The Dream Theory

(8) Experiment-Part 1

Erik held his head in pain. The room began to spin with the lights. It reminded him of one of the panning photos he took in photography class. His eyes began to sting.

"Hey! Stay with us!" James exclaimed in panic as he held his arm. Erik noticed that it was warmer than usual. He looked down through the blur in time to catch a glimpse of his bloody arm. His eyes shot oopen chasing the fuzziness away.

"Wha-wh- ah.." Erik could barely form any words. When did he get shot?

"Dude. You got shot when the guards knocked Valeri off. But it's gonna be okay. We're getting help." James stated. Erik felt himself sweat. He assumed that the severe sharp pain of his bruise distracted him from the shot. He had barely noticed the pain.

"I'm really tired." Erik said softly and closed his eyes. "I'm going to rest my eyes-"

"No you idiot! Keep them open! You can die in any moment. The abulence is coming." James directed as he put pressure on his wound. Erik inhaled sharply.

"It'll only be a second..." He said softly. Then remembered that he shouldn't sleep. Something told him not too. Besides James.

"Alright. Dare close your eyes again and I'll slap you wide awake." Bonnie threatened as she prepared her hand. Erik held up his free hand.

"Okay okay. I'll try." He replied weakly and tried to sit up. James looked around.

"Damnit. You're losing too much blood." He said.

Erik looked down at his bloody arm. He touched the outside of the bullet hole with a finger. "Stop overreacting. It missed." He explained as he put a hand on it.

"What?" James blinked.

"It just grazed my arm. Very badly, but it thankfully missed." Erik finished explaining and sat up. "I'll be fine."

Bonnie huffed and punched James's arm. "Thanks a lot for the panic dude." She growled angrily. Erik smirked as James rubbed his arm.

"Thanks a lot guys." He said said, still wincing at the sting of the wound. Why did he feel a sudden rush of overwhelming sleepiness when it hit him? It's almost like...

"Fuck!" A voice boomed. It was Adam. Erik felt like sinking away or pretend like he wasn't awake. But no need to fake that because he was already feeling it coming.

"Sir. He came barging in and shot Erik but we don't know why." James said as he stood up. Erik watched as Adam stepped closer. Seeming almost hurt to see the security guards hold Robert into their grip. But he looked away and concentrated on Erik.

"Where's the God Damn abulence?"

"Coming right up sir! They're just down the street." One answered as a abulence blared off into the distance. They were coming.

Erik breathed in and out slowly. Adam knelt beside him. "How do you feel?"

"Like I'm waiting for the clock to strike twelve." Erik replied.

"Hang on tight." Adam whispered and walked away yelling at people about the story. Erik felt himself drift off into sleep. A distant husky voice calling out for him.
.
.
.

"Boo."

Erik opened his eyes at the sound. In front of him stood Reem. 26 year old Reem. He looked up at her, feeling pain but it was somehow...distant.

"Reem?"

She nodded and grabbed his hand. "Jeez, you fell rough on me, dude." She said as he helped him up to his feet. But Erik didn't feel himself get pulled up. He realized that she wasn't talking to him, but to Robert.

Erik moved out of the way and watched as she helped Robert up to his feet. He looked young and more, sane. His hair was less frizzy and more tame. And his eyes were not cold but more friendly and curious.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He chuckled and stood up to his feet.

Erik was not familiar was this. This must be a memory, someone else's dream. That thing Robert spoke about in his article. What was it...the dreams overlapping at one point theory. This is Robert's dream.

"Don't. Or I'll return the favor." Reem said with a playful smile. They began to walk. Erik stood up and followed them slowly.

"Reem. Do you believe in magic? Or the supernatural?" Robert asked, his shoulder brushing against hers, shyly. Reem took a minute to think.

"There's a lot we don't know yet. So yeah, I guess I do." Reem answered, looking down at her feet.

Robert nodded slowly. "What do you think dreams are?"

Reem looked at him. "Where's this all coming from?" She asked curiously. Robert stopped in his steps. In that moment of silence he turned his head and looked over at Erik.

"I think there's an entity, a type of demon plaguing our dreams."

Erik doesn't know why but he felt his heart race when he looked at him.

Reem giggled softly. "Demon? You never strike me as the religious type." She stated.

Robert looked back at her. "No. But..." He stayed silent, quietly biting the inside of his cheek. "I saw it."

Reem touched his shoulder and smiled softly. "This is about your theory, right?" She asked. He nodded. She turned on her heels to face him, her light dress swirled with her. "Well, I'll help you in any way I can."

Robert beamed with joy and relief. Erik felt it too. He felt Robert feel like he could trust Reem with anything. They held hands, he could feel her warmth and the faith she had in Robert. Now he connected the dots together. Robert isn't the bad guy, Adam-

The place turned dark and both figures were now gone. Erik heard a light turn on. He looked behind himself and saw a single lit up door. He approached it slowly. A feeling behind the door beckoned him closer. The more closer he got, the more viscous the floor got. Erik used all his strength to push through the darkness.

Suddenly a light shown from within the darkness, and blew the door away. Erik flung forward but couldn't catch it. He fell to the floor and watched as the light filled the whole place up. Then the next second he was standing right in front of another memory.

Was this really necessary? He thought as he watched the scene form into the location where the memory took place.

"Is it recording?" Robert asked.

Erik watched as someone passed right through him and looked through a camera. They held up a thumb.

Robert nodded and cleared his throat. "Video session number 16. It is currently November 13, 1999. I cannot fathom my excitement to prove a theory that I have been working on for a long time now." He said and moved away from the camera to show the room. And in the middle of the room was an fmri. But it was improved upon. Inside of it was Reem. Who wasn't scared at all.

"My good dear friend, Reem Darlson, has volunteered to help me, us, out today."

Reem waved happily.

"Now, I'm going to be giving her a dose of anesthesia. But worry not, we've made some modifications to the fmri so the drug won't affect anything at all. Thanks to our friend, Jason Scorne. Anyway, let's test it, out shall we?"