I scratched my scalp above the bandages and I tried to think how I could make her dream. Her eyes had to be closed for the dust to fall, so I couldn’t wake her.

“But I can make her turn.”

I pulled the blanket away from her small body and then rushed to open the window, letting the cold wind enter the room. Rose turned and searched in the darkness for the blanket; she pulled it on her again and fell back to the pillow.

Now it was my chance; I rushed and lifted my skeleton hand above her face. I got ready to pour the dust and then-

“Who is it?”

I yelped as I fell back, twisted between my bandages.

“What the hell?” I snarled and a sudden cry made me turn.

Rose was looking at me, horror in her eyes and rushed from her bed heading to the door. Quickly I grabbed her, closing her mouth before she could scream again.

“Don’t scream, don’t move and by no means don’t kick me. I mean no harm, I swear.”

The girl stopped fighting and looked at me; our eyes locked and for a moment her breath was disturbing the silence of her room.

“I will let you go now ok?”

She nodded and I pulled my hand from her mouth, putting her down. Rose retreated back and away, looking at me with horror.

“Who are you? Why are you in my room and what are you wearing?” she pointed at the sand, which covered my body creating a long golden tunic, around my body.

“Easy with the questions kid!”

She didn’t move from her spot, but I walked close to her study and sat on the chair. While the sand was covering most of my skeleton body, where almost no flesh was left, I still attained some of my human characteristics, if you could at least ignore the bandages around my face.

“Well, then I could say that I am in a quite inconvenience. I am the one who brings dreams and nightmares and I am known by the name of ‘Sandman’.”

The girl looked at me at first with question but then she burst into laughter. Her voice was like a song as she curled and closed her eyes, still laughing. Well, I didn’t expect that reaction.

“That’s not funny!”

“It is! You can’t be Sandman! He looks like this!” and quickly she pulled the storybook, showing me the picture.

“Misinformation! I wonder where the man got the idea!”

“Well, it says here that your name is Ole Lukøze and that you came from Denmark.” Rose flipped the pages and turned the book to me, still standing a little far.

I pouted at her words and tried to restrain myself from breaking everything in her room.

“I don’t even know how the guy got the idea! I am just a poor mummy trying to help the world’s children get a good, or a bad, night’s sleep. Is it that difficult to you?”

“Wait a second…did you just say, mummy?”

Rose’s eyes widened and she rushed to my feet. I looked at her with horror as she lifted my right hand, looking at my bandaged rotting flesh.

“You came from Egypt? Is it true there are curses? Are you a Pharaoh? Did you have many servants?”

“WAIT!”

Rose stopped abruptly and stepped back, fixing her nightgown, staring at the floor.

“I apologize. Mother always says that I ask many questions.”

“She is damn right! But you seem to know a lot for a girl.”

Rose frowned and she showed me the bookcase, near her bed.

“Father used to tell me stories about the Far East. Syria, Turkey, and Egypt. I was fascinated by the tales of Kings and Queens of the past.”

Her voice carried a tone of longing but also sadness; she moved her fingers across the books and sighed.

“You said, “used to”. Is your Father…”

Rose looked at me for the first time without fear, but with sadness and her hazel orbs looked gleam, like shining stones. I got up and patted her head, letting my fingers travel through the blond locks.

“If you really are Sandman, can you give me the best of your dreams?”

I smiled at her, careful not to reveal my rotten teeth.

“I can do that. But you must wish for it strongly.”

I helped her curl into the blanket and she looked at me with impatience.

“Close your eyes and try to relax.”

She nodded and her eyelids covered her shining orbs. Carefully I tipped some of my sand on her eyelids and soon I heard her breathing becoming slower, peaceful.

“Goodnight Rose.”

A small grin formed on her lips; I was sure that she would have a sound sleep. Slowly I moved back into the window and flew away, far into the night.

Time passed quickly. Many children slept and grown and others were added to my long list. But Rose still remained the one who would welcome me with a smile. She had grown and although I couldn’t put her to sleep like I used to, I continued to visit her at nights and speak of my travels and her daily life.

“But it’s boring! I don’t want to attend another ball!” Rose complained to me in a funny way, by moving her hand in a gesture having the I-don’t-care-expression on her face.

“I think it’s a good chance. You get to dance and drink and eat and dance again. I have not so many ways of entertaining.”

She stopped and looked at me. Her body, that of eighteen years old, was hugged by the soft fabric of her nightgown. Her long blond hair was falling on her shoulders and her eyes looked bright.

“What’s wrong, Sandman?”

“Nothing.”

I turned and looked away, angry with myself. It had been many, many eons since the last time I had felt like this. Now it was too late.

A hand pulled my long cape of sand and I looked back at Rose. She was trying to meet my gaze but her expression looked worried. She twirled my fingers with hers, not bothered by the bandages and she moved closer.

