The Dream Post Office

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Elliot first received a letter in his dream on an otherwise unremarkable night. It appeared in his hands without warning, sealed with wax stamped in the shape of an eye. The envelope was old parchment, the ink flowing in elegant curls.

To the dreamer who waits,

Cross the bridge at dawn. Wear blue. Do not turn around.

Elliot woke with the words still seared in his mind. A dream, surely. But the feeling of the parchment lingered on his fingertips. That morning, as he stepped outside, he noticed a small footbridge over the creek near his apartment. On impulse, he threw on a blue jacket and crossed it at sunrise. A man sitting on a bench nearby glanced at him and nodded as though he had expected him. Nothing else happened, but a deep unease settled in Elliot’s bones.

The next night, another letter arrived. This one bore a different seal—a crescent moon split in half.

To the dreamer who listens,

The bookshop on 7th. Find the third shelf from the left. Take what is yours.

Curiosity overpowered caution. The next day, Elliot wandered into the bookshop, fingers tracing the spines on the third shelf. One book was turned backward. He pulled it free. The Cartographer’s Lament. Inside, an old map was tucked between the pages, its edges burnt as if rescued from fire. As he touched it, a faint whisper echoed in his mind: “Not all letters are gifts.”

The letters kept coming, each bearing seals from different corners of this surreal postal network: a feather for the Archivists of Sky, a golden coin for the Merchants of Fate, a red thread for the Weavers of Memory. Some led to small discoveries—a lost key, a melody heard on a distant radio. Others whispered warnings, cryptic and urgent.

Then came the one that changed everything.

To the dreamer who walks the edge,

Return the map before the red moon rises.

He felt the words burning. But where was he to return it? He scoured the bookshop, asked the owner, but no one knew. That night, his dreams turned darker. He wandered endless corridors where unseen hands knocked on doors just before he reached them. Shadows stretched too far, voices spoke his name from reflections.

Another letter arrived, this one splattered in ink.

Do not trust the next letter.

Dread twisted his stomach. The following night, the letter came, its seal an intricate labyrinth.

To the dreamer who must choose,

The lighthouse at the end of the world. Burn the map. Save yourself.

Elliot hesitated. Was this the false letter? Or was the warning meant to make him doubt? That night, he stood at the water’s edge, staring at the distant glow of the lighthouse. The map trembled in his hands. The moment stretched—was he meant to destroy it or return it?

The wind howled around him, carrying voices that seemed to slip between the veil of dream and waking life. He could feel the weight of unseen eyes watching, waiting. He turned the map over, tracing the burnt edges with his fingers. The faint whisper from before grew louder. “Not all letters are gifts. Not all maps show the way.”

A final letter materialized before him, unmarked, unsigned, just four words:

Your choice shapes us.

Suddenly, Elliot saw something on the map he hadn’t noticed before—a path drawn in invisible ink now revealed under the moonlight. It led not to the lighthouse but deep into the unknown, into a place that did not exist in waking life.

His pulse quickened. If he burned the map, would he break free of the letters? Or would he sever himself from something greater? If he followed the path, would he find answers—or lose himself forever?

The lighthouse’s beam swept across the water, illuminating the choice before him. The parchment crinkled in his hands, fragile, waiting for his verdict.

Somewhere, in the unseen corridors of the Dream Post Office, figures held their breath, waiting.

And Elliot chose.

Not all letters are gifts—some maps lead you where you were never meant to go.

Note:
Thank you for reading “The Dream Post Office”! This is a story in a series created for avid readers and English learners who want to enjoy captivating tales while practicing their language skills. Stay tuned for more stories and language tips to enhance your journey!

Explore more short stories in English and Spanish by visiting the section:
Short Stories / Cuentos Cortos

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When the world feels dull, your mind restless, or your heart heavy, let a story be your escape. Just one page, one sentence, one word—and suddenly, you’re somewhere new, where imagination breathes life into the ordinary and turns the simplest moments into magic.

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