So I just saw the movie Inception last night and the next morning got a little idea. As of right now it is only going to be a one-shot. It's just something kind of goofy that popped into my head after seeing the film. It's all OC and no one from the film is specifically mentioned. Just the ideas. I also made up a few concepts that weren't in the film, the inspiration being from a book I had read. Also, I don't think there are really any spoilers in this story, but I would highly suggest watching the film first just so things make sense. Rating for language and a bit of violence.
Recommended song: 'Fall Into Sleep' by Mudvayne.
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I find myself in alternate worlds all the time. The worlds that other people create in their subconscious. You never know what you'll end up in. One minute it's the world apocalypse- People are dying all around, building structures crumbling; a tsunami rising up to crush us all. The moment you're crushed is the moment you wake up. Once you die the dream it's over and you're pulled back into reality. That is to say of course that I stay in one person's dream long enough to die. I might find myself unwillingly sucked into the sleeping man next door's wild sex dreams. Those are always fun.
I had been told about the military's creation that allowed soldiers to participate in 'dream-sharing' so they could test out different ways to kill one another or something like that. I guess if you're going to kill someone, doing it in a dream is the safest way. There was a machine was created that allowed people to enter one another's dream. But no machine was needed for a Dream Wanderer; someone like me. Apparently there aren't too many out there like me, so it was pretty easy for me to find work.
People thought it was interesting to learn that I could willingly enter a sleeping person's dream. No machine, no sedation. Just on my own will. Of course while I spend time in one dream, I may unwillingly be sucked into another person's dream. I don't know why, and I don't know how to stop it, but if there's another person sleeping nearby, maybe in the next room, I may end up in their subconscious.
Ever since I could remember, I had this ability. It was fun at first to venture into the otherwise locked off minds of people while they slept. That's how you really can learn about a person's true intentions and desires. Nothing can be hidden in one's subconscious. However recently I haven't been entering people's dream just for fun. Like I said before, someone like me can find work easily. That work just happens to be a little well put together scam business. People have been stealing other's wallets and using information for identity theft for decades. But when it comes to the identity theft business, it's never pick and choose. You never know what kind of person's information you're stealing. You don't know how influential they are, or if they really have enough money to back up all those plastic credit cards. It's very hard to sift through the have and have-nots. Unless you're a top-notch thief of course, and although I hate to admit it, I am not. Not in the real world anyways. I've learned that stealing a credit card never turns out well. The original cardholder usually cancels the card as soon as they realize it's stolen and you may only get a couple good purchases in before then. It's usually also really easy to track stuff like that, so after you buy yourself that fancy yacht courtesy of someone else's card, you may find yourself the next minute on your way to the slammer. I have experience with that, and have found the whole thing to be too messy.
So why not steal all that information while in a dream? That way when the Dreamer wakes up, they don't really think that all their bank information, card and social security numbers were really stolen. And they would feel pretty stupid cancelling and putting holds on something because someone robbed them in a dream. Empty their bank account in one swoop, robbing them blind, and move onto the next person. Plus, you can choose to only steal from the rich people's dreams. Full proof plan right?...Well, sorta.
Rule #1: Make sure the Dreamer doesn't realize he/she is actually dreaming. It'll blow the entire operation and plus, if they remember your face when they wake up, it's a better chance of being caught in the real world.
Rule #2: Don't get yourself hurt. Although you may wake up in the same condition you fell asleep in, any physical pain received in the dream feels very real.
Rule #3: Gather the necessary information as quickly as possible to make the mission a success.
…Right now I find myself having broken all three rules…
"Who sent you!" The Dreamer yells in my face as I receive another fist. I spit blood and give him a sly grin.
"I'm just a product of your subconscious. Simply a projection, nothing more." I shrug as I try to reason but know he won't buy it.
The Dreamer steps back, away from the chair I'm tied to as he surveys me, giving me a disbelieving look. "If you're just in my imagination then you won't mind if I do this." I watch as he reaches into his jacket pocket to pull out a handgun. I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing he's about to kill me; I can wake up when that happens.
