CHAPTER SEVEN - ARE YOU A DREAM?

The light was too blinding for Brian to see clearly so he placed a hand over his brow, squinting up to see who was shouting his name over and over. He felt the hard ground digging into his shoulder blades and he struggled to stand upright, surprised that he had been laying flat on his back. A high-pitched wail made Brian wince, a wail that sounded like a very frightened little girl, screaming for her mother. Security rushed up, commanding everyone harshly to stand back and so Brian did as he was told, obediently moving backwards along with the crowd, trying to peer over the shoulders of the people in front of him to sneak a glimpse at what security was so interested in. Brian was shocked to see the prone figure of a young man lying sideways on the floor, completely unconscious. The man, dressed exactly the same way as him made Brian frown, wondering how a fan had managed to copy their clothing with such exacting detail. A dark-haired man rushed by him, kneeling quickly in front of the still figure and Brian called out to Kevin, curious as to why his cousin was down here and not up on the stage, performing.

Kevin ignored his cry completely, instead cautiously touching the prone man with a tentative hand. "Brian?"

"Yeah?"

'Oh my God, what's happened to you?"

"Kevin, what are you talking about?"

Brian looked at him quizzically and then glanced around at the crowd, noticing that their attention was riveted on the fallen man. He moved easily between the swarm of security and stood next to Kevin, who was bent over the unknown person.

"Kevin?"

Kevin turned swiftly around, his face tight with anxiety. "Call 911!" he yelled into the crowd and then swung his attention back to the unconscious figure.

"Kevin? Kevin? What's going on?”

Brian shook his head, confused. Annoyed that Kevin was ignoring his questions, he reached out to grab his cousin's shoulder, almost losing his balance as his fingers slid effortlessly through Kevin's upper body. Heart in throat, Brian frantically reached out to clutch at Kevin again, his hand once more gliding smoothly through. Brian stumbled back, staring in shock as he wriggled his fingers. Oh my God! How? What's happening?

Before he had a chance to try once more, Kevin leaned forward, gently turning the collapsed man onto his back. Stunned, Brian gawked at the face of the unconscious man in disbelief and moved closer, crouching down so he could get face to face with Kevin, the prone body the only thing separating them.

"Kevin!" shouted Brian firmly, determined to capture his attention. "Kevin! Look at me!"

Kevin jerked his head up, his mouth set into a thin line as he stared directly into Brian's frantic eyes.

"Kevin! Yes! It's me, Brian!"

"Son-of-a-bitch," swore Kevin under his breath, swinging his gaze away from Brian to grimace at the high screams coming from behind him. "Would someone mind getting this kid her mom? And hopefully shutting her up too? I can't think!"

Distressed that Kevin hadn't heard him, Brian open his mouth to speak but stopped as he saw AJ forcefully shove his way through the crowd, bending down next to Kevin.

"How is he?" panted AJ, his eyes flickering between Kevin and the unconscious form.

"I don't know," replied Kevin tensely.

"Hey! AJ! Guys? Anyone?!"

"AJ. Do me a favor and see if security can shut that kid up."

"Sure." AJ jumped up and headed over.

"AJ, wait!" Brian watched in frustration as AJ left, struggling against the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He glanced down, biting his lip hard, not wanting to examine the still form too closely. How, how could he…be me? Brian slowly stretched his hand out, his fingers hovering uncertainly over the body, afraid to touch it, afraid not to.

"Kevin!"

Startled, Brian pulled his hand back and turned to see Nick hurrying up, running a nervous hand through his hair as he squatted next to Kevin. "How's Bri?"

"Nick! I'm okay!" Brian reached out to touch Nick instead, trying hard not to panic as his hand slithered right through Nick’s body.

"Hey, Kev! The little girl, Allison, wants to know if Brian is going to be all right!"

Nick, Kevin, and Brian all turned in the direction of AJ's shout, seeing AJ standing next to Allison, who was sniffling and rubbing her eyes. She brought her hands away, tears streaking pitifully down her small face. Looking directly at them, Allison's red-rimmed eyes wavered, adjusting, becoming round, dark pinpoints of red glowing intently from within.

"No! No!"

Shaking, Brian jumped up from his crouched position, his understanding, his memory now crystal clear.

Grinning, her mouth slowly opened wide; a dark, gaping hole that quickly consumed her whole face. Brian shuddered, seeing the horrible, black emptiness of it all.

"No!" he yelled again, shaking his head in angry defiance.

"Tell her Brian should be all right, Bone," advised Kevin.

