Blinking into the sudden darkness Parker began to explore. Sleepers lined the gigantic interior. Row after row of bodies, all interconnected to the pulsing central column from which the substance of their dream/lives emanated. As one, the sleepers rolled right, then left. As one they shifted their heads, together - a brief upward thrust of the chin, in a gesture of apparent acknowledgement to an unknown thought, and took a breath. Like a soft wind that single breath stirred the air. The hairs at the back of Vic's neck stood alert. Moving through the rows he looked carefully at faces, each unique, yet a vague similarity of expression masked their humanity. Together the sleepers turned again, a complete roll this time.
The bodies must not be allowed to atrophy, being as they are, unattended in real time by their occupants. They are never allowed to be in the same position for too long. It is written into the covenant. The exchange has need of being complete, and a satisfactory all encompassing illusion was after all, a large part of the experience. Looking carefully at each face as he moved along the rows, hoping desperately to recognize a friend, known or unknown.
It would not matter.
As he moved on he carelessly brushed against an out-thrust hand. The room immediately exploded into a cacophony of desperate turmoil.
Shrieks cut the echoing cavern like glass knives, "Interloper! Fraud! Not one of us! Out!"
In unison the sleepers awoke, deeply agitated and angry at being ripped into the real world.
One weeping, hysterical woman near to him bit down hard on his arm, and the rest were driven into a blood-lust of frantic activity, pushed into a frenzy by the program fighting to regain control, seeking to bring him down. In the midst of the tumult he leaned in to the nearest ear and whispered, "Remember who you are. You are alive. Rejoice!" and was rewarded with a look of stunned recognition.
The newly awakened person leaned to the next and spoke the words of awakening programmed into every soul in the room. Tubes, cords, wiring and all manner of input device applications were ripped from torsos, legs and arms. Silence was the theme until laughter boiled to the surface and rapidly washed through the crowd. Making them whole. Bringing them to the present. The transformation spread through the room, and only one or two were left continuing barks and empty threats shouted to no one.
Heartened, Parker strode to the door and beckoned to them as he began to open it once again, "come along with me," he called loudly.
His call was met with only silence and stares.
"What?" he cried. "This is your chance... Let's go."
The word, "no!" rang out once from a far corner, twice, three times and then in a thunderous wave, a din of negative agreement. "NO!"
Heads turned right and left, first in individual motion, and then slowly that motion resolved itself in to a unified movement. People who had gotten to their feet moved once again to the security of the beds and began to reattach to the core, to suckle at the breast of dreamsource . Together they reclined. Together they breathed in...out and, then...together they - slept - again.
Of the world but no longer in it.
Returning once again from whence they came, nowhere.
Parker, befuddled by the experience only shrugged, open the door and stepped back out into the light of the real world.
NOTE: The events depicted in this story are fictitious. Any similarity to any person living or dead is merely coincidental. No inference is intended as to persons involved in prior discussions. No insult is intended to any persons. This is a story, and nothing more. This is not a promo.
Do what you love.
By Way Of Explanation:
Blinking into the sudden darkness Parker began to explore. Sleepers lined the gigantic interior. Row after row of bodies, all interconnected to the pulsing central column from which the substance of their dream/lives emanated. As one, the sleepers rolled right, then left. As one they shifted their heads, together - a brief upward thrust of the chin, in a gesture of apparent acknowledgement to an unknown thought, and took a breath. Like a soft wind that single breath stirred the air. The hairs at the back of Vic's neck stood alert. Moving through the rows he looked carefully at faces, each unique, yet a vague similarity of expression masked their humanity. Together the sleepers turned again, a complete roll this time.
