Dreams Apart

Westly

Third person

"I can't seem to find an issue here." The doctor speaks to Austin, who stands with his hands tightly curled into fists, a habit and his jaw clenched.

"Then why isn't she up yet?" He asks, impatient and irritated, as he makes thud noises with his shoes.

"Can you give the doctor a break?" Diana walks in with a chuckle and a glass of water to offer the doctor, who sits besides Angela's unconscious body on the bed.

"My bad, I forgot that's his job."

Diana glares at her son as she hands the glass of water to the man who is responsible for separately treating Angela and Austin.

"Thank you." The doctor gulps the water down with his eyes shut in enjoyment of the cold drink, while Austin watches with hatred at the man's carefree energy.

"It's quite simple. Angela should stop escaping my treatment; she needs it."

"Escaping your treatment seems to be the best option here, though." The room is silent yet tense.

"What Austin means-" Diana wishes to erase the shame on the doctor's face, but Austin interrupts her.

"Is that it's all bullshit flat?" Austin speaks, feeding off the embarrassment on his mother's face.

Diana shuts her eyes in exasperation and embarrassment. Austin can't help but hope to torment her more. This all happened because of her. This is her fault; this is happening, and it just enraged Austin even worse.

Better yet, having to push Angela away was because of the very same treatment he was being persuaded to even have in the first place and Diana.

"What are the chances of two closely linked individuals having the same not-so-diagnosable illness? Close to none, Diana." Austin knew better than he let on, but he was constantly afraid.

He was afraid of facing what could not be and what would shatter the last pieces of normal in his life.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Diana's voice cracks in fear of the words that can expose her lies and made-up illness.

"Just maybe these aren't just dreams; maybe they're actual memories and identities we're made to forget." Austin shrugs and watches the look of horror on Diana's face.

"Those aren't—have you lost it entirely, or do you plan on embarrassing me the whole day?!" There's a growing lump in Diana's throat that makes her stutter.

"Are you saying my treatment-" The doctor is cut short when Austin speaks again.

"You like it or not, Angela and I are just the same; the only difference is that her'madness' is put on for the whole world while mine is kept secret." He grins at the very last word, and Diana is quick to learn the threat in his words.