Before I know it, however, the gun is pressed against my shoulder and my eyes widen. A loud bang and then a shrill cry escapes my mouth. A searing burn is felt and my breathing quickens. This guy knows what he's doing. This can't be the first time someone has invaded his dreams. He was too prepared. Either that, or he was a lucky son of a bitch.
"Now do you mind telling me why the fuck you're in my dream?" The Dreamer demands, and when I don't answer de pushed the end of the gun into my fresh bullet wound. I scream again, my eyes shut tightly as the tears start to fall.
Wake me up…Wake me up… I silently pray that my spotter in the real world would hear me, but knowing full well that he can't.
I open my eyes when I feel the bindings on my hands loosen. The Dreamer pushes me to the floor, my hand reaching to lightly touch my wound. His foot hits my ribs next with force as I start to cough.
"Tell me!" He yells again as another kick collides to my side. "Ok..ok.." I pant as I stick a hand up so I don't get another foot to the gut. He backs off as he looks down at me impatiently.
"I was sent here to gather information. That's all…" I purposely remain vague, not about to completely uncover the whole mission.
Apparently my answer wasn't sufficient enough because the Dreamer grabbed a fistful of my hair and brought me to his level. "You better start making some sense." He growls, pointing the gun threateningly into my side. Hopefully the next time he shoots, it'll kill me.
I open my mouth to give another unclear reply when the ground starts to shake. The shaking grows more violent and the glass from each window in the room busts out. The Dreamer ducks down, taking me with him as he still had a hold on my hair. I let out a small cry, but it gets drowned out by a loud rumble as the earth continues to shake. The sound of buildings collapsing could be heard outside as the Dreamer gives me a worried look.
"What the hell are you doing!" He shouts over the noise. "I'm not doing anything!" I yell back, noticing that the ceiling above us is starting to crack. It doesn't take long for the split to grow and finally for the ceiling to completely break and crash down. I clench my eyes shut, waiting for the impact, but it never comes.
I wait a moment and then slowly open my eyes, looking around. The scenery is completely changed. Me and the Dreamer are outside now. The sun is shining and buildings are intact as the bustle of the city goes on around us. We're lying on the concrete sidewalk, people stepping around us as they continue on.
The Dreamer sits up, looking around at our new surroundings before looking at me expectantly. I shrug, just as lost as he is. The city looks exactly like the one I came from before I went to sleep. But I couldn't have died in the last dream and woken up here. I know for a fact I didn't fall asleep in the middle of a sidewalk outside.
Reaching in my pocket I pull out a silver half-dollar. I toss the coin into the air, watching as it makes its way up and then back to the ground. I instantly know we're still in a dream as the coin hits the sidewalk, landing on its edge and standing straight up. The Dreamer looks in disbelief as I snatch up my totem, shoving it back into my pocket.
"We're still dreaming." I mumble, standing up, my body still in a bit of pain, but no doubt had healed somewhat from the last dream. I look back at the original Dreamer, confusion etching my features. "What?" He snaps as he catches my eye.
"I've just..never done that before. I've never pulled someone else in with me when I dream jump." I respond, still a little curious about the whole thing.
"Dream jump? What's that supposed to mean? Are you trying to tell me that I'm not in my own dream anymore?" He asks, clearly agitated by everything, but then again he has been agitated since the first time I met him in his own dream. I guess some people just aren't too friendly.
"Pretty much." I respond nonchalantly as I begin to walk with the crowd of projections, not caring whether or not the original Dreamer follows me or not. It's not like he was my responsibility, and the whole mission was going to shit anyways. I just need to get myself killed and have it end.
I fucking knew it…Going to a hotel to do a mission? That's the worst fucking place to pick. But my so called partner had said it would be the easiest way to corner the Dreamer. I'd be in and out so fast that I wouldn't be sucked into anyone else's dream. What the fuck did he know? Last time I listen to him.
