The Children of Hypnos

[Vol. 2] Chapter 16: Zero 7

The Fenhallow Sleep Clinic ran on a steady stream of soft jazz and downtempo ambient music. They had learned early in their studies that dreamhunters often had trouble falling asleep in silence; as their senses became sharper and their brains built up an aversion to sleep, they would remain too aware of the world around them. The music gave them something else to focus on while they drifted off—with the help of the clinic's sleeping sand, of course.

Emery and Wes were called in for their monthly sleep on the same day. The sun had just risen above the dorm when they slogged their way into the sleep research center, freshly showered after an uneventful night in Trevor van der Gelt's yard.  Wes looked as tired as Emery felt, and they took bets on who would sleep the longest.

"I don't know if I want to win or not," Wes said, looking gloomy.

There were actually two clinics on Fenhallow's campus where dreamhunter students might have their monthly sleep. The more commonly used of the two was the one on the second floor of Hothram Hall, where students were also seen for other health issues. The second and less commonly used took up a side of one wing of the Asha Gilani Sleep Research Center and was overseen by Lana Lupova. It was to this clinic that students and other dreamhunters went when Lana wanted them for study.

It was Emery that Lana wanted, but Wes had to come along as Emery's partner. The longer a hunting pair worked together, the more they influenced each other's subconscious, which meant Wes himself could be an important variable in the problem of Emery's dreamforming.

Lana was waiting for them when they arrived, nodding her head to ambient electronica and carefully loading a small amount of sleeping sand into a little puffer. Dr. Wong from the health clinic was with her, and two student assistants sat behind bright computer screens, already monitoring the pair of beds on the other side of the glass wall that divided the room.

"Take your beds," Lana said, without looking up. "I want to get started as soon as possible."

They crossed to the other side of the room and each took one of the pristine beds. White mattress, white sheet, white pillow. The lights were dim, the music soft. Dr. Wong and one of the student assistants followed them in to attach sensors to their temples and chests and set up the monitoring equipment. Emery had to braid back her hair to keep it from getting tangled in wires.

"This is a fairly neutral dose of sand," Lana said as she rolled into the room, holding the puffer aloft. "I collected it myself. I would have given you the good stuff, but I didn't want to contaminate my findings by influencing the Dream too far in one direction. This donor was dreaming of making pie. No strong emotions, just relaxation." Dr. Wong and the student assistant cleared out of the room to allow Lana to approach Wes's bed. "If you find yourself lucid dreaming, Mr. Jager, try not to do anything too extreme, please. And stay in your own dream."

Emery frowned at him. "Do you lucid dream often?"

Wes shrugged. Lana said mildly, "Only every time he's ever had his monthly sleep. It's common in those who were born with white sight. Their brains remain more attuned to the Dream. I'll have none of it." She huffed in annoyance as she readied the puffer and nudged Wes onto his pillow. "It might be a safer way to enter the Dream, but the stronger you get, the more likely you'll change something in the Dream that will manifest in the waking world. We have enough nightmares walking around already."

"I'll try—" Wes said, right as Lana squeezed the puffer in his face. He recoiled, blinking, and within seconds his eyes lost focus and rolled closed.

Emery relaxed back onto her own bed. Lana moved to her side. "It'll be time to wake up before you know it," Lana said, sounding both clinical and reassuring at the same time. "We'll get to the bottom of this block you're experiencing." She hesitated, then patted Emery's hand where it rested on the sheets.