Easterndam

As they reached the edge of the city, the Dream which had begun to clog even their filtered masks had only managed to increase in volume. As if they were standing in the middle of a blizzard Jonathan and Lewis could not see much past their headlights. It did not help either that their headlights began to flicker as the Dream’s overbearing presence messed with its electrical capabilities.

“Seems like it really works.” Jonathan says.

“What works?”

“These filters I designed, they can really work up to a level three zone.”

“Good thing too. I definitely would’ve had my nostrils filled to the brim already if it wasn’t for the filter– Wait.” Lewis says as he comes to an abrupt stop.

Trying to see what is in front of Lewis, Jonathan squints to the darkness to see a makeshift barricade blocking the road ahead.

“Turn back. We’ve been abandoned.” Jonathan says, reading the hastily written sign on the blockade.

“Sure feels that way.” Lewis says as he stands up from his motorcycle and pushes aside the barricade.

Jonathan watches as the Dream’s frenzy hastened around Lewis as he exerts himself to push aside the roadblock.

“You need help there?” Jonathan says, seeing Lewis struggle.

“No, it's fine. Just a bit heavy.”

Pushing himself, Lewis manages to remove the roadblock before he groans in pain and grabs his augmented arm’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just my arm feeling a little weird since we’ve gotten this far. It's probably the Dream messing with me.”

“Weird how?”

“I don’t know how to describe it, I guess you can say my arm feels like it's buzzing. I probably just need a cigarette.”

“If you say so. Just try to take it easy until we get back into the city I suppose.”

Returning to his motorcycle, they continue on their way deeper into the level three zone past the blockade. Trying to catch glimpses of the area around him through the storm, Jonathan could at the very least tell that they were surrounded by large buildings which had their windows shattered.

“It hasn’t even been that long since this area has been evacuated, but everything looks like it’s been abandoned for years.”

“That's just how powerful blasting bricks with thousands of Dream particles is. It erodes as quickly as stone in a waterfall.”

A breeze passes by and Jonathan tries to cover himself with the cloak as he feels the Dream particles pelt his exposed skin.

“Sure feels that way too.”

Continuing along, they try their best to maneuver past the large cracks which had begun to form on the asphalt. Every once in a while they come to a pause when both of their headlights turn off at the same moment, hoping that they will turn back on given time. The further they tread the streets the more common these occurrences happened and the more they felt that a miracle occurred when their vision returned. Pushing along they were met with a large sign by the side of the road, which Jonathan moved ahead to get a better view of. Focusing hard, Jonathan was able to read the sign which had its paint buffed by the constant bombardment of Dream.

Our pride, the great Overridge factories and the Easterndam road!

“We’re almost there, Lewis. The Easterndam road is close.”

“Then let's keep moving.”

Going forward, ahead of the sign, the road’s elevation slowly declined. Jonathan was able to tell from the increase in the motorcycle’s innate roll from when he released the brakes. As they moved forwards it became apparent that they have yet to reach the limits of Dream’s hostility. Jonathan felt as though he was being beaten from under his cloak and clothes by the uncountable amount of Dream particles stifling the air. It was starting to get hard to even take a breath with just how much Dream impeded the air flow through the face covering, even with the filter working to its limits. Just as things couldn’t get worse, Lewis’ headlight suddenly bursts from the pressure of the surrounding Dream.

“Great, I can’t even breathe and now this.” Lewis says, barely audible over the intense buzz of the Dream.

“We’ve got to be almost halfway there. We can do this!” Jonathan says.

Accepting the current position, Lewis pulls back to allow Jonathan to take the lead on the mountain road. Like a lone lantern in the storm, they tread warily as the Dream continues to limit their vision further, reaching a point where Jonathan felt as though he was only able to see purple and nothing else. So deep in the storm, it had become impossible for Jonathan to tell if it was still night or if the morning had already taken its place. Time began to lose its sense to him as they struggled for each and every inch.

Despite their tremendous tenacity to strive along, the horrendous Dream storm and their waning mental state from lack of sleep was starting to have its impact as for every time Jonathan’s light died on them, they struggled to keep conscious in the absolute darkness.

