Paragons

Issue 8- Dream a Little Crazy

It was the same dream Adam'd had several times over the past few weeks, the one where he was moving to some new town and he stopped in to some cafe or milk bar (he wasn't quite sure which). He also always had a pet koala in it, something he didn't understand at all.

 He didn't mind this dream though, not at all. This dream included the man who looked a lot like Ryan, and that was certainly a good thing as far as he was concerned. He was still unable to tell Ryan how he felt, largely because the koala would often pee on him before he got the chance, but he'd come close a couple of times.

 This night he entered the milk bar (it most certainly looked like a milk bar this time) and found Ryan dressed in the waiter uniform that was just a little tight around his muscular body. Ryan gave Adam a smile and a look that said 'I'll get to you soon' as the man-made his way towards a booth, his pet koala still attached firmly to his left arm.

 As he took a seat the koala clambered onto the table to sit in the middle like a furry ornament, and Adam tried his hardest to determine whether it had a name or not. He picked up a menu and glanced it over, all too aware that the words upon it were gibberish even as he knew what each of them said as though that knowledge was simply part of him.

 "Hey, you new around here?"

 Adam turned his head to find Ryan beside him, a bright smile upon his face as his eyes twinkled as if there were stars behind them. Adam felt his body melt a little bit into his seat, although compared to real-life he was able to quickly find his words.

 "Y-yeah, moving in today. Nice town. Didn't realize it was so close to the ocean."

 "It should be, it's your home."

 "Ever have any problems with the deep people?"

 "Only every fortnight or so," Ryan said with an even wider smile. "Know what you want?"

 Adam nodded eagerly. "Toast with a side of olives."

 Ryan let out a laugh that reverberated the air. "Of course, of course. Be right back." As Ryan headed for the kitchen he glanced back and tossed out a "Good luck with your car!"

 Adam blinked at him, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card for what was obviously an auto-repair place given the metallic design despite there being no words upon it. He glanced out the window to his car as black smoke billowed from the engine. That was right, the car breaking down was why he'd pulled into the milk bar in the first place.

 As he placed the card down upon the table before him his eyes trailed over to his koala, which had now found itself in the middle of the floor with a steadily growing pool of yellow liquid beneath it. He shook his head with a soft laugh, he could only hope it wasn't difficult for Ryan to clean up.

 Without warning the world suddenly erupted around Adam as he was thrown from his seat amidst the vicious hail that was the glass that had once made up the windows. He slammed into the floor so hard that his mind suddenly became aware of where he was, within his own dream.

 "Wh-wh-wha...?" he choked as he struggled to push himself up with shaky arms.

 The soft jingle of the bell attached to the door came to his ears and he glanced across just as a figure clad in a black tactical outfit complete with a gas mask and goggles, and topped off with a tattered, deep orange cloak that hung halfway down their back. In their right hand they held onto a long machine gun with a pan magazine on top that they rested against their shoulder.

 As he watched they turned and pulled a bulky, rounded pistol from their belt, from which they fired several blasts of energy back out the door from where they'd come.