Overlap

Chapter 43: Reba Sound

<02/16/2011 - ??:?? | Saffrin Middle School (Gym), Austell, GA, USA>

Despite what I've been through, I couldn't relax today anymore. I just stood there at the gym bleachers, holding the top of my nose and shutting my eyes. I've had too much of a scare, another nightmare this morning about that psycho girl named Reba Sound. I don't know what her deal is, or why I keep having nightmares about her trying to kill me. This time, she blew up my whole house with a military airstrike! Though, I was only in visual range of the house when it happened.

Of course I know it's all just fiction! But this girl really does give me the creeps like nobody else can. I feel like her intentions to kill me are more real than ever. It's a drive that no fictional character should have. With a nervous sigh, I let out my frustration in bits as I usually would, caring not for who might be around me. I can't believe this! I'm getting all worked up over a nightmare.

"Reed! You're okay!" Her cheerful voice made me jump a little.

I feel even worse now that I was so jumpy in front of Laura. She must think I'm nuts if she hasn't already. Wait a second. "Of course I'm okay. Why would you think otherwise?" At first, I thought she was asking based on how I looked, but my mind managed to rewind enough to recall that her chant was one of relief, not of curiosity.

"I heard this morning that your house blew up! It was all over the news! That really scared me."

My breathing stopped cold while my eyes went wide with blaring horror behind them. Laura's words, they don't make any sense! My house didn't explode in the real world! It only happened in a dream! There's no way that she could possibly know about that... But she does, and that can only mean one thing.

The loud, slow clapping of someone's hands had us both turning around to the person getting our attention. It's as bad as I thought, and yet impossible for my own brain to contemplate. The girl grinning with those evil eyes kept clapping sarcastically as she slowly strut one foot in front of the other, forcing me to inch back in response. "I guess you're finally figuring it all out Reed. Welcome to the truth, that which shall be your own grave."

"Reba Sound!" I never felt so disgusted to say her name in the open like this, though I just as quickly felt more relieved. If Reba is here in the flesh, then the only explanation is that I am currently dreaming. I am dreaming! I am awake!

I opened my eyes once more, expecting find myself shaking in my own bed sitting up, but to my total surprise, I didn't change environments. I was still here, in the school gym. I'm still here inside my own dream! Wait, how could I know that I'm dreaming and still be here? It's not like the last time when I regained consciousness. I thought realizing where I was would force me out like before.

"Oh? I thought someone in your position would recognize a lucid dream when he sees one."

Reba... I have no idea why she's stalling this out right now, but I kept my distance from her anyway. I know she's going to try and kill me soon. That crazed look in her eyes says it all. Still, as scared as I was, I couldn't hide my curiosity. "So, I'm lucid dreaming right now?" I checked out my own body to try and confirm it, touching myself to see if the sensations matched up. For the most part, they did.

"That's right. The last time you realized you were awake, you got forced out of your own dream before I got the chance to kill you."

To my own recollection, I haven't had a lucid dream ever since the purge, and I barely remember at this point how it felt. How I wished I could enjoy such a brilliant moment. But I won't get that opportunity, not with this killer here. There is one particular rule I do remember about lucid dreams. I can't actually control what goes on in them. If I could, I would make Reba Sound disappear right now. Still, "This is totally awesome!"