The Eleventh Chapter

                Blood spat from Rhoa’s mouth, as if choking on it, his hunched figure kneeling on the metal floor. He clenched his hands against floor, his breathing shallow, his frustration tensing before releasing his fists. Rhoa lifted his head, sweat pouring from his darkened brow like tears, and Bill watched him from his kneeling position.

            “We should stop for today, Rhoa.” Bill said.

            “Yeah.” Rhoa quietly responded.

            Rhoa had gone over multiple plans, yet none succeeded. Everything changed when he entered the dream, every corner, every obstacle, every creature, as if mocking him. Rhoa stood, the blood already dry upon the metal floor, wiping his mouth, and following Bill to the hatch.

            “There’s always tomorrow.” Bill said.

            “Yeah.” Rhoa responded.

            Bill looked at Rhoa, who walked beside him staring into space.

            “It took me a while to get my power as well. Don’t let it bring you down.” Bill said.

            “How long?” Rhoa asked quietly.

            “I think at least a week.”

            “No, I mean, how long did it take Kay again?” Rhoa asked.

            “A day or so.” Bill hesitantly responded.

            Rhoa did not react, walking in silence, and the two reached the hatch. Bill opened the door, and they walked through. Bill took the bands from Rhoa, and Rhoa quietly gathered his things. Bill observed him from the corner of his eye. Rhoa walked to the door, and as he was just about to walk through, Bill turned from the console.

            “Get some rest, we’ll try again first thing in the morning.” Bill lightly said.

            Rhoa slung his bag over his shoulder and walked through the door.

            Rhoa’s shoulders sagged, and feet dragged - his body feeling heavier like gravity had increased. He was tired, his body just now feeling the fatigue. He could not remember how many times he entered the dream, how many times he failed, but the fatigue reminded him that he needed to try harder. Kay already had her powers, and Rhoa felt that if he could not get his power soon, then she would be forced to rescue his parents for him. He could not allow that; it was his responsibility to make everything right.

            Rhoa arrived at his room, faster than he had noticed, and fear quickly replaced fatigue. He had forgotten about what lurked in his room, his body becoming stiff and hot. Rhoa took a deep breath, his shoulders easing as he exhaled, and felt the tension weaken throughout his body. The training, perhaps, allowed him to calm his mind. If there truly was something lurking in his room, then he would run.

            I can do this, Rhoa thought to himself.

            Rhoa pressed upon the door’s panel, and the door slid open, the lights coming to life overhead. Upon seeing nothing in front of him, he immediately looked at the top right back corner of the room. Rhoa could feel his shoulder slack heavily, his bag nearly falling off. There was nothing in the corner. Rhoa, however, scanned the rest of the room just in case. Still, Rhoa found nothing, just an empty room.

            Rhoa walked fully into the room, the door closing behind him. He threw his bag on the floor and sat on the bed. Lying back, he covered his eyes as the dim lights came on over the bed. The quiet allowed him to recoup from the tiring day, and as he felt himself drifting into sleep, the stench rising from his pits became unbearable. He begrudgingly stood, taking off the sweaty clothes and entered the shower. When he finished, he grabbed some fresh grey pants and shirt from the closet; the shoes sitting at the bottom of the closet staring at him menacingly. He got into bed, the warmth of the sheets melting away the day. Rhoa sighed deeply. He could sleep peacefully knowing everything was fine.

 

            The darkened metal of the wall greeted Rhoa, his eyelids feeling heavy as they peeled open. His body coiled tightly beneath the sheets, the warmth cradling his tired body. Rhoa closed his weary eyes, his still sleeping mind searching for a dream to carry him into sleep again. Yet, Rhoa noticed, nothing came. As his sleeping mind slowly awoke, Rhoa also noticed he had not dreamt. It was rare for Rhoa to not dream, their ghostly presence absent from his mind.

