Dreamweaver: Initium (OLD MANUSCRIPT)

Chapter One.

Dream Shinko rests peacefully, soothed by the soft sound of violins echoing through his room. He smiles in his slumber, comforted by his thoughts. A hologram of a woman with a voluptuous figure materializes into view. The hazy digital smoke around her clears, revealing her scarlet string bikini. She fixes her hair and leans in close to Dream’s ear.

“It’s time to wake up, Dream,” she whispers. “Rise and shine.”

Dream shifts in his bed slightly, but makes no signs of waking.

“You already know what happens next. You have five seconds.”

She opens her hand and waves it in front of Dream’s face. With each passing second, she puts a finger down to her palm. She puts her last finger down and gets up from the bed. The violins stop for a moment, replaced by a light drumming. It gets progressively louder and harder to ignore. Dream slowly drags his pillow across his face in an attempt to block the sound. The woman snaps her fingers and a disruptive shriek rips through the room. The harsh wailing of an electric guitar fills the air, shaking all the furniture with its rhythm. Dream jumps up instantly, descending off his hovering bed and onto the carpeted ground. He stumbles to catch his balance, weary from his rest.

Ah crap, Dream thinks, that was the third alarm.

“I tried,” the model says. “You’re half an hour late.”

“Thanks. I’m up now.”

The hologram nods before vanishing. Dream rubs his eyes while walking to his dresser. A small holographic cube rests on top of it, pulsating with light. Next to the cube, a small hologram projection stands. A younger Dream stands in the picture, smiling next to his parents: Kyo Shinko and Nia Salvator. He nods at the hologram before resting his palm on the cube.

“Change,” Dream says with authority. “Black and red boxer briefs. Black slacks. Red shirt, no right sleeve. Matching Air Force Trifectas—design number nine.”

The runes and ancient symbols tattooed on the back of Dream’s right hand tingle, making Dream uneasy. A force vacuums Dream’s palm to the cube, sending a warm sensation through his body. The strands of his sleeping attire become loose, unraveling around him, then hover around him momentarily before they are sucked into the orb. Strands of material soar out of the cube, weaving around Dream’s body to form the requested clothing in a matter of seconds. The thin fibers snap into place and the cube’s vacuum releases Dream’s hand. He spins around to a mirror to see his clothes and smiles. A white dragon design swirls around the right leg of his slacks and continues up the back of his shirt. The head of the dragon weaves around his left shoulder and stops on his chest.

Amy is going to kill me, Dream thinks. Of course I’m late to my first day of school. I’m so tired…

Dream jumps in place, testing how comfortable his shoes are. He taps an elastic black band on his arm, which flashes green in response.

I have my phone. I don’t need anything else. Time to go.

He smiles in satisfaction and sprints out the door of his room. He reaches one of the long hallways of his foster home and halts in front of a blue door. He touches the handle of the door and holds his breath. Thoughts of excitement seep into his mind as he remembers what the door represents. 

I’ve never had anywhere to go. This place is my home, but it might as well be a prison. This is the one door I wasn’t allowed to use because it lets me out into the world. Finally, being in school means fresh air and freedom.

Dream takes a deep breath and opens the door. He sees a small balcony with a large, blue pod towering over him. Dream opens the door of the pod and walks inside. He sits in a small chair and closes the door to the machine. A soft hum resonates, followed by a distant whir. He holds on to a small pole fashioned in front of the chair and closes his eyes.