Chapter 8
‘You look awful,’ Adam said, opening the front door.
‘Thanks very much, I feel it.’ Will looked around. ‘No company this morning?’ He said snarkily.
‘Michelle had to be at work early, and I know how prudish you can be.’ Adam said with a false smile.
‘Michelle? I thought you were seeing Louise?’ Will asked.
Adam shrugged, ‘I am seeing Louise, just I wasn’t yesterday…?’
The eternal monogamist Will stood dumbfounded at his friend.
‘Anyway,’ Adam ushered him into the house, ‘tell me why you are looking like someone just dug you up. I am guessing it is not because of your wild social life.’
‘For one thing, Cass has decided we need to move into some luxury complex thing and won’t stop talking about it.’ Adam nodded his head in sympathy. ‘And secondly, I think there may be something wrong with the console.’
The last statement grabbed Adam’s attention. ‘Define wrong,’ he said carefully.
‘Last night, when I finally got to sleep, I had the weirdest dream.’
‘And you were using the console?’ Adam asked.
‘No, just ordinary dreaming, but Cass was dressed as a chicken and warning me about something.’
‘But you weren’t wearing the V10?’ Adam clarified.
‘No!’ Will snapped, ‘but do you think it’s possible that the testing is affecting my sleep waves, that perhaps there could be side effects?’
Adam looked as if he had just been slapped. ‘Side effects! Are you mad? There are no side effects! Don’t go shouting about side effects.’ He said, frantically looking over his shoulder.
‘But how do we know?’ Will whined.
‘We know because we have tested and tested and tested. It is perfectly normal to have freaky dreams; it’s probably all the pressure. The chicken could be a… a manifestation of the enormity of what we are about to do, and Cass, you said she was pressuring you about this house and the cost, and that is probably what your subconscious is warning you about. You know it would be a mistake to take on that kind of commitment.’
‘There were an awful lot of noughts on that contract we signed?’ Will agreed tentatively.
‘Exactly, and you know how that kind of thing worries you.’ Adam gripped Will by the shoulders. ‘We are two unknowns about to revolutionise the gaming market. This is huge, and I can’t have you going to pieces now. The design is sound. The V10 is safe as safe can be. it’s your mind that’s on the blink.’
‘I do feel like this thing has taken over our whole lives.’ Will said uncertainly, ‘and I don’t really want to buy that house.’
Adam slapped his shoulders. ‘There you are then. You’ve answered your own question. Call wifey, tell her the trip is off and chill out.’
‘Oh no!’ Will coughed, ‘I am going to have to go and see the thing. It will be easier, and then I’ll tell her I don’t like something about it.’
‘Whatever. Just if I were you, I’d get some rest before you go into battle. Here, try out the modifications to the medieval joust, that’ll get you in the mood.’ Will took the proffered console. ‘I’ve got to go out for a bit, so crash on the sofa,’ Adam said, grabbing his coat.
‘Michelle or Louise?’
‘Debbie actually, she’s taking me for lunch.’
‘She’s… oh never mind. Give me a shout when you get back.’ Will plumped a couple of cushions and, with the console in place, lay back on the sofa. It was true, he thought as he drifted off, he hadn’t been very settled lately. Adam was no help, and there was a lot of work still to be done. But not at this precise moment, now he would lie back and enjoy a little fantasy role play.
~~
Will opened his eyes to peer through the narrow slot. Little puffs of steam wafted through his limited field of vision as the powerful horse underneath him took great deep breaths. His iron-clad fist weighed the lance in his right hand. The updates had certainly enhanced the feel of everything. A roar from the crowd reached his ears. Although muffled through the helmet, he could sense the excitement. There was a sudden hush as the throng watched Will’s opponent enter the arena. He strained to see through the visor. Framed in iron, parts of the black knight came into view.
‘Classic,’ Will murmured happily. Every part of his body was tense. He watched the starting maiden blush as she waved her handkerchief to the spectators. She held it high, causing the arena to freeze, until with a flourish, she threw it into the air. Will dug his spurs into the side of the horse, making the startled animal lurch forward at a terrifying speed. The image of the black knight grew larger and larger in the visor. Suddenly it was all black. Will thrust his lance to the side. His opponent veered out of range and careered on, unmolested. They galloped to the end of the arena and turned to face each other again. Steam now rose from the war horse’s flanks. In seconds the charge was on again, the ground shaking, as the two laden beasts hurtled towards each other. Out of the corner of his visor, Will saw a flash of pink standing at the barrier. With limited visibility, he automatically turned his head to get a better look just as the black knight’s lance slammed deep into his chest. With one motion, the horse continued on its way, while Will painfully changed direction and somersaulted backwards into the wet mud. The crowd groaned.
On his back, Will screwed his eyes tight shut and tried to concentrate on his breathing. The armour now felt like a ton weight pressing down upon his lungs. He tried to work his way up from the tips of his toes and assess if there was any other damage. The helmet was pulled roughly from his head. Will briefly thought of those in motorcycle accidents, and how it was a very bad idea to do that. Still, he kept his eyes shut. There was a gentle nudge to the rib area. Will decided to ignore it until he had finished his inventory of possible injuries. This time there was a definite kick. He looked up into the face of an upside-down Cassandra, framed by a beak and pink chicken head. ‘I’m no expert,’ she said, ‘but I don’t think that’s how you are supposed to do it.’