"Where are you going?" The original Dreamer called to me; I could hear his footsteps quicken as he tried to keep up. I stop suddenly, him running into the back of me and letting out an annoyed grunt. I turn to him, extending my hand as I get an idea, "Give me your gun."
"Fuck off." He spits his words like venom as I let out a sigh. "I'm going to kill you asshole, and then I'm going to shoot myself. Then we can get out of this place."
He eyes me suspiciously before answering, "How about I kill you and then off myself." He challenges. Another sigh escapes my lips, "Because, I think your ego is a little too inflated for you to have the ability to kill yourself." I glare back, getting irritated by his lack of cooperation.
Before either of us can say anymore, a black limo stops in the street as the stoplight turns red. The crowd of projections runs quickly over to if, yelling excitedly as they surround the limo. A window in the back rolls down and a hand reaches out, tossing out piles of money at the crowd. The projections' excitement grows as they scramble to pick up the discarded cash.
"I know, I know. You're all welcome. Make sure everyone comes to the premier of my new film. You won't be disappointed." A voice inside the limo could be heard. The light turns green and the limo speeds off.
"Who the fuck was that?" My new annoyance asks me as he watches it drive off.
"That would be the Dreamer." I say, having witnessed several people's fame and fortune dreams before. "Must be someone sleeping in another hotel room nearby."
"So you're at the same hotel that I am in?" He asks, "You still haven't told me why you invaded my dream in the first place." He tells me bitterly and I roll my eyes.
It's then that a large gush of wind rushes by, nearly knocking me off my feet. I grab onto the original Dreamer's jacket as we are both sent backwards from the force. We find ourselves once again on the floor, and again the scenery has changed. I'm rested on the soft carpet of the hotel room. The same one I fell asleep in. Grinning, I sit up. It's good to be back.
My partner is nowhere in sight, but the original Dreamer is right with me, looking as cranky as ever. "We're finally back?" I ignore his question and stand up, opening the door and checking the hallway. It's empty.
I step into the hall and hear a scream. A few moments later a man carrying a large, bloody axe steps out from around the corner. His eyes lock onto mind and he takes a step forward.
"Motherfucker" I mumble in annoyance to myself, not needing to check my totem to know this is another dream. I let out a sigh and shrug. I haven't had a death this interesting before. I start to walk towards the mad man fearlessly. I just want to get the fuck home. He raises his axe. "What the hell are you doing?" The original Dreamer yells after me.
"What the fuck does it look like? Getting the hell out of h-"
I sit up quickly, breathing quickened as my eyes search wildly around. Back in the hotel room again, my partner looking up with a smile and the original Dreamer sleeping comfortable next to me.
"Good to have you back. You got the information?" My partner asks expectantly.
"Hang the fuck on." I tell him, reaching in my pocket to pull out my coin. Throwing it in the air, I breathe a sigh of relief when it lands flat. I pocket it once more, knowing there isn't much time before the Dreamer wakes up. I go over to him, my hands finding his wallet.
"What are you doing?" My partner asks as I hastily put the wallet into my own jacket. It wasn't as big of a prize as it would have been if the mission had gone as planned, but at least it was something. "We're doing this one the old fashioned way." I replied in annoyance as I head for the door. "There's no hurry. The sedative is weak, but it still shouldn't wear off for awhile…I take it things didn't go very well?" He asks, almost mockingly.
"You're an asshole..." I mumble to him as we head out of the room "And when he gets himself axed, he'll wake up no matter what type of sedative you may have given him." I snap back, not in the mood for my partner's childish bullshit. "And next time we're not going to a goddamn hotel to do this. Who is that guy? Someone from the fuckin' mob or something?" I ask, remembering his methods of interrogation.
I watch my partner from the corner of my eye as he shrugs, "To be honest, I just picked him because he looked rich." I shoot a disbelieving glare in his direction, "You didn't do any kind of background check on that guy? You just picked him because you thought he looked rich? Just what kind of professional are you?" I watch in disbelief as he gives another shrug.
"You son of a bitch." …
…On to the next one…