To be Frantastic

Chapter 7: The nightmare

-"Well, actually we're starting off in February. We're going to Honolulu!"

-"Oh, Hawaii?"—mom asked—"That's so nice! Do you kids remember our vacations in Hawaii last year?"

-"Yeah, those were amazing"—Dustin said—", how come in February?"

-"Oh, you know"—I said—", since Hawaii is kind of a tough place to get to, we're just doing that first and the rest of the tour will be around June."

-"Wow."—Brandon said—"That's a lot of pressure, bro."

... Sure it was.

-"Oh, come on, Brandon"—Nicola said—", little Connor knows how to handle a crowd. I've seen his performances and he's really good!"

-"Yeah"—Dustin said—", especially for someone who doesn't sing or dance."

-"Hey!"—I said, in pretended offense—"I'm a different kind of performer!"

Thankfully we all laughed at that. But I couldn't help but think about what Brandon had said. I hadn't thought about it before. Why now?

The water level was up to my hips. I looked around me, and saw nothing. It was dark, nighttime, and the sky was clouded. There were no moon or no stars, just open blank space. Around me there was no land, just water. Deep, black water. I was wearing my pajamas, I could tell that much. But I didn't know what I was doing in the middle of nowhere.

Suddenly I was cold. I felt the chill run up my spine, and I couldn't help but to cradle in my own arms, trying to get warm. I saw beneath my feet, and noticed that I was standing over the water, with nothing below me. Only darkness.

-"Where am I?"

My voice echoed in the darkness. The particular smell of seawater invaded my senses, numbing me. I noticed that I was actually wet. Before I noticed how or why, I was sinking. My whole body, bit by bit, descended into the blackness.

-"Help... me..."

There was nothing, there was no one. There was only me and the song. The song that started playing in the distance. Have I heard this before? What is this song?

I was so sleepy... and the water made me numb... and the song kept playing... help... just... close my eyes... everything's so black... I can't see anything... where... where have all the colors gone?

I opened my eyes and gasped a huge gulp of air. I was sweating, and panting desperately. I had dropped the sheets of my bed and I was all alone in my room. If I'd known any better, I would have thought that I had just peed on my bed.

I also noticed I had been sleeping in a fetal position. Strange... I always sleep facing upwards. And what the hell was that just now? A nightmare? Great, add it to the list of shit that I have been going through lately... that one was definitely getting a lot bigger than what it needed.

Why do I have to be so fucked up in the head? I guess all I can do for now is try to relax... I better get to the bathroom and wash my face to get some sleep afterwards.

The house is silent. I have always like coming home here in Minnesota, even if it's just for the holidays, but today, the silence just feels... off. Especially since my parents have recently remodeled the house, this whole place feels a bit too different for me. The bathroom is still the same, though. I got in and washed my face, only to stare at my reflection.

Let me ask you something, ok? But please, don't be weirded out, it's already weird enough as it is. But take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Can you imagine your thoughts coming from the person you see?