"Why?" Oxy looked so confused. "What did Mr. Dome do till they said it's not safe to meet him?"
"We didn't understand either. My mom kept pushing them, and the police took us to see The Mayor of Skeleta instead."
"The Mayor?" Oxy was even more surprised.
"Yes. We met the Mayor, Mr. Jordan. The police said Mr. Jordan will answer our question. And yes, he just said we couldn't see dad for a while. It's not safe for us. And for the people."
"Was he told you why?" asked Oxy.
"He didn't tell any. He just convinced us to believe him." She said.
"The Mayor also said if dad had been accused of some dangerous activity. He's been accused of making illegal drugs. Besides that, he's also suspected of being involved in the strangest events you mentioned in the group before. What is it called again?"
"Brain Fog?" Oxy guessed.
Selena nodded. "Yes. That's it."
"Do you believe him?"
"At first we hard to believe what he said. My mom still kept insisting to meet our dad, and finally, the Mayor allowed us to see dad." Selena sighed. "Couldn't call it seeing. We could only watch dad who was locked up in a room. It's so sad. Dad looked so terrible. My mom cried and kept begging them to allow her to meet him. But they didn't."
Selena sighed again. "I know Dad liked to produce some drugs," she whispered to Oxy. "There's a green pill that I used to help my sleeping problem."
Oxy widened her eyes. What? Green pill? Was it the same pill that Mr. Dome had given her to get a good night's sleep without went to the dimension?
"Dad made the pill by himself. I never found the pill in any hospital or pharmacy." Selena continued, still in a whisper. "If I don't take the pill..." the girl blinked her pale blue eyes. "I'll be trapped in a nightmare."
Selena pulled herself back, smiling crookedly. "I knew you wouldn't believe me."
"I believe you," Oxy said without hesitation.
"Really? Hey, you don't have to please me. You can say I am crazy," Selena laughed a little.
"But it happened to me too."
It was Selena's turn to blink in confusion.
"I had that nightmare too, and Mr. Dome saved me with... this," Oxy reached something out inside her bag. She handed Selena a white bottle. "Just look."
Selena accepted the bottle hesitantly.
"Green pills?" Selena whispered in disbelief. "Dad gave it to you too?"
Oxy nodded. "Yes. I think we dreamt of the same place." She said. "Was your nightmare somewhere like a city with a red sky?"
Selena was just more confused. "Yes, some kind a destroyed city, and right, with the red sky. When you got the dream first?"
"About two weeks ago. How about you?"
"It was my tenth birthday."
"Your tenth birthday?" Oxy was so surprised.
"Yes," replied Selena. "I was trapped there, and being chased by a terrible creature. Have you seen that creature too?"
"Yes, they are Urons."
"They have names?"
"Mr. Dome calls them that. I don't know who named them."
Selena shook her head in disbelief. "Dad never mentioned the creature's name."
"Did your father ever mention a boy named Helio?"
Selena shook her head again.
"So you've never seen a boy with long red hair?"
"I don't think so," said Selena. "Who is he anyway?"
"Just someone I need to find," replied Oxy.
"Anyway, that place is not a dream," Oxy continued. "It is another dimension we enter through the intersection of dreams. It's real."
"Hey, no way. It must be just a dream. How could it be real?"
"Just try to remember what it was like to be there? When you were being chased by that horrible creature, you must feel real, right?"
Selena was silent for a moment, she looked hard to believe, but also unable to argue.
"Cerebra, the lost city, trapped in that dimension somehow. Urons live there and prey on humans who are trapped in the dimension. When someone falls asleep and enters Cerebra, they will be chased by Uron. Because of that, the people who are trapped won't want to sleep again. The Mayor calls that symptom Brain Fog."
Selena was more confused to hear Oxy's explanation.
"It can't be real," Selena was still in doubt.
Oxy wanted to ask what had happened when Selena was trapped there, but seeing Selena's expression she stopped her intention. Maybe Selena still needed time to process all of this.
"I have to get back to the inn," Selena said suddenly.
"I'll take you," Oxy offered herself.
"No, there's no need."
"Are you sure? You just came to this city, you'll get lost. I want to help you."
"I won't get lost. I already know the way." Selena was already standing. "See you later."
"Yeah, see you later," Oxy let Selena walk away. She watched Selena until the girl went out of the restaurant. For some reason, Oxy felt that Selena was starting to avoid her. Of course, who wanted to be friends with the weird kid that mentions something about dimension and some monster named Urons?
--
Oxy decided not to return to the dimension that night. She lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. She didn't get some new message. Selena and her mom might be back in their city.
Also, an account called Hydroxxx was still not active.
However, all of this certainly didn't just happen by chance. Selena and Hydroxxx might be one of the seven kids who survive Cerebra sixteen years ago. Seeing how connected they all were through Mr. Dome, Helio might have been somewhere connected too. Maybe she could help Helio if she found the kid.
But where did she get started?
The flash drive?
Too bad, because she wasn't able to open the file. Maybe she needed someone who expert in computers to extract the file. But she couldn't just pick anyone because the file might be something top secret.
Oxy sighed. She started to think too seriously again, other children at her age usually wouldn't think about this. So silly.
Oxy took one green pill. Her stockpile dwindled faster if she continued to use them every night.
There should be another way, Oxy thought as she swallowed the green pill.
A way that did not require drugs. A way for her to sleep normally without returning to the dimension.
There might be a way.[]