Chapter 20

Once I dropped Rachelle off and arrived home, I was super exhausted and I skipped brushing my teeth and showering.  I was just that tired.  I think I fell asleep right when my head hit the pillow.  This is the point where someone would say that they had a dreamless night, but that is so not me.  I'm not just some random 'someone.'

I was then walking aimlessly around Bridgeport.

I was lucid right then, right from the beginning of the dream.  I was eager to try Rachelle and my plan.  I started to think the worst.

OMG, I'm drowing!  Where is a certain person when I need her?

The second part of my thought was really stupid sounding, hopefully it will count.  I'm not quite the actor that Rachelle is.

But then I could feel a tingly little 'ring' in the back of my brain.  I brought it into my consious, and I listened to it.

OMG Alex!  Get your freaking tush over hear!

It felt like I was going to lose my hearing from her super loud voice (wow that girl can scream), and her voice was only coming through my head-and it still felt like my ear drums were going to burst!  She really is good at being loud and dramatic.  Hers sounded freaking real, because she actually chose to use something that was true.  And of course I had to say something stupid.  Of course. 

So I continued to walk, knowing that in a few steps, I would be where ever it was that she was.  I was willing for it to work.

This is my dream and it will work.  I will be where ever it is that Rachelle it is, in just a few brief moments.

And it worked.  I appeared in a small little room very high up.  It was very stony and renaisance-ish looking.

Rachelle smiled at me.

"Ah, so you made it.  How did it feel?"

"Like you were invading my thoughts."

She frowned.  "Uh-what do you mean I was invading your thoughts?"

I laughed.  "Oh, because I felt like it."

"Well then, I'm glad that you felt like it. So I've been thinking, we should fly out of here, huh?"

"Like...how?  There are no doors."

"Imagination, Alex, imagination.  This is...our dream, so we can do whatever.  Just go through the window as if you were a ghost.  You know, don't break it."

"Alright!"

I put my faith in it, and I followed her out of the window.  It was weird to go right through the window without me hurting or it shattering into a million tiny pieces.  But, I was fine.  Then she noticed a door below.

"Come on, let's see what's behind that door."

"Sounds good."

"Sometimes one of my favorite things to do in lucid dreams is just exploring.  It's amazing what you can see and what your brain can make you think that you're seeing."

I looked around, and I could tell what she meant by the 'dream aura', it really didn't feel like real life.  It was just strange that Rachelle was with me, since now I've actually seen-and hung out with her-in real life.  It was like the one true element in the whole dream place.

When we got inside, it was similar to what it looked like on the outside, it was all old time-y.  There was a very beautiful, and I looked at Rachelle's face (I guess now that I know what she looks like and I've seen her in real life, I can more easily make our her face now in this dream), and it was bright red, like, scorching red.  She probably was embarassed by what the room was insinuating, if you know what I mean.  I was a little embarassed by it too, but I didn't show it.

"Come on, take my hands and we can teleport ourselves to another part of the house."

I figured neither of wanted to be in that room for another minute, even to just walk through it.  I mean, why not if we can teleport anyway?

"Sure, sounds good, Alex."

When I started to let go of her hands, we were in another room.  The teleportation was rather sudden.  Nothing really really happened.  I blinked, and we were there.

This room was rather large, and right behind us layed a sofa, it was a soft ivory color, very fancy looking.  And comfy looking.

I nodded toward the sofa, and Rachelle nodded blankly, though really she was acting shy.

I sat down and she sat beside me.  I started to put my arm over her, and she scooted over to me.  She was staring at the tiles on the floor, suddenly acting really shy.  I was surprisingly confident.  It's funny.  She said how she is more confident in dreams, and that seems to be true for me.  I guess not as much today.

'Alex, that's because we both know this isn't just in our own heads anymore.  It's just not me that truly exists in the real world, you do too.  How we're acting toward each other is closer to how we'd act in the waking world-and you're just being surprisingly confident.  And sexy...But the only reason I 'say' that is because it's easy to think but not to think aloud.'

"What was that, Rachelle?"

"Oh-um..you heard that?"

"Yeah I did.  I'm getting up there in my dreaming skills.  I may be able to compete with you one day."

"Yeah, you wish."

"Yes, I not only wish but it'll come true.  But don't change the subject-what was that?"

"Oh...um..."

"You don't have to act like this.  You know that we have a bond, you can tell me anything.  What, am I going to think you're weird?  Yes, you are.  But I'm the king of weird, nothing new to me."

"Ok, fine.  I thought that you were sexy..."

"And you're beautiful.  See, was that so hard?"

She smiled up at me wide, and I reciprocated.

Then all of a sudden, I heard someone walking toward us.

"Llama, Alex.  I thought I told you that I'm real.  I exist and you still haven't done anything about it."
"Yeah, sure.  You're just a figment of my imagination.  I could always just think you away-this is our dream-as in mine and Rachelle's.  You just replicated yourself out of me since you're me.  Why am I kidding yourself?"

"You've got it all wrong, Alex.  I need your help."

And then without another word, he disapeared, leaving no trace that he was ever there.  I was half thinking that he wasn't ever there in the first place.