‘You’re correct; you are not an expert,’ he snapped before closing his eyes again. A surprisingly sharp chicken foot caught him between the gaps in his breastplate. ‘Hey!’ he shouted, ‘Man lying on his back in the mud trying to decide if anything is broken, how do you think kicking me is going to help?’ Will felt something cold pressed onto his forehead. He opened his eyes, and the world seemed to waver slightly as if out of focus. There was an audible fizzle. Will snapped his eyes open fully to see his chicken-shaped wife tucking something into her feathers.
‘You’re dreaming. When did you ever hear of anyone waking up with broken bones, idiot?’ Cass the chicken snapped.
‘Good point.’ Will said as he struggled to an upright position. ‘Hang on, how can you be telling me I’m dreaming in a dream? What did you just do?’ The crowd was looking around as if they had no idea where they were. One by one, they began to wander away. The chicken shrugged.
‘You’re the genius scientist, I, as you have pointed out, am just a chicken.’ She flicked back her feathers in a very Cass like way.
‘I meant to ask you about that. Cass, why are you dressed like that?’
‘Who is Cass?’ she said darkly.
‘You are. My wife, you know, death us do part, love and honour and obey, all that?’
‘Ah.’ The chicken sat down next to him.
‘Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but you are not part of this scenario, so I command you to go away.’
‘You command me? I think you’re confusing me with your real wife… obey indeed! You see, I am not actually this person you think I am.’
‘Well of course not, for one thing, this is a dream and for another Cass wouldn’t wear a chicken suit unless it was made by Prada and had been the ‘must-have’ on at least four reality TV shows.’
The chicken nodded sagely.
‘You’re just a figment of my imagination.’
She turned her head slowly. ‘I’m sorry, I’m going to have to stop you there.’ she said through gritted teeth.
‘You can’t be anything else.’
‘Let’s get one thing straight,’ she said, pointing a wing at him menacingly. ‘I am not a figment of anyone’s anything. I am my own person and you better not forget it.’
‘Uh, ok. You are your own person, got it.’
‘Excellent, now let us get to the point. Personally, I would have been more for the grabbing you by the ears and giving you a good shake approach, but some people seem to think that subtle hints are more appropriate when dealing with you humans.’ She said conversationally.
‘Humans?’
‘Yes… what did you think you were, a marshmallow?’
‘Uh, no but why…?’
‘How hard did you hit your head?’ she said sharply. ‘Now listen carefully. You are in quite a lot of trouble. I am here to help you against my better judgement, but that is another story. The point is, you are making this machine which controls dreams, and now you have to stop doing it before somebody stops you more permanently.’
‘Cassandra, what are you talking about?’
‘Are you even listening? I just told you, I’m not your wife and you’re in danger.’ She gazed up into the sky and muttered. ‘I told him this cryptic stuff never works, but no, appeal to his subconscious he said, you have to draw attention to yourself he said, it has to be gently done he said.’
‘Who are you talking to?’
She seemed to notice Will once more. ‘My name is Anaya. I am a polymorph, and I can be anyone you want me to be. He is a sentimental twit with very strange ideas about the human psyche.’
‘And you had to be dressed as a chicken because?’
‘Because it had to be something already programmed into your subconscious so that I wouldn’t be affected by your little toy. Seen a lot of pink chicken’s lately?’ Anaya shimmered slightly and changed Cassandra into wearing a tunic and breeches. ‘It wasn’t my idea. I thought it was stupid, and it turns out, I was right.’
Will looked around. ‘Where is everyone?’
‘I’m afraid we had to break the connection a bit.’
Will frowned. ‘You’re telling me you broke the connection on the Vio from inside a dream?’
‘Uh-huh,’ Anaya said, ‘a bit.’
‘My dream had rebelled and decided that it doesn’t want to do as it’s told… that’s it. I have finally gone insane.’
‘Look. You are in a lot more trouble than losing a bit of sanity, and all you want to do is argue with me. I am trying to help you.’
‘Dressed as a chicken?’
Anaya snorted and got to her feet. ‘I give up!’
‘Ok, ok, I’m sorry. I’ll go along with it if it helps,’ Will said, aware he had caused some offence. ‘I suppose it was quite a big chicken.’
‘Shut up. It was him. He probably found it funny. I think it says a lot more about his twisted brain than yours.’
‘Why was it pink?’
‘I don’t know!’ she sighed, ‘perhaps he felt that it would humiliate me further, who knows? Probably wanted to teach me a lesson, there is no telling how his mind works.’
‘But why, why do it at all and who is he?’ Will pleaded.
‘I refer you to the earlier part of the conversation when I was telling you how there are those who would like to see you disappear.’
‘You are joking?’
‘Do I look like I’m joking?’ Anya said, arching an eyebrow.
‘No, but up until a few minutes ago, you were a chicken.
‘Will you stop with the chicken thing? I knew this wouldn’t work.’ She said in frustration.
‘Apparently, you don’t have that much time. We are supposed to keep you safe until you see the light.’
‘Who are we?’ Will said exasperated.
Anaya folded her arms, ‘It’s time you met the supposed brains behind this little scheme, and perhaps he can talk some sense into you because clearly, I am getting nowhere.’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘No.’
Will struggled to get up. ‘Any chance of a little help then?’ She looked down at the struggling knight.
‘Not much.’ Anaya started to stride away.
When he eventually righted himself, Will tried to jog after her, not the easiest thing in full armour. Finally, he caught up. ‘I mean, it’s not exactly intimidating is it?’ He wheezed conversationally, ‘You could have gone with anything, a lion, a tiger even a slightly irked koala, but a chicken? What were you going to do if I didn’t listen, lay an egg on me?’
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