"Jason," he said, "my name is Jason."
The psychiatrist reached up his hand and tilted down his glasses. His brown eyes stared into Jason's intently; he said only, "Oh?"
"You don't believe me, do you?" Jason's mouth curled into a frown. "No one ever believes me," he said with a voice of incredulity. "No one, no one, no one," he repeated monotonously. "Please, Samuel," the old man said, "don't start dreaming again. I don't have time for it." His deep voice was exasperated and hesitant, as if the words were painful to repeat.788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jqBdOUI5J
"No one, no one, no one," the young boy said again, bringing his knees up to his chest and curling his body gently forward and backward.
"Samuel, please look at me," pleaded the psychiatrist.
Jason turned his head up, yielding a face of slight disgust, toward the man inquiring of him. His long black hair fell over his eyes as he shifted, leaving his vision blurry. "The darkness returns," he said.
"Don't say that, don't say that again," said the man, sternly.
Jason chuckled lightly, his mouth foaming and eyes drooping. "Tis a dream, tis a dream! Only darkness pervades..."
Just then, the psychiatrist shouted in anger,"What is wrong with you, child!" He stood, pressing his chair back against the cold, white walls with a screech. "I have told you once, I will tell you again! This world is real! This world is where you live! You can't escape the truth within a dream!"788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4bi37ARdo
"Can't I?"
And that was enough to drive the the doctor's rage to his limits. He grabbed Jason's neck, pulling him close. Saliva shot out of his angry grin as he spoke: "Why won't you listen!" He stood there steaming, unmoving for a moment, searching for words to say. Finally, he sighed and released his grip.
Jason chuckled again.
The psychiatrist sat down on the metal slab where Jason lay. "What do you aim to accomplish, boy?" His voice sounded tired again; his rage gone. He looked at Jason, who was now stammering over words to say. "Come on, then, speak."
Jason's collection returned; he looked up at the doctor with wild eyes and managed, "You can't deceive me." He stood, letting the blanket around him fall to the floor to reveal a bare, vulnerable body. He was skinny -- in this world he refused to eat -- although his countenance was one of pride. "In one world, I am a king," he said.
The psychiatrist's face clouded into confusion, and even bits of fear. Then he collected himself and looked aside in shame.
"Ahem," he blurted, clearing his throat, "Let's just see what your parents have to say about this." He left the room through the door behind his bed.
When the door closed, Jason mumbled to himself, "they aren't my parents."
He looked around, taking in the supposed sanctuary which had been his home for nearly a week. To his left was a sink and his right a window. The rest, besides the door, were all white floors and walls. Everything looked so real. Even the doctor seemed real. He might have been convinced that this really was his home, were it not that just yesterday he had taken lethal drugs he found in the drawers of the mortuary, a room two doors from his, and found that its contents were only water.
"A clever set up," he acknowledged, "but not good enough."
Jason walked over to the open window. On the way, he could hear his "parents" crying as they talked to the psychiatrist, who was explaining, in fake sympathy, that the situation was looking grim.
He lifted his head out the window and smiled at the chilling breeze which overtook him. He looked down. He could see a swirl of colors -- numerous fields of multicolored roses populated the land. The building he was in floated on a cloud in the emerald sky. This was the apothecary, and it was the closest building to the ground, so that the workers could more easily reach the minerals contained in the ground below. He looked up toward the rest of the skies. Multiple more buildings floated, all more decorated and glorious than the one Jason occupied. He could see his house -- a small, humble place with a floating lilac garden and a small fountain decorating a lengthy ascent to a translucent living space.
It really is a shame this wasn't the one, thought Jason, I would have loved to live here forever. It truly is a beautiful world.788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMdq4uzrgl
"Whatever Gods are playing me throughout this wondrous game of discovery," Jason shouted to the skies, "they'll have to try harder next time!"788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHD1iqFCUt
Jason lifted one foot onto the windowsill, then propelled himself out of the safety of the building, letting himself fall.
Strange voices and images populated his mind, telling him that he was wrong, that he was not too late to retreat. Ladders and stairs and airships appeared from nowhere, welcoming him to return. It was the world's last defense. It would try to convince him to accept it as truth, letting all of its rules be broken in order to save Jason from dying in it -- once he died here, he could never revisit.
Jason knew, from experience, that the world's tricks could not touch him unless he let them. So he kept his head forward, his body stiff, and his mind strong. Soon his body splattered on the ground, decorating the roses around him with spots of red.
His mind slowed as the scenery changed. He jumped up, recoiling from the impact, finding himself in a large bed with a lovely woman beside him. The dark-haired woman stirred and lifted her head to speak, "What's wrong, honey?"788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSMxkC0pG7
Jason turned to her, still trying to sort out his environment. He recalled that He had visited this world before. It took him a moment to remember the name of this wife, and when he did he said, "Nothing, Jessica, honey, just you go back to bed."788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nGayL6qMe
"Omkay," mumbled Jessica. She let out a content yawn and returned to sleep.
Jason thought for a moment before he joined her. That was the fifth world he had died in, out of twenty he had so far visited. He did not know how many there were; all he knew was that only one was true.
He stared at Jessica lovingly. Once he slept, he would jump again to another world. He did not know how long it would be until he saw her again.788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkzscrJQBF
Jason rested his head and closed his eyes, wondering where he would be when he next awoke.788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpFSZiB8dp
