GROUND ZERO: To Everett Universe

There was a humming on the side and a feather slicing into thin air fell off on his ear before he totally opened his eyes from a deep slumber. Ghael is too sleepy to even care why his bed is quite shaky and moving. Also since when does his room smell of salty water and leaves? "Guys, stop shaking my bed — I'm sleeping.." he murmured, brushing his eyes using his fingers in order to at least remove the sleepiness on him. His head's about to fall on what he thought was his bed when water poured down on him. "Crap!" He was fuming, ready to beat someone pranking him when the familiar river, smell, sky and still unknown man in black coat lead his way again to nowhere. "What in the.." he didn't bother to complain knowing it would fall on the guy's deaf ears, instead, he sat on the other end of the wooden boat. It was made in a dark oak tree, rest assured he's safe. Like what he always does, he checks if he's able to bring his phone after one time he did and tries to capture this bizarre thing, when he woke up to his disappointment, the pictures were deleted and his phone didn't open after. He looked at the other man on the other end of the boat. "You know it's weird how this type of dream never creeped the hell out of me again." Ghael starts talking, although he knows he won't receive a response. The first time he woke up in the same boat, the same surroundings and the black coat, that frightened and scared him. He thought it was a nightmare and that he's experiencing sleep paralysis. He tried to escape countless times, he even jumped off the river but failed, it was too deep, the crystals below are an illusion to make it reachable. He started dreaming of this year ago when he came back from a family reunion. Slept in a drunk state, he didn't remember doing anything, it just happened. He thought he's high and someone secretly poured some type of hallucinating chemical on his drinks. Ghael convinced himself it's just the alcohol that made him dream things, but he was proven wrong when he experienced it for the second time, third.. fourth and now he lost the count. "I've been asking for too long, where are we going and why are you always leading me to nowhere — stop!" Ghael's eyes widened to see and hear a waterfall, he can clearly tell with how much noise the water makes when it slaps on the ground. "We'll fall! What are you doing?!" he panicked. He held onto each side of the boat, closing his eyes. He couldn't believe it, yes there was progress in his dream but this type of progress will make him die in sleep. He waited, counting the last 3 seconds of his life before he could feel a shadow in front of him and a sharp breath hit his face. "We're here." A metal falls onto the floor and the alarm goes off. He rises from his bed, sweaty and panting. Ghael can feel his heart racing from scenarios in his dream before dipping his head back on his pillow again. "That punk scared me." he groaned and covered his eyes. He stares on the ceiling, repeating the sound of voice and words the man uttered. "We're here." "We're here." What's that supposed to mean? That was the first time he spoke to him, the voice was deep but airy. Ghael can't explain. A loud knock on his door made him jump on his bed and make an annoyed hissed to whoever it is. "You troublemaker! It's quarter to twelve, get up or I'm dragging your soul here!" "I'm awake!" he shouted back, ruffling his hair and for a moment, the dream got off his mind and shrugged deep in his brain. "Annoying." He got up on his feet and decided to just slack off somewhere since it's his day off. He couldn't stand the maid that his mother paid to clean his unit every week. It's as if he's messy, Ghael feels like he's being babied though the maid didn't treat him anything but yelled. "I'm fine, pay everything for me I'll go." Jasmine told Janus when he told them about coming to a camp. "You sound demanding but sure, it's not fun when I'm alone. And when we encounter a bear, you'll be the sacrifice." "What a horrible friend, I'm touched." she sarcastically replied and eyed someone. "You're awfully quiet, was it the maid again?" They heard a 'tsk' and both laughed. "Be used to it dude." Ghael would laugh with them but his dream and annoying morning mixed up in his head he doesn't know how to even express frustration. "So, Jas agreed, how about you?" Jansen raised his eyebrows at him, expecting his answer. "What would I get if I came?" "Insect bites and probably catches the flu. Seriously guys I'm serious here." he complained. "Fine I'm going. That's less boring than a forced family reunion." Their day ends with Jansen, explaining what will happen in their camp. He's a photographer and the forecast announced there will be a meteor shower that'll only last for about two hours. He wants to step up and raise his pride by capturing the most magnificent pictures for his portfolio. "Ugh.." Ghael groaned after sending a sorry message to his mother for not being able to go with them, he then faced his laptop where multiple tabs were open. He should be done by morning with his students' records and lesson plans so he can file a leave. Well, the semester is ending and he could just give them their final project and check it after. He writes down his ideas before sticking them on the wall to find them easily. He's not entirely devoted to his career, because first of all it wasn't his choice and he hated how he had to give up his preferred profession for this. He read the messages until he flatly lay on his bed, the days seemed to end faster than he thought. He didn't even notice the maid had already taken her leave. His mind now focuses on his sleep, if he's going to dream again, he's not sure.