I had a dream last night

and not an average dream.

I don't know where I was. I'm not sure I really paid attention as to where I was. It didn't matter. Except for the tree. The tree was large and sprawling, its branches reaching as far as I could see.

And in the tree was Lily.

I don't talk about Lily often. I don't suppose many of you even knew I had a daughter. I did. She died. That is as far as I want to go into it for the moment.

She was in her favorite dress, a small pink thing that I had blindly picked out but thankfully worked for her. A plastic teacup in her hands, drinking as if there was actually something in it.

"It's happening again." she said.

"It's not. I'm going to get Em back. Nothing's going to happen to her."

She laughed. But it didn't sound like her. Didn't even sound human.

"How long were you with me Banks?"

and that was when I realized I wasn't talking to Lily.

"Twenty Years."

"A long Moment. I was beginning to learn your name. But you. You have learned the only thing about me a human can know."

"That I don't know anything?"

There was no answer, which was an answer itself.

"You lost my child."

"She isn't yours to have."

"You are all mine to have. When I want them. But for now, I want her with you."

And the tree began to move. The branches flexed and bobbed until they became massive claws. One of them picked Lily up, and she giggled, gently holding onto the thumb as she stood on the palm.  It closed in on her, and as the tree balled into a fist I saw my own face instead of Lily's stare back at me.

I woke up, knowing where they were.