Monday, February 4, 2013

Chapter Twenty: Nightmares and Dreamscapes


A light appeared at the end, or maybe the beginning, of somewhere. Jason simply couldn’t figure out where he was. All around him was blackness, except for a light straight ahead of him. Jason did nothing for a few moments and even though it went against his better judgement, he took a step towards the light. Instantly, another light appeared closer to him on his right. But Jason could tell this wasn’t a new light, it was simply a reflection from a mirror.
‘Oh no’ Jason said as more mirrors lit up around him. All mirrors from large wall mirrors to small hand mirrors, all of them surrounding him in a matter of minutes the blackness had been completely replaced with light and mirrors. Jason began to panic as he took another step and saw his reflection and the light dimmed in this particular wall mirror. His reflection suddenly aimed the service revolver at him and fired. Jason dropped to what he presumed was the floor, which shattered and plunged Jason again into more darkness. Jason closed his eyes, waiting for the end and then…

Drenching cold. Jason’s body went into shock and his eyes were blinded temporarily by the sudden sunlight. As he body recovered, Jason panicked using the buoyancy of the saltwater he’d landed to float as he looked around. There was no land as far as Jason could see and to make matters worse, Jason hated water. He’d been diagnosed as a hydrophobe after he nearly drowned three times. Jason began to breathe raggedly as his fear began to take control.
‘Calm down Jason’ He told him himself, trying to concentrate. ‘This isn’t real, it’s all in your head’ and then he spotted it, a small island in the distance. Jason contemplated everything in his. If he stayed, he’d most likely drown and as much as his fear was keeping him there, he knew he had to get out. Doing his best to keep the water the furthest thought from his mind he began to swim his way toward the island. With every stroke he took, the water grew more violent, to the point where waves picked him up, and dumped him under the water before crashing down on top of him. When Jason back up for air, his fear paralysed him and forced him to watch helplessly as another wall of water picked him, dumped him and then crushed. Then again, and again, and again. The ocean was water boarding him. After the sixth time, it finally stopped, but Jason was weak; his body ached from the abuse it had received and he was breathing out air faster than he could breathe it in. the water around him began to move yet again, this time pulling him into the forming wave, lifting him up into the wall until gravity took a hold and pulled him into the water below and Jason couldn’t help but scream as he fell…

He woke up. He was dry, in a well lit room. All Jason saw in front of him was the blurred vision of his hand and a blank, white wall behind it.
‘He’s back’ said a voice that Jason recognised as Claire’s. Jason groaned as he rolled to face her, his body ached all over.
‘Hurts doesn’t it?’ Claire asked. When Jason nodded she laughed. ‘Yeah, twelve thousand volts will do that to you’ she added.
‘Yeah’ Jason gasped as he tried to sit up.
‘Here, drink. It helps’ Claire said offering him a plastic cup of water, which Jason took graciously.
‘What’s the catch?’ he asked.
‘Nothing. Believe it or not, I actually want you to be somewhat better’ Claire said. Jason thought something was wrong now; Claire would never be this kind to him.
‘Are you alright Claire?’ Jason asked as he drank the water. It did indeed help with the pain.
‘Yeah I’m fine’ Claire replied.
‘Because you don’t sound like your normal self’ Jason said.
‘Maybe being in here has made me want to turn over a new leaf’ Claire responded.
‘That really doesn’t sound like you’ Jason said. And then Jason’s feeling that something was wrong was confirmed; Claire caressed the back of his head, moving her hand down his neck.
‘What are you doing?’ Jason asked her.
‘Relax, I’m not doing anything’ Claire said, her other hand cradling the opposite side of his face and her face was drawing closer to his.
‘Claire, stop. I know where this is going’ Jason told her.
‘We’re not cheating Jase, you and Celeste aren’t even together yet’ Claire said.
‘So not what… ok, kinda what I was talking about, but not exactly. We’re related, Claire’ Jason said, trying to move away from her, but Claire held onto his arm firmly.
‘Not by blood. Besides you didn’t care when you were with Jessica’ Claire said, her face dangerously close to his.
‘Now that, that sounds like you,’ Jason said, pushing her face away, the pain mysteriously vanishing. ‘And, by the way, Jessica and I didn’t know we were related’ Jason said.
‘Oh, enough with the technicalities’ Claire said, and before Jason could get another word in, Claire kissed him…

‘Jason? Can you hear me?’ said a girl who was leaning over him, slapping his face. The room around them was exactly the same as the one he was just in, four white walls.
‘Yeah, how do you know my name?’ Jason groaned, the pain much more intense now.
‘I told them’ Claire’s voice said.
‘Don’t worry Jason, you’re in the real world now’ said a male a voice.
‘How do I know?’ Jason asked, looking around. Claire was leaning against a wall on the opposite of the room. The boy who had spoken was of middle-eastern appearance; brown skin, black hair, dark brown eyes. The girl was a tanned, brunette and green eyes.
‘The pain is much more intense, yes?’ the girl asked. Jason nodded.
‘We know how you feel. We experienced it ourselves. I promise you, you’ll realise this isn’t a dream once your brain sorts itself out. That last dream you had, what happened?’ the boy said.
‘Something I’d rather forget. Who are you?’ Jason asked.
‘My name is Emilia and he’s Razim,’ Razim waved his hand and Emilia spoke. ‘One thing you’ll want to know, you’ve been out nearly two weeks’ she added.
‘What! I have to go, I have to g-oh’ Jason gasped as he tried to stand up.
‘Grab him!’ Emilia said as Razim caught him. ‘You’ll be in pain for the next few hours, you shouldn’t be trying to get up just yet’
‘Then help me!’ Jason told them.
‘Why are you here?’ Claire asked. She’d been silently watching from the corner.
‘I’m here for fun Claire,’ Jason groaned, leaning on Razim. ‘I was captured, why else would I be here?’
‘Jason. Just this once I’m not trying to piss you off, ok?’ Claire asked.
‘I promised Celeste I wouldn’t let anything happen to Sarah. Sarah was captured, so I’m here to break her out, as long with as many people as possible’ Jason told her.
‘You’re in luck. She’s here. But getting her out will difficult, to say the least’ Claire replied.
‘Why?’ Jason asked.
‘They’re conducting experiments on her, that’s why’ Claire retorted.
‘So she’s still alive?’ Jason asked.
‘Not for much longer if you don’t do anything about it’ Claire told him.
‘Then help me, just this once’ Jason said. Claire walked over and pressed her hand into the wall on her right. A patch of the wall glowed before mysteriously dissolving to reveal the corridor beyond.
‘Help him. Show him around. There’s not much time’ Claire said. Razim and Emilia nodded, helping Jason up and walking him out into the semi-dark corridor beyond.

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