I looked at Rachelle and she looked at me.  I just let myself get lost in her gorgeous big eyes.  I didn't want to think of my self appearing in my dream, it was really starting to get to me.  Whenever he'd be in my dreams, I would shiver inside.  It's very creepy to see yourself when it's not in a mirror.  Funny how he was in one of my dreams involving a mirror. 

I could tell that Rachelle didn't want to think about it either.  I didn't feel like reading her mind though, I was scared of what she's thinking.

I could feel myself getting lost in her eyes so much, that I could feel the dream fading.

And then I woke up.

Well, that was a great dream gone creepy.

Why does my mind keep making another me appear in my dreams?  What's the point.  I get that dreams are weird and that random things happen in them, but if it's so happen, why does he keep coming into my dreams more than just once?  It wasn't even twice.  What has it but, like five by now?  More?  Will he ever stop appearing in my dreams?  It's really starting to get on my nervers.

I got up and I hopped in the shower.  I was feeling really scummy.  The bathroom was surprisingly big, but not super glamorous. 

Anyway, I wished to shower not only to scrub away all of my dirt and grime, but showers are the hallmark for the place to think, along with gettin on with your musical talent.  But, I'm not really a singer.  I was thinking about everything that's happened lately.  It was a little much.

So I become interested in dreams after recalling a little nightmare, then Mr. Simmons points out to me that what I really could be interested in might be 'right under my nose'.  Soon I figure out that for me it's dreams.  I have dreams, learn about lucid dreaming, and then this girl randomly shows up in a dream, and I was teleported there.  She is going to kiss me.  Then I have other dreams where she comes in and saves me, and then I go to a dreaming presentation, which connects with it all.  And she's there!  Then I truly get to know her (or at least start to), and she is totally the girl for me, and we've already clicked.  So I can pretty much say that dreams have made my life good.

Wow, who else can say that that's happened to them?

When I was done with my shower and having breakfast, I decided that until four I would visit the art museum, it was at least something to do.  I was pleasantly surprised right from the beginning.  The outside was shaped was strangely, in a good way.  Strange is like me.  In a messed up way, I thought that it resembled the brain with all of its nooks and crannies and its complex shapes, and even the random dispersion of the windows.  Yeah, only I would think of it.

Inside, it looked similar to the outside in that all of the paintings were strange, modern paintings.  But I like strange.  Some of the paintings were horribly simple, though.  Like, I would be able to do it.  Take a brush, paint, and a canvas, and I could just splat paint all over the canvas and call it a work of art.  Them modern artists have it good.

I was happy when I was finally able to get to her house, I arrived at four ten, so at least I wasn't arriving right at four, so I wasn't seeming so pushy.

But she seemed a little excited.  I arrived right at the door, and she came right out.  It was almost like we were telepathic, like in our dreams.

"Wow, you seem eager."

"Ha ha, Alex.  I just came out here to get the mail, actually.  You just so happened to stand right there right as I was coming out."

"Yeah, I figured it was something like that and you weren't happy to see me."

"Of course I'm happy to see you!  Come inside, forget about the mail."

"I'll give you a tour of my modest, ugly abode.  This is the kitchen/living room."
"Love the touch of the cow couch!"
"Yeah I know it's hideous.  I wish it could be any other pattern, but I need more money before I can afford anything better.  College is expensive, and I've only just started my first full time job!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry.  I wouldn't know how that is.  I am just a slacker and didn't go to college.  I'm just a modest salesman."

She playfully shoved me, most likely since she didn't know what to say to that.

"This is my room."
"Wow, it's way better then downstairs."

"Yeah, I've been spending my money for my room, as this is where I spend the most time.  It's funny, as a teenager I had a really cute room and everything, but I rarely spent time in it.  And now that I live alone, I spend all sorts of time up here!"

"How ironic."

"Yeah!  I guess that's because it just looks so much better up here.  If the living room was roomy and the house was just plain better, I would probably spend more time there.  There is one thing I really want to change up here.  I don't like the wallpaper so much.  Wallpaper isn't my thing, and it came with the house.  I'm a bright color kind of person, but wallpaper...eh!"

"Yeah, you seem like a bright color kind of person.  Your personality screams 'look at me.'"

"Ha ha, you think so?  Thanks.  So I was thinking we could walk to a park."

"Sounds good.  Alright then, let's go."

Well, Rachelle did say we were going to walk to a park, so of course we did.  But I was stupid because here I was thinking it would take under a half hour, but it took about twice as that.  And it was a really hot day, and here I was in a long sleeved shirt and jeans.  She was way more suited for the weather.

"Ugh Rachelle, this walk is so long and it's so hot."

"Yeah, it is."  She looked from side to side and up and down.  "In mor than one way."

Ah, she digs me.

Finally (after maybe an hour), we arrived at the park.

"Wow-some park."

"Yeah, I know!  I don't know what it's really called, but I call it the butterfly park because of that butterfly right there.  Whoever designed that is a creative genius.  It's one thing to draw a butterfly, but another to make it large scale.  It's way bigger than me, that's for sure."

"Yeah it is cool. So when are we going to get to our destination, exactly?"

