Chapter 1 : The Nightmare

The ground was of green and pink mixed in a blurry marble floor. Rainbows emerged from the ocean blue sky. The trees and flowers, all the animals were of eternal beauty no one can ever see in the real world. The hills were singing songs, the birds chirped in harmony with them, and the rivers played a gentle bass. Such sights are what everyone wanted to dream of…

Dream?

Ray blinked his eyes again. Again. And again. This couldn't be a dream! It looks almost real…but it's too beautiful to even be one.

He, with a courageous heart but a curious and childish mind, began to explore the wonderful world he had set his feet on. A big grin began to appear on his young face as he played among the pretty butterflies and shimmering dew of the morning roses. He jumped, he skipped. Such freedom he had never tasted before. He stopped and inhaled the fresh air. If only I can breathe this air again…if only I can stay here forever…

I can help you with that…

Who's there? In reflex as an instant respond, Ray turned around to the echo of the deep voice. What he saw was horrific in any eyes that could see – trees began to melt into mush, flowers withered tearfully, animals rot into bloody carcasses, hills started to vomit hot, hectic lava…and the sky…the sky turned into the ugliest purple haze, swallowing the grand, white sunlight.

What he saw…was a nightmare.

Ray screamed at the top of his lungs as the decaying black sky spiraled into a huge ingesting black hole. He never even had the slightest thought of asking where, who or what was really happening, or more importantly, why was he there?

He shouted for help in the deafening windy sound of the sucking vortex. The sound shattered into a faint but heavy laugh. An evil laugh. Stop it! Oh, please, if this is really a dream, someone please wake me up!! He gripped the dead, long grass rooted to the soil helplessly, while his feet were already pointing at the center of the twister. Someone please help me!

Then a stinging pain came right in the middle of his right hand, causing him to lose grip. He cut his right hand in a small but deep inch-long slice, but the ache didn't halt him from panicking as he was sucked into the black abyss…

No!

A dim murmur surfaced to his senses accompanied by a shy peek of the yellow bulb light. A figure appeared in his hazy vision of his quarter-opened eyelids, shadowing the light that spilled before his face. His own voice began to sound clear in his ears. His voice became louder than usual …he's not talking. After a few seconds, only then he realized that he was screaming. He jerked and immediately opened his eyes, only to see Peter, Winston and Slimer surrounding him on the …on the floor beside his badly crusted bed.

'Earth calling Ray Stantz, do you read us, Mr. Stantz?' Peter jokingly poked his chubby friend's nose. Ray just sat on the wooden tiles, staring blankly at Peter while catching up with his breathing. 'Whoa, man! No need to shake the firehouse at three in the morning. You okay?' Winston asked, ignoring Peter who was giggling at Ray's timeless expression.

'Yeah, Ray okay?' asked Slimer for conformation, although his sound on Ray's name sounded more like 'ayy' with a heavy but slightly pitched voice. Slimer offered Ray his slimy hand as Ray's breathing slowly paced in and out of his lungs. Feeling that his inhalation and exhalation were at their norm, Ray spoke as he held on the green spud's hand, 'Sorry, guys. It was just a nightmare I was having these few days…don't know why I keep having them; they all seemed to have the same bad ending.'

'Maybe you watched too much over-rated movies, Ray.' Peter said as he walked sleepily towards his own bed. Winston shrugged to Ray and finally yawned. He, too, retreated to his bunk.

As Ray pulled himself up, he felt a striking sting on the palm of his hand. 'Oww!' he yanked his hand quickly from Slimer's when he was stable on his own feet. He turned his hand, positioning his right palm towards his face. A fresh, deep cut glared angrily into his eyes.

Where did I cut my hand? Where? On the grass. The grass. The long, dead grass.

The black hole.

Ray squinted his eyes; not as a reaction towards the throbbing pain, but to forget about that nightmare. 'Aii, Ray hurt!' Slimer immediately flew through the cupboard and brought out a first aid kit. Ray sat on his bed, staring at his sleeping friends. 'Thanks Slimer, but I'll do it myself' said Ray, as he took the white box with an engraved red plus on its cover from the worried, mumbling ghost. Ray helped himself with the wound; cleaning and wrapping it with bandages.

'Sleep well, Slimer.' Ray put the kit back into the cupboard and turned the lights off. The bedroom was dark again. He sauntered slowly towards his bed and lie down. Slimer was already snoring, floating and sleeping at the same time. Everyone in the firehouse was already asleep. No calls in these wee hours of the morning. No sound made in the street nearby. Such peaceful, silent moment in the darkness; perfect for a good night's sleep.

But no, I'll never sleep now. Ray fixed his gaze to the old ceiling, at times looking at his wounded hand, now covered with layers of white, clean bandages. He thought about how he exactly he got the cut. Maybe he got it during the fall.He did this till the first white light emerged from the east horizon.

Never sleep again.