            Rhoa sighed beneath the sheets, pulling them over his head and pulling them back down. He turned up from his side position, the ceiling of the cutout area for the bed meeting him, and rested his hands on his stomach. Rhoa wondered how long he had slept, his body still feeling stiff exhaustion, and attempted to sleep again. No longer beneath the warmth of the sheets, Rhoa felt the frigidness of the room, his arms exposed and shivering. He opened his eyes again, sleep appearing to be a dream itself, and looked again upon the metal ceiling. It was then that Rhoa noticed his breath puffing away in the darkness. Was it really that cold? Rhoa wondered feeling his sweltering body beneath the sheets. Rhoa tossed into a side position facing out of the bed. His breath choked.

            It was there in the darkness - standing beside Rhoa’s bed. Everything emptied out of him, his mind trying to process what was in front of him. It was the creature from the Dream of Rebirth, its darkened gaunt arms the only things that filled Rhoa’s vision. Fear was like a distant memory, and terror replaced it within Rhoa’s mind. So much terror that Rhoa could no longer control his soundless breathing, his chest rapidly beating as his heart pulsed like it was about to burst. He wanted to scream but terror made such a thing impossible, for fear of the creature’s retaliation, in its place a churning occurred in his throat that accompanied his frenzied breath.

            The creature, to Rhoa’s terror, turned around and silently stepped away from the bed. It hovered by the closet and did not move. Rhoa had little time to think, he now had an opportunity to run from the creature, or to stay and hope it did nothing further. He decided not to risk the creature turning around, so Rhoa pushed off the covers as quickly and silently as he could. He stood, disregarding the frigidness of the floor, the fatigue he once felt melting away as adrenaline pumped through his veins, and quietly walked to the door. The door opened, and he dashed through. It closed behind him, and he pushed up against it, feeling his pulsing heart against his chest.

            Rhoa’s terror filled lungs heaved in frigged air.

            Rhoa looked upon the creatures that lined the hallway on both sides, their backs facing him, and stepped out in between them. They stood silently, wading ever slightly as if a light breeze was pushing upon them, and paid him no heed as they stood in front of the doors. Rhoa walked down the blackened hall, the usually vibrant overhead lights shadowed like a veil over the creatures. His entire body shuttered with each step, the sticky icy floor plucking away at his feet.

            Rhoa reached the end of the dorm hallway, however, a creature barred him from proceeding down the right hall. The creatures still had not turned around, the idea of them doing so striking terror still into Rhoa. His mind swirled, was he in the dream? Had he never left? Rhoa turned and followed the hall left, the creatures lining the hall uniformly and grotesquely swaying. As he quietly crept down the hall, Rhoa heard voices and noticed the briefing room’s lights were on. Luckily, the creatures were not guarding the door, and Rhoa stepped over to the slightly ajar door. He looked upon the many consoles, however, also the owners of the voices – Bill and Dr. Edward Hedrig.

            “I’m telling you Ed, something is different about the boy’s dream.” Bill said.

            Bill had changed out his white tank top and into a grey shirt like Rhoa’s and stood leaning next to a console. Dr. Hedrig sat fiddling with one of the consoles close to him, his eyes not wandering from the screen.

            “Dreams can change Bill, you know that.” Dr. Hedrig absently said.

            “They don’t reflect the real space of the dreamer.” Bill said.

            “How do you mean?” Hedrig asked.

            “It was the training room, obstacles and all.”

            Dr. Hedrig looked away from the console and squinted at the floor. Hedrig sighed and spun the chair to face Bill, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

            “Emily was with you right?” Hedrig asked.

            “Yes.”

            “What did she say?”

            “She said exactly what you said: that the dreams can change.” Bill said.

            “Then I agree with her judgement.” Hedrig said.

            “She couldn’t be making sense of it either, this hasn’t happened before Ed.” Bill said.

            “Look, Bill, forget about the boy. Every Agent that has come through here has a dream, and sometimes it has adverse affects. If the boy’s dream is as you said, then it is just something we did not catch before. He’ll get his ability and walk out of here like everyone else.” Hedrig said sighing again.

            “And if he doesn’t?”

            “Then he’ll break. That is not unusual either.” Hedrig said.

            “Agents aren’t disposable, Ed. You know our numbers are scarce, we can’t keep losing recruits to the break.” Bill said, his piercing copper eyes watching Hedrig.

