Mindscape // DreamNotFound

Chapter 5

     The room went silent. All eyes were on Darryl. He looked around nervously, but his stance didn't change. Toby was the first to look away, moving to lean against one of the walls. His blonde friend joined him, and they had a quiet conversation. Clay guessed Tommy was probably checking on him, judging by the worry in his eyes.

     Clay instinctively glanced at George, who had been talking to Darryl just moments before. He was frozen in shock. The blonde approached him hesitantly, not wanting to scare him. Carefully, he put his hand on George's shoulder. The Brit turned quickly to meet his eyes, though his expression hardly changed.

     The taller of the two inwardly hit himself. He'd been in this place for a little longer than George, and he knew from experience that touching someone helped focus your senses. So, while part of Clay knew he was doing this to help calm George, he also needed it to ground himself. Darryl watched them, his eyes calculating.

     " I kind've figured we'd have to explore them eventually," Fundy said suddenly, the first to address the group since Darryl's announcement. " They're the most obvious thing we've got to work off here."

     Toby and Tommy rejoined them. Clay took note of how Toby gripped his friend's upper arm like his life depended on it, and he guessed that he wasn't entirely on board with the idea yet. Darryl nodded to Fundy. " We'll have to discuss it more in the morning. For now, I think we should probably get some rest."

     George frowned, turning to face Clay. The blonde was just as confused, having only arrived a short while before George. Fundy noticed them, and explained quickly, " We've figured out a base way to tell how time is passing in the real world."

     " Basically, those lights up in the ceiling start to flicker out one by one until it's almost entirely dark in here," he said. " After awhile, they come back on. It's not perfect at all, but it's the best we have."

     Clay whistled, " How long did it take you to figure that out?"

     " One light cycle," Fundy answered. " Time seems to pass faster here. Your friend Nick arrived a bit after the lights came back on, and you came around noonish. George, you got here at dusk."

     " I'd say it's fascinating," George muttered. " But it's not something I really want to stick around and study."

     Clay snorted and the other two gave him a strange look. " Sorry," he said. " That was kinda funny."

     " Whatever you say, buddy," Fundy dismissed. " Just find a spot on the floor and try to get some rest. I'm still convinced I'm dreaming, so I won't tell you to try and sleep."

     Clay nodded and the dutch man walked off, joining Callahan by the third door on the right. George turned to him, and Nick stepped over as well. Most of the other wall spaces had been taken towards one end of the hallway. Nick pointed to the far wall, by the furthest doors. There was one spot, empty and devoid of anything, that no one had occupied yet. The three thought it only logical to settle here.

     The other five watched them. Clay didn't noticed Callahan waving at him until they'd already sat down. The mute looked worried. He held up nine fingers, and then put one down, and made a square with his hands. The blonde frowned, looking behind him.

     Nine fingers, one down. Oh, Clay realized, that was where the ninth door had been. Where the ninth man had gone in, and never come out. Unconsciously, he glanced over to Toby, who was staring at the ground. Tommy chatted to him with a huge smile on his face. George grabbed Clay's sleeve. " Are you sure we should sit here," he whispered.

     " Not like we have much choice, there's no space anywhere else," Clay responded. Nick glanced over at them, nodding his agreement. They sat there in silence, none of them trying to rest. George seemed especially uncomfortable, as he was shifting around quite a bit.