Dreams [Closed for Chessie]

[NeoBard]

Books lay sprawled across the floor, pages open, sometimes ripped. Shelves slanted across the walls, papers fluttered over tables which themselves were full of various electronic equipment. There was a decidedly acidic taste to the air, tinged with a burning smell of something metallic. Jason removed the shades from his eyes and slipped them into the pocket of his checkered shirt. He seemed out of place here but there was no turning back now.

He held out a hand to the man facing him. The stranger was closer to 50 than 40 with streaks of grey that ran through his hair, his eyes had a startling laziness to them which matched the long drawl of his voice.

"Mr. Taylor. I was afraid you wouldn't show."

Jason raised a brow, "Whatever gave you that idea?" He flashed his favorite smile; anything to cover up the fact that he very nearly didn't.

The man looked at his watch...a watch...who used one of those these days?

Jason coughed, "Professor Trellian isn't it?"

"Oh yes yes, quite right. Now, I assume that as instructed you have eaten and drank nothing for the last 12 hours?" The professor asked.

"That's right, as we agreed." Jason murmured, suddenly eyeing the two sleeping mats placed on the floor. "Will you briefly outline the procedure one more time. And do you have the contract ready to sign?"

Trellian nodded excitedly, "You and another subject will be put into a dream state then kept as close to consciousness as possible in an effort to create a lucid dream. At this point you will both be open to suggestions but also able to control your actions. By introducing music and thought into your dreams I will hope to begin to merge the two dreams until ultimately you are both sharing it."

Jason nodded. "And the contract?"

"Here." He grabbed a handful of paper from a nearby table.

How he found it in all the mess Jason wasn't sure but He read it, mostly legal preamble and then signed it passing it back to the professor with a question, "And the payment?"

"I have the details, money will be wired immediately after the first test and from then on after each subsequent one."

"Will you be controlling our dreams?"

"No...not really. My suggestions might weave their way in but truly it will be whatever is a merge of your conscious and subconscious mind that shall write this dream story as it were."

"Okay, so what happens next?"

"Well, go over to that green mat and lay down. The second subject will be here soon and I think it would be best if you are already asleep by that time."

"Very well." Jason felt a little nervous but he had signed up for the money and the experience. The thought of learning how to control your dreams and share them with another person was intoxicating to him. He had always felt like there was a side of himself he wanted to explore and part of the advertisement for this project was that the professor promised whoever finally came forward as his subjects would be able to explore a part of themselves that had so far remained dormant.

There were particular things Jason wanted to try but that would come later...for now he had to make sure this was really possible.

 

[Chessie]

Nervously Gennifer checked over the crumpled sheet of paper once again. On the bus, she'd nearly chickened out at least ten times. But each time she'd talked herself back again. She needed the money. To the point of considering less than .. ethical options. She was close to being tossed out of school for the money she owed against her loans, she was skimming by just barely on her off campus rent, and she lived on a diet of apples and peanut butter. This money would see her school loans taken care of. Maybe even a few rent checks sorted.

And it wasn't as if she had to do anything gross. It was a sleep study. Unnerving, at best. But there were worse studies out there. She'd seen them. Considered them, for the money they'd offered. Relieved when she'd found something much more tame.

Her red hair tucked up in a messy bun, her rimmed glasses perched on her nose, grazing her blush tinged porcelain cheeks. Gennifer pulled out her paperback romance novel, trying to distract herself. Which worked a little too well. She'd nearly missed her stop, as she'd been so absorbed in a climactic scene. Scurrying off the bus, her cheeks were now rosy of their own volition as she made her way down the block, stuffing the offending book back into her messenger bag.

The address had been unexpected. Instead of a hospital, or a clinical office, it seemed to be an older building. Gennifer pulled the door to, stepping into the messy and disorganized room, looking about tentatively. She saw a young man lying on a mat across the room, and an older man scurrying about, making notes and moving books around.

The slight girl, nervously tucked the stray flyaway crimson curl that tickled her cheek, behind her ear.

"Professor Trellian? Genn Anderson. I've come to the right place?"

 

[NeoBard]

"Professor Trellian? Genn Anderson. I've come to the right place?"

The professor looked up startled, almost as if he had quite forgotten another subject was arriving even though just moments before he had been fully aware. He brushed a hand through his graying hair and looked askance at the red head.

"hmm...Guinevere was it?...Oh wait Gennifer!" He beamed one of those smiles people give when they're about to pull a really awful prank but only they know it. His eyes took her in gleefully and he moved to the door and ushered her in as if afraid she might change her mind any second.

"Yes. This is the right place. Hmm, where are they where are they? Oh yes, here. Now before anything begins we need to have you sign these papers" He shoved them in her hand. "It just outlines method of payment and states once again that you are willing to partake in this dream study...nothing to complicated I assure you."

The professor took a step back watching her carefully, wondering if she might have any questions or like Jason was so desperate for the money that few would be asked. He laughed inwardly, as if anyone dealing in modern science wouldn't ask questions!

"Now when you're quite ready I would appreciate it if you go and lay down on the spare mat. Once there I will need to hook you up to a few machines but most of it is wireless these days. Now, here you go and I'll just play a little music. Like so." He grabbed a controller and clicked play pointing it in a seemingly random direction. Low classical orchestra music began to flood the room.

 

[Chessie]

Taking the papers, she scanned them quickly. Not seeing anything to amiss she scrawled her signature across the bottom, and handed them back to the professor. Tentatively she followed his guidance over to the mat he suggested. Smiling nervously as he started the music.

"So what exactly are you studying?" Genn asked as she lowered herself carfully to the cusioned surface. As she looked up to him, she reached up to take her hair from its bounds, letting it fall over her shoulders as she scooted forward so she could lie down the full length of the mat.

"Hook me up? Are there needles?" She bit her lip, nervous at not knowing what to expect.

 

[NeoBard]

Trellian shook his head, "No needles, but these electro magnets here need to placed on your shoulders like so." He reached out and attached them. "As for what I'm studying; I want to know if people can share dreams and interact within them so as to use their subconscious as a more direct tool for exploring possibilities and making major decisions in their life." He smiled, "Nothing life threatening I assure you."

He watched as she lay down, "Now we must speak quietly. When I believe you have drifted to sleep I shall endeavor to make some basic suggestions to you. Planting scenery and people within your mind that our young man over there shall also be able to associate with. Hopefully you will both begin dreaming of such a place. Then I have a series of basic commands I'll offer you both, at which point the electro magnets that are hooked up to you will emit a series of small pulses to stimulate brain function." Trillian waved at her, "But sleep now. My computers here will generate the images from your brain into signals I can read. If both signals become increasingly similar it shall be step one accomplished.

He watched as she lay down, letting them both drift before the soft music and his voice merged to offer the view of waves gently lapping at a shore, the warm fuzzy feeling of sand enveloping their feet, the heat of the sun beating down upon their brow...waves...shore...sand...sun...waves...shore...sand...sun...he began to speak the words in a slow rhythmic pattern all the while watching his computer.