Elliot: A Lucid Dream

Prologue 2: Misfit

"How're you feeling today, Azure?" The familiar sickly sweet smell of the counselors' office greeted me, along with its faded peach walls, stuffed felt couches, and boxes of spilled games hurriedly crammed into a black shelf. Some of the earlier kids' projects were lying on the ground. Scribbled drawings with praises for Mr. Anderson were on the wall. It wasn't all that bad. Whenever my teacher told me to go to the counselors', she always made a face like he was giving me a death sentence. 

"Fine, thank you," I replied easily, a little bit distracted. I walked over to his desk and sat in front of it, across from him. I was busy thinking about how to edit my story before giving it to Elliot tomorrow. I was also running through a bunch of things I could ask him. Friend stuff. 

"So, any more problems with your behavior?"

"None, Mr. Anderson." 

He took out a sheet of paper. I craned my neck, trying to read it from my position without making it obvious. All I could see was little black shapes, like ants. It was too far away. I couldn't read it. "Your teacher gave this to us. She said that you hurt one of your classmates. You scratched him?"

I gritted my teeth. "Yes, I did." 

"Why?"

"It was... by accident," I said. That didn't really make any sense as an excuse. I'd scratched him because he said that girls were dumb. He was dumb. He deserved it. I drummed my foot against the ground, shaking my leg, my eyes darting around the room. I didn't like talking about my problems. It always was so uncomfortable. 

He raised his brows. "Doesn't seem like one. How could that possibly be an accident?"

I remained quiet.

Mr. Anderson sighed. "Azure. You need to control your emotions. These incidents keep happening, and it's only getting worse."

He didn't get it. I couldn't control it. It made my heart beat faster and whole mind blot out. I thought nothing in those times. I just... couldn't. It was hard to explain, but I knew I couldn't control it. Every time I explained this, he'd just shake his head... I clenched my fists, pulling at the hem of my skirt. 

The door opened behind me. I flinched, turning suddenly. Elliot walked into the office, leaning against the doorway. I looked at him and tried to say something to him, but no words came out. He shook his head, holding a finger to his lips. The room suddenly became fuzzy. It looked like it was glitching. I looked at it, alarmed. I saw faint pixels of pale blue, some with patches of fluffy clouds. The other glitches were bright, vivid colors- reds and greens. My eyes went wide and I looked at Elliot, who merely smiled and looked ahead.

Mr. Anderson didn't seem to see Elliot. How was that possible? I looked at both of their faces, back and forth. 

Elliot smiled. He walked swiftly up to me and stood next to me, his hand resting on the back of the chair I was sitting on. The glitching grew worse and the whole room looked strange. There was something slightly off. The perspective kept changing, like the room was switching directions and bending. It made me dizzy just looking at it. My heart was racing. I looked at Mr. Anderson, pleading for him to help. I couldn't talk. Why couldn't I- 

"Azure, is there something wrong?"

"No, there isn't," I heard myself say. That didn't sound like me. I mean, it was me, but why did I say that? Goosebumps rose on my arms and I crossed them, my gaze still on the glitches. I gasped as one fizzed, making a slight popping sound. It looked like electricity. Would it shock if I touched it? 

He raised his eyebrows again. "Here, Azure. Let's do a few exercises, alright? Just for my peace of mind." 

I forced myself to sit still, breathing sharply through my nose. Mr. Anderson looked at me again, his eyes searching my face. My face was heating up again. It probably was bright red again. 

Say something. People liked to talk. Say something and tell him what you see. 

Elliot...

I twisted my head around to look at him, unable to resist. He looked perfectly physical to me, but Mr. Anderson didn't see him. I trembled slightly. Seeing things that weren't there... that means that I really was in trouble now, wasn't I?

A cold, uneasy feeling crept up my spine again. 

It was then that I knew that there was something very, very wrong about Elliot.