"Cal!" I screamed through my brain. He was suddenly jolting in pain, spasms crawling through his chest. He was no longer moaning, but screaming.
"CAL!!" I screamed. Heaving air, I moved over to him and use my body weight to hold him down. What's happening?!
I felt his energy through my brain start to fade. Was he dying? He couldn't be dying! He clung to me a moment and held tight to the fabric of my tunic. Trembling myself, I trying to hold him fast, it was painful to see him like this, and it was all I could do.
"Aww, tut tut. You should know what to do my darling." A voice, low and cracked came from behind me. I froze, still trying to hold Cal.
"Its' you isn't it?" I said through gritted teeth. "You're killing him!" I didn't even look back. I leaned down and whispered to Cal with shaky breath. "We'll get you out of this. Hold on Cal, just hold on." Pressing my whole weight on him, I held him there and turned my head to look at the man.
"What are you doing Raina?" The man asked. He was older, I could tell. He had this white hair on his head and his eyes told me of the hatred he already held in him, whether it be for us or just for life. We disgusted him.
"What do you mean?" I said, a strained voice. "We have to…"
"We can't Raina." And suddenly, he was right beside me.
"No…if he dies…I…:"
He nodded. "Yes, Raina. If he dies, then you should die as well. It's the way with the dream world. You can't have dreams, without," and he smiled maliciously, "nightmares."
He leaned over Cal and placed to fingers gently on Cal's dripping forehead.
"What are you doing?"
"It's my turn Raina. It's not all about dreams."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, unsure. "What are you going to do to him?"
The man scoffed. "Why of course it isn't, Raina. It's also about the contrast to it. For something to be good there also has to be an evil."
Suddenly there was panic in Cal's eyes. What was he going to do to him?
"I'm already doing it Raina," he said calmly. "I'm creating the fear he needs. The fear he never had to truly get on in this world."
"Fear?" I said, my eyes widening. "No one wants to be afraid." I said, still clutching Cal. He was drifting off already.
The man actually changed for a moment, almost confusion in his eyes. "Why of course they do Raina. In fact, you were one of those people that live off of fear."
I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"No?" He asked. "Well then explain this to me." He sat down and placed his hands in his lap. "You always wanted to escape your house. Why, well because it was always so "droll." You never really wanted to take the painting lessons or have the strict schedules every day at every moment because it wasn't exciting enough. There was no unpredictability and that's what creates the boredom. You escaped that remember? That's the whole reason you left that prison in the first place."
"I just needed a break." I choked out.
"No." he shook his head. "You left them you know. You left all of them out of your selfish wants to get something out here. You thought there was more out here. You thought you'd be happier didn't you?"
"It wasn't like that I…" but this time he didn't interrupt me. I just didn't know what to say.
Was it really like that?