Collision Course [+ Additional Levels]

Level Eighteen - Heavy Sleep

The cool breeze pushing strands of light-colored hair over his face. The vibrant aroma of recent rainfall. The rustling of leaves from the trees around them, over their heads and on the ground. The sun peeking through the natural canopy above, creating dappled light on everything in the forest...

... and on his friend's face, that wore a hint of a smile. When he heard the pops of his friends' knuckles cracking, a shiver ran down his spine. And not just because of the breezy day. It was because of the glint in his friend's eyes, that read something that he hadn't seen before:

Judgement day.

He sucked in a breath, and the colors faded and his surroundings shifted and warped, like when one spills water onto a painting and brushes the former imagery around. It got to a weird brownish shade and then immediately turned black. He looked around himself, in the dark empty space. He couldn't see anything. He lifted his hand in front of his face and waved it around a little―nope, nothing.

Feeling a frown form on his face, he turned around to see if he could find a light, and abruptly found himself in a familiar room. He instinctively shifted his stance to a more ready pose, a movement that was also familiar. And, taking in his new surroundings, he remembered why he took that action.

He was facing Coily, in the living space of Ugg and Slick, one of his close friends on his knees in the middle of the floor. The yellow lighting brought out warm tones, and the place seemed to look rather tidy―besides the fact that he occasionally held back the urge to sneeze. There was also a large styrofoam cup from a fast-food restaurant on the desk to the side, the lid pulled off with the straw still in it. The office chair near it looked a little more than just loved on, and there were a couple of book shelves directly to his right against the wall. In the back corner hanging on the right wall was a board with papers and a map pinned on it. Near it was a couple of cupboards, what looked to be a round dining table, and a mini fridge against the far wall with a microwave sitting on top of it in an askew angle. Past where Slick and Ugg were standing was the opening to a hallway, and beyond the desk was more of the room, which consisted of an old patched couch, a carpet, and a tv. He noted the yellowed dreamcast console that was connected to the tv.

Why (or even how) he was observing all of these things now, he hadn't a clue.

He saw Coily speak to him, but he didn't hear what he said. He was squinting at his mouth and trying to read his words when his body was jerked to the side, and like a puppet on strings, he was dragged along as the following events occurred in what felt like hyperlapse, or when you fast forward a video. He saw QBert instantly crumple, and Coily swung a punch for him in a blur. He felt the emotions from that time too, but they were sped up as well. It was almost too fast to even register what he was feeling; it was a bit overwhelming. He caught a glimpse of recognition and the realization that quickly followed, and he felt the deep anger in the pit of his stomach towards what Coily had done, but then it whirled past him and was replaced with brief shock and then confusion, which immediately switched to anger again. Feeling everything like that at this speed was dizzying, and his stomach churned.

Then it slowed dramatically. He felt like he was just hit with an immense wave of pressure as his limbs nearly came to a full stop, inching forward through the air. With his knee holding him down in the stomach, his hands pinned Coily's arms in slow motion towards the floor. When they landed, he blinked, and suddenly his hand was resting on Coily's head.

"No!" Coily's defiant voice echoed.

"Yes!" he heard his own reply. And then. . .

. . .this was it. This was the moment.