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Eyes Like Yours Episode 6 - What Dreams May​.​.​. RUN!

by Knights of Bardicry

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about

All over the city, people seem unable to sleep. Or at the very least, unable to feel rested after sleeping. Could the cause be a dream-eating Otherfolk? Or is something far more sinister at play?

lyrics

Episode 6 – What Dream May... RUN!

DEMI NARRATION

Jayden:
I'm still not grasping the concept. What does it do?

Demi:
I already told you! In excruciating detail! Stop asking.

Jayden:
Just... let me see if I understand you. Human beings have ruled this planet unopposed for thousands of years, created strongholds of ingenuity that stretch up to the skies, and claimed the skies as their own with unparalleled technology that your ancestors could never have dreamed of.

Demi:
Yeah.

Jayden:
And with all that power at your disposal... you choose to build... this...

[Toilet flush]

Demi:
[sighs] It's called a toilet, Jayden.

Jayden:
But... why?

Demi:
It's a hygiene issue! You don't want waste in your house. The toilet carries it away.

Jayden:
That's absurd! Why build an entire underground sewage system when you could just walk a few steps away and—

Demi:
Because I'll be heavily fined if you get caught, so don't you even think about it!

Jayden:
Absurd... [weakly] Not that I could though, even if I tried. I haven't eaten in almost a week now. Have you no mercy?

Demi:
I gave you a steak this morning.

Jayden:
[hisses] I can't eat that! What is it, cow!? It isn't ripe!

Demi:
Ripe? Ugh, right. You can't eat meat unless it's rotten.

Jayden:
Or... human.

Demi:
No.

Jayden:
Come now, Demi. There must be someone the world wouldn't miss. A convicted criminal. A drifter. A lost child. At this point I'd settle for grave-meat. It wouldn't be hard to sneak into a cemetery and find a freshly dug plot—

Demi:
NO! Just eat the steak, okay? I know it's not to your taste, but it's better than starving, right?

Jayden:
That's a matter of opinion...

Jayden chokes down the steak like a picky child being told to eat their veggies. I roll my eyes at his overdramatic antics. If he was really that hungry, he wouldn't be so stubborn.

[knock on the door]

Demi:
Just a minute!

[footsteps and the door opens]

Demi:
You!?

Stokes:
Hello, Demi!

It's that labcoated guy from the Chimera case! What was his name?

Demi:
Blokes?

Stokes:
Stokes. Dr. William Randalf Sto—

Demi:
Right, two questions, Stokes McGokes. How did you find me and what do you want?

Stokes:
You know, you'd be surprised just how useful access to the police database is. As for the latter, there are far too many interesting phenomena occurring in this town for me to just leave! I'm having the old Sceana theater converted into a new lab. There's much to investigate. There have been unsubstantiated reports in the last few days of large swathes of the population having difficulty sleeping, and the cause has yet to be determin—!

Demi:
That's great. I'm real happy for you. Goodbye.

Stokes:
Wait! If you'll recall when last we met, I told you I had my reasons for doing what I did.

Son of a—of course he has ulterior motives.

Demi:
What do you want? It can't be money, if you have enough to convert a rundown old theater into a state-of-the-art lab. Besides, it's not like I have any money to give.

Stokes:
[chuckles] No, you misunderstand me. Extortion is the furthest thing from my mind. And very messy business; I wouldn't recommend it. I'm here strictly as a friend! To, ah, study... your companion... right there.

Demi:
My companion? You mean Jayden?

Jayden:
[vomits]

Demi:
OH GOD! JAYDEN! NOT ON MY FLOOR!

Stokes:
Speaking of your companion, he looks rather unwell. Perhaps we should take him back to my lab and have him looked at.

Demi:
No. He's fine. He just—

Jayden:
I'm ILL. I told you I couldn't eat steak! It wasn't ripe!

Stokes:
Hmm? Ripe? How so?

Demi:
He can't... eat meat unless it's rotten... But it's not like the grocery store has an aisle for decomposing foods, so I'm having trouble feeding him.

And I'm not about to let him eat human flesh, no matter how much he begs.

Stokes:
Oh is that all? Come with me. With the right bacterial culture and a catalyst to speed up the process, we can “ripen” a steak for him in mere minutes!

Demi:
Really?

