Alan (Leave Me To Dream)

Chapter 5

Dan sat on the couch, fully cemented in its soft confines, wrapped in a soft blanket. He was struggling to keep his eyes open as Gandalf yelled, commanding the armies of Gondor to 'aim for the trolls'. They had started their marathon at about midday, shortly after Louise had awoken, and at about half way through the third and final movie, they were reaching the end. Between the snack preparation and toilet breaks it was now a little after 9pm and the siege of Gondor had only just begun.

Trolls smashed through the outer defences, making way for hoards of orcs to plunder in. Dan attempted to keep focused on the screen but his vision was slowly failing until everything around him was nothing more than a blur.

The TV let out a great roar. Dan snapped his eyes open again, gasping and jolting up a little on the couch with shock. He was fading fast and, although the loud noise had snapped him awake, the effects lasted little over a few seconds as he gave in to sleep once more.

~ ~ ~

Thick grey walls whizzed past as Dan ran across the outer defences of Gondor. He stopped at a guard tower, the wood thatched roof sitting like a hat on his head. He looked out over the surrounding fields, only to be met with the sight of thousands upon thousands of orcs continuing to appear over the horizon, racing towards Gondor. His heart pounded and he quickly backed away from the edge, continuing his run towards where Gimli, Legolas and Kill Bill era Uma Thurman were taking on the first of the orcs to clear the walls.

A troll jumped, crashing through the battlements and into Dan's path. He drew his sword, quickly stabbing the troll in the chest, pushing hard to penetrate through the copious amounts of fat to reach its heart. The troll fell, revealing Phil, stood slightly shocked, just behind it.

"YOU!" Dan pointed at Phil in accusation.

"M...m"

"Why do you keep showing up in my dreams?"

"Wha-"

"Wait a second, if you're here... well I'm probably dreaming at the moment aren't I. I mean that actually kinda makes sense... we are in Gondor battling-"

"What do you mean I keep showing up?" Phil spoke much louder this time, distracting Dan from his musings.

"I mean you keep showing up in my dreams. Are you some weird part of my brain that keeps dream stalking me? I've never even met you before, it makes no sense."

"I don't keep showing up in your dreams. You-"

"Yes you do! I mean you're here aren't you? In my head."

"Hey, hear me out dammit! You're..."

Phil's voice drifted into inaudibility as the space between him and Dan began to grow, filling with soldiers and orcs all battling to the death. Swords slashed and heads flew as Dan drifted further and further away, the scene before him slowing fading out until-

~ ~ ~

Dan awoke with a start, inhaling a sharp breath. He focused on the screen, a crowd of people were bowing to the four hobbits. He had managed to sleep through the rest of the movie, there were only ten or so minutes left now. At least he had seen it so many times that he could practically quote word for word what he had missed. It was something else that was troubling him. That boy, Phil, had appeared again. It was as if his brain was playing some sort of twisted joke on him. This person, that he had never met, that he didn't even recognise, had now appeared the last three times he'd fallen asleep.

Dan tried to brush it aside and focus on what remained of the movie. It was just a weird anomaly, completely nothing to worry or even think about. Eventually he managed to push it to the back of his mind and enjoy his friends' company before Louise headed home and he headed to bed.