Fractured Dreams

She fell asleep, and traveled through art

by Nicholas Dowbiggin

Scroll ↓ or press ↓

Chapter I

The Threshold

Panel 01 · The Threshold · Modern Cinematic Realism Dariah falls asleep in her New Lancaster apartment after one hell of a day. The relic on her nightstand starts glowing. Of course it does.

Panel 02 · The Medici Court · Renaissance Oil Painting 1492 Florence. She wakes up as a sharp-tongued advisor to the Medici. ‘Great,’ she mutters, ‘I traded neon for poison in my wine.’

Panel 03 · Blade in the Mist · Ukiyo-e Woodblock Edo Japan. Now a wandering swordswoman. ‘At least the scenery is pretty,’ she sighs, gripping her katana.

Panel 04 · The Sun King's Shadow · Baroque Dramatic Versailles, 1750. Layers upon layers of silk and backstabbing. Dariah smiles sweetly at a duke while plotting her escape.

Chapter II

Through the Centuries

Panel 05 · Storm on the Horizon · Romanticism 1815. Standing on a windswept cliff. ‘Of course I end up in the dramatic one,’ she says as lightning cracks overhead.

Panel 06 · Light on the Seine · Impressionist Paris, 1890. Painting by the river. ‘Finally something peaceful,’ she whispers, before the colors start to bleed.

Panel 07 · The Belle · Art Nouveau 1910. Flowing through high society like a living painting. ‘I could get used to this,’ she admits, adjusting her formal gown.

Panel 08 · Empire of Neon · Art Deco Glamour 1927 New York. A dazzling flapper with a hidden pistol. ‘Now we’re talking,’ Dariah grins, sipping her margarita.

Chapter III

Into the Future

Panel 09 · Stars and Stripes · Golden Age Comic Book 1944. Secret wartime hero. ‘Finally, some action,’ she says while punching a villain. At least, she hoped it was a villain. It was hard to tell.

Panel 10 · Cherry Pie · 1950s Pop Art Suburban America, 1955. The perfect housewife life. Dariah stares at her perfectly baked pie. ‘This might actually be hell.’

Panel 11 · Purple Haze · Psychedelic 1960s 1969. Music, colors, and rebellion everywhere. ‘Okay... this one I like,’ she laughs, flowers in her hair.

Panel 12 · Chrome and Rain · Cyberpunk Neon Noir 2077. Netrunner in the rain. ‘This looks VERY familiar, although a little more noir perhaps,’ she mutters, hacking through neon streets.

“She walked through every century of art, and woke at her own desk.”

Continue the Journey

The Full 36-Panel Edition

You’ve seen the first 12 panels. The full edition takes her through twenty-four more art styles, from steampunk skyships to surrealist dreamscapes to the cosmic library at the edge of waking. Includes all 36 high-resolution panels and a standalone offline viewer.

Get the Full Edition - $1.99 Explore the World