“Rose?”

She leaned and rested her forehead on my chest, which luckily was covered by the golden tunic of sand.

“I wish I could travel with you, Sandy. I would love to see the world you came from.”

“Sometimes I wish for that too.”

She lifted her chin, looking at me. A sad smiled crossed her lips as she tilted her head.

“Tomorrow night there will be that stupid ball. Although I asked mother not to go, she insisted.”

I had to let her go. She didn’t belong to the night…and she couldn’t belong to me.

“Go, Rose…I think you must go.”

Disappointment crossed her face and she stepped back. Where her warmth was, the faint scent of lavender and roses remained. Moving towards the window, I hurried back to the night, unable to stay close to her. I couldn’t make her sad and I couldn’t make her happy either.

“Sandman!” I heard her shout as the moonlight welcomed me and the golden dust spread to the city of London, giving pleasant dreams to the sleeping children, but not to the one I dearly cared for.

I didn’t visit Rose again; I tried to be focused on offering the dreams the children longed for but I couldn’t forget the hazel eyes. Moving from America to Australia and from Africa to Europe and Asia, my golden sand filled the eyes of the youths with hopes.

But mine would never be fulfilled.

One night, after a few weeks, I dared to visit her home again. When I arrived I was welcomed with music and songs. Never expecting the house to be lightened for the night, I quickly hid on the woods, close to Rose’s home. Having finished my assignments for the night, I hoped to see her again, even from afar.

The sound of clinking glass and music filled my ears. It wasn’t hard to see from the wide open veranda doors; I realized that the garden was decorated with lanterns, shedding light everywhere. A dance floor was made of the pairs and the orchestra was playing slowly a waltz.

Men and women were chatting, gossip I would say, but there was one only one with such radiance I could immediately recognize.

Rose’s formal gown was long and made of fine fabric with patterns of pink and golden everywhere. Her hair tied up were revealing her diamond earrings and her flushed face from the faint make up was making her look not only stunning but alive, something different from the sack of dust and bones which was me.

The only sting on my chest was the man who was dancing with her. He looked…good, at least when you try to describe a crocodile that has just eaten. Definitely not the best choice. When the music ended he simply kissed Rose’s hand and stepped back with a gentle bow.

“Isn’t Lord Henry amazing?” one of the women who were closer to my position spoke to her friend.

“And his family is from really high class too!”

“Do you think that we will soon see the wedding dress?” and they both laughed like jealous hyenas.

I couldn’t stand it anymore; moving in the form of a thick dust cloud, I flew towards Rose and brushed my old bones across her skin. I could tell that she shivered for she turned in my direction and soon she followed me away from the people, who called her back, into the woods.

“Sandman!” she cried and I changed back to my form.

“Is it true? You are marrying him?”

She stopped, trying to catch her breath, since she wore a corset, and her eyes locked on mine.

“I can’t marry him but I have no choice! I want…I wish it could be you…”

Only her words mattered, even if it would be impossible for both of us. Stretching my arms, I hugged her tightly, praying to the Gods for mercy, for Rose to live a long life and for me who can’t have her.

“I will keep showing the best of dreams…”

“I know you will…” she spoke with shaking voice and clutched the golden robe of sand.

Her face moved closer to mine and her lips touched my bandaged cheek, planting a soft kiss. Rose moved back and looked at me with teary eyes.

“Hey beautiful, don’t cry…” I tried to speak but I wished I could cry too.

“If the legends are true, will we be able to meet again?” her words carried the pain but I couldn’t give her a clear answer.

I didn’t even know it myself. Instead, I spoke like this:

“If we believe it maybe we will.”

She stepped back, with her gown moving gracefully, her lips parting, but holding words I truly wished I could hear, but Rose only managed to bow and lift her head to me.

“Thank you, my little mummy. See you soon.”

And just like that, the sun on my desert disappeared from my vision.

--------------------------

Many years passed and the children of the world continued having either good or bad dreams. But none ever remembered the story of Sandman, the creature who loved kids and carefully was slipping golden sand between their eyelids.

As the beliefs changed together with people, so did Sandman, who disappeared from the Earth’s surface, giving the lead to someones more famous, like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

None ever cared to search for something science and logic could explain but one day under the summer sun…

“I love reading these kinds of books.” The girl spoke to her friend and she exhaled bored.

“Just buy it and let’s go.”

“Alright.”

She walked towards the cashier and gave the book. She didn’t notice the green eyes, which looked at her hazel ones with such intense the girl felt like fainting.

“Are you fascinated too with Ancient Egypt?” the boy asked her and she grinned with faint recognition in both her eyes and smile.

“Maybe I am. I have been looking for something important for so long.”

“I know. I have been looking too.”

“Shall we search for it?”

“Together?”

“Together.”