Collision Course [+ Additional Levels]

Level Twelve - Still Dreaming

If he could, he would laugh out loud. This was so weird. He was in a body that seemed to be hiding something... in a body that wasn't really his. . .

Man! He really needed to get out of here. He tried to pinch himself in case it was all just a crazy dream, but he remembered that he couldn't control his body―whoever's body it was.

Wait, did that mean he was trapped here?

"I'm fine. I'm sorry, I just―yes, I will. I'll do that."

Although he couldn't understand the girl, she sounded stern, like she was scolding him.

He suddenly felt his body lift an arm. He felt confused at first, until he realized it was to salute her. "Yes ma'am," his body said.

Go figure. The body had a sense of humor. It was so like what he would have done, in fact, that he wasn't really sure if it was the body or himself that had saluted the girl, except that he couldn't hear her, so he wouldn't have been able to make that reply. And besides, if he had control of the body, he'd probably do something much different―like ask what on earth was going on. Maybe even scream. Pull his hair, go on a desperate hunt to lay his hands on some mirror. This was kind of freaky.

The girl cocked a brow at him, seeming amused by the response, and he felt her lightly cuff his body upside the head. He felt the corners of the body's lips curl into a smile in response and she stood up, holding out a hand to him. His body reached for it, but as soon as he touched the girl, he felt an almost electric jolt spike through him, and both he and his body cried out. She seemed surprised by it too, and stumbled back in response.

He stared at her, his body's fingers tingling. When she had staggered backward, she had stepped into the light. And she looked shockingly familiar, he thought, looking at the long hair that fell down her shoulders. He abruptly felt a sting in his fingertips where his body had touched her, and he couldn't tell if it was his vision or his body's, but everything started to mix together until everything was undistinguishable. Then he could suddenly hear―and what he heard shocked him to the bone.

****

He gasped, and looked up. Mira stared at him, looking confused. He thought he had seen something around her, this weird light...

"Moe?" Mira said again, her features creased with concern.

He frowned at her, and looked down at his hand. Ever since he had woken up, his mind had felt thick and slow. He thought that he had even heard snippets of a little voice in the back of his head. But after she had touched him, that had gone away.

... Hm. Well, that was weird.

Moe looked back up at Mira, who looked at him expectantly. He arched his eyebrows, a corner of mouth lifting up into a cockeyed grin.

"Staticy much?" he asked her.

She laughed, offering her hand to him once more. "You're the one who's on the carpet."

****

QBert jerked awake hard with a gasp. He shook himself as he tried to control his breathing and gathered his bearings.

"QBert?"

It was Jumpman. He was leaning over the side of the driver seat, a hand on QBert's knee. QBert swallowed hard and glanced around. The Denali was parked behind what he recognized to be his motorcycle, illuminated by headlights in the driveway of what he knew must be Jumpman's house, and he could hear light rain tapping on the roof of the vehicle, drops on the windows. He was startled to see Pacman sitting beside him, leaning against the window opposite to him. He looked worn out, and he breathed deeply in his sleep.