstable. Some of the food hovered off the table. Emma's parents and brother’s disembodied hands were attached to their shoulders, heads where their stomachs should be, and other places.

“Mommy. I’m full.”

“A little more!”

Conrad picked up a piece of a pie. He breathed in and mist came out of the pie, and flowed into his nose. The room went back to what it was before. Emme turned away and continued her conversation.

“What are you?” Bruno asked.

The boy stared. “This is a dream. And I am the nightmare.”

When the two of them fell, there was pain and darkness. Conrad, awakened to a sky, clear blue. He laid on his back on a field of grass. Next to him is a wide river the same color as the sky. On the other side, a dark brown horse with a long gray mane. At the end of the river, the full moon. The horse let out a cry and ran.

His mind was empty of thought, but he got the urge to run toward it, too. He tried to get up but realized he was holding a hand, thin but rough, attached to nothing. He held it tight. And he started running.

They both stood on the borders between life and death. There was no wind or the sound of crushing grass under his feet. Conrad felt as if he was carrying two bucketfuls of water as he ran. He went as fast as he could. It didn’t take long for him to catch up with the horse. Conrad reached the moon first.

The river disappeared into white light. The horse far behind cried as if to thank him for the race, as the light absorbed it.

Bruno sat up, gasping, drenched in sweat. The memory of his dream was a haze. He reach for his wife to wake her, but when he touched her he froze. 

A scream of horror broke into the dawn. Conrad opened the living room window. He looked back, but before he could wonder about the sound. The eye on his forehead spoke in his mind.

“He must be overjoyed. Now that those pests are gone,” said Emma. 

Conrad thought of the child he played in the dream. When humans sleep, they can sometimes go to the dream realm, where they have their own territory. In the child’s dream, they were as small baby chicks playing hide and seek in a large bedroom.     

Conrad hid in the drawer and found the child hiding under a giant teddy bear. All the while, his mother kept reminding him to eat, and he did as they played. It didn’t take long for the game to end. The child’s dream became a blanket of white and vanished. It was the same for that lady. The only difference was he didn’t play with her. 

Years after his death, he would have the day to himself while his mother slept. Sometimes for weeks, when she had a pleasant dream. One afternoon thunder roared as rain poured. Conrad walked along the tall house-shaped stores staring at the clouds. People went by him without noticing his tail waving back and forth. He heard a sniffle coming from the side of a building arch. 

He peeked inside. A boy in brown lederhosen buried his face behind his knees.

“

Hello, why are you crying?” 

The boy rubbed his eyes. “I am a man and men do not cry.”

“That’s not true. I’ve seen a man cry.”

“You are lying! My Dad said crying is for girls and women.” The boy turned to look at Conrad but saw no one. “Where are you?”

Thunder roared. The boy buried his face and covered his ears.

Conrad sat next to the boy. “What’s your name?”  

“David.”

Within a dream, Emme held the hand of the man she loved. Bruno. They sat on a field of white doubled star flowers watching the horizon of snow-peaked Mountains.

Conrad sat on a swing hanging in the air.

“I remember this place. I took her here in my younger days,” said a low and husky voice.

The man Conrad met in the black-tail coat was now in dirty and tattered clothes. He held no emotion in his expression as he watched the ghost of his younger self. Conrad made another swing for the man.

“I wanted to show her a better place than the farm. I see that was a mistake. She became torn between what she wanted and her family. Then the fire happened. She lost herself.”

“What does that mean?”

“She became sick. I could not help. I left her with people who could.” 

Conrad stared at Emme feeding the fake Bruno a plum dumpling. “Why did you come to the farm?”

“I was going to sell it…. I could not believe she was still there…. Conrad…. That's your name, right?”

He turned to the man. It was the first time he said Conrad’s name. 

 “I don’t think I can last much longer.” Bruno gazed straight ahead with empty eyes. “It’s been fifteen years. You are a man now. Even if you still look like a child.” 

Conrad scratched the palm of his hand and wondered when the dream would end.

“Do you love your mother?”

“...Yes.”

“Then let her come with me.”

“Where?”

“To where her family is.”

 “Can I go?”

Bruno turned to Conrad. “I think you already know the answer.”

 They were taking Bruno’s body away. Conrad watched as he thought of the child, the woman, and others he fed on completely. How they looked, similar to the lifeless body in front of him.  

His mother’s eyes opened.

“He’s gone.”

Her eye fixed on the body. 

“That ugly old man is no one I know. Stop wasting time and go eat.”

Conrad came into David’s dream while he argued with his father again. In the restaurant, the tables and chairs flew around them and moved faster as the father got louder.  

“David.” 

The nineteen-year-old turned to Conrad and smiled playfully. Everything Shattered around him. The restaurant became a playground in the forest. Carousel of veins, trees in the shape of a jungle gym. 

The nineteen-year-old David shrank into the nine-year-old boy he was when they first met. 

“Conrad!”

“Hello, did you see your father?

“David grumbled. We ran into each other. No matter what I say, he never listens.” 

“Does it make your father sad that you won’t take over the restaurant?” 