Stokes:
Easily.

Jayden:
[coughs, breathes, shudders]

I look at Jayden. He looks pathetic. He may be an inhuman monster, but I'm not. I can't let him starve.

Demi: [giving up]
Okay. Let's get this over with.

[Scene change]

It's strange coming back to the abandoned theater. There was a monster here, no matter how it was explained to the public, and people lost their lives because of it. I rub my arms to shake off the goosebumps my thoughts are giving me as we head through the large double doors. And instantly, I almost forget where we are. The creepily dilapidated old building looks totally different inside! Everything is white and pristine; plastic polymers and solid chrome replacing the wood and fabric. There's still some construction going on here and there, but nearly all traces of the theater are gone. The seating, the balconies, the railings, have all been replaced with counter tops, chemistry equipment, computers, and huge, technologically advanced looking machines. All that remains is the stage, though it seems to have been entirely rebuilt, or at the very least reinforced, painted, and waxed.

Demi:
Couldn't bear to part with it, huh?

Stokes:
It has its charms. Far be it for me to get rid of a perfectly wonderful platform for lecture. This way!

Stokes leads us to an examination room. He tells Jayden to sit—which Jayden promptly ignores with a sneer—and gets to work on preparing the meat. True to his word, the steak is stinking in a matter of minutes. Suddenly obedient, Jayden plops down on the examination table and devours the rotting steak, not even stopping to acknowledge Stokes's poking and prodding. I take a seat and wait, watching as Stokes continues his examination, periodically plying Jayden with more meat to keep him cooperative.

Stokes:
Incredible. His body appears to lack the digestive enzymes and gut flora necessary to break down fresh meat. Since spoiled meat has already begun to be broken down by bacteria, his body can process it. Fascinating... You know, perhaps his species began as scavengers and evolved into predators over time... And you say he claims to be able to eat fresh human meat? I wonder how that works. Perhaps I could procure a sample and see how his body reacts to it...

Demi:
Okay, I've heard enough. I'm going home. I still have homework to do and I'm exhausted. I didn't sleep at all last night. Jayden, let's go!

Jayden:
But he still has meat—

Demi:
You've already eaten a crate full!

Stokes:
Hold on a moment. Demi, you said you had trouble sleeping last night?

Demi:
Yeah? Well, sort of. It's probably just stress from work and school and this jerk over here.

Jayden:
Hmph.

Stokes:
I understand you wanting to return home, but please indulge me. Were you unable to sleep or did you sleep without receiving its traditional benefits?

Demi:
Uhh... The second one, I guess. Come to think of it, it was kinda weird. I laid down and closed my eyes for just a second, and the next thing I knew it was morning. I didn't even feel like I'd fallen asleep.

Stokes:
I see... You just described what's been happening all over town, almost verbatim. I sleep in the reinforced observation room over there, and I haven't felt any ill effects, though I've yet to discover why.

Demi:
You don't think... you're not implying it's an Otherfolk, are you?

Stokes:
Hmm? Otherfolk? Is that what you call these... creatures?

Demi:
I guess? That's what Atiyah's family calls them.

Stokes:
Ahh, wonderful idea, Demi!

Demi:
What idea?

Stokes:
Let's pay your friend and her family a visit. Perhaps they can provide some insight to the cause of this parasomnia!

Demi:
You're kidding, right? Just because some people are having trouble sleeping, we're going to assume it's an ancient monster from another dimension? No. I don't think so. And I doubt the Basilahs will either.

[cut to—]

Ithnanie:
Oh, it's definitely an Otherfolk.

Wahid:
I'm glad you called. We'd been suspecting as much as well.

Demi:
Of course...

Ithnanie:
I suspect it's some form of dream eater. There are many mysterious Otherfolk which live off the dreams of human beings.

Stokes:
Now there's no need to jump to conclusions. We don't know what's causing this phenomenon, but whatever it is, it's certainly not supernatural.

Ithnanie:
With all due respect, mister—

Stokes: [interjects]
Doctor.

Ithnanie:
—yes, yes, Doctor Stokes. With all due respect, you're a bit outside your depth here. I've been studying the Otherfolk all my life, I think I know one when I see one.

Stokes:
Yes, yes, of course. Anything that can't be explained by commonly held beliefs is automatically supernatural in origin. What is this, the dark ages?