AJ turned and smiled kindly at Allison. Brian jerked in fear, scared that AJ might touch her, and took a frantic step towards him. He froze, a fierce pain catching him by surprise as he inadvertently passed through his own unconscious form. Sharp, piercing stabs of agony lanced through him, taking his breath away and instinctively Brian tried to break free of the tight hold. With a determination borne out of sheer terror, Brian began to thrash violently, pulling desperately with every last ounce of strength to escape. A surge of vertigo hit him and he swayed, slipping to his knees as he continued valiantly to detach himself. Brian looked down, his mind numb with horror and pain as his lower body began to mix with his other fallen half, slowly merging, melting them into one. Exhausted from the struggle, Brian gave up, feeling himself succumb to the magnetic tug of both bodies being fuse together. He kept his eyes grimly locked onto hers, only to find his vision shimmering, fading as the suction of both his forms finally became one. Dimly aware that she was reaching out to him, her arm extended to an impossible length, Brian mouthed a silent, desperate plea of no! before her cold contact enveloped him completely.

***************************************

Brian opened his eyes, feeling the cool touch of fingers on his wrist. He blinked a few times, trying to focus on her as she leaned over him, her mouth pursed in silent concentration as she studied him.

With a brutal jerk, Brian ripped his hand away from hers, sitting quickly up in bed, his breathing harsh as he shook in alarm. "Don't! Don't ever touch me!" he hissed angrily as he search her face, wondering why her eyes were blue instead of black.

She frowned, grabbing his hand again to search for his pulse. "Mr. Littrell, please. I'm just trying to take your pulse. Nothing more, okay? I promise." The nurse gave him a patronizing look, the kind Brian was all too familiar with in his years of being a patient at various hospitals.

Brian closed his eyes, relief mixed with shock as he concentrated on getting his breathing to a more normal pace. Feeling the nurse’s not-so-gentle poking and prodding he opened his eyes, giving her a dour look as he scanned his hospital room. "What time is it?" he questioned, his mouth compressed into a tight line.

"A little after seven a.m.," she replied, checking on the flow rate to his IV. Brian followed her movements and traced the tubing line down, the IV needle once again taped securely to his left forearm.

"Damn," he said softly, bitterly remembering his struggle with Kevin, the sting of the tranquilizer before he had gone under.

"I'm sorry to wake you up, but I just came on shift and need to take your vitals. Looks like you were having a nightmare," the nurse added, scribbling a few notes in his chart.

Nightmare.

Was that what it was? Just a nightmare? How come it felt so real? Brian studied his right hand for a moment, rubbing his fingers lightly together, remembering how his hand had passed right through Nick and Kevin. Nightmares do feel real he admitted grudgingly to himself. And, by the nurse’s confirmation of time, it looked like he had slept right through the night, completely drugged up.

“Nightmare,” he said softly, trying to convince himself. Convince himself of what? That if it had been a nightmare, then what he had dreamt didn’t really happen? That it had all been fabricated in his mind, possibly induced by the tranquilizer they had given him?

Brian rubbed his forehead, confused and upset. Well, what was it? Real or not? True or false? His body screamed yes, while his rational mind yelled no. “Oh God,” he moaned, not sure if he even wanted to know the real answer.

“Are you okay?”

Brian felt the nurse’s concerned arm touching his.

“No. Yes. I’m fine.” Liar, liar! he whispered savagely to himself. Everyone thinks you’re nuts! Are you? Are you crazy?

Brian suddenly knew one way to find out.

“Um, nurse, I know it’s early but, uh, is anyone here waiting for me?”

The nurse smiled kindly at the sound of optimism in his voice. “I think, yeah, some of your friends are here.”

“AJ?”

“Let me go check, all right?” With a quick nod, the nurse left in search of his friend.

Brian sat up in his bed, his heart pounding a little faster in anticipation. He picked nervously at his bed sheets, waiting, hopeful that AJ was indeed here because right now he had no desire whatsoever to see Kevin or Nick.

“Yo, Bri.”

Brian looked up, seeing a hesitant AJ standing respectively by the door.

Brian took a deep breath. “AJ, last night. What was that little girl’s name, you know, the one you said I grabbed?”

Startled by Brian’s sudden and strange request, AJ stood there for a moment, trying to remember. Oh yeah.

“Allison.”

Brian leaned back into his pillow and shut his eyes tight, feeling lightheaded. Allison. Allison. It wasn’t a dream, and yes it truly was a nightmare. Cause there was no way he should have known her name, none at all. He had been unconscious, on the floor.

“Brian!”

Brian felt AJ’s anxious grip and reluctantly opened his eyes. It’s real. She’s real. Brian shuddered at the significance of it. So, I’m not going crazy.

I wish I was.