Broken Sweet Dreamers

Chapter 3 - Back to Dreaming

I haven't felt discomfort in a long time.

Dread filled me as I phased into the dream. The terror that followed as I frantically looked around was indescribable. 

This can't be happening. Not after I've worked so hard!

I walked in darkness; the only light came from my body. I illuminated my immediate surroundings, which were pure nothingness, as my steps echoed around me.

In my panic, I forgot everything I used to have ingrained in me: I was in control, I was lucid, and I had to find the dreamer and wake them up. And when you lose control of yourself in a dream, the dreamer's subconscious controls you like a pawn in a chess game.

A force seized my entire being, leaving me locked stiff in a standing position as it started pulling me through the darkness. I panted as I exerted effort to try and pull away—to escape from wherever I was being dragged off, but I was too scared to think coherently. I don't remember ever feeling this helpless in a dream. And I didn't like it, not one bit.

No! I couldn't let the dream take over my mind. I was a master at this for over ten years. I knew what I had to do. And besides, if I stayed too long, what if I lost my voice again? I still have no clue why that was a side effect of dreaming, but it was.

I concentrated until I felt the gradual, reluctant release of the mind around me. Thank goodness, I thought.

Once I refocused, determination strengthened my resolve, and the hold was gone entirely. I walked again, gingerly pushing on. I felt like I knew where I was going despite walking toward the endless nothingness; I was drawn to it like a beacon.

In the distance, I saw a bright light—I was getting somewhere. I stepped through the light, the darkness I was just in evaporating behind me. I squinted, my eyes needing time to adjust before fully processing where I was.

A woman and a man stood in front of one of the newly built skyscrapers in the city. They looked up, the woman patting his back. Her hands were slightly wrinkled.

His black hair was slicked back, and he was wearing an equally dark suit, which flattered him even from the rear. His outfit stood out in stark contrast to the woman next to him. She was wearing a casual summer dress, despite my knowing it was way too cold for that. Judging by the colors of the leaves on the trees, I could tell the dreamer was dreaming of fall.

Either way, they seemed unphased by the cold air surrounding them.

"I'm proud of you. Founding this business all by yourself, running a company—it's very impressive."

"Well, I did have Dad's help, technically."

"True, but he'll never have use for this money again. And since he signed over his assets to you, it's yours. You're not throwing it away on glamor; you've made something of yourself. I think he'd be proud, Grey."

I gasped loudly and then immediately pulled up a mask I dreamt up and threw on my hood. I walked away, not letting him know who I was or that I was anyone significant. He barely passed me a glance over his shoulder as I walked away on the sidewalk.

Why now? Why, after all this time, was I finally dreaming about him? I hid behind a column and hid there for a moment until I heard him say to the woman, "Come, auntie, I'll show you my office."

I let out a relieved sigh and then peeked around the corner.

It didn't matter that it was Grey. It didn't matter that I figuratively dreamt of an opportunity to see him again one day, and this said opportunity. I had to wake him up.

Once he disappeared into the building, I followed after them. I watched him walk towards the elevators, past the security guards. They nodded at him as he entered the elevator.

I watched to see what floor he was getting off on. The elevator finally said 22, so I walked through the barriers, dreaming up an ID card that would allow me to pass security.

I entered the elevator, now dressed in business attire: a black pencil skirt accompanied by black heels, a collared white button-up shirt, and a black blazer. I put the mask back on as the elevator doors closed. I pressed 22 and began the quick ascent.

The doors opened, and Grey stood before the receptionist's desk.

She sat behind a big, wood-carved sign that said Froststone Inc. She smiled at him and his aunt.

"And I'm waiting for my new hire now–oh!" He looked at me and smiled. "This must be her."

"Hello, miss, I'm Grey, the CEO of this company." CEO! At 23 years old? As always, he had quite the imagination. "You must be Amanda."

I nodded wordlessly.

"Let me show you to your desk."

I followed behind him and, without stalling any further, dreamt up a hole in front of him.

He halted abruptly, causing me to do the same. He looked down at the floor and then closed the hole beneath him with one swipe of his hand. He scanned the room around him and finally looked at me. I pretended to be just as unphased as him and acted as NPC-like as possible.

My stomach twisted into a knot as his head snapped forward. He's lucid! Or did he just get good at dream traveling? I took a deep breath, not letting myself freak out any further. I already felt the hold from his mind sneaking around me, desperately wanting to overtake me as the invader of his mind.

We didn't walk much further after that. The desk was right in front of his office, which had a large, frosted glass wall, and was right next to a few meeting rooms with the same frosted glass to cover them.

The door to his office was printed with his name: Grey Pierson, CEO and founder of Frostone Inc.

Grey's words snapped me back to his attention. "As my secretary, I don't expect too much over what was in your job description. And I try to be as fair as possible. You don't have to worry about late nights or anything like that. Anyway, let me retrieve Janessa; she's supposed to give you some training..."

He walked off, and I looked at his aunt. She smiled until I opened up a hole around her. She fell right through with no problem.

So why couldn't I do it to Grey?

I stood and dipped into his office. The glass shut quietly behind me as I looked for a hiding place. Since there was nowhere, I dreamt up a giant filing cabinet, which looked like it had individual compartments but was like a closet.

I stepped inside of it and shut it right as I heard Grey walk into the office.