            Hedrig turned back to console saying: “Forget about the boy, Bill, and let Emily handle it.”

            Bill was silent a moment, watching Hedrig tap on the console.

            “You assigned her?” Bill asked quietly.

            Hedrig either did not hear Bill or decided not to answer.

            “This obsession is going to destroy her and you.” Bill said.

            “We have everything we need finally - we just need more time.” Hedrig coldy said.

            Bill seemed to bite his tongue beneath his bushy beard and stood from his leaning position.

            Rhoa’s mind felt more detached than before, the cold getting worse. He could barely hear the conversation. Who were they referring to? Rhoa wondered. Rhoa turned from the door and looked at the creatures, their movement no longer swaying beneath the lights. They had turned around.

Rhoa frantically ran to the cafeteria door, entering, and closed the door behind him, the lights flickering on overhead. His breath pulsed against the air, as if choking on it, and he stumbled to one of the tables, his limbs losing feeling. Rhoa sat, his entire body shivering in the empty room, and rested his hands in front of him. The creatures, however, did not go away. Rhoa could feel them, they scratched at the walls attempting to enter the room. Scratching and scratching, Rhoa could not hear his own panicking breaths.

            “Rhoa?” A voice asked behind him.

            Rhoa’s eyes grew wide, and he wanted to jump but the cold restricted his movements. The scratching stopped.

            “Rhoa?” Emily again asked sitting down next to him, her lab coat swinging with her.

            Emily looked extremely tired, black rings forming beneath her eyes behind her glasses and her blond hair tied into a messy tail. Yet, the tired expression molded into concern as she looked at him.

            “What’s wrong?” Emily asked.

            Emily reached for Rhoa’s hands and jumped when they touched.

             “Your hands feel like they were dipped in ice!” Emily almost shouted and placed her hands again on his.

            Emily reached up and placed a hand on his face, rubbing up to his forehead.

            “What the hell happened to you?!” Emily asked.

            “Bad dream.” Rhoa quipped, laughing, and choking, a puff of chilled breath residue dissipating in front of his mouth.

            Emily’s heat melted away the cold from his hands, the chill lingering, and the calming warmth allowed Rhoa’s mind to refocus. Emily appeared to be unaffected by the cold air or even aware of it.

            “Did you see them?” Rhoa hoarsely asked.

            “See what?” Emily asked.

            “The creatures.”

            “What are you talking about?” She asked.

            “The creatures from my dream, they followed me here. They were in the hall, in my room.” Rhoa shuddered as he spoke.

            “I didn’t see anything, Rhoa. I’ve been up all night in the lab and wanted a snack before I went to bed. You’re the only one I’ve seen tonight.” Emily said reassuringly, but her concern bled into her eyes as she examined Rhoa.

            Rhoa was on the verge of tears, lifting a shivered hand to his face.

            “What’s happening to me?” Rhoa said in a shuttered whisper.

            Emily reached over and brought his hand down from his face, her warmth comforting him.

            “You’re experiencing what’s called a break. It’s when the mind has suffered too many fatal wounds in the dream, at best it will shatter your mind, and at worst it will kill you.” Emily quietly said.

            “I think you have that reversed.” Rhoa said.

            Emily worriedly smiled and stood.

            “I’ll get you something warm to drink.” She said.

            Emily walked over to the dispensers, the sound of a liquid pouring into a plastic cup filling the room. Across from Rhoa was the lounge, its lights off and empty. The blackened doorway attached itself to the light of the cafeteria, as if a substitute for the darkness, ebbing and pulsing. He could see it, the darkened stars growing in intensity against the frame, his quickened breath returning.

            Focus! Rhoa repeatedly screamed inside his mind.

            Emily sat the cup down in front of him and followed his gaze. She walked over to the lounge doorway.

            “Wait!” Rhoa hoarsely shouted.

            Emily reached over to the pad beside the door and turned on the lounge lights, the black substance gone as if it never existed.

            “There’s nothing there, Rhoa.” Emily said looking back at him.

