The Question (1)

"I want to know, how Mr. Dome did that."

Oxy returned to the Red Castle, it was still daytime and Cerebra was still foggy.

"He made those people stop coming back to this dimension."

"I don't know," Helio shrugged, not looking much curious. "That's his job, anyway."

Oxy lowered the binoculars, then turned her face to Helio with an irritated expression. "You don't want to know?" She asked.

"What for?" Helio was sitting on the principal's chair, reading a book. Everything in Red Castle was truly like a reflection of Riverwaze High School in Oxy's world. Somehow it was strange, of course. But Oxy still didn't have an answer about Cerebra's location.

"Well, aren't you curious?" asked Oxy. She left the window, approached the table, and sat down at the edge. If she was in her world, of course, she would never sit on the principal's desk because it would be rude.

"That's Mr. Dome's business. And we don't have to bother him with his job," Helio said, turning the page of his book. "Just do your job."

Oxy shook her head in disbelief. Helio was an annoying apathetic human. "You don't want to know how he did that?" She asked again. "About this computer, how is everything connected to my world? A week has passed, and death has stopped."

"Well, isn't that great?" Helio asked.

Oxy nodded. "Yes, very great. But Urons are still screaming and hanging around out there."

"Didn't you say you will find the other kids?" Helio glanced at her, snorting disdainfully. "Have you found the kids? The one's who like us?"

Oxy sighed. "I can't leave the house. My adoptive mother is watching over me. Even though there are no deaths now, there are a lot of people who have been admitted to the hospital complaining of insomnia and nightmares. Skeleta is still in chaos. So I can't go out."

"You must find them to help you kill Urons," said Helio mockingly. "Who knows they also have superpowers like you."

"You look envious of my abilities," Oxy teased back.

"No," Helio said.

"Yeah, and you're upset just being a kid stuck in this dimension. How did that gun work to get you to open the gate?"

"You don't need to know," Helio didn't seem to want to explain. "Your job is just watching and taking pictures of the human who are going here, with that amazing binoculars. Then the portraits will be automatically sent to the computer here and at your dimension. Whatever Mr. Dome does in your dimension, he does an amazing job."

"But Urons still scream horribly at night. How can you sleep hearing their voices?" asked Oxy.

"You'll get used to it someday."

"But this doesn't make sense," said Oxy. "If there wasn't death, I would think this dimension isn't real. The entrance to this dimension is by sleeping. Doesn't that mean this dimension isn't real?"

"We're in a real dimension," Helio closed his book loudly, looking very irritated, Oxy kept pestering him. "Haven't you ever wondered where your soul goes when you sleep? And how do you teleport? There are many hidden dimensions in this world. And of course, the world is very big, you know. The only problem is where are the gates."

Oxy frowned, she couldn't digest Helio's words.

"Anyway, dreams are an intersection of any dimensions," said Helio. "When you're sleeping, you can stay on the boundary of the unreal place. But when you find the door to the dimension, that dimension will remember you. Trapping you. That's why when you found this place, you couldn't sleep well anymore. Your body is instantly sucked in here, the gates are identifying you."

"It's hard for me to understand but it still sounds awful," Oxy commented.

"That's it," Helio shrugged.

Oxy sighed.

"Maybe after the strange deaths stop, the government will reactivate our schools," said Oxy. "So I will find the kids."

"Good luck." Helio nodded. "And isn't it time to take the green pill?" he reminded.

"Should I drink it tonight? What if something happens? You must need me."

"I can handle it myself, don't worry. After all, I was the only one controlling this dimension before," said Helio curtly.

"Hey, if we make new friends, you should be better than this," Oxy warned him.

"Why?"

"You sound arrogant. And people wouldn't like to work with someone like that." Oxy said.

"I'm just acting like normal," Helio looked unconcerned.

"No wonder you're so annoying. You've never been friends." Oxy snorted in annoyance.

"Do you have any friends in your dimension?"

Oxy was silent. He was suddenly nervous about the question. "Yes of course!" Oxy said immediately, lying. "I have many friends in my world."

But the truth was Oxy had no friends in her world. She didn't understand why she wanted to look better at Helio

"Well, fine. But here is my home, my territory. So I'm free to act what I want. Go home, Oxy Jane. You're bugging me!"

"Okay, I'm leaving!" Oxy immediately returned to the sofa, lying there. She was very offended by Helio's words. "And don't be sorry for kicking me out!"

"I won't!" Helio shouted back to her.

--

"Oxy," Grace touched Oxy's chin, lifting it to observe Oxy's face. "You look tired. Are you sick?"

"Oh, no, Ma. I'm fine," Oxy replied immediately. She didn't understand why every mother could be so sensitive to something like this.

"She sleeps mostly, Mom," Darren reported. "Or she doesn't sleep. So what are you doing in your room all day, Oxy?"

"I'm fine, Darren. Thanks for worrying." Oxy ignored Darren's sarcastic words.

"Let me know if you need me, Oxy," Grace said and Darren sneered in displeasure because his mother was worried about Oxy who was only an adopted child. "I may not be able to stay around you, kids. But please tell me anything if something troubles you. Right, Oxy? And you too, Darren."

"I'm fine, Ma," said Darren. "When will Papa come home?" he asked. "Hasn't the situation gotten better?"

"Yeah, I think so," Grace nodded. "Hopefully your Papa will come home soon. And this mess must end."

"I'm bored at home," Darren said. "Schools must be reactivated immediately. If the brain fog effect is a disease, there must be a cure, right? This is not something to do with a serial killer. So we don't have to worry and stop everything."

Grace looked at Darren with a horrified expression. Grace still didn't like talking about this matter.

"I think it's a mental illness," Darren said again. "They die in their sleep because they are weak."

"Oh, so you have a good solution for saving people?" Oxy opened her voice, she was annoyed to hear Darren's words.

"I'm not a scientist and a doctor," Darren shrugged. "I'm just giving my opinion. The best way to deal with this is to give meds to those who are stressed and insane people. Isn't that right?"

"Okay, enough. Finish your dinner." Grace ordered them.

Oxy and Darren still stared at each other. For some reason, Oxy was offended by Darren's words, which seemed to be condescending to people who were sick because they were mentally disturbed.

"Be careful, Oxy," Darren whispered as Grace stood up to get a drink. "You might be the next victim." He smirked at her.[]