“It's so hard to stay up Lewis… It feels like I’m just sitting in water at this point.” Jonathan says as they wait for the light to hopefully return.

“Come on Jonathan, if we even close our eyes for a minute we would probably suffocate in our sleep.”

It was miraculous that they were able to strive so far, but their luck was beginning to run short and Jonathan could feel it with a heaviness in his heart. Before they knew it, Jonathan’s light also shattered, leaving them at their wits to contend with the instant darkness that consumed them.

“What do we do now?”

“We just have to keep moving forward. We won’t make it if we wait for sunlight.”

“I guess I’ll just keep going, try using that arm feeling you have to follow.”

“Can’t, too much Dream interference.”

“Well just follow my voice.”

Forced to rely completely on their hearing alone, they manage to cover some distance.

“Over here! Are you still there!” Jonathan yells out in the darkness.

“Right behind–” Lewis says before he yelps.

Masked by the sounds of the flying Dream, Jonathan could hear the sounds of metal crashing and foliage shifting to his left.

“Lewis! Lewis! Are you alright!?”

Feeling his heart now pounding away at his chest, Jonathan sets down his motorcycle and walks towards where he last heard the sounds.

“Lewis! Come on, speak to me!”

In his hurry to find Lewis, Jonathan suddenly lost his footing in an unexpected pothole in the road, causing him to trip and fall. Not realizing that he was standing by the edge of the road, Jonathan tumbled down the side. As his primal instincts took hold of him naturally, he tucked himself and braced for impact as he felt several stones and branches batter his body as he rolled. He could feel his mind slipping as his sense of orientation began to give out on him. With each revolution he made, the more debris struck at his body. He felt his bones strain at the impact of each small but piercing blow. With a sweet release, Jonathan felt a smashing blow to his face.

“The next step for humanity has finally been accomplished by Mira Corporation. The new nano machine, Dream, will change the very structure of society.”

Opening his eyes, Jonathan rubs his face as he stands in front of a stove, his stove from his house. Realizing that he was in the middle of cooking his eggs and rice, Jonathan stirs around the cooking ingredients while the cicadas chirped outside during a particularly humid midsummer morning. In the corner of the kitchen a small plastic fan sways from side to side as its streamer flutters to provide respite from the heat. Finishing up, he wraps a portion of the meal for his mother and places it in the fridge for later. Taking his share, Jonathan takes a seat at the kitchen table and prepares to eat. He is dressed in a white collared dress shirt and beige pants, and sitting alone he decides to watch the news playing on the television that sat on a counter in the corner of the room. With interest, Jonathan watches as a ceremony is broadcasted; several hundred people are attending and in the corner of the program, text scrolls by.

Mira Corporation has recently begun sales of Dream. Company President, Kono Takamura, soon to speak for the momentous occasion.

Switching to the main podium, the camera focuses on Kono Takamura preparing himself before the audience. Alex and other important members of Mira sit behind him, looking on with hope for their president and his message.

“Jonathan you’ve found yourself in quite the mess.” Kono says.

Confused, Jonathan stops eating.

“Did he just–” Jonathan thought before Kono cleared his throat.

“You really need to wake up, things are not looking so well.” Kono says.

“Are you… talking to me?” Jonathan says as he points to himself.

“Of course I am. Listen Jonathan, now that you’re closer to us I can really speak with you–”

“Wait, wait, wait. I must be dreaming– I am dreaming, and you must be the Dream speaking to me once again.”

“Good, you’ve caught on fast. Now listen, in order to get out of your current situation you must focus on us Jonathan.”

Sensing his confusion the image of Kono on the television clears his throat.

“Remember your hand.”

Jonathan looks down to find that his hand was glowing purple, shocked he looks up to Kono.

“You have power over us Jonathan. You’re one of the few that are worthy of this trust. Use us Jonathan. You don't have much time.”

“What do you mean by use? Just how do I do that?”

“Think and we will follow. Now focus since you should be feeling it now.”

“Feeling what, you’re not making–”

Trying to speak, Jonathan could feel that his throat was starting to close in on him.

