A Dream Within a Dream

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.
This line from Edgar Allen Poe kept running through my mind. Why? I do not know. But the more that I think about it, I realize it must have been a warning. A warning of something that shall come.
That day I went through my routines as normal. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing was different.
I should have known better.
At precisely 4:03 PM, I walked through my study doors. The room was supposed to be empty, but I knew someone was there. His scent, the smell of loss, filled up the room. It seemed to soak into the walls, the chairs, even the books.
“Hello Edward,” I greeted him. “What a terrible surprise it is to see you.”
“I assume you know why I am here, Lord Everon,” was his reply in his deep, umber voice.
Sighing, I looked at Edward. Oh how he had changed since he started his business. No more was the boy eager to please, but is a man no longer searching for happiness.
“I know I am probably right. But please, explain your presence.”
Edward glanced around. A hint of worry crept into his cold, gray eyes. It quickly disappeared though. His body was tense, as if ready to pounce at any moment. He got of the chair he was leaning against, walked over to the door and locked it. His lean frame was braced against the heavy wooden door.
“I, Lord Everon, have been hired to kill you.”
“Ah, of course,” I said more to myself. “This day was bound to happen.”
I go up and walked to my study window. The window is quite beautiful. Stained glass, high arches, and a window seat made for lounging. The view over looked the garden that was once an escape.
When I was younger, I used to play, read, just about anything on that window seat. Pirates were my favorite. I used to look out the window as if it was the world for my taking. Many other memories were made on that window seat. But that is all they are, memories.
So quiet were his footsteps, I did not know Edward was standing there. Not until he placed a glass of scotch in my hand.
“A toast for my last hour,” I murmured.
I lifted my glass in a half salute. Tipping back the glass, I downed it in one gulp. The welcomed burn blanked my mind. Even though it was only for a moment, it was still welcomed.
“I deserve this don’t I?” I asked Edward. He, of course, had no reply.
“All of these years, I thought I could just keep on doing what I was. No consequences. No guilt. But, nobody told me it was going to be this hard.”
I stared at Edward, waiting for him to say something. His cold gaze stared into my lost one. We stood like this for a while. Finally he sighed.
“Lord Everon, everything has consequences,” he told me. “Even the good deeds. Life is tough. We just have to learn how to deal.”
I nodded my head once. I knew he was right. He always seemed to be. But accepting it that time was hard. Something about “I told you so” always hurts.
Suddenly, I felt sick. So sick, my body started to shake. I collapsed onto the window seat I was thinking about only a moment before. Sweat dripped down my forehead. Nothing seemed to stay in my stomach. Everything was spinning. Why couldn’t anything stay still?
He poisoned me.
The thought came to me. I should have known, but I was still surprised. It really was the end. My world quickly started to turn black. Through the haze, I saw Edward stand up. The fog was getting thicker with each passing second. The fog didn’t hide from me the sight of Edward bowing. He left as silently as he must have entered. Then my world was total darkness…

I woke up in my bed. A cold sweat covered my body. Panting I sat up. My room was in complete and total darkness.
“It was only a dream,” I whispered to no one. “Yes, it was only a dream.”
A smell, unlike any other, swarmed my room. Dread. That’s what it was.
My eyes slowly adjusted to the bleakness of my room. Everything looked normal, or so it seemed. The wardrobe was right next to my full length, antique mirror. It has been in my family for decades. The love seat my father bought when he married my mother sat across from the matching recliners.
One of the recliners was different than the other. The one to left had a frame, somewhat like a man’s. That same chair radiated with the smell of dread.
“Edward,” was all I said.
“Hello, my lord,” was his reply. “The deed is done. Lord Everon is dead.”
Edward bowed to me. His footsteps were never heard. They never were.
I lay back down. My eyes stared up at the canopy. My body was numb. A line from a poem ran through my mind.
“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”

Hotsteppers

“Dance like no one is watching”
People usually use this line so they can build up the courage to dance their best. But the Bandon Hotsteppers don’t need this to dance their best. They dance as if everyone is watching, and usually they are. The Hotsteppers are the schools Dance and Drill team, if you didn’t already know this.
The dance is a flashback to the ‘20s, with the theme “Big Band”. This year’s girls march, swing, and jive with military precision. The team can’t help but smile with all of the fun dance moves and formations that are involved.
To top off the routine, the girl’s costumes are adorable. They are split into two groups. One group is dressed in an Army styled dress, while the other are dressed as if they are in the Navy. Both costumes fit perfectly with the theme. They dance their routines and wear their costumes at the competitions they go to.
Never been to a competition? Well how it works is that there are two rounds. In each round, the dance teams that are at the competition all perform their routine. After they are done, and they have had their break, they dance the same routine during the second round. The judges tally their scores and average what they earned. The person with the highest score obviously wins.
If you are interested in watching the girls perform their routine, come to the basketball game on February, 2nd. The Hotsteppers will perform their routine during both the girl’s, and boy’s varsity halftime. On the same night there is the junior class Spaghetti feed. So after you enjoy your delicious meal, you can relax and watch the girls perform. This is one night you do not want to miss.

Grants Pass

On Saturday, 23rd, the Bandon Hotsteppers went to their first competition. The competition was held at Grants Pass high school. During the first round, the girls competed first. After their routine they had fun in the stand watching the other teams perform, and dancing along with “The Sweeper Boys”.
The Sweeper Boys swept the floor after every performance. While they were sweeping, they danced along to different songs, and perform a routine you cannot help but laugh about.
The judges talked to the girls during lunch, which everyone says is very helpful. No other competition lets you do that. After lunch the Hotsteppers waited to perform last during the second round. After the judges tallied the scores they announced the awards. The girls won two awards. The girls won the “Best Costume” award and the “Sportsmanship” award. The Hotsteppers also won third place, but they missed going to state by half a point.
Good job girls! You did great!

Harem pants

The style that is on every fashionista’s mind is harem pants. No they are not being admired. It is more like downright hate for this trend. These pants might have been everywhere when people were listening to MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”. But the only place these pants should be is in the trash can.
These pants seem to never run out of fabric. They should use the fabric of these pants to clothe a family. And just the style of these pants, I can’t stop thinking of how awkward they are. They are just plain unflattering.
Please if you ever think of buying yourself a pair of harem pants, think again. These pants are definitely in the “U Shouldn’t Touch This” section.

Biker jacket

Even though some girls say they would love to have a sensitive guy, they still crave for a bad boy at times. To give you that little edge girls seem to love, guys, go out and buy yourself a biker jacket.
These jackets have this sort of look that just screams, “I’m not so innocent.” If you are a guy who isn’t afraid to stand out and wear what’s in style, get yourself one of these. If you already have one, don’t be afraid to wear it. While you are staying comfortable, you are also being fashionable.
Don’t know what to wear with a biker jacket? Just pair it with a nice pair of jeans (which are also in style), and shoes that are not made for basketball, such as classic Vans or Keds.
Go on out and try one on. You might just feel that bad boy in you

Junior dance

The junior class last Sunday held a dance in the library. The gathering was small, but was great fun. The music selection for the dance was chosen well. Songs everyone seemed to know, such Starstrukk by 3OH!3 and Bad Romance by Lady Gaga, filled the room.
Even though the junior class lost $0.96, Dante, the class president, said “I only really wanted to hold the dance for the heck of it.” The dance was fun, and the people who went had a great time. If you did not go, you missed out on some great fun.