Cerebra Gate (1)

Oxy was the first to return home. Darren still hung out with his bad friends. Bill might be dealing with the death of his friend this afternoon. While Grace might be still at her office.

Oxy went straight into her room, shivering with fear.

Her dream couldn't possibly come true. She saw the head of Mr. Floks was eaten by the black creature in her dream. And now Mr. Floks is found dead with a rotten head as her dream.

But, it's impossible... It was just a nightmare.

Oxy was not happy because of that nightmare. She was already abnormal with her teleportation ability. She didn't want to add her list of oddities because of that dream.

Did she need to tell Bill what she saw? Or maybe she must tell it to Mr. Crane?

But would they believe her? A creature in her dream had killed Mr. Floks.

No. They would not believe her.

Maybe it was just another nightmare. Maybe her subconscious suddenly sent a signal to make her dream about the lost city and Mr. Floks. Maybe the man wasn't Mr. Floks. Many people look like Mr. Flox in this world. With a rectangular head and gray hair.

Forget it, Oxy immediately decided. What happened today was very strange. But it could be only one in a million possibilities in life. She didn't have to think about it anymore. Forgetting was the right way. Let the authorities take care of this matter.

Oxy went out of her room. She went downstairs to the kitchen. She made a snack for herself, a cereal mixed with milk. She carried his snack to the living room. She sat comfortably on the sofa, then turned on the TV. She will have a lot of time alone at home. Darren wouldn't be home and her parents would work until the evening. She had much time to be alone in the house.

Oxy played Darren's favorite movie. Darren never wanted to lend it to her, but Darren wasn't at home, of course, Darren couldn't stop her from using his stuff.

Oxy watched a horror movie about a family trapped in an abandoned amusement park. Somehow the old gate of the amusement park reminded her of the gate in her dream.

Welcome to Cerebra.

--

Again, again.

Oxy woke up and she came back at the dense fog and a crimson sky.

Oh no. Not again!

Oxy was angry with herself that she had entered into this nightmare again.

Come on, Oxy. Wake up...!

Oxy ordered herself, but she couldn't do anything. She was trapped again in here.

For a moment Oxy did not want to go from behind the abandoned car on the road. There were a lot of wrecked cars left on the highway. Due to the dense fog, she was unable to see more than a meter away.

She strained her ears. She heard nothing, only the wind. There was no sound of any life in this place. What an odd silence.

Oxy stood up. She should have stayed where she was and waited until she woke up from her dream. But when will she wake up? She should also be careful because that terrible creature could suddenly appear again.

And this place didn't look convincing for a hiding place, so maybe it would be useless if she stayed in this place. She had to find a safer shelter because the black creature might reappear. Even in a dream, she might think clearly and do some act. She thought so.

Oxy walked along the road which was filled with wrecked cars. Something terrible might had happened in this city.

Maybe this was the appearance of Cerebra, the lost city eaten by the monster.

But everything felt so real. Cold air and dense fog. The red sky above flashed lightning.

Finally, Oxy's steps stopped. She was in front of another gate and her heart was pounding. There was a name on the gate. Riverwaze High School. This was her high school!

Her dreams just got weirder because She found her school in this dream. Oxy immediately pushed the gate and entered it. She seemed familiar with the place. Even though around was foggy, her steps seemed to know where she was going. She vaguely saw the principal office which was on the third floor. She might have imagined Mr. Dome, the principal, stood at the window watching her. But the fog limited her vision. There was no Mr. Dome. But she could see the red light in the principal's office from the window.

Oxy was startled when she heard a howling sound in the air from the distance. She looked back but could see nothing in the thick fog. The school gate stood firm, unmoved. Her instincts told her to enter the school building.

There was no fog inside the school building, but no light inside. She's been trying to find the switch but nothing works. She remembered the red light in the principal's office window. She decided to go to the office. The crimson rays of the sky that burst through the windows helped her way.

She was a little overwhelmed because she had to climb the stairs. Finally, she found the door of the principal's office.

Oxy put her hand on the doorknob. She was a little hesitant. What if she shouldn't come here? Perhaps the red light was a sign that this place was dangerous.

