Dark Dreams (You don't know what's out there, until you start to dream)

Chapter 4

Let Us Endeavor So To Live

That When We Come To Die

Even The Undertaker Will Be Sorry.

-Mark Twain

Celine whipped her head around so fast that everyone just assumed it had been that way the whole time.

Krystal was still coughing and gagging on the floor.

Becca was too interested in Arya to help her.

Jasmine was focused on Celine; and Jo-Lynn, Connor, and Nikki? They were just too stunned to move. All they did was gape at everyone in the room.

Celine felt bad for Krystal suddenly- even if she was the creator of her and the Great Ones greatest enemy. "Someone get her some water." she told them.

Connor immediately snapped to, and ran into the hallway. He came back a few seconds later. "Oops. Forgot the cup." he grabbed what he needed and dashed out the door again.

"Why are you here?" Jasmine asked Celine.

"I had reason to believe she came here."

"Why?" Nikki, now back from stun-land, interjected.

"The fact that we, meaning Arya and I, can come here in person is just a latest invention. Normally we just emerge as you," she pointed at Jasmine, "or you," she pointed at Becca, "when we are called. We don't get our own body; we just come out as you, in your body, since we share the same mind and really are just a part of your imaginations. But this-" she motioned with her hand the length of herself, "-is a breakthrough. The first person we used the machine on was actually Kasha...and one other."

"What machine?" Jo-Lynn wondered.

"The Dream Machine." Celine answered.

"And that..." Jasmine urged.

"That allows us to be here like this." Celine listened closely to the sound she had heard earlier that caused her to move her head. "She's back." she finally muttered after a few moments.

Connor came back in the room and helped Krystal drink the water.

"What took you so long?" Becca asked him, hands on hips.

"I-I..." Connor stuttered and cleared his throat, then mumbled something incomprehensible to human ears, Celine was sure, though she understood it.

"What?" Becca said. "I heard something...pickle?" she tried to decipher his mumbling.

Celine laughed lightly at Arya's look on her face.

But then another sound came from outside. She got up to leave.

Connor breathed a sigh of relief as they forgot about him for the moment.

"Arya." Celine called, and Arya zoomed to her side. They whispered words too fast for human ears.

"Watch over the human creators." Celine told her.

"Why?" Arya growled softly, irritated at the thought.

"Kasha is back." Celine told her, opening the lounge door and peeking outside.

"Then I will not stay here." Arya pushed past Celine.

"You will." she ordered her, grabbing Arya's arm as it brushed past her own.

Arya glared at her. "I am of the same rank as you. Your orders have no effect on me."