The Vertical Event

The Vertical Event is the third story in the Chateau Aensland saga. Taking place after Lilith puts her children to sleep, it details Danny's dream, which becomes a nightmare for him, being separated from his mother. Certain truths are revealed to him and Julie, nevertheless.

The story's name comes from the author's theory of dream chronology as being like a bubble rising to the top of the surface of water, therefore "vertical" and not "horizontal" as time normally progresses in the waking world.

Warning: If you have yet to read the stories, the following would be considered spoilers.

Past Perfect Tense

named for: Live, "Pillar of Davidson", a working man's song, as stated by Ed Kowalcyzk.

Some time after Daniel is put to sleep, we see him confronting the "reality" of a kidney transplant to fix his failed "body". Daniel has to deal with the resentment he feels for the medical staff for putting him through a painful procedure, even if it supposedly saves his life. He is also having dreams of a girl who calls him Master and encourages him to go through with the operation. Later, Daniel meets with his kidney donor and uncle, someone of whom is implied was at least sexually abusive to Daniel's cousins. The day before Julie calls him, encouraging him to buck up. In the hospital, Danny meets with Dr. Gahl, the lead doctor in charge of Danny's unnamed condition. Danny feels pangs of doubt, but the voice from his dreams reassures him that he should trust Dr. Gahl. Danny finds himself addressing the doctor by name, and falls asleep, dreaming of a nurse named Adia Barton. Danny wakes up and the transplant is ready to begin. Adia is there, and hypnotizes him, and Danny has a dream of his mother. Danny is in immense pain when he awakens, which is only worsened by the news that his uncle did not survive the organ harvest. He is then picked up by Julie, who says she's his sister, and promises to take care of him.

Island of Hope

named for: Sarah McLachlan, "I Love You", about the despair behind the common phrase.

Danny and Julie are living together, and Julie is caring for Danny, who is still in a lot of pain. Julie wants Danny to get a job, but she also knows the pain he's in won't help him make a good impression, so she cares for him lovingly until he is able to do so. One night, Danny hugs his body pillow while trying to sleep, and suddenly imagines that it's Julie. A voice tells him that tonight is the last night he'll be able to hold her, and Danny wakes up, or so he thinks. The pillow has become a woman who says her name is Selene. She calls him "Gabriel", telling him that he's a fallen angel and she is there to guide him Home. Meanwhile, Julie receives a phone call from Vera, who asks him how Danny is doing. She says that she's scared he'll die, and Vera says to just keep caring for him.

Eras Para Mi

named for: Shakira, "Quiero", a song about unrequited love. It means "you were for me", but can also be read as "eras for me".

Selene tells Danny that as Gabriel, he chose to fall some time ago, but Selene decided to save him. Danny starts to wonder if perhaps the transplant failed and he has died, and Selene replies that how can he have died if he'd never lived? She tells him that she was sent by their Lord to show him how to live, and talks to him about the nature of erotic mind control, something he resists violently at first. Selene invites Danny to look her in the eyes, and the constantly shifting color of her eyes causes him to realize that she is Adia. He admits wanting to make love to her, but Selene says that's impossible in the dreamscape without pain. She then says that God is starting something she compares to the Apocalypse: the "Most Great Peace". Selene then reminds Danny that he's immune to hypnosis, to which he replies that he's allowed others to hypnotize him. Upon further analysis, he realizes that he really tried, but could never let go enough to fall into a trance. He is then taken to his mother's tombstone, but the tombstone has the wrong date of death. Selene says that Danny's parents are still alive and watching over him. Danny then wakes up startled after asking a question about jealousy. Julie tells him that he was shaking in his sleep but then calmed down. Danny asked Julie to sleep with him (without sex) and she agrees, telling him she'll keep him safe from nightmares.

If Heaven Was All You Had

named for: The Smashing Pumpkins, "With Every Light", a song about feeling unity with everything that has ever lived.