New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight

2017, 10-05

The Dark Tower – Hold On to Me, Odetta

I am on a beach and it is near dark. I look around to see where I might be and I see that I am not alone here. I see three people not far away. Two men and a woman in a wheelchair. I wouldn’t have had to look to notice the woman, however, she is screaming expletives at the top of her lungs and laughing in a wild cackle. I recognize the two men when I get a little closer, it’s Roland and Eddy from the Dark Tower series. Both of them look exhausted. There is a black woman in the wheelchair, so that must be Odetta Holmes / Detta Walker… and I can immediately tell which one is in control right now. Not the lady, but the bitch. As I walk closer Roland spots me first, then Eddy, but I am quite a bit closer before Detta notices me. When she sees me she goes silent for a brief moment, then loudly announces that Roland and Eddy won’t have to suck each other’s little white candles anymore, now there’s a honky bitch here to do that for them… of course unless they prefer each other… She says she’s sure I’ll spread my legs for them!

I ignore Detta completely as she continues ranting and raving, cackling at her own bad jokes. I have a mission here, and I go over towards Eddy. I’ve forgotten that this Eddy has never met me before, so to him I’m a stranger. Roland introduces us. I tell Roland and Eddy that I have a technique that will help them deal with Detta more easily. Upon hearing her name Detta falls silent and then starts telling us not to be talking about her, so now the honky bitch wants in on the fun? I still ignore her and move a bit farther away. I tell Eddy that I know he’s already in love with Odetta Holmes, and that will help a lot. I tell him I don’t have a lot of time here, but if he will let me sort of merge with him I can show him how he can reliably cause Detta Walker to back off and Odetta Holmes to come forward at any time he needs to. He seems hesitant, so I say it works the same as when Roland was in his head. He seems hesitant still, he asks if Odetta will really come back… I say she will. He finally agrees.

I wonder how I’m going to manage this fusion with Eddy, but it works easily. I become transparent and just step into him. As one, we walk over to Detta. She’s acting scared, telling us to keep our honky hoodoo away from her. I have a song to use, My Last Breath by Evanescence, so I ignore Detta’s ranting and use it through Eddy. “Hold on to me, love. You know I can't stay long. All I wanted to say was, I love you and I'm not afraid.” Detta says she doesn’t want to be serenaded by no honky mofo bitch! I continue. “Can you hear me? Can you feel me in your heart? Holding my last breath, safe inside myself, are all my thoughts of you. Sweet rapture of light, it ends here tonight. Amidst the winter, a world of precious things.” Detta tries again to interrupt, she says she broke the blue for-special plate and it’s gone forever. I ignore that. “Look for me in the white forest, hiding in a hollow tree (come find me).” Detta says she’s going to hunt us down and we’d better stay in that tree or else… she trails off and rubs her head, her eyes are watering or she’s crying. “I know you hear me, I can see it in your tears. Closing your eyes to disappear, you pray your dreams won’t leave you here. But now you wake and know the truth, I’m still here…”

By this point I can see Odetta coming out, it’s time for Detta to go to sleep until at a later time she can be reintegrated with Odetta and the woman can be whole at last. “Say goodnight, don't be afraid. Only together we can face the night. (Say goodnight) Holding my last breath, (Don't be afraid) safe inside myself. (Calling you, calling you) Are all my thoughts of you. Sweet rapture of light, it ends here tonight.” As I / Eddy finish the last notes of the song I see that Detta / Odetta is looking confused, like she’s not sure how she even came to be here. Detta Walker has gone to sleep, Odetta Holmes has taken control. I tell Eddy that he only needs to use the song again if Detta comes back. It won’t do any harm to Detta, for she is merely another aspect of Odetta and the two must eventually become one if this woman is to survive and be healthy. Just remember the song and Detta Walker will not be able to cause any more trouble. Before I can figure out how to separate from Eddy I wake up.