Dark Dreams - Septiplier

11: Dreams to Reality

Mark's POV

My head was pounding, and the edges of my vision were red, throbbing so that my view was only focused on the small point on the ground that I had been staring at for the longest while. I felt like all my muscles were tense, and I was sore, sitting strained and poised, hunched over on this bench. I wanted more than anything for the pain to stop, and it only seemed to get worse when I tried to move or think too much.

Time around me was frozen, as it always was when Dark was gone. My brain was piecing together what was going on each time he left. This no name, whoever this man was that caused Dark to put everything on hold and leave to go find him elsewhere, he was important. His name, somehow on the edge of my tongue but still unspoken, rang in my head. What was it, what was it? I didn't know, but I wanted to. I felt a strong attraction to whoever this was, a need to be close to them, and I wanted it. Whoever he was, he was safe, and helping.

Suddenly, the pain seemed to cease all at once. My muscles throbbed with the strain, and the spontaneous lack of pain made almost felt worse before the throbbing subsided and it was peaceful again. I wondered where this came from, and then I realized just how much energy I had. Tons of it, I felt like I could run a marathon, and I realized it was growing. Something must have happened. I saw the funeral resume above me on the crest, and Dark's wavering shape took over, watching the screaming and erratic patterns of the people running around and panicking.

I stood up for the first time since I'd been stuck here, my legs surprisingly strong when I expected them to be wobbly. I squared my shoulders, feeling rather confident, and I stared up at the people, preparing to make my way towards them. Dark seemed to have noticed my movement, and instantly raced towards me. It towered over me, no longer in the form of me but in the shadow form that looked so terrifying. I stared at its eyes, glowing and watching me, until I could take it no longer.

Rearing my arm back, I threw a punch directly at its eyes, hitting it directly and sending the creature reeling backwards. It reformed in my shape this time, coming forward to hit me, twice as hard. It sent me onto my back, and I quickly got back onto my feet. I had energy still, and I wanted to fight Dark for some reason; for the vague name, I realized. Dark seemed surprised that I was so quickly standing again, and struck at me once more, sending me onto my back.

My body began to ache now, feeling the pain of being tossed onto the ground and thrown around. I sat up, hurt and panting, but unwilling to quit now that I was so far in. I stood once more, swinging at Dark and clumsily following him around, throwing punches and trying to get my head straight. He knocked me a third time, hitting me in the temple, and rendering me immobile as I hit the ground, my head swimming. My vision blurred, and the world seemed to be swinging around and moving an awful lot. Even so, I placed my palms flat on the ground, pushing myself up with much effort to get back on my feet. Dark, who was walking away, heard my movement and froze. I was sweating, and I was hurt, but I wasn't willing to give up.

Dark was suddenly in front of me, a large hand pulled back only to swing forward and hit me in the gut as hard as it possibly could. Choking, I was flung backwards and skidded a few feet on my stomach. I coughed, tasting blood in my mouth as Dark turned to leave once more, and I rolled over to face the sky. I felt like I had been given quite the beating, and even so despite this, I felt my chest swell up. There was heat there, over the middle of it, and it filled me once more with energy. I didn't know where it came from, but that mysterious name was what was fueling me as far as I knew.

That name would keep me going, I decided. Dark wouldn't stand much longer.

...

Jack's POV

I had made a video today while Bob and Wade did a bit of observation and experimentation on Mark for a few hours, wondering how he reacted to outside environmental change and other things. Now, I was looking through the comments and reading them aloud once more, to both myself and Mark who lay next to me, curled up slightly and looking peaceful as ever. Bob and Wade encouraged this reading, saying that it was helping him immensely and aiding his inner thoughts to be a bit more positive. So I read through them every once in awhile to Mark, out loud and clearly, sitting next to him and using lots of annunciation in my voice.

Many people had a lot of nice things to say, and for that I was grateful. Mark had a lot to listen to, and I had a lot to say. Especially since it was easy to get lost into what I was reading and thinking about how kind people were to me, I could usually fill hours on the days that Wade wouldn't let me sift through Mark's thoughts. He said it was precautionary so that I didn't end up exhausting myself, or hurting myself in the long run. Despite Bob and my own displeasure at the idea of waiting, we both knew that if I was the only one who was allowed into Mark's head, it was probably better that they preserve me the best they could.

Bob was straightforward and blunt about why he wanted me here. Mark needed saving, and they couldn't do it. Wade was a bit more empathetic, reminding me that I was Mark's friend as well, and that we were all here for a reason of our own. Either way, I knew that I had to help save Mark, and we were all stuck here until I did. I needed days off as much as I needed hours of working, and we found a nice balance eventually.

I had been reading for awhile now, talking until I was sure that I would lose my voice just rereading and explaining things to a man that was sleeping and showed no sign of hearing a single thing that I said to him. Despite this, I still talked and talked. I sat up now from lying beside him, my phone dying and my stomach growling almost louder than I was talking, and I was loud; everyone knew that. I stretched my arms over my head and yawned, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I turned back to Mark, observing his peaceful expression and the rest of him.

He had light stubble growing on his face, shadowing his features. His eyes were resting, his body on one side and turned towards me as if he really were listening to what I said before he had fallen asleep. One knee was closer to me than the other, his body not exactly a ball but not exactly stretched out. He really did look like he was taking a nap and hadn't been asleep for hours upon hours. A part of my chest ached, and I reached out to touch his hand, gently. Internally, I expected him to move, I wanted him to move. To open his eyes and ask me why I was holding his hand in such an odd fashion, but he made no such movement.

Instead, he began to look like he was having a seizure.

Surprised, I stepped back from the bed as he began thrashing and convulsing, throwing his arms out wildly and shaking. Panic shot through me, and all my muscles were poised to turn and call for Bob and Wade to come help until I realized what was happening. His arms flailing looked like he was throwing punches, and I realized that in his head, he must be fighting.

It wasn't the first time that Mark had a dream without me there and moved on his own. It was terrifying the first time around as well, but Wade had been there to explain it to me. He explained to me as well that because of Dark, the more dreams that we went through and helped to expel from his head the more Mark's connections between reality and his head would sever; his movements and actions would convey into the real world. This was also true with how much time passed between Mark's point of falling ill and whenever Dark would finally win over Mark with fear. This was why Bob and I were so ready to get into Mark's head at any given point in time, and Wade was there to keep us cautious.

I helped Mark by reaching over and grabbing his arms. I rested them once more at his sides, relaxing him since he couldn't do it himself. His face was twisted in pain, agony, and he gasped before stiffening, and finally relaxing. Daringly, I reached forward and pulled myself to lay right next to him. I kissed him gently square on the chest, and I felt him draw in a large breath before letting it out slowly. Whatever was happening in his head was over for now, and he fell into a relaxed state once more.

I laid by his side, both wondering what compelled me to kiss him and what was going through his head. Neither of them I could seem to answer, and I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. My lack of sleep must finally be getting around to me; Mark's nightmares were slowly becoming my own. I sat up once more, standing and this time heading out of the room with no distractions. I turned at the doorway, staring at Mark once more before turning and heading down the stairs. I needed to tell Bob and Wade about what just happened so they could log it, but I decided against telling them that I kissed Mark on the chest. That wasn't important.

~~~

Just another short filler chapter before another terrifying nightmare... seriously though, the next dream is pretty scary.

Hope you all enjoyed! Have yourselves a frantastic week, and I'll see you all on Thursday!

~Jay