Ithnanie:
Pray tell, since you don't believe in Otherfolk, how do you explain the chimera?

Stokes:
A wonderful quirk in evolution! It's a tragedy I wasn't able to examine the beast further.

Ithnanie:
The Otherfolk are ancient beings of great power and beauty, they are not to be taken lightly!

Stokes:
I don't dispute your description, I find fault in your conclusion. Distinct difference there. True, the evidence may support your hypothesis, but that doesn't preclude it from supporting mine as well.

I'm getting really tired of this posturing.

Demi:
As much as I've been enjoying you boys measuring your... egos, could you please tell them why we're here, Stokes?

Stokes:
Ahem, yes, of course. As I was going to say before we meandered along on that tangent, if we're going to figure out what's causing this phenomenon we're going to need more data. I suggest a sleep study.

Ithnanie:
What good is a sleep study going to do against an Otherfolk?

Stokes:
Since when is more data a bad thing?

Wahid:
He has a point, Ithnanie. It may help us come up with a way of reversing whatever's happening.

Ithnanie:
I still don't like it.

Demi:
Just shut up and meet us at the theater. You can even bring your books if you like; maybe you can give Stokes McGokes a history lesson.

[SCENE TRANSITION]

Atiyah: [tired sounding]
Look at this place. It's so... [yawn] so cool. It's like something out of a space movie.

Demi:
Yeah, it's definitely something. Hey, you okay? Have you been having trouble sleeping too?

Atiyah:
Mhm... For some reason, it's been hitting me harder than most of my brothers.

Demi:
Most?

Atiyah:
Oh, Arebah has a sensitive constitution. The lack of sleep has been making him really sick. Thalata's at home taking care of him right now.

Demi:
Thalata? Isn't he the one with the bad attitude?

Atiyah:
Yeah... Thalata can be pretty rough around the edges, but he isn't a bad guy. He's just pretty worried about Arebah.

Demi:
Huh. Go figure. So hey, I'm gonna head home and avoid this whole mess before they get me involved. Wanna come? You could take a nap on my bed while I do homework.

Atiyah:
That sounds [yawn] nice... but what about the Otherfolk?

Demi:
We don't know for sure it's an Otherfolk. And even if it is, I really want to finish my work so I can get some sleep.

Stokes:
Excellent idea once again, Demi!

Demi:
Eh?

Stokes:
I'll even do you one better. We'll finish our work WHILE we get some sleep.

Ithnanie:
I still don't see how that will do us any good. We need to go out there and catch the Otherfolk that's causing this, not waste our time running useless tests.

Stokes:
No, we need to gather data and run these tests so we can determine the cause of this sleep epidemic, not waste time chasing fairy tales!

Demi:
You two aren't helping [yawns] anything! Do you think you could both coexist without turning everything into an argument!?

Ithnanie: [taken aback]
I—uh—...fine. Perform your blasted sleep study.

Stokes:
Splendid! Your acquiescence is most appreciated, Ithnanie. Now all we need are test subjects...

[scene change]

Hemsah:
We get to be guinea pigs? That's kind of awesome.

Sittah:
Hey, Hemsah, look at these machines! Which one do you think they'll, uh, hook us up to?

Hemsah:
Well I hope it's that scary looking one!

Sittah: [nervous]
The one with the huge needles? Um, why would you say that?

Hemsah:
Don't be such a pansy, Sittah! It'll make a great story!

Sittah:
You just want to break it, don't you?

Hemsah:
Well now that you mention it, I do!

Sittah:
But you knew I'd mention it.

Hemsah:
And you knew you'd be right.

Sittah:
Well, what can I say?

Hemsah/Sittah:
I know you better than you know yourself.

Stokes:
Yes, yes, fine, yes. Now please lie down. It's time to administer the tranquilizers.

Hemsah/Sittah:
Careful, doc. Sittah's scared of needles.

Stokes:
Alright. Which one of you is Sittah?

Sittah:
The one that's not Hemsah.

Stokes:
And which one of you is Hemsah?

Hemsah:
The one that's not scared of needles. Duh.

Stokes:
… [administers shot]

Sittah:
AHH!

Stokes:
Well then, I take it you're Sittah.

Hemsah:
OUCH!

