Dreams

The main room was very bright, the afternoon sun filtering through the windows all across the front wall leaving a reddish-orange glow everywhere blocking out the white LED lights, there were desks with computers pressed against the front windows casting shadows from the blocked light with a faint glow from the screens shining down on the dark parts of the surfaces, the walls were painted a burnt sunflower color and the floor was tiled, mostly white with hints of neon colors, hot pink, yellow, navy blue, and green, almost like those dance pads that come with dance-dance revolution in arcades, in the ceiling were holes where the LEDs were and had this rough texture like the paint had dripped from the ceiling when it was drying.

Along with the desks, the room was decorated with posters of JRPGs, FPSs, and MMORPGs, There was a counter on the far corner of the building with a wall of prizes hung up and a very tired worker standing there listening to two babbling kids, figurines from anime and movies were put up on shelves along with plants, intricate pottery, lanterns, and framed pictures/awards, right across from the entrance there was a wall with a whole bunch of doors with a plate next to it with the word "gaming" engraved, but that's not what I was here for.

"Come on" My mother hissed and yanked me forward by my bicep.

I was currently shaking and breathing heavy, anxiety was seeping into my bones and it was so hard not to cry from the mix of pain in my arm and fear that was gripping me, closing my throat and making my brain unable to do anything but send panic signals, I wanted to go home so bad but my mom wouldn't allow that.

"Hello, ma'am, is there anything you need?" the worker behind the price counter asked looking up at us.

My mom spun around to look at the dude and put on a very forced fake smile "Nope, we're just headed to the dream music area"

The worker stared at her confused for a second then looked at me, who was still in the middle of a panic attack, and back up at her with a less obvious but still fake smile "I could show you to the desk if you'd like"

"Yes, that'd be great" My mom answered.

The kids whined when the worker started leaving the desk and walking over to us, one of them huffing and slamming a stuffed monkey on the counter she could barely reach, "I'll be right back, just be patient" he sighed then motioned for us to follow him.

Once again I was yanked and the two-inch acrylic nails my mom had digging into my skin almost breaking it was enough to make my eyes water, I didn't want to do this but she was being aggressively stubborn about it and I hadn't been able to say as much as a peep since we left the house, after going down a long dimmish hallway we reached a desk in the back of the building, another very tired worker standing there just looking at papers when we walked up, they looked up and our guide walked over to them whispering something in their ear then just stood there also looking at the papers.

"You guys are here for the Music Simulations?" The worker who was at this desk asked.

"Yes," My mom said with a bit o a snap as if they shouldn't confirm this was why we were here.

I could see the subtle clench of their jaw but their neutral but still friendly tone never changed "Alright, I need whoever is participating to sign this waiver and hold out your wrist so I can give you an access band"

My mom went first, finally letting go and I spotting a fleck of blood on the tip of one of her nails as her hand was falling to her side, not even looking at my bicep I pulled my sleeve down quickly and looked away of to the corner at the floor, after a few seconds I was called up and I hesitantly walked up to the desk looking down at the waiver, I tried hard to keep calm while reading it but my mom leaned over and harshly whispered in my ear.