Dream Trap || ONC 2021

Chapter Sixteen: Dream wake

Matt blinked, he was still in his bag. He breathed the atmosphere, the safe place. He saw Lisa helping Jack. Matt looked back, Jenny was whimpering. He felt the cold air in his lungs and gave a cough. His body ached when he got up. He drank some water and looked at their food packs, a pang of fear shot in him. They were on the last two meals, how had they not noticed? Maybe because the situation was not so tough earlier. Jack coughed too and blew his nose. He was breathing heavily. Matt went to check.

'That was some dream you had.' Matt said sitting down.

Jack looked at him, he sniffed and looked at the fire.

'That wasn't my dream kiddo,' He said,

Matt looked down, the floor was cold. The fire just seemed to be there but not give any heat. He thought, "This is all plastic. Nothing's real." He touched the floor, it felt smooth. He turned towards Jack.

'So...'

'It was the monster's dream.' Lisa piped. Matt and Jack looked at her.

'Ever since I had that dream, Its like a part of me can feel its presence. I know this because, I never knew how Japan looked. When I saw those people's they all looked like American's dressed like Japanese, the eyes weren't right. This hit me when I was resting. It controls our dream. Take Jack's dream for example, he never saw the village then how does he know about it?'

Matt looked in her eyes,

'What about our dream?' He asked,

'We never stayed in a hotel, we were at a beach house when we...' She stopped, 'When we first had sex. Don't you remember?'

'Of course.' Matt said turning away, still blank.

'Is this place real?' Jack said, looking at Jenny.

'You think? We already know that it doesn't exist on the map. We are in a dream.' Lisa said, getting up, she woke up Jenny.

They relit the fire,

'I'm hungry.' Jack went to food bag.

Rose woke up too. She was happy and smiling. Lisa took her in he hands,

'She dreams it too you know?' Lisa said,

Matt nodded his head, 'I know. God knows what she sees.'

'Babies don't have much imagination.' Jenny said, 'They pretty much sleep without dreams.'

'But if this creature forces us to dream then...' Jack spoke,

'She sees it,' Lisa said looking into Rose's eyes.

Matt noticed the gradual changes in Lisa. Before all this she was a peaceful person, recovering from a failed marriage but now she was a complete changed character, independent, focused, and strong. He wondered what changed her.

'We need to get outta here.' Jenny said, she cuddled herself for warmth.

'Of course, but... I don't want to dream anymore.' Matt said, and it was true. He was done seeing the horror and gore. Tired of dreaming. Lisa looked at Matt, she thought, "If you knew it Matt then you'd want to get out right now."

'We can't give up Matt, not yet.' She said, 'Everybody, I need to tell you something gather around.'

Everyone came together. Lisa looked at each one of them, then she took a deep breath.

'Did you take a good look at the statue outside when we came in?' She asked,

'Yes, I told Matt that it looked like you.' Jenny said, Lisa looked at her then took Rose in her hands and posed like the statue,

'Its me and Rose.' Lisa said.

Matt's eyes widened, Jack looked outside.

'You serious?' Jenny asked.

'We I was dragged in my dream, I felt as if I became a statue or something. Then I was dragged into one of the rooms and as the door closed, I could see my own statue in the next room. Matt picked me so...' She licked her lips, 'So it killed me.'

'What's the connection?' Jack said,

'I don't know.' She said,

'Maybe Rose knows,' Jenny said,

Rose giggled as her mother shook her.

Rose indeed knew the answer. You just had to stop believing in it, Rose saw a gigantic insect, it looked just like one of her toys. She would crawl her way to it and grab its tentacles and shake it and laugh. The toy moved sometime. One time it had grabbed her and lifted her. Rose had laughed so hard at that. Then it had opened it mouth, Rose grabbed its pincers then she went inside her toy. It wasn't dark inside, she would play with the squishy toys inside, but she didn't like getting wet. She often cried in her dreams, but the toy would raise her up and look at her. Rose loved her toy in dreams, and she dreamt to see it. Her favorite toy would always be there to entertain her.

'So what do we do?' Matt asked,

'We get out.' Lisa said,

'How?'

'We dream of course, you do realize that we are in a dream, like minus into minus is plus likewise dream into dream is reality.'

'Lisa, how can you be so sure?' Matt pressed on.

'Because I'm done being safe. We think thousand things before making a move maybe this why we are taking so much time. If we could just take a risk and go forth. What could go wrong Matt? You afraid that we would never wake up? Or get out? Well fuck that, I want make move before it takes over us.' Lisa spoke.

'We are officially out of food.' Jack said pulling out the last cans.

'All more reasons to try!' Lisa shouted,

'Okay, when?' Jenny said, she placed a hand on Lisa's hand.

'Tonight.' Matt said, all of them looked at him.

'Its do or die and its tonight. We don't give up until we get out,' He looked at them, Lisa was right, enough was enough. 'Or die trying.'

They hugged each other. Rose laughed again. 

Word count:- 986