Dark Dreamer

Chapter 2: The Unconscious being Conscious

I start down the halfway, nervously keeping a lookout for Lauren, who had promised to meet me before we head off to breakfast.

In the residence hall, there is almost no activity. And it's really dark. That's not unusual here.

I pass door after door of pleasant Dreamers behind them. There's no telling when these people will wake. Their dreams keep them fully occupied--- or, as occupied as they can in their dreams.

Unconscious. That's what we get, working in Unconscious.

I finally reach the end of the hall. The elevator doors at the end are open, as always. No one uses them, from our floor, as it's too early. The sun ain't gonna shine down on them, where they lie, attracted, as always, to the magnetic pull of their beds--- aided by the pulling force of their pleasant dreams, I suppose.

Funny how I never have those dreams. Everyone else in our Level is attacked by dreams. All I get are weirdos, maybe even stray escapees. When I become a Catcher, I'll have to find some solution to my dreams...

I step into the elevator and am immediately greeted by my reflections. Infinite, there seem to be an uncountable amount of Leanne's in the elevator.

I suppose the idea's cool. Ever since they renovated this place, they picked up new ideas from the outside world. This design is quite new, now there are mirrors everywhere, in the Subconscious Level.

Every place I go, I'm followed--- by my own reflection. Soon, I give up trying to differentiate between other people's real form and their multiple reflections. I guess, after all, we are supposed to be manipulated by them, they are the Subconscious after all, specialties in hypnosis. You're made to feel in a trance. I'm glad I'm not in there. Must be hard, trying to separate reality and fantasy, all the time. Believe me, their mirrors aren't the only thing I've faced before.

I guess I shouldn't talk, seeing as I'm in Unconscious, and that's as deadly as getting conked on the head. On second thought, it'll be safer if you watch where you're going when you're out on the streets--- avoid all scaffolding and construction sites, you'll never know when a brick might fall off and conk some unsuspecting pedestrian.

You know about coma? Well, we are partially responsible for what happens to your mind when you are comatose, you lose all sense of response. Even the most painful of stimuli can't rouse you from your coma... that's when the Unconscious take over.

Oh, and delirium. You don't want to mess with an Unconscious, especially in our territory.

If you don't know what delirium is, it is an acute confusional state, which involves cognitive deficits, it could cause hyperactivity, change the way you percept your surroundings, alter your sleep-wake cycle.

Hallucinations and delusions. We have more of those in Unconscious, compared to the Semi-C.

The elevator makes a dinging sound, signalling the arrival of the car.

The doors slide open and I'm at the Conscious Dining Hall.

Why do they own everything interesting? I'm so jealous.

After my pupils adjust the the sudden brightness, I look around, trying to find my friends.

The place is buzzing with activity. Here and there, people are shouting and laughing in groups, gossiping about the latest advancement in the Outside World.

There is a noticeable contrast between all Levels in the Institution, you'd have to be blind not to be able to tell. Blind, or, Unconscious.