Fred reveled in the warmth of the shower. The feeling of the water trickling down his back and the sides of his face. The burning heat. The stuffy air filling his lungs.
But aren't I dead?
He lifted his hand, looking at it through the steam. He felt so real. He ran his hand along his body, rubbing away the filth and grit and feeling the realness beneath his touch.
He didn't want to leave the shower. Leaving the shower seemed like it would break this illusion and he didn't want it to end.
But with a screech, it did.
After turning off the alarm clock, George lie motionless on the bed. Water trickled down the sides of his face and his breathing was muffled by the blanket. The dreams were getting more and more real. First he'd just forgotten who he was. And each night he was more and more Fred. And then tonight. He closed his eyes, recounting the dream in vivid detail as if it were his memory.
With a sigh, he rose. Automatically heading into the bathroom he stopped himself short of opening the door. Turning, he instead headed to the kitchenette to make a bowl of cereal, then set out his robes for the day. Finally, he opened the bathroom door. It was the same musty smell of his dream, but no steam hung in the air. He leaned over the sink, slowly craning his head up to look in the mirror, "George, you've got to stop this."
He stared hard at his eyes. But they didn't feel like his own. Looking away, he closed the door behind him. Stripping down, stepping into the tub, the first hot spray of water was welcoming.
It wasn't a dream anymore. He knew he was still in the shower, he could feel the hot water pressing down on his chest, moisture gathering on his cheeks. But Fred could feel it too. The water, his hands, the air rushing into his lungs as he began sobbing.
But why am I crying?
He didn't feel sad. George was sad. George was crying. Fred reached up, touching the side of his head. He felt the deformity where an ear once was.
George pressed his fingers to the side of his head and opened his eyes. He didn't feel like crying anymore. He didn't feel lost anymore.
"I'm sorry, Fred," he smiled a little, "I guess I forgot our promise."
He dunked his head under the spray of hot water. "But now I remember."