Inception {Dreamnotfound}

9 | An Unfamiliar Shadow | 9

-Tommy's POV-

The new world flickers back into view gradually, and I sigh, clutching my head and willing the all-too familiar dizzy sensation to go away.

I hate the visits to this world, always sporadic and painful. They never make any sense either, which only makes it worse, the pain I go through when they happen seeming pointless.

I learn nothing here; this world teaches me nothing.

All I want is to know why. Why this happens, why I'm sent here, and what it means. There are no patterns, no clues to help me with any of this. I never learn anything more with each visit, and they're never any different.

It's like reading a book, but every so often, sporadically, the pages turn by themselves and you end up back on one you've already read. Then you're forced to scan over it, read every word again in case you've missed something before trying to find the page you were actually on. You get a little further into the book, read a little more, then the pages turn and take you back to the same page from earlier.

You get sick of it. Sick of being thrown around like a toy, feeling hurt and dizzy and used for no reason at all. Maybe I'd care less if I knew why, had a reason for this or felt like it was helping in some way. But it doesn't, it's pointless and confusing and never anything other than that.

Always the same.

Until it isn't, for the first time ever, and I'm left staring at someone, something, other than a shadow.

The presence of someone else is enough to make me scream, and I'm not sure if it's better or worse I can hear the dreadful sound echo back at me. I guess it's nice to feel normal again, to have a voice and be able to speak, even if all I've used it for so far is yelling, screaming and questioning.

But this might be different.

"You certainly don't look normal," they say suddenly, squinting at me with hollow, dark eyes. They're older, definitely an adult, like a silhouette. Grey, unlike the shadows, but still more similar to them than me. He's right, I definitely don't look normal here, more of a ghost than a faceless lump.

"Who the fuck are you?" I ask, taking a few steps away from the figure as a safety precaution. Just because they look remotely human, doesn't mean they are.

I can't be sure of anything here, and I continue to remind myself of that as I listen to them. "Hey! No need to be so rude," they mutter, and I roll my eyes in irritation.

"I guess you can call me Shadow," they shrug, and I huff a bitter response before deciding it's not worth questioning. "Alright 'Shadow'," I mimic, putting air quotes around the strange name. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, who are you first?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," I scoff, so disgusted by everything else in this world that I can't help but be hostile. Shadow sighs, shaking his head in disappointment. "I'm Tommy," I mutter quietly, deciding that if I'm going to get an explanation from anyone, it'll be him.

"Nice to meet you, Tommy," he greets politely. "I think your soulmate just tried to wear my band and yours at the same time. Why are you here of all places, though?"

"I think you've got this wrong," I smirk, shaking my head and laughing awkwardly. "The person wearing my band isn't my soulmate, and honestly, I don't know why I'm here either."

Shadow stares at me blankly, mouth slightly hanging open as if trying to find the words to say. "So... someone else is wearing your band... that isn't your soulmate?" he questions dumbfoundedly.