Chapter Six:

Insomnia

Something's wrong

shut the light

heavy thoughts tonight

and they aren't snow white

dreams of war

dreams of liars

dreams of dragon's fire

and of things that will bite

-Metallica, Enter Sandman

He's... not real... but I just had a conversation with him! This situation just makes less and less sense as it goes on.

I looked around the insides of the chopper, is this thing fake too?

Kunikida was quietly reading a book between Nagato who was doing the same, and Taniguchi, who was just twiddling his thumbs idly. I had forgotten those two were with us. I hope they can handle whatever is in store for us, their just humans like me, but they don't have experience with the weird shit that is my life.

I turned to Asakura who was still looking out the window, she seemed to be watching something. I'll have to ask her later, since she had the only window on our side and my seat-belt kept me from turning too much.

I turned over to Koizumi, was wringing his hands nervously on my while Haruhi was dozing off in front of us. I envy your obliviousness, Haruhi.

Eventually the helicopter landed near a small base, and unloaded us all. There were a few shacks outside and a large tower, surrounded by what I assumed to be light poles. I thought that maybe R.J. Would show us around even though he apparently isn't real, but as soon as everyone was out with their bags he took off and left us.

We were now in a closed circle.

"please let this be like the island, please let this be like the island, please let this be like the island..."

As we entered the complex everything seemed eerily quiet, not a sound but our own footsteps and the howling wolf wind outside.

Haruhi was the first to break the silence.

"Hello? Anybody here? We won the contest to see your discovery! Anybody?"

I sincerely hope this isn't like that mansion up in the mountains last year either.

As Haruhi and the others split up to search the complex, I found myself wandering with Koizumi, Nagato and Asakura. I seemed to be spending a lot of time with those three.

I opened a door in the hallway to reveal a recreation room. It had enough things to keep a large group of people entertained. There was a pool table, a ping pong table, a TV, an old computer, a small bar, a couch, a poker table and even a pinball machine!

It was empty of people as well.

"I'm terribly sorry to intrude, but is anyone here?" Koizumi called as he walked around the room.

This situation was making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Hey Nagato, this isn't like that mansion is it?" I asked, afraid for the answer.

"No, the flow of time is equal throughout the complex and there is no evidence to suggest the rooms are shifting"

well that's a relief at least...

"Where is everyone?" Asakura asked

Koizumi returned to the group with a puzzled expression.

"Perhaps they went out on an expedition? If they found something amazing out here, perhaps they found something else as well?"

Maybe...

After walking around the complex I had a good feel for where everything was, the entrance was in the south end, near the rec room, and the bathroom and kitchen were in the north end, they were both connected to a hallway that contained the bedrooms. The rec room took up most of the eastern side and there was a small dog kennel in the west, down a long hallway containing a few storage rooms. There was a large office near the kitchen, connected to a laboratory.

Since we were all tired from the long flight everyone got settled in the bedrooms, from what I had seen, they were all identical, square rooms, one window, and two bunks on each side, pretty much spartan. I put my bag next to the bottom bunk and got in. Koizumi decided to take the top bunk as Nagato took the bottom of the other side and Asakura above her.

After sleeping on and off that night having nightmares, I woke up in a cold sweat and decided to give up. I couldn't remember anything about the dreams, all I remember were three blood red, hate filled eyes staring into my soul, unconsciously telling me things. Things like being trapped in the ice for thousands of years, waiting for some idiot race of sentients to thaw it out.

I got up, I had had enough of those dreams. I sat up in my bunk and rubbed my eyes, almost screaming when I noticed Nagato standing in front of me.

I didn't by the way.

"Um... Nagato? What are you doing?"

the quiet bookworm replied softly,

"Collecting data on your sleep patterns"

"Why?"

"I am... curious about sleep"

It's not all it's hyped up to be, not lately anyway.

I looked around and noticed the others were missing. Where did they go? Maybe they went to get something to eat? I decided to head to the rec room and kill some time, maybe I'd get tired if I played some pinball or something.

Nagato followed closely behind me.

"Hey Nagato?"

"Yes?"

"Do you get lonesome?"

"Yes"

"I guess having Asakura around again must nice, huh?"

"..."

"Nagato?"

"...although I am not... pleased with Ryoko Asakura's past behavior, I find comfort in her presence"

It's strange that I feel like that too. Although I was still wary of Asakura, I guess I believe in second chances, Even for someone who stabbed me.

"Come on, let's kill time in the rec room"

"That is impossible, time cannot be killed because-"

I cracked a smile, oh you're literal wit, Nagato.

