7. Dreams

"Of course trees can't talk," he practically yelled.
"Really?" it asked sarcastically, "'cause I would've said, 'of course trees can talk.' Especially because I am a tree and I am talking."
"That settles it," William said decisively, "I'm definitely dreaming."
"Are you?" the tree asked, "thank you for including me in your dream. I'm honored."
"So where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do?"
"Well, erm," the tree stammered, "I really don't know. Should I?"
"Well that's how dreams work, isn't it?"
"I really wouldn't know," it said gravely, "I've never been in anybody's dream before."
"You've never...?" William trailed off. In his experience, when you are dreaming, you either just knew what it was that you were supposed to do, or someone in the dream would say something that would motivate you towards a certain action or actions.
But not this time.
"Where are we?" William finally had the wherewithal to ask.
"Why we're in the Meadow of Dreams, of course."
"Of course we are. And is there a bad place or an evil being that resides around here somewhere?"
"Well there is the Nightmare Valley. It's not evil as such, it just... is."
Okay, and is there some prophesy about a stranger coming in and dispelling the nightmares?"
"Actually, no."
"No? Really?"
"Nightmares are just dreams that a person doesn't like. They are not bad or evil. And nightmares serve a very real purpose, just like dreams."