Shatter Me

Colin's P.O.V.

I sip my tea and watch Katie sleep. I'm still shaken from what happened earlier. She came to a few minutes after fainting and had no recollection of calling me Merlin. She was regular Katie again. Now she's sleeping, her cut hand wrapped in bandages. Then I hear my phone ring. It's Bradley.

"Hey," I answer. Bradley sounds breathless when he answers.

"Colin? Colin, it's me, Bradley," he says.

"Yeah, I know. What's up?" I reply.

"Could you come pick me up? I'm on the corner of 4th and 23rd."

"Oh, yeah, sure," I say, grabbing my keys. "Is everything alright?" There's no answer and the line goes dead. I blink. That's weird. I scribble a quick note to Katie for when she wakes up and head out the door to my car.

My heart pounds as I round the corner and park. I glance around for Bradley and my eyes settle on a hunched figure wearing a hoodie. I get out of the car.

"Bradley?" The figure glances up and I can see his tangled blonde hair. He stands.

"Colin! I need to talk to you. I had this dream, and this boy was there, and--" I put my hand up and he fell silent.

"Hold on. We shouldn't talk here. Let me take you back to my place," I say. He nods.

"Yeah. Yeah okay." I drive Bradley back to my apartment and when we go inside, Katie's up making some coffee.

"Hey Col. Bradley," she says by way of greeting.

"Hey Katie," I answer. Bradley sits on my couch and I stand in front of him.

"Colin, do you think we could talk in private?" he asks. I glance up at Katie.

"It's okay. Katie can stay." Bradley looks unsure but shrugs anyway. "So tell me what happened." He swallowed.

"Last night this kid in his late teens asked to stay at my place. I guess he had no where else to go. Then I had this dream where I was in some sort of medieval battle and he was there and he killed me, and then this morning he lunged at me with a knife. I didn't know who else to call. My friend, Eoin, is at work. Besides, I didn't think he would know what to do."

"And you think I do?" I ask. Bradley shrugs.

"I don't know. You just seem like you know things. Is that weird?" I frown.

"Bradley I'm going to tell you something crazy. You too Katie. And I completely understand if you think I'm insane. But my name isn't Colin, and you guys aren't Bradley and Katie." I pause for a dramatic effect and they just stare at me blankly. "Um. My name is..." I hesitate. I haven't said it out loud in so long. I swallow. "My name is Merlin." Bradley barks out a laugh.

"Merlin? Like the wizard in those Camelot stories Merlin?" he asks. I purse my lips and nod slowly.

"Yeah. Exactly like that," I say.

"Well I suppose next you're going to tell us that I'm Arthur and Katie is Guinevere," Bradley laughs again, but this time it seems a bit forced.

"Well, Katie's not Guinevere that's for sure. But yes. You're Arthur." Bradley just stares at me.

"I don't understand," Katie says. "So you're telling me we're all characters from some kid story?" I nod slowly.

"Look, I know it's hard to believe, but just listen to me, okay? That kid at your house, what did he say his name was?"

"Alex at first, but then... Woah. That's crazy," Bradley frowns.

"What?"

"Well, then he said his name was Mordred. In the old stories, didn't Mordred kill Arthur? And my dream..." I ran my hand through my hair nervously.