Life As We Don't Know It (An Anthology)

The Hooded Man: Part 4

She looked around at the rainbow dots that danced behind her eyelids. After being here as long as she has, she's gotten rather used to the sheer and utter darkness that her surroundings consisted of. And for some reason, this has caused her eyes to react in the odd way of making there be color, light.

She breathed deeply as she looked at the still body of Shakes. He was sleeping, causing havoc in someone's dreams. But she didn't feel like sleeping right now. Though Shakes seemed to enjoy these dreams... she didn't as much. They creeped her out almost as much as the dreams she used to have of the hooded man.

It wasn't just that they creeped her out, but she feels so mean in them. Sometimes, she'd crash into a person while driving in a car. It wasn't even like it was an accident- in the dreams she wanted to cause pain to her victims. Other times she would... oh, some of the things she did in her dreams were so disgusting, so inappropriate there is no way she'd want to consiously think about it. In fact, some things that she dreamed about were suppressed into her unconsious. It has been that bad.

She leaned back and sighed. At times, living in this world of black nothingness can be boring. She scowled. Who was she kidding? It's always boring here, she's absolutely miserable. What kind of life is she even living? Though, there really wasn't much of an alternative.

Sure she could decide to lose all hope so she could disappear then sink into the ground. But... then what? She couldn't do that because, however crazy, maybe where she would end up would be worse than where she is currently. Now she just lives in the absense of practically everything. The place below her feet could be full of somethings that were so unpleasant that she would actually wish for the nothing that she currently has if she were there. It really wasn't that bad.

She held onto her head since her logic was so weak that even the smallest groove might cause it to shatter. A tear fell from her eyes. Staying strong was getting harder and harder by each passing day. Not that she could tell how much time has passed. It was almost like she was in a coma, or dreaming the whole time... at least thinking so was one of the few things that have been keeping her sane.

Then, she heard the slightest sound coming from Shakes. His breathing had changed ever so slightly. When you're in complete issolation, you begin to have heightened senses.

"Good time," she said to him. Since there wasn't morning or night in the black void that they lived in, everyone just says that instead of 'good morning' or 'good night'. It helped them ignore the fact that there really wasn't any time at all, for all practicle purposes.

"Good time", he echoed back. His voice sounded conflicted, or was it confused?

"What's up, Shakes?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't say anything for a moment. "Well, I think I may have an... inkling about what happened to the others."

She reciprocated his eyebrow gesture. "What do you mean?" Then, her eyes widened with a hope that she hasn't had in a long time.

"I don't know." He shook his head back and forth. "You'll think I'm crazy."

In response, she looked around at the dark emptiness. "What could be more crazy then this?"

He shrugged in agreement with her, but still looked unconvinced.

"Just spit it out!" She was too excited to let him ponder the seemingly impossible explanation he had.

"Well," he began, "there was this guy I saw in the dream I was in. I don't even want to discuss what I had been doing... Well, a man saw me doing the terrible things I was up to, and he screamed at me, 'Tell her I'm sorry!'" He paused for a few moments.