"Oh, just a little more, your feet can take it."

Well, there was one good thing about the walk taking so long.  It was much more fun than going to the gym.  I had a companion to talk with, and our conversation never seemed to lull.

We went into the little building and ended up coming into the dome.

"Why is there a dome here, exactly?"

"This is a butterfly sanctuary.  Rare butterflies are kept and preserved here, and some are released into the wild.  It's genius.  At the moment most are still in their cocoons, so that's why you don't see any flying about."

"Wow, that's pretty cool.  So-they're tropical butterflies."
"Yep."

I was assuming they were since it was like a hundred degrees in there and humid.  Like, a hundred percent humidity.

"How long do we have to stay in here?"

She gave me this pout face. "Why, do you not want to be with me anymore?"

"Of course not!  I love your company.  I adore it.  But I'm burning up a storm here."
"Soon.  Be patient." 

Then she started to walk in the center.

"Um-are we allowed to leave the path?"

"Well, maybe not technically, but if we didn't, then I wouldn't be able to show you something...  Most people don't know about it because they think that because this is a sanctuary for rare butterflies that they're not allowed to go past the paths.  Or maybe people just aren't comfortable with it.  I don't know, I'm not them."

"So...what are we supposed to see exactly?"

"That."

Then I spotted it.  Between a few palm trees layed a hole.

"A hole?"

"Yup, a hole."

"A hole?!"

"Yes a hole, we've already gone through that!  Now just go through the hole."
"Are you crazy?"

"No, of course not.  I've done it before!  Geez, just watch me."

She went down, and to my surprise she didn't fall down or anything, she didn't even look dirty.  I was able to make out some sort of pole.

I went down carefully, and I felt the pole.

"There you go-you got this Alex.  Just slide down the pole."

We made it down, and it was significantly cooler.  It was a very welcome change.  The room was empty besides a game called gnub.

"Have you ever played this before, Alex?"

"Actually, no."

I haven't always been a game enthusiast as Rachelle obviously is, but that's just because I guess my parents weren't, so we never owned any.  But thanks to Rachelle, I was beginning to understand that I liked games.

"You just knock down the bunnies with a stick, then you can try at the king and you win.  Simple."

"Sounds easy enough!"

And it was really easy. I actually ended up winning!

"Beginners luck!"

"So, what's with all of the rocks?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"Yes."

"Do you really really wanna know?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay then.  They don't just look really cool.  You see that large clump in the corner?  A surprise awaits under it."

So Rachelle made me move the rocks, and they were heavy.  Very heavy.  As I moved the last rock, Rachelle looked at the hole I uncovered.

"We have to go down there?"

"Yup, another hole!"

"Yeah, what's up with these holes?  It's very insane and surprisingly dream-like."

"I am not sure, but I like to think that someone left a little gift here for anyone that is willing to look and explore.  But isn't it fun?"

"I suppose so."

"Ok, down we go! Me first."

When we made it down (which by the way was down a slide into a little bit of water.  There was a moat-pool around this room), Rachelle took off her clothes to reveal a purple suit (aparently she was expecting that we'd come here), and I took off my shirt and threw it on the ground.  I could tell that Rachelle was staring at me, and it wasn't my face.

The whole room was beautiful, unlike the room above.  It was covered in stones and pebbles and a few plants-though they must have been plastic, because how could you bring water up here?

But what about the pool's water?

I figured it could be taken from ground water, because otherwise it would make no sense.

"Awesome space huh," she says with much enthusiasm.

"Oh, yes."  I changed the tone to make it more flirty, and I raised an eyebrow.  Once again, thank you Marshall and Jeff.  Note to self:  thank Marshall and Jeff when I get home.

 "Hey, let's get in the hot tub."

Yup, a pool and a hot tub underground.  Couldn't be more epic!

I got in the hot tub, and she followed.  Then we turned on the radio.  Yeah, a radio too!

"So...about you showing up in your dreams-the other you."

"Yeah, isn't that weird?  Other me gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, it is a little ominous to see two of you in dreams."

"You've only seen other me one other time, I've had to deal with him a few times before.  He seems to think that I should believe that he is real and not just me.  Not just my mind manifesting itself as him."

"You know, this is going to sound insane, but I think he's telling the truth."

"I don't get it."

"You may want to look into it.  I'm real and I've been in your dreams just as he said."
"Yeah, but that's different.  You're an entirely different person-but that guy is me."

She shrugs.  "I don't know.  He won't leave you alone, clearly.  You should just try to think about it."

"And do what about it, exactly?  Go looking for him, that is me, in real life?"

"I'd say to keep your eyes peeled."

Pch, this is silly, and impossible.

I started to kiss her to shut her up.  I really like this girl, llama knows, but it was really weird to talk about other me from my dreams-he can't possibly be real!

I swear we were kissing for five minutes straight.  I was gasping for air often, but we couldn't peel ourselves from each other.  The kissing was slightly better than yesturday, don't get me wrong, your first kiss is unforgettable, but this time our lips weren't leaving for seconds at a time, and we were getting better and better each second.  We were each other's mutual teachers.