Chapter
#4 The Gift and Paul's Plan
When the girls reach the end of the hall, they entered the Science Room. The room was bare and dark lit only by wavy lights in the ceiling and the walls. In the middle of the room was a platform with gadgets used for experiments and research. On the table which stood in the middle of the platform, were beakers, burners and test tubes filled with liquids. "You two have been busy?" Sharlene asked. "We sure have." Figment replied happily. "Dream finder, we have company!" "I know, Figment." Dream finder said as he entered the Science Room from the Drama Room. "Thank you." To the twins he said. "Hello girls, nice to see you again." "Thanks." Sharlene and Heather said in unison.
"So, how are things?" Sharlene asked. "Everything is fine, dear." Dream finder said. "How are you two doing?" "We're fine." Heather said. "For you." Sharlene muttered bitterly to her sister. "What was that, Sharlene?" Sharlene snapped out of her thoughts when Dream finder asked her. "Huh? Oh nothing." she said. Not. She thought, feeling bad about lying. She didn't want to talk about her dreams right now. If they mean anything serious, she didn't want anyone to worry about her and Heather's safety.
Figment noticed Sharlene's expression and what she said to her sister, but kept quiet. "Why don't we have tea in the other room?" Dream finder said. "We have some catching up to do." As he led the girls out of the room. As they walked, Sharlene noticed that Figment was watching her in concern. She raises an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" she asked. "Nothing." Figment said innocently. Sharlene stared at him for a few minutes before turning away.
A few minutes later, the group was in the Dream finder's study, drinking tea and talk about what happened the last few months. Sharlene didn't say much, while Heather talked about what happened back home. She stared at the tea swirling in the cup on her lap with anger in her eyes. She and Heather have powerful imaginations, yet she is the only one having nightmares about Paul. What does she have that Heather doesn't? Why just her and not both her and her sister? Does he have a crush on her or something? Sharlene bit her lip. The thought of that made her queasy. "Wait, I have a boyfriend." she thought. "It can't be a crush. It has to be something else. But what?"
"Sharlene? Hey Earth to Sharlene." "What?" Sharlene snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Heather calling her. "Dream finder said he has something for us." Heather said "He does?" Sharlene asked. Heather nodded then turned to Dream finder. "Sorry, she's having an off-day." "Shut up!" Sharlene said through gritted teeth. Heather grinned as she and Sharlene each received a small box. While Heather opened hers, Sharlene looked at hers for a minute before slowly opening it. She wasn't in the mood for surprises since she hadn't gotten a good night sleep in days and she hoped this box didn't contain anything that'll pop out once she opens the box. She open the box and pushed the tissue paper aside to reveal a gold and silver chain bracelet with a teal colored gem on it.
"Wow, its beautiful." she breathed as she lifted it out of the box. "Yeah and the same as mine." Heather said, showing Sharlene her bracelet. Which was the same as hers from the chain to the gem.
"They're Imagination Gems." Dream finder explained. "They'll enable you to use your imagination in the Real World like you can here." "You mean whatever we imagine will come to life back home as they do here?" Heather asked. "As long as you wear the bracelets. But be careful." Dream finder said becoming serious. "If those bracelets fall into the wrong hands, horrible things can happen." Sharlene bit her lip and look at her bracelet in worry. How much power can this piece of jewelry have? Does Paul know about this? Sharlene swallowed as she remembered the dream and what happened back in Spring Break. When Paul took over the Dream port and held Heather, Dream finder and many others hoisted. As she and Heather said good bye to Dream finder and Figment and went home, the cloud of confusion became thicker and thicker by the minute. When they got home, Sharlene locked herself in her room and lay on the bed. She stayed there all night until her eyes started to become heavy with exhaustion. "What is going on?" she thought as her vision became burly, even though she was still wearing her glasses. Then she closed her eyes and fell into dreamless sleep.
"Hmmm, this is interesting." Paul said as he watches the girls return home from the Dream port. As they arrived in the Real World, he listened to the girls talking about the bracelets they got from Dream finder. "If these bracelets can make my powers work in the Real World, then I must get my hands on them and replicate them. Then I can rule both worlds!" His cold laugh echoed throughout the lair. A few minutes late, he returned his attention to Sharlene, who was sleeping on the bed in her room. He smiled as he stared at her sleeping form. "You're a strong girl, Sharlene Lane." he said. "But let's see if you and your sister are ready for our next meeting."