Categories > Original > Sci-Fi > POD-poisoned dreams
Scout looked around and noticed that Alex wasn’t there. She walked over to the door and opened it slightly. Alex was sitting under the shelter of the protruding roof with his knees up and his arms rested on them. Scout squeezed through the door and sat next to him.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
“Hmm?” He looked up and saw Scout. “Oh, just sitting, watching the rain. I’ve always liked the rain. It’s relaxing.”
“I agree,” Scout replied.
There was a moment of silence.
“So me and Lara found an interesting connection between all of us Xonars. We’ve all had someone close to us die,” Alex mentioned.
“That’s an interesting conclusion.”
“So, out of curiosity, who was it with you?” Alex paused for half a second then added, “Sorry, that was a bit insensitive.”
“Not at all. I encourage curiosity. Without it the world would come to a stand still.” She paused then continued, “It was my mother. She died while giving birth to my younger brother. I was holding him when one of the nurses took him from me then pushed me and my dad out of her hospital room. A few minutes later I watched her flat line through the room’s window.” She paused. “What about you?”
“My sister got hit by a train while I was looking after her. That’s a memory I’ve been trying to repress for years but over the last few days it’s been popping up more than I like.”
After a few moments in silence Scout said, “Well, I’m going to head in. As much as I like the rain it’s kind of cold out here.”
“You’re right. I’ll come with you.”
Joe let Lara lead him into another room where a rusty bed stood alone. They sat down on tattered sheets to talk.
“Fine, talk,” Joe grunted.
“Joe, you’ve changed. And not for the better. What you’re doing is not acceptable. If we’re going to get through this we need to work as a team and, whether you like it or not, you’re part of it.”
“Yes, mom,” Joe mumbled.
Lara stood up and headed for the door. “I can’t believe you! You’re being a jerk!”
Joe quickly stood up and went after her. “Lara, wait. You’re right, I have been a jerk.”
He caught her arm and spun her around. She stared up at him with tears in her eyes then laid her head on his chest and cried.
He wrapped his strong arms around her and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
A few minutes later the couple emerged. Lara’s eyes were puffy and red from crying.
Seeing Lara’s post crying appearance, Alex asked, “Joe, what did you do to her?” A look of contempt crossed his face.
Joe lifted his hand slightly, opened his mouth, closed it, dropped his hand and said, “Guys, I need to apologize. I’ve been a complete idiot lately. It’s just been hard and somewhat stressful for me but I shouldn’t have taken my issues out on you.”
“Hey, buddy, it’s alright. We understand, eh, guys?” Jake said walking over and putting his hand on Joe’s shoulder.
“No-” Suddenly a scene flashed through Joe’s vision. He stood completely frozen as horror took over his body. The vision released him and he stumbled backward.
“What was that?” Cal asked jumping up from the floor where he was sitting in front of the fire.
“We need to leave immediately,” Joe said grabbing his now dry shirt and hat.
“What about the rain?” Scout questioned.
“Was that a vision?” Lara asked, chasing after Joe.
Joe nodded and stepped out into the rain.
“Since when did you start having visions when you’re awake?”
“Since five seconds ago. Come on, run! We seriously need to haul tail.” Joe motioned to the group for them to follow.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
“Hmm?” He looked up and saw Scout. “Oh, just sitting, watching the rain. I’ve always liked the rain. It’s relaxing.”
“I agree,” Scout replied.
There was a moment of silence.
“So me and Lara found an interesting connection between all of us Xonars. We’ve all had someone close to us die,” Alex mentioned.
“That’s an interesting conclusion.”
“So, out of curiosity, who was it with you?” Alex paused for half a second then added, “Sorry, that was a bit insensitive.”
“Not at all. I encourage curiosity. Without it the world would come to a stand still.” She paused then continued, “It was my mother. She died while giving birth to my younger brother. I was holding him when one of the nurses took him from me then pushed me and my dad out of her hospital room. A few minutes later I watched her flat line through the room’s window.” She paused. “What about you?”
“My sister got hit by a train while I was looking after her. That’s a memory I’ve been trying to repress for years but over the last few days it’s been popping up more than I like.”
After a few moments in silence Scout said, “Well, I’m going to head in. As much as I like the rain it’s kind of cold out here.”
“You’re right. I’ll come with you.”
Joe let Lara lead him into another room where a rusty bed stood alone. They sat down on tattered sheets to talk.
“Fine, talk,” Joe grunted.
“Joe, you’ve changed. And not for the better. What you’re doing is not acceptable. If we’re going to get through this we need to work as a team and, whether you like it or not, you’re part of it.”
“Yes, mom,” Joe mumbled.
Lara stood up and headed for the door. “I can’t believe you! You’re being a jerk!”
Joe quickly stood up and went after her. “Lara, wait. You’re right, I have been a jerk.”
He caught her arm and spun her around. She stared up at him with tears in her eyes then laid her head on his chest and cried.
He wrapped his strong arms around her and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
A few minutes later the couple emerged. Lara’s eyes were puffy and red from crying.
Seeing Lara’s post crying appearance, Alex asked, “Joe, what did you do to her?” A look of contempt crossed his face.
Joe lifted his hand slightly, opened his mouth, closed it, dropped his hand and said, “Guys, I need to apologize. I’ve been a complete idiot lately. It’s just been hard and somewhat stressful for me but I shouldn’t have taken my issues out on you.”
“Hey, buddy, it’s alright. We understand, eh, guys?” Jake said walking over and putting his hand on Joe’s shoulder.
“No-” Suddenly a scene flashed through Joe’s vision. He stood completely frozen as horror took over his body. The vision released him and he stumbled backward.
“What was that?” Cal asked jumping up from the floor where he was sitting in front of the fire.
“We need to leave immediately,” Joe said grabbing his now dry shirt and hat.
“What about the rain?” Scout questioned.
“Was that a vision?” Lara asked, chasing after Joe.
Joe nodded and stepped out into the rain.
“Since when did you start having visions when you’re awake?”
“Since five seconds ago. Come on, run! We seriously need to haul tail.” Joe motioned to the group for them to follow.
Sign up to rate and review this story