Annular

04: Extra Ordinary

Elizabeth awoke with a scream. She shot up in bed. Her heart was racing. She wasn't sure where she was for a second until she looked over at Kyle lying down next to her. His eyes were open, watching her with what looked to be a mixture of concern and amusement.

"Nightmare?" he asked.

She lied back down, closer to him this time, and placed her head on top of his shoulder. She put her arm and leg on top of his body and took deep breaths to calm her heart rate.

"People were chasing me," she said.

"Why?"

"They wanted to hurt me. I don't know why."

He moved his arm and held her.

"Did you do something to them?" he asked.

"No. They just wanted to hurt me."

"Hmm," said Kyle and closed his eyes.

"I was trying to call for you," she continued, "but you weren't there. I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Maybe we hadn't met yet. Where were you running to?"

"I was just trying to get away," she rubbed her fingers on his chest. "How did I know your name if we didn't meet?"

"Maybe you were recalling this reality. It's possible I don't exist in your dream world."

"I wouldn't really call a place where people are chasing me and trying to hurt me as my dream world."

"Maybe this is the dream world."

"You can't just say maybe all the time and follow it up with nonsense."

"Maybe it's true."

She pinched his skin.

"Oww," he laughed. "Really though, some people believe that all of this is just a dream, and it's our dreams that are reality."

"Some people believe the world was created in seven days."

"Touché," he smirked.

They closed their eyes and held each other in silence. She noticed his breathing synchronizing with hers. His chest rose and fell at the same time she inhaled and exhaled. Her finger traced a circle on his skin.

"Do I exist in your dream world?" she said.

Eyes still closed, he said, "Yeah, of course."

"What were you dreaming about earlier?"

He yawned. His mouth opened wide but made no sound as his body stretched its bones. Relaxing, he opened his eyes and smiled.

"We were having a picnic at a park," he said.

"Your dreams always seem so relaxing." This time, she yawned.

"It was kind of weird, though." He gently bit his tongue.

She waited for him to elaborate.

"Everything seemed normal," he said, "except there were certain little things that were just off. Tiny, insignificant things you wouldn't think to question in a dream."

"Like what?"

"Like," he said and paused to think about it. "Like this dog that had a very human-looking face that seemed to be talking to a little girl petting him. Or like the sky. It was the middle of the day, but the moon was out instead of the sun, and people were doing weird things, like what you'd see in a circus or crazy scenes from a movie. You know, like riding unicycles, and breathing fire, and walking around with pet lions."

"Sounds exciting," she said.

"It does when I describe it now," Kyle explained. "But inside the dream, it was all normal. It was the same as if we were just sitting somewhere reading. It didn't feel extraordinary. Just... extra ordinary." He laughed.

"I'd like to live in a place like that."

"You can." Kyle kissed her forehead. "Just follow me into my dream."