Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of vomiting
Alicia woke up early the following morning and went downstairs. She prepared breakfast while she listened to the radio and drank coffee.
When she finished eating, she walked into the living room and sat on the couch. A few minutes later, Ethan emerged from the bedroom and lay down on the opposite side of the sofa. He put his laptop on the table and started typing something on the keyboard.
"What are you writing?" Alicia asked.
"Just a quick reply to an email," he said.
After a few minutes, Ethan closed his laptop and placed it on the table. He stretched his arms and yawned. He then leaned forward and stared at Alicia. He suddenly felt a rush of nausea overwhelm him and he threw up on the carpet.
Once the vomiting stopped, Ethan sat back on the sofa. He wiped his mouth and looked at Alicia. "Sorry." He exclaimed. Alicia looked exhausted but got out the carpet cleaner and started scrubbing.
Ethan rubbed his hands over his face and looked at the clock. It was ten o'clock. He picked up his laptop and switched it off. "I think I'm going to go back to bed now," he said.
"Are you sure? Do you want me to make you some coffee?" Alicia asked.
"No thanks," he replied. "I need to sleep."
Ethan stood up and headed towards the door. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around.
"You don't seem too well," Alicia remarked.
Ethan smiled weakly and nodded his head. He knew that he wasn't feeling well but he didn't know why. All he could do was hope that he was wrong.
In his room, he got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom. He glanced in the mirror and saw that his skin was pale and clammy.
"What's wrong with me?" he muttered.
Ethan splashed cold water on his face and ran his fingers through his hair. He felt tired, confused and empty. He had never felt this way before and he wondered if there was something seriously wrong with him.
He took a shower and got dressed.
Later that afternoon, Ethan heard a knock on the door. He went to open it and saw Alicia standing outside. She was carrying two Sainsbury's bags.
"I brought food," she said. "I thought we might eat together tonight."
Ethan stepped aside so that she could enter. After Alicia had carried the shopping inside, she turned towards Ethan. Her expression was serious and worried.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Not very good," Ethan replied
"Is it your stomach again?" Alicia asked.
"Maybe. I have no idea," Ethan said.
Alicia placed the bags of groceries on the kitchen counter.
"I was thinking," Ethan began. "What if I am not real?"
Ethan looked at Alicia and waited for her response. He didn't want to upset Alicia. He knew how much she liked him and he wanted to avoid hurting her feelings.
"That's ridiculous," Alicia replied. "Why would you even say something like that? Are you still stuck on that ridiculous dream?"
"I don't know," Ethan replied. "There are lots of websites that claim to prove that everything that happens on Casualty is fake."
"So you're saying that those sites are right?" Alicia asked.
"I can't be sure," Ethan admitted. "But I just feel strange."
"Well, if you want to talk about it, I'll listen," Alicia said.
Ethan took a deep breath and sighed. "It's just that I have been feeling dizzy and sick lately. Maybe it has something to do with the websites that say I'm a TV character?"
"Let's get you some dinner," Alicia said, her concern rising. "Then we'll see how you're doing afterwards."
"What are we having?" he asked.
"Chicken and rice," Alicia answered. "I bought a couple of bags of frozen vegetables as well. The chicken will cook quickly in the microwave. We only need to add the sauce and the rice to it."
They ate their meal in silence. Once they were done, Alicia washed the dishes and put them away in the dishwasher. While she was busy in the kitchen, Ethan sat down on the sofa and watched television. In an instant, he began to feel the meal rise up in his throat
"Are you going to be okay?" Alicia asked.
"Yeah," Ethan replied. "Just try to keep yourself occupied while I get this out of my system."
"Okay," Alicia replied.
Ethan went into the bathroom and emptied his stomach. When he returned to the living room, Alicia had turned off the television.
"Are you ready to go back to bed?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied.
Ethan climbed into the large double bed and lay down on the sheets. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about anything. However, that proved difficult because his mind kept drifting off to the websites that claimed he was a TV character.
Suddenly, Ethan sat bolt upright. His heart was beating fast and he couldn't control the panic that was building up within him.
"Oh God, what if I really am a TV character?" he whispered.
Tears were streaming down Ethan's cheeks and he started shaking uncontrollably. Alicia came over to him and held him as he cried and shook.
"Calm down," Alicia said. "Everything is fine."
Ethan wiped the tears from his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that Alicia was trying to help but he just couldn't calm down. He was terrified that someone might discover the truth about him.