Stokes:
And what's wrong with you!?

Hemsah:
Sympathy pains.

Stokes:
Right...well... At any rate, the tranquilizers should take effect—

[Hemsah and Sittah collapse onto the cots]

Hemsah/Sittah:
[snoring]

Stokes:
Immediately. Ahem. Yes. Quite. So.

Stokes takes hold of a bunch of cords coming out of a strange machine and begins attaching the ends all over the twins' faces and heads.

Atiyah:
What're you doing?

Stokes:
I'm taking electroencephalography recording.

Atiyah:
Say what?

Demi:
Wait, is that one of those brain wave recording thingies, like on TV? What're they called... an EEG?

Stokes:
Top of the class, Demi! An EEG, short for electroencephalography, records the electrical activity along the scalp. This, in turn, allows us to measure voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain.

[silence]

Stokes: [sighs]
Yes. It's a brain wave recording thingie like on TV.

Ithnanie: [muttering to himself]
Complete waste of time...

Stokes:
Alright then, let's take a look see!

[Silence except for typing]

Ithnanie:
...there's nothing here.

Stokes:
I know! Peculiar, isn't it?

Demi:
I don't think I understand.

Stokes:
With that strong a sedative in their systems they'd already be in REM sleep by now, but the electrical signals the EEG is reading are hardly changed from how they'd look when they're awake. It's as if they're being held just below lucidity. Think of it as sleep limbo, except a lot less bright.

It doesn't take long for Stokes to start darting back and forth between machines, flipping switches and checking readouts.

Stokes:
Wait, no, that can't be—YES! THERE!

We all turn to look at the great breakthrough he's found.

Atiyah:
I don't see anything, Mister Stokes.

Stokes:
Yes you do, young Atiyah, you just don't know what you're looking at. See here? It's almost indistinguishable from the regular readings, but there's an ultra-low frequency signal embedded in the electrical activity.

Ithnanie:
What does that have to do with anything?

Stokes:
Perhaps if you had ever taken polysomnography it would make sense, but I would be more than happy to educate you, Ithnanie.

Ithnanie:
That isn't my field.

Stokes: [interrupts]
You see, our body is designed to gradually change the way the brain operates as we get closer to REM sleep. Part of this process is what causes your body to be paralyzed while you're asleep. When you introduce an abnormal signal to the equation, one that interferes with your body's naturally generated rhythms, in theory it would prevent you from sleeping and gaining the all-important rest we need to function at peak efficiency.

Demi:
Yeah, that's great and all, but what does knowing about the signal get us?

Stokes:
It means we can track the signal to its source and find a way to stop it.

Ithnanie:
And how do you propose we do that, Randolph?

Stokes rummages in a nearby drawer before taking out a weird-looking handheld thing.

Stokes:
With this! It's a miniaturized version of this device, and should let us zero in on the source of the signal without too much fuss. Come along, Ithnanie. There's work to do!

Stokes looks like a schoolboy as he stuffs the device into his pocket, grabs his coat and runs for the door. Ithnanie doesn't look happy as he trudges behind him. I can practically hear the cursing from here.

Demi:
So what do I do in the meantime?

Stokes: [over his shoulder]
Look over everyone until we get back. And if I were you, I wouldn't fall asleep!

Tell me something I don't know.

Demi:
Yeah. You guys go ahead. Knock yourselves out. I'm going home. You coming, Atiyah? [pause] Atiyah?

I look behind me and find Atiyah all curled up in a comfy looking leather chair, fast asleep. I can't help but smile, just a little. She's still such a kid.

Atiyah:
[shuddering sound, cold]

Demi:
Heh.

Atiyah shivers. I remove my sweater and drop it on her. I can't exactly leave her here alone, so I guess I'm sticking around until her brothers come back. I plop down onto the seat beside her and struggle to stay awake. I nod off for a second and have to shake my head to stay conscious.

Demi: [yawns]
It's gonna be a long day...

Jayden:
[growls]

Demi:
Hmm?

Jayden:
Demi... how about the two of us have a little chat?

Jayden? Where are you? Wait, I meant to say that, but the words won't come out. Oh god! I can't talk! I can't make a sound!