"I know that, it's just an expression"

we found Koizumi and Asakura playing poker in the rec room.

"Ah, welcome to insomniacs anonymous!" Koizumi said as he placed a few chips on the poker table, which Asakura quickly matched.

"Nightmares?" I asked

"Ah, so you're having them as well? I thought it was just Miss Asakura and myself"

Asakura dreams too? I figured she wouldn't need sleep, since Nagato never does.

"It's part of my 'probation', I need to sleep to renew energy just like you. Honestly, I don't know how you humans can stand these 'dreams'! Do those horrible red eyes haunt you every night?" Asakura replied, shuddering in fear.

"No, that's the first time I've ever dreamed about them. So we're having the same dreams?" I asked.

Koizumi drew a card,

"It appears that way, unfortunately, I can't sense anything currently, so I'm afraid I don't know what they could possibly mean"

useless as always, I see.

"So playing poker?" I asked

"Yes, Miss Asakura is a very quick learner, I can't help but be impressed!"

"Aww, you're sweet, Koizumi-kun!" Asakura gushed.

"You seem to be feeling better, Koizumi" I said bluntly.

"Ah, I'm still worried, but it's best not to let those kinds of thoughts consume you, you know what I mean?"

You have no idea.

"So it's just us huh?"

"No, miss Tsuruya's over there" Asakura pointed out.

I looked across the room, to see the green haired chatterbox watching TV and eating a bag of chips on the couch.

On the screen was an elderly black man and who I assumed to be his son,

Lamont, You the biggest dummy there ever was, in the whole world, on earth, today!

Never seen it before

"Nyahahaha! I love American TV, nyoro!"

I walked over to her and asked,

"We get signal all the way down here?"

"Nope! But there's a tons of videotapes!"

She pointed to an open cabinet under the TV that was full of old tapes. In fact they were so old that they had collected a lot of dust, as if they hadn't been watched in years.

I took a look around the room, the pool table had collected a lot of dust too, as well as the pinball machine. But it was the computer that caught my eye the most, it looked like it came out in the 80's.

"Something wrongs, Kyon-kun?"

I didn't know, maybe nothing, but knowing Haruhi, and my past experience with computers, it's probably something.

I ignored Tsuruya and inspected the computer closely.

It was definitely old, and it wasn't so much a computer as a chess simulator.

I tried booting it on, but nothing happened, I looked around but it was plugged in.

Why wouldn't it turn on then?

I jumped when I heard Koizumi in my ear.

"Hmm... it's probably just really old, Kyon. Why not join our game of poker?"

He was looking at the monitor over my shoulder

What have I said about personal space?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you"

"...Whatever, you're probably right, but why would they bother keeping this around if it didn't work? In fact, it seems like there hasn't been anyone here for a long time" I asked.

"I thought I was the only one who noticed that, and it worries me, but I'm sure there's a good explanation for everything"

I can only hope, but just what would that explanation be? I couldn't think of anything.

"It smells funny!"

You must have a good nose, because I don't smell anything except dust.

Tsuruya bent low over the keyboard and sniffed it.

Could you please not do that? I'm wierded out enough as it is.

"It smells really familiar... reminds me of my dad..."

Koizumi raised his brow as we watched Tsuruya open up the tower and smell the insides.

What the Hell are you doing?

"It's whiskeys!"

"How do you know what that smells like? Isn't whiskey a foreign drink?"

"Yep! My dad likes exotic drinks, and this is his favorites!"

I got up and took a smell of the tower, it did smell vaguely of alcohol.

But why?

"Maybe someone got frustrated and poured their drink in it?" Koizumi offered.

I could see that. It is pretty old and probably no stranger to glitches,

or maybe someone got their ass handed to them in a chess program too many times? I couldn't tell you how often I've wanted to throw my tea in Koizumi's face during our chess games. I have to chase his king across the board half the time.

Thank God he picked up poker.

"yeah, I guess I'll play poker with you"

"Splendid! Will you be joining us Miss Tsuruya?"

Tsuruya stretched her arms out and gave a mighty yawn,

"Nah, I think I'll go to sleeps"

"Tsuruya?"

"What is it, Kyon-kun?"

"Have you been having any strange dreams lately?"

She looked at me strangely then answered,

"Nope! I haven't been to sleeps yet, why?"

"Just a thought, oyasuminasai, Tsuruya"

"Oyasuminasai, Kyon-kun!"

As she left, I walked back to the poker table and played with the others for a few hours.