“No. It makes him angry. That is why I need to prove myself.” 

“Could you be a baker there?”

“Taking over the restaurant and baking are two different things.” David took Conrad’s hand. “Let’s climb the jungle gym.”

“What are you doing!” Emme hissed. “Eat!”

Conrad jumped off the carousel. He took in a piece of the dream, creating a dumpling in his hand.

“Conrad?”

 He looked at David, an image of Bruno's dead body flashed. The dumpling disappeared. “Its almost morning. I have to go.”

“Eat! Eat! Eat!”

“Can’t we play a little longer?” David asked.

“You have work. ”

“Eat! Eat! Eat!

“Fine. You will come back, won’t you!”

“I. I will.”

“Eat! Eat! Eat!”

Conrad came out of the dream. He moved his hand away from David’s forehead. The young man slept in a small bedroom. The smell of fresh bread lingered. Conrad didn’t notice it. His mind raced with thoughts while Emme commanded him to eat. He didn’t hear the footsteps in the hallway. The turn of the doorknob. The moment the door creaked, he went invisible and ran. 

Conrad walked farther from town onto the country road. His mother got tired along the way and closed her eye. 

He did not know where he was going, only he didn’t want to be reminded of what he almost did. Along the path, he came across his old home.

The grass had grown taller and the roof of the shack had fallen, taking half of the building with it. The barn wood had turned gray. Holes in the ceiling, and barks of wood on the floor. Along with what remained of Miss. Moo a few bones.

He remembered riding on her back, her nibbling on his hair. She was his first friend. His eyes became hazed with tears. Conrad went into his Mother’s dream while she was busy talking with her parents. He tried to create Miss. Moo. A cow’s shape. It was white and faceless. He tried to imagine a new Miss. Moo. But the tear still came and the pain in his chest made him feel sick.

Conrad looked at his mother and her parents. “They are not real.” He turned to his creation. “This is not real.”

He went back to the real world and buried Miss. Moo’s remains. “Thank you for giving us milk. Thank you for being my friend.”

The town whispered of a monster killing people in their sleep when he returned. They were words he heard before. Now he understood them. He promised himself he would never do it again but among whispers came David’s name.       

That night, he went back to the bakery. David’s window wouldn’t open. His nerves were telling him to run away. Conrad looked at the full moon. It had to be now when he was at his strongest.

Conrad climbed into the empty room above. On the second floor, a tall man tried to keep his eyes open with a rifle at his side, something Conrad had never seen before.  

Emme screamed.” No! No, it will kill me!”

Wanting to dash for it but the cricks in the floorboards would give him away and, from his mother’s reaction, he needed to be careful.

He crept to the door. As he went in, the man saw his tail. Conrad Rushed to his friend and went into the dream. 

Within in the dark void. David had not yet entered the dream world. He wasn’t dreaming. Conrad created their playground, but he didn’t appear.

“Good. Now you can eat,” said Emme.

“Sleep.”  

His mother fell silent.   

“David.” 

His mouth quivered.

“David!!!”

“DAVID!!!”

The dream shook. “Why did you come?” He appeared in front of Conrad. He had an upset smile. “If they see you again, they will kill you.”

Conrad rubbed his tears away. “I want to play hide and seek.”

“This is not the time! You need to leave!”

“This will be the last time,” Conrad whispered.

“What?” David’s eyes closed.

They heard a mumbled voice outside. The dream rumbled and cracked.

“Let’s play outside,” said Conrad.

“No! Wait!” 

The tall man stepped back with a face of fright the moment he saw Conrad. Before he could aim with the rifle, Conrad broke the window with his hooves as he jumped out of the room. Shots roared behind him and he disappeared into the night. 

Above the water, footsteps stomped on the surface. A man’s face peered above.

“Conrad, I know you’re down there. You can come out now.”

He swam up to the surface and smiled at the young man, who wear brown leather trousers and a white-collared shirt. He had no boyish features, but a mature expression. 

They found a place to talk in a dark corner between two buildings. 

“Why did you do that?” asked David. “You could have waited or hidden somewhere.”

“I can’t wait or hide. I have to leave.”

“What But-” He stopped himself and sighed. “I had a feeling this would happen. But not like this.”

“How long have you’ve known?”

David bent down. He looked at Conrad with sad eyes. “When you started appearing in my dreams. I always have pleasant dreams when you’re around. That’s why I said nothing.” 

“You can change your dreams or wake up.” Conrad pulled the hair off his tail. He gave it to David. “I have to go away.” 

“Why are you giving me this?”

“Proof that we’re not friends. Humans have big imaginations.”

 “I. I understand. Will I see you again?”

“It will be a long time before I can come back here.” Conrad reaches out and embraced his friend in a hug. “Goodbye, David.”

David does the same. “I won’t forget you, my friend.”

Emme wore a long white dress and kissed Bruno, who wore a black suit. They were in front of many people as they cheered.

Conrad faded out of the dream. He stood by the river. Where he had died and come back. He took out a sharp rock. Held it above his mother’s closed eye.

Tears drop from his cheeks.

“Goodbye, Mother.”