The Dreamer

Chapter 10

"This is the last and final test," we hear the familiar voice say. I look around and see just an empty room. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"That is for you to find out." Then they're gone again. "Look around."

"Is that your solution to everything?" I turn and glare at him. "It helped before didn't it?" He sighs and we look around again. I look on the floor, walls, and ceiling, but we don't find anything. "That was a waste of time."

"There has to be something."

"Well then where is it?"

"I don't know." I suddenly feel pressured when I remember that we only have two days, maybe just one now, to do this. I start thinking about everything in my life. I slip away from Zeke and just sit down in small defeat, resting my head against the wall. Zeke just watches me for a few seconds before he painfully does the same. I watch as he sits down next to me. Our arms are touching and I can feel his biceps from under the sleeve. I sat there tense next to him since I've never been this close to anyone. It feels awkward and the feelings from before came back stronger. The butterflies, the heart pace quickening, everything just hit me like a tidal wave.

I don't know how much time passed before I spoke. "You know, I never would've thought I'd be in this mess." Zeke scoffs with a smile. "This mess?"

"Yeah, it's actually kinda exciting." I cross my legs and glance at him from the corner of my eyes. "To be honest, I'm actually glad that I'm the Dreamer, despite how stressful it sounds." He stares back at me with confusion. "Why?" I look down then face forward. I feel his touch again and a shiver shot up my spine. "Because I was a nobody. I didn't have any friends, I kept to myself. What reason would I not be a nobody?" I sigh as the memories spring back to me.

The teasing at school, the times I chose to be alone because I was afraid. Afraid that whoever gets close, might leave. Yet here I am, friends with someone who's cursed. The world works in a mysterious way, that's for sure. I suddenly feel a hand take mine and I look up. "You're not a nobody." I smile and shrug. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm actually happy. Even while we're stuck in this situation, I'm happy." Then, the rumbling came back. The room shakes like an earthquake and pieces of the ceiling come down.

Chunks and pieces fell and Zeke used himself as a shield for me. "You have passed." Passed? "But we didn't do anything."

"You have been honest with yourself and your friend."

"Honest?"

"Although he hasn't spoken his truth, he shall very soon tell you." I turn to Zeke who has a weird look. "What is it?" I ask, but the voice doesn't give him enough time to answer. "Now go. You are running out of time Dreamer." I take Zeke's hand and hurry through the metal door. Ahead I see another room but it's filled with all sorts of baked goods, even cake! They're from all over the world too. I look at each and every good looking treat as I feel my hunger suddenly grow, but Zeke pulls me back. "We have to focus. It could be a trap."

"But they look good." I'm suddenly gripped by the shoulders and spun around to look at Zeke. "Focus. We don't have time." I take a deep breath and nod. We both look forward but at the end of the room, there's only a fancy looking stand holding a bowel or something. With his arm still wrapped around my neck, we both move towards the bowl. Anytime I feel the urge to even try one of the baked treats, I shook my head and kept my focus and getting out. You can have baked food when you get back.

And I repeat those words to myself. My eyes stayed on our target, occasionally looking at the delicious looking treats surrounding us. When we approach it, all we see is water. "What is this? A joke?" I see Zeke reach his hand towards it and I get a sudden back feeling. "Wait." But he doesn't. His fingers touch the water and he immediately retracts his hand. "What the hell?" He looks at the water then at his hand. "It just stung me." My brows furrowed as I look at his hand. "I don't see anything. Are you sure?" He nods, still cautiously looking at the bowl. "It was more of a warning sting than a threatening one."