Parent-Teacher Conference Ch. 05

The Origin of Nightmares

Oliver led me into the small ship and it was the restaurant all over again. The heavy red curtains, the one lone table, and the waiters moving gracefully with trays of food. We walked to our old table, and slid into the booth, we just stared into each other eyes, blue eyes looking at light brown eyes, like creamy caramel. I had forgotten how delicious his eyes were. He leaned in kissed me so gently, as I felt my body light up. "Alexis," said Oliver, "I have something to ask you."

"Yes, Oliver," I whispered.

"Alexis," he said, "will you... ugh"

Suddenly, Oliver's face changed, drooped, a dark liquid began to pour out of his mouth. "Oliver?" I asked.

Oliver looked up at me in pain, and then fell on the table. I saw what appeared to be a large knife protruding from his back. Behind him was Wyman with an evil smile on his face. I tried to back away when I felt two strong hands on my shoulders.

"Going somewhere Ms. Perry," hissed Agent Fleck's voice in my ear.

Suddenly I found myself being lifted into the air, my clothes being ripped off, and suddenly I realized that Wyman isn't wearing his sunglasses. His eyes aren't normal, but more lizard like. I started to scream as Wyman said, "I like it when you scream."

Wyman grabs his face and begins to peal his skin away, revealing a brown, scaly surface. I screamed again and felt Fleck's snake like tongue licked up my back. "We've got some unfinished business Ms. Perry."

He slams my body onto the table next to Oliver's lifeless body and I felt two more rough hands grab and lift my hips into the air so my ass is high and I'm on my knees. I feel pressure against my anus and sex as I hear Fleck say, "I'm going to enjoy this so much. And when I'm done, I think my partner will want to try as well."

Wyman stands in front of my face and hisses, "I may try this orifice instead."

I look up and staring back down at me was a lizard like face, but uglier, and scarier. He grabs my hair roughly and suddenly there's a large, scaly, penile looking object in my face, and I realized what's about to happen. I look at Oliver's dead body and screamed again and again, hoping someone will hear me, someone will rescue me. I feel the penetration as I just continue to scream and scream and scream...

"Alexis! Alexis wake-up! Wake-up!" screamed Oliver as he shook me.

My eyes fluttered open and I saw Oliver leaning over me. His face is ashen, his hands are on my shoulders, and I sat up in the bed. My body was covered in sweat and trembling. Suddenly, I vomited all over Oliver's lap and chest and felt his hands pull away. 'So much for a great steak dinner,' I thought as I sat up, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked at Oliver. The look of horror and shock on his face was more than I could handle and I burst into tears. I tried to turn away from him, but instead, he wrapped his arms around me, and held me above my vomit. "It's all right Alexis. It's all right."

His soothing voice just made me cry even harder. "I'm sorry," I sobbed.

Suddenly, the door slid open and Iman walked in. "Forgive the interruption. My sensors indicated there was a problem with Alexis Perry."

"She's sick. She was screaming in her sleep, then this," said Oliver as he motioned to the vomit on the bed and his chest and all I could do was cry harder.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed.

"Shhhh," said Oliver as he stroked my hair. "You have nothing to be sorry for. What's wrong with her?"

I could hear the concern in his voice as Iman shook her head and said, "I do not know. We need to bring Alexis Perry back to medical bay so I may examine her."

Oliver nodded and pushed the vomit-filled sheet away from us and started to rise. I tried to stop crying, but I just couldn't. I felt disgusting and dirty. Rashad entered the room, Iman clicked something to him, and he gathered up the vomit covered sheets, and then cleaned the vomit off Oliver and me until the evidence of my sickness was gone, then left. My clothes were still wet from my sweat. I wanted so badly to take a shower and brush my teeth.

"I need to bathe," I sobbed.

"Soon Alexis Perry," said Iman, "It is important I examine you now."

Oliver and Iman helped me to my feet. My legs felt weak as I slipped on my pants and they escorted me down another long hallway back to the room I first woke up in, or at least, I thought it was. Only, now, instead of the bed I found myself on before, there were different machines, and what looked like a dentist chair where the bed was. Rashad was there, waiting for us.

"Alexis Perry. It is good to see you again," he said.

"Hi," I whispered, still feeling sick.

"Alexis Perry," said Iman, "we need you to sit in the chair and relax. I promise we will not bring harm to you. We must find what disease or injury you still carry."

It was only now that I realized I was still holding Oliver's body, my arms wrapped around his waist and his arms around my shoulders. For me to sit in the chair meant I had to let him go. I looked deeply up into his brown eyes, and they still reminded me of creamy caramel, my favorite candy. It was then I realized why for the six months after his notes had stopped that I ate nothing but caramel candy, thus putting on ten pounds before I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started working out. Thus was why I was able to take on Agent Fleck the way I had before.

"Alexis," said Oliver, snapping me out of my memories.

I shook my head and said, "Right, the chair."

I sat in the chair and instantly a wide metallic band wrapped around my waist. I began to panic and screamed. Maybe it was because of my nightmare, but I was clawing at the band, trying to escape, and crying hysterically when Iman said, "Please Alexis Perry, this will not hurt. It is part of what we must do."

I looked at Iman as tears fell down my cheeks, then at Oliver, who took my hand gently and said, "It's ok. I won't let them hurt you. I promise."

His words were soothing to hear so I relaxed and he released my hand. He wiped my tears away as Rashad placed my arms so that two metal bands wrapped around my wrists, and then moved my legs to where two more metal bands wrapped around my ankles. I began to feel myself panic and tremble again, but Oliver gently touched my hand again and said, "It'll be all right, Alexis. I know you're scared but Iman is the best medical... ugh... doctor my world has. She won't hurt you, I promise. I wouldn't let her do this if I didn't fully trust her. I'll be back soon so I need you to trust her. Please, for me."

I smiled at Oliver and said, "Okay, I'll try to relax."

"Good," he said and kissed me softly on the cheek. "I'll be back soon." He looked at Iman and said firmly, "I want a full report."

"Of course," said Iman.

Oliver left as Rashad placed the final piece, a metal cap on my head. He smiled down at me and said, "I know you are scared Alexis Perry, but know, we mean you no harm. We only want to understand why you are in pain. Why you scream when you are in rest period."

"I had a nightmare," I said. "No big deal."

"What is a nightmare?" asked Iman.

"You know, a bad dream," I said. They both looked at me as if I had started speaking a foreign language. "Don't you dream?"

"Alexis Perry," Iman began, "we need to probe your memories. It will take a great deal of time, and it will go faster and be much easier on you if you allow us to put you in a rest period."

"You think it will help?" I asked.

"Yes, Alexis Perry, I do," said Iman.

I knew that whatever was wrong with me was trapped in my mind so I agreed without question. They stepped away from me, soon the chair began to stretch out like a bed, a narrow tube from a machine came toward me, pushed my arm, and suddenly everything went black.