[b]Chapter Seven[/b]
You're sitting in a movie theatre, one of those old fashioned ones that look more like an opera house. A jaunty piano tune is playing. On the screen, rendered in flickering black and white, are wolves. They're looking for something. You're not sure what.
Sludgy black water is pouring from the walls, slowly flooding the room.
"Hey, Gideon Mercer."
You look to your side. Your heart flies into your mouth. Sitting around you is your pack. Your old pack. You see the faces you grew up with. They're talking, laughing, and passing boxes of popcorn between them.
Beside you is a woman with curly dark blonde hair and black skin.
"Mum?" you whisper.
"It's been a long time," she says easily. "Though truth be told, I was hoping it would be longer. You shouldn't have jumped off that bridge, sweetheart."
"You're dead," you tell her.
A sad smile. "You are too."
The water in the theatre is up to your ankles. It's icy and inky black.
"No. I'm not."
"You are," she says softly. "Don't you remember? You jumped off a bridge with Sergi and drowned. You both did."
"How did you know that?"
"I saw it here," she gestures at the screen. "It's not quite IMAX but it's better than nothing. No sound though."
"No." You shake your head. "That can't be right."
"Why not?"
"Sergi's name. How did you know Sergi's name?"
She doesn't answer. For the first time, you notice she's not wearing the sea shell necklace your mum always wore. As soon as that thought passes through your skull, the necklace appears on her neck.
"I'm dreaming," you realise. "You're my subconscious."
She doesn't deny it. "Do you hear that sound?"
You do. You look up. Hanging from the dripping wet ceiling, the cinema's fire alarm is flashing. The blinking red light is accompanied by a dull repetitive chime.
beep beep beep beep
"Oh," your mother leans back in her chair. "I was wrong. That's good."
"What is? What does that mean?"
"You know what it means," she says. "It's time to stop dreaming. Don't jump off any more bridges, sweetheart. That's an order." Before you can say anything she reaches out and pushes you out of your chair. You fall backwards into the water. It swallows you, dark, cold, wet...
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