Love Conquers All _The Sequel_

Chapter Twenty Five - Dreaming

Michael's POV:

I am immersed in millstone. With such deadweight I am condemned, and I am culpable. I must mend my foibles. I am flooded with remorse, and reflecting on my actions, I now wish I had managed my self control. Alas, I haven't the strength, and now Tex is gone. He's as good as dead because of our lack of solution. There's nothing to help us find him, no evidence.

Across the room, Mary stands with her arms folded, her gaze fixed in the distance as she nervously chews on her nails. I watch her with curiosity as well as dejection. She's currently pushed me away, for, you know, all of this. I know that she doesn't think I did it on purpose, she's just upset... And I'm the only one she can blame. But the elephantine knot in my chest dampers my personality entirely, and I feel as though the only thing I can do for now is keep quiet.

I glance to my left, to the tacitly ticking clock hung on the wall. The sun is almost set beneath the horizon as the time nears closer to nine, and the only thing I have the spirit for doing is sleeping. I wonder if Mary will make me sleep on the couch.

I clear my throat. "Kim, come with me, I'll show you to a room." My voice is a bit raspy due to all my hacking earlier, but I am healing rapidly.

Kim stands and follows me down several hallways into the back, where I present to her a fairly sized bedroom.

She steps inside and then, with her hand on the door says, "Sorry not sorry," and then bashes it in front of my face, shutting me out.

How can she be the angry one here? I was almost killed. But I don't have the will or strength to put up a fight, so I simply turn away to return to Mary.

Upon my arrival in the living room, Mary's stone gaze is finally averted from its focal point and onto me. She lets her hand drop from her mouth and doesn't say anything.

I don't know how much I can get away with saying, so I stay silent as well and, instead, motion for her to join me as I head upstairs to sleep. Thankfully, she sighs and follows after me.

When we reach our room, all is still closemouthed, but I turn towards Mary and stretch my arms out.

She hesitates, but eventually she complies, and walks into my arms. We hug, and she clutches onto my shoulder, beginning to cry. At first, I think she's finally come back to me, but then her nails begin to dig deeper into my flesh as her grasp tightens. I ignore the electric pain.

When we pull away from each other, she looks at me with eyes full of tears. Her expression is barely readable; I can see sorrow and grief, and a bit of fury, too, but there is something else. I can almost hear cogs turning in her mind as she copes with this situation. I can feel her thinking.

We climb into bed and shut the lights out. She didn't make me sleep away from her, so that's a bonus, but I still feel so conflicted. All feels hopeless.

For now, as I close my eyes, I wish for a good happy dream. Just to cheer me up some. So I begin to think happy thoughts, sanguinely preparing to have them relaying through my slumber as I rest tonight.

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I awaken to a strange dark place. There is nothing around me, and then, all at once, I am transported to an entirely alternative landscape.

I am standing on a grass lawn, on a nighttime street with faintly lit and mildly large houses dotting the curb. What's puzzling is, I think I'm awake, but could this be reality? Am I dreaming?

There is a person a few feet in front of me. It is a young man, with a quilt draped across his back, rocking as his quietly mumbles to himself.

"Just look over ya shoulders, honey," he whispers, and with a jerk, his head whips backwards, and he spots me.

And not only am I frightened by this sudden movement, I am intrigued to see that this young man is not any man, but Tex.

"Michael!" He yells, and hurriedly he stands and runs over to me. As he gets closer I can see that his eyes are bloodshot.

"You found me!" He shouts.

"I found you?" I repeat.

"Yes! I've been here forever!"

"I'm dreaming," I state, mainly to myself.

"No... No, Michael, this isn't a dream...
I mean, I used to see this exact moment happening as a dream but it came true! I'm actually here! And now, you're transporting here as you sleep, so you can communicate with me!" He explains.

Confused, I answer, "I'm asleep but I'm still here? I can only get here when I sleep, but you're here because I accidentally sent you here?"

He nods.

"Where is here?"

He shrugs. "I'm not sure, but I've been here for so, so, so long, but the sun never rises and I don't know how long it's actually been, and I'm all alone, and I'm going insane."

"You look exactly the same, though, no older, no more tired, just... Your hair's a little messy," I say, observing him.

"I feel like I've been here for years!" Tex screams. "I never get hungry or sleepy... I just sit over there on that stupid blanket, rocking back and forth and waiting."

I don't respond.

"Michael," he says, quieter, "tell Mary about everything that just happened, she'll know about it because I've told her about my dreams. Promise me you tell her."

"I will," I swear, "and we will get you out of here."