"I don't know where this ends... we've been walking for hours now..." a soft, anxious voice speaks to me. It sounds familiar, like somebody I know. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
It's true, we have been walking around for hours, the strange thing is, I cannot remember when we started walking, the only reason why I know we have been walking for hours is because my feet are sore from it.
"Do you not have any idea what building this is?" I ask this soft voice. (｡◝‿◜｡)
Not that I can piece together who this voice belongs to, it just sounds like a voice I hear almost every day... but... softer.
"No.. no clue. There are no lights, so I have to feel my way around." The voice replies. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
A stifiling silence fills the space as we continue walking down this long, winding corridor. The only sound being emitted is from our footsteps, and maybe the odd floorboard.
"How long have you been here?" The voice asks me. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
I don't even know where "here" is. Does she mean the building we're walking in?
"Ermm... I don't quite know what you mean..." I trail off, not knowing how to answer. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"I mean, how long have you been here in the dream world? A few days? A few months? Years?" she asks me. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
"Dream world? Do you mean to say this is all just a dream? But it feels so real, I can feel things and taste things!" I exclaim, with a little panic in my voice. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Well. It's not like I've been here for a particularly long time, so I don't know an awful lot about this 'dream world' but I always seem to wake up in the real world after coming here, so it's just 'dream world' to me." She explains softly. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
"So you get it too? The waking up part after being here?" I ask her. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Yeah, and I'm always in a completely different place when I come back here the next night." She adds. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
"It's really scary.. these dreams are... I don't know why they happen." I put my hands over my head in fear. (｡◝‿◜｡)
I seriously don't understand why I change so much whenever I come to this "dream world", it's like somebody just took me and turned my whole personality upside-down, it's seriously humiliating.
The building we're walking in is unknown. Much like the school from a few days ago, it's abandoned, dirty and completely dark. I latch onto the sleeve of this person I'm with, as if I'm a child, as the fear is beginning to get to me. She giggles and speaks as if she's smiling.
"You alright there? I don't mind you latching onto me but I need to make sure it is you and not someone... or something... else..." she asks, with a little hesitation in her voice. ( ᓀ ‿ ᓂ )
***
"So, what do you want from me?" I authoritatively ask her. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Speak up. Something tells me you have answers." Naomi instructs. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
Who is she to speak to me like this? And anyway I have no idea what these "answers" she speaks of are.
"I have no idea what you're on about." I monotonously state. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Naomi. At least explain to her what you're referring to." Evan cuts in. (ー_ー )
"Sure. You're a nerd, so explain this different dimension I keep travelling to." She plainly commands. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Different... dimension? What makes you think I know anything at all about metaphysics? I think what you mean to say is you have weird, crazy dreams that you're mistaking for a real experience." I say, shocked at her command. (｡◝‿◜｡)
Could she be referring to the dream world? If so I can't answer any of her burning questions. I have to admit, I am interested in far-fetched concepts such as dimensions and parallel universes, but I never thought of the dream world as a parallel universe, just a figament of my imagination, like a dream.
"Yeah yeah, I would say that I'm just dreaming too, but when I'm in this dream world with people I know, and they have the same dreams too, it can't be 'just a dream' as you put it, so tell me, what the hell's going on?" She rudely replies. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
As much as I can't bear to talk to this girl, if I'm going to get to the bottom of what this dream world is, I'm going to have to hear her out. Even if it pains me.
"So, tell me, what exactly happened in this dream of yours?" I ask. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Well. If I'm going to explain it to you, I'll have to explain it from the start. Evan and I had an argument two days ago, about something stupid- but that's not important." She looks away shyly. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
It's weird to see Naomi so... out of character. Meanwhile Evan says nothing, does nothing and probably thinks nothing. He must be the silent type. Though the question that presses me is, what is Evan like when you argue with someone like him? I reckon it was just Naomi arguing with herself. I chuckle at the thought of this, which catches Naomi's eye.
"What's so funny!" She exclaims, humiliated by my actions. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Nothing, nothing. Just the thought of you basically arguing with yourself." I state, amused at my thoughts. I notice Evan smiling slightly at my statement. I smirk back at him and he looks away. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"N-no! It's nothing like that! Ugh- you stopped my train of thought!" She scoffs. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Alright go back on your train of thought." I reply. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"So, we argued two days ago. So last night, I had a 'dream' where I found myself in this abandoned shopping mall, trapped with Evan with no means of escaping." She begins. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Seems like a pretty normal dream to me," I cut her off in amusement. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Ugh. Just let me finish!" She exclaims, clearly enraged by my actions.( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"So, we were trapped in this mall, but the weirdest thing about this was that, Evan was the complete opposite, he was really positive and cheerful, saying things like 'it's okay we can get out of here!', which in reality he doesn't say anything at all, let alone positive optimistic things. And I was... well... I was... different... too..." she trails off, clearly humiliated by having to admit her flaws.
"She was really gentle and calm." Evan abruptly states. (ー_ー )
"Are you saying I'm not gentle and calm?" Naomi retorts, offended by his statement. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Well you're not the most calm person I've ever met." I roll my eyes. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"A-Anyway! Give me answers. Have you ever heard anything about this dream world?" She commands me, yet again. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Funny you ask this, I've had the same sort of dream." I begin to explain. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"You mean you've been trapped in this dream world before too?" She asks with interest. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"Well I still don't understand what you mean by dream world, but yes. That being said... I feel as though I had one of those a few minutes ago, like just before I came to speak to you guys... or maybe I'm thinking of last nights..." I think aloud. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"Wait you mean to say that you just had one? Like you just happened to fall asleep somewhere and you had one of these dreams?" She laughs at me. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"No, smartass, I... can't really put a finger on it, it's almost like I was transported to this alternate reality world, or something like that. The odd thing is I feel like I just woke up." I explain. (｡◝‿◜｡)
"So what you're saying is, it isn't a dream world at all but a parallel world? Now you're just making things up. No wonder people call you a nerd. Bet this is all those video games you play, heh, do you even do anything else?" She mocks me again. ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )
"This isn't the time to be bullying Kuro, Naomi. Besides, you just spaced out for a whole ten minutes before she got here too. So don't go around making fun of Kuro for sleeping in classes." Evan simply states. (ー_ー )