            Rhoa’s breath slowed to normalcy, and he gulped down the burning coffee in front of him, then crushed the plastic cup. Emily walked over, a stunned look on her face.

            “That was hot.” Emily said.

            “Huh?”

            “The coffee.” Emily said.

            “Oh.” Rhoa said looking at the crushed cup.

            “You need rest, Rhoa. C’mon, let’s go.” Emily said walking over and helping him to his feet.

            “Where are we going?” Rhoa quietly asked.

            “To your room, of course.” She said.

            Terror filled Rhoa’s entire body, his knees shaking.

            “I can’t!” Rhoa shouted, and then calmed himself. “I can’t go back there.”

            “I’ll go with you, and I’ll check inside first. I can stay until you fall asleep if you want?” Emily asked politely.

            Rhoa said nothing, all he could think about was the creatures. Emily guided him through the door, and to Rhoa’s delight, the creatures had disappeared. Rhoa, however, could still not fully relax, the air heavy and uneasy. He watched the walls, as if seeing their ghostly images plastered against them. As they neared the turn down his hall, Rhoa caught a glimpse of someone walking at the end of the hall. That person looked like Kay, but Rhoa could not believe anything he saw.

             Emily escorted Rhoa down the dormitory hallway and to his room, then they stopped at the door.

            “I’ll go first.” Emily said.

            Rhoa hunched over and leaned on the wall by the door, waiting. A part of Rhoa wished Emily could see what he saw, but he knew that when she opened that door, she would not see anything and Rhoa would be forced again into the dark.

            Emily stepped over to the panel and pressed on it, the lights flickering on and shadowing upon her. Rhoa watched Emily, and saw for the first time, an expression he immediately wished to never see again. Terror, complete and horrid, pressed on Emily’s face, her mouth dropping slightly and loosely, her eyes blistering with dark turmoil as the tired expression folded. Emily slowly reached over and closed the door.

            “What’s wrong?” Rhoa asked quietly.

            “You’re staying with me tonight.” Emily responded, and as if on reaction, smiled at him.

            The terror, however, could not be wiped away from her green eyes, hollowed out in fear. Emily helped Rhoa to his feet, and they walked down the hall, he could feel her pace quicken the further they went from his room. Emily’s room was only a few hallways from his own, the third dorm in the first hall, and they quickly walked inside. It was not much different, the uniform dorm room much like his own, but with a few personalized items. A console sat on a table with a comfortable looking chair of metal and leather beside it, and the sheets of Emily’s bed a warm red with fluffed white pillows. Something curious caught Rhoa’s eye, a carving made of something that looked like wood, hung over top the entrance of Emily’s bed. Rhoa had never seen anything like it, its circular form and strange tiny shapes tightly packed together on its face.

            Rhoa walked over and sat down on the bed, feeling the warm fabric between his fingers.

            “You’re tired right? Go ahead and get in, I’m feeling pretty tired too.” Emily said.

            Rhoa slid under the covers, the fabric melting the cold of his body, and watched Emily hurriedly remove her lab coat and pants. She draped her lab coat over the chair and threw the pants into a corner of the room, removing her hair tie, and then got into bed next to him. In their closeness, Rhoa could smell Emily, which was not as pleasant as he thought it would be, she had not showered from the long night, but he could not speak for himself either. Brazenly, Rhoa felt Emily’s feet and legs wrap around his own, feeling the ice flush from his veins, and she edged closer still. They looked into each other’s eyes, but as Emily got closer, he could see her fear. She wrapped her arms around him, and Rhoa could feel her trembling body. Rhoa realized they were both afraid, and he wrapped his arms around her. Rhoa felt a connection with her, in their fear, remembering her expression from earlier, a part of him wanting to protect her. The unfortunate truth, however, was that Rhoa could not even protect himself.

            As his vision faded, Rhoa saw it there, standing just beside the bed. A creature had followed them. Rhoa shook, and as he did, so too did Emily, gripping each other in frenzied closeness. Rhoa was not sure how long it remained there, but after a while he could no longer stave off his sleep with fear, his eyes growing too heavy. Rhoa passed out in Emily’s arms, his sleeping mind hoping she did the same.