After a few minutes, Ethan stopped crying and his breathing became slower.
"It's all right now," Alicia said. "You're safe."
She gave Ethan a hug and patted his back gently.
Ethan managed to stop shaking but the fear remained. He didn't want to be a TV character. He just wanted to live his life as a normal person. He was scared that the websites were right and he would never leave Casualty.
Ethan lay back down on the bed and fell asleep.
When Ethan woke up the next morning, he felt dizzy and nauseous. After taking a shower, Ethan returned to the living room where Alicia was making coffee.
"Can I have some breakfast?" Ethan asked.
"Sure," Alicia replied. "Do you want toast or cereal?"
"Cereal is fine," Ethan replied.
He went into the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Cornflakes. He sat down next to Alicia and started eating his breakfast.
"Are you feeling any better yet?" Alicia asked.
"I'm sorry," Ethan replied. "It's just that I'm still worried about those websites."
"Don't worry," Alicia scoffed. "I'm sure you're not a TV character."
"Thanks," Ethan replied, unconvinced.
"How did you sleep last night?" Alicia asked.
"I slept alright," Ethan replied. "I'm just feeling a bit worse today though."
"It's probably just the flu," Alicia reassured Ethan (and herself). "You should rest for the day."
Ethan smiled at Alicia but she looked concerned.
Ethan decided to sit down at the computer and searched for information about the websites that had mentioned him. He found the site that said he was played by an actor in Casualty. He scrolled through the list of comments and saw that most of them were mocking him.
"This isn't good," he muttered.
Ethan closed the tab and opened a new one. He typed in 'what does it mean when you dream about being a TV Character?'
There were hundreds of articles. Some of them said that these dreams could be a sign of anxiety and depression. Others said that such dreams were common among children and teenagers. Most of them, however, told people that their dreams meant nothing. Yet despite this he wasn't reassured.
Ethan sighed and shut the computer down. Alicia appeared at the doorway, and he felt like crying but he was too afraid to show Alicia how much he was hurting.
"What are you thinking about?" Alicia asked.
"Nothing," Ethan replied. "Just work stuff." He lied.
Alicia said in disbelief. "You look unhappy."
"It's nothing," Ethan replied. "Let's talk about something else."
Alicia nodded. She knew that it wasn't wise to press Ethan about his feelings.
"Alright," Alicia replied.
They talked about nothing for the rest of the afternoon. They watched television and ate pizza until Ethan's stomach began to hurt again.
"I feel sick," Ethan said. "I think I might throw up."
"Come with me," Alicia sighed. "We'll get you to the toilet." Ethan followed Alicia into her bathroom.
Ethan shook his head and closed his eyes. The nausea passed after a few seconds and he opened his eyes with a wave of relief.
"Are you okay now?" Alicia asked.
"Yeah," Ethan replied. "I just needed to clear my head."
"It looks like you've been having a rough day," Alicia said.
"It's not so bad," Ethan replied. "I just feel a little nauseous."
"Is there anything I can do?" Alicia asked.
"No," Ethan replied. "I just need to get some rest."
Ethan lay down on the bed and waited for Alicia to come back. He hoped that she would bring him some medicine for his stomach pain, even though he had said that there was nothing he needed.
Instead, Alicia came back holding a glass of water. She handed the glass to Ethan and told him that he should drink it.
"What is it?" Ethan asked.
"It's just some water," Alicia replied. "Drink it."
Ethan took the glass from Alicia and put his lips to the straw. He drank all of the water in three gulps.
"That's enough for now," Alicia said. "Maybe you shouldn't attempt food again for a little while."
Ethan set the glass aside and waited for Alicia to leave before getting out of bed. In a rush he went into the bathroom and threw up.
After wiping his mouth, Ethan washed his face and hands. Then he looked at his reflection in the mirror. There was no doubt about it: Ethan had changed. His hair was longer than ever; his skin was pale and sallow. He didn't look like the man he was before.
Ethan sighed and left the bathroom. He went into the kitchen and saw Alicia preparing dinner. He felt hungry but he knew couldn't eat.
Alicia yelled from the kitchen "Just call if you need anything."
Ethan nodded and returned to the bedroom. He felt a wave of despair wash over him. He knew that those articles were right. He had seen the same thing in his dreams. He'd dreamt about being a TV character and then he'd go to sleep only to wake up feeling anxious and depressed.