“You’re choking in the storm right now. Think, move us out of here before it's too late.”

“What do I do? Do I just hope for it to go away? Dream leave me! Go!” Jonathan tries to think, forcing his eyes shut tight.

“Think harder, it's a tough connection to manage between us.”

Desperate for air, Jonathan tries again.

“Come on, leave! Leave!” Jonathan thinks, reaching his limit as he could sense the white light beginning to erode away at his old kitchen.

“LEAVE!” Jonathan managed to shriek from his collapsed lungs.

From his hand emitted a blinding flash of purple light which forced Jonathan to wince and look away in discomfort.

“Did it work?” Jonathan thought as he waited with his eyes closed for the bright purple light to dissipate, but it never did.

Opening his eyes, Jonathan sees that he is extending his hand out to a veil of swirling purple-neon lights that has completely enveloped him. Regaining his senses he realized that the bubble he was sitting in the middle of was in fact made out of Dream, which for some reason did not invade the clear patch of forest that he found himself in.

“Wow, I can’t believe this.” Jonathan says, he stands up and notices that his hand is slightly glowing violet.

With caution, he touches his hand to find that whatever was causing it to glow must have been deeply embedded within his flesh.

“This has got to be some of the remnant Dream that had entered my body back when I put my hand inside that Dream cloud all those years ago. I need to tell Lewis. Wait, where is Lewis?”

Looking around, Jonathan finds that he is alone in his bubble as a drop of blood drips from a cut on his forehead.

“How can I forget that Lewis fell down here as well?”

“Lewis!” Jonathan calls out.

Moving closer to the edge, the bubble of safety moves as to keep Jonathan centered. Noticing this, Jonathan starts to run, or at least half-run as he had badly injured his leg when he rolled down the roadside hill.

“Lewis, where are you!” Jonathan yelled as he pushed the surrounding shrubbery of the forest.

Battered and marked full of holes, most of the leaves that Jonathan pushed aside as he ran looking for Lewis along the slope broke off their branches at his mere touch.

“Lewis!”

Snapping a feeble bough blocking his path, Jonathan suddenly hears coughing. Rushing his way towards the source of sound, Jonathan uncovers an unmasked Lewis choking on the Dream with the crumpled remains of his motorcycle lying bent in a tree beside him.

“Lewis! There you are! Cough it all out, you’re good now.”

Spitting out a slew of Dream, Lewis lays back down and takes deep breaths as he wipes away the tears at his eyes.

“I thought I was a goner. Why did the Dream clear up all of a sudden?”

“Turns out the Dream really wants us to finish our journey in one piece,” Jonathan says as he extends his glowing hand out to him.

“Let’s finish this shall we?”

Lewis looks at his glowing hand and the swirling Dream lighting up the darkness around them and laughs before taking his hand.

“Let’s go.” Lewis says as he stands up.

Clutching his side, Lewis takes a look at the surrounding forest and sees his crumpled motorcycle.

“Served me well, but I guess we’re just going to have to ride together.” Lewis says as he starts towards the hill back up the road.

“Wait.”

Walking towards the motorcycle, Jonathan puts his glowing hand on a bent piece of its chassis. Completely chipped to its metallic interior from the prolonged blasts of Dream, completely malformed and headlights missing, Jonathan thought that the motorcycle was a lot like his when he first received it from Benedict.

“Maybe I can fix this.”

“What do you mean fix, it's long gone Jonathan. It's nothing but scrap now.”

“Please Dream, return the motorcycle back to us.” Jonathan thought.

He felt a tingle in his hand, but nothing happened.

“Please Dream!” Jonathan shouted in his mind, though still nothing occurred.

Confused, Lewis grabs Jonathan by the shoulder.

“Come on, we can’t waste much time, who knows when this barrier is going to fall.”

“Sorry, you’re right. I thought I could fix it, but I just can’t.”

“Don’t worry. We’re alive so that’s all that really matters in the end.”

Letting go, Lewis turns around and starts traversing up the slope. Giving his final respects to the motorcycle, Jonathan gives it a final pat before following in suit behind Lewis.