Jayden:
It is more of a private matter, though. Please, give me just a moment to remove the interloper. [roars]

[A slash, a crash, and a thud. Atiyah screams, but cuts off abruptly]

Jayden sinks his claws into Atiyah and throws her across the room. I hear the sickening sound of her neck cracking, abruptly cutting off her screams. I push myself off the chair and onto my feet, but my whole body feels like lead. I can barely hold myself up, let alone move! I want to scream. I want to rush to Atiyah's side. Why am I so powerless!?

Jayden:
There we are. Finally alone. Just like back in Lamyria. I'd warn you not to struggle, but honestly, I hope you do. It's so much more fun to watch. Heheh!

Demi:
[whimpers]

Ravana! Don't move!

[Footsteps, Jayden's claws clacking against the floor]

Don't. Move. Stop coming closer! Get away from me! No! Don't change into your true form. Stay away! No!

Jayden:
[growls]

No! Close your jaws! Don't! I can't breathe! I can't see! I can't even raise my arms to shield myself! Someone! Make it STOP!

[The sound of claws sinking into flesh]

Demi:
[chokes, coughs]

I barely even feel it. All I taste is blood in my mouth...

Jayden: [cruel, mocking and cold]
Time to wake up, Demi. Time to—

Stokes:
Wake up!

Demi:
[gasps]

I wake up in Stokes' lab, still sitting in a comfy leather chair. Immediately I turn to look for Atiyah. She's sleeping peacefully beside me, cuddled up to my sweater like a swaddled baby.

Demi: [exhales in relief]
Just a nightmare...

Stokes:
Hmm? Were you dreaming? Well, that's a good sign! It means you were able to achieve REM sleep! Which makes sense, seeing as we caught the source of the interfering frequency!

Demi:
Huh?

Atiyah: [sleepily waking]
Whas goin on...?

Stokes jumps up and excitedly gestures at the reinforced observation room. Through the thick glass, I can see what looks like a strange cross between a pygmy elephant and a tapir, but with a fused double-trunk.

Demi:
What the heck is—?

Atiyah:
AWWWW! It's cuuuuuuuuuute!

Ithnanie:
That is a Baku. A dream-eating Otherfolk. Just as I predicted. What say you now, Dr. Stokes?

Stokes:
I never said it couldn't be one of these strange creatures. I simply said it wasn't anything supernatural.

Ithnanie: [sputters]
B-but! Y-you said!

Stokes:
And it isn't supernatural! What preposterous nonsense, eating dreams. Ridiculous! This baku emits a low frequency which prevents the brain from fully entering sleep mode. Were you not listening when I explained this before we left, Ithnanie?

Ithnanie:
I specifically said—

Stokes:
At any rate, we're keeping this troublesome specimen isolated here. To ensure that he was the cause of the parasomnia.

Ithnanie:
Of course it was. What else would it be? We need to send it back through the barrier!

Stokes:
And we will. Soon. Once I rule out any other possibilities. You know, just to be on the safe side.

Ithnanie:
You're not fooling anyone. You just want to study that thing. Of all the selfish, inconsiderate, pighead, stupid thing to do!

Atiyah:
Awwwww! Lookit his little tail! I wanna pet him! Do you think I can pet him?

[Stokes and Ithnanie keep arguing. Atiyah fawns over the baku.]

Through all the commotion, I glance around the room. I find Jayden sitting quietly in a corner, lapping up the last of the decaying drippings in the steak crate. Blood runs cold in my veins. I'm not one to believe in prophecies or visions. A dream is only a dream. Even so, my guts twist and ache, as if I could still feel where monstrous claws had pierced through me.

credits

released June 1, 2016
Voice Talents:
Demi Diaz: Lucia Lobosvilla
Atiyah Basilah: Victoria McMullen
William Randalf Stokes: Matt Di Carlo
Jayden: Nick Eriksen
Wahid Basilah: Joel Williams
Ithnanie Basilah: Ryan Hoyle
Hemsah Basilah: Señor Pacman
Sittah Basilah: Señor Pacman

Music:
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Lizzy Denning

Art:
Cris Hylton (www.ourthingcomic.com) (stupiddoodle.tumblr.com)

Written by:
Lucia Lobosvilla
Matt Di Carlo

Mixed by:
Lucia Lobosvilla
Jenny Phan (www.youtube.com/user/Merstim)

license

all rights reserved

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