Oxy shrugged. If she stayed still, it didn't seem like it would change anything. She also had not managed to wake up from this dream. So she decided to push the door.

The room was lit up with a red light which disturb her vision. And someone in front of her was ready with a rifle pointed at her.

Oxy gasped and reflex raised both her hands.

"Who are you?" It was a boy's voice. But the kid in front of her had long-red hair. It was strange to see a boy with that long hair.

"Who are you?!" The boy repeated in a higher pitch.

"My name is Oxy," Oxy answered immediately. "Oxy Jane."

"You... are a human?"

What a strange question. Of course, she was a human.

"Yes. I'm human. How about you?"

"I am human," the boy replied. "So you're save from Uron?"

"What is Uron?"

"The monster inside the fog. They like to eat humans' heads."

"Gross," Oxy muttered. "I just saw it this afternoon. So they are called Uron?"

The boy lowered his rifle in a hesitant motion. "You're not dangerous, are you?"

"Why should I be dangerous?" Oxy asked back.

The boy was unmoved for a moment. Then, he immediately closed the door behind Oxy.

"Don't you lock it?" Oxy asked, surprised after the boy just left the door without locking it.

"No key," replied the boy. "Don't worry, Uron won't be able to get inside the Red Castle."

"Huh? Red Castle?" Oxy repeated.

"Yes. Red Castle. I named it. This is where I live."

"But this is a school," said Oxy. "Riverwaze high school."

"What is school?" asked the boy back.

Oxy hoped the boy was just joking. But seeing the boy looking like he was waiting for her answer showed that the boy didn't know anything about school.

"Forget it," said Oxy. "You're lucky you don't know the school. So you live here? What's your name?"

"Helio," replied the boy. Then he was silent. Oxy couldn't see the look on Helio's face because his long bangs covered his eyes.

"Is this just a dream?" she muttered to herself. Before she dreamt about the monster and now a boy named Helio.

"You are not dreaming," Helio looked annoyed. "If you don't believe, just let Uron eats your head."

"Don't be ridiculous," Oxy was still doubtful but She could feel the stinging from the wound she got before, not to mention her shoulder hitting the car. "This must be a dream." She insisted.

"Just keep denying it," Helio was sitting on the principal's chair, taking his one leg at the table. "You're lucky you find the red castle very fast. For me, I needed time."

Oxy looked around. Red Castle? This place was very chaotic. But this place was very similar to the principal's office, not about the messy part.

"These days, I often see humans entering Cerebra. They were chased by Uron outside. One of them didn't save. Uron ate their heads."

"Since when?" asked Oxy.

"Two months ago?" Helio shrugged.

Oxy took a breath. It's just a dream. She had to get up from here soon.

"If you're from another world, did you bring food?"

"Huh?" Oxy was flabbergasted.

"Mr. Dome usually brings me food ."

"Wha-what?... you know the principal?" Oxy was very surprised when she heard the boy mention Mr. Dome.

"What is the principal?" Helio asked innocently. "What kind of creature is it?"

"You're an idiot," said Oxy. She felt annoyed facing this kid who was more stupid than her.

"So you're the silly one," Helio replied. "I'm waiting for him. And I almost starve to death, you know."

The dream was more getting funny. Now Mr. Dome took a part here.

"I'm hungry. I need food and today is my birthday."

What? The boy said today was his birthday. Even she dreamt about a boy who had the same birthday as her. Unbelievable.

"Mr. Dome has promised me to bring a sweet birthday cake," Helio said again.

Oxy shook her head. "It's just a dream. A silly dream," she muttered, then walked out of the principal's office.

"Hey, where are you going?" Helio called her.

But Oxy just ignored Helio. She walked down to the dark alley. She suddenly stopped when she heard steps toward her. She widened her eyes when she saw who was walking. A man in a long black suit. There was no way Oxy could not recognize that old man.

"Mr. Dome?" Oxy just could not believe it. Her dream still went on.

Mr. Dome carried something in both of his hands, a gift box with a ribbon.

"Oxy Jane." Mr. Dome didn't seem surprised when he saw Oxy. "You are here."[]