Getting ready (1)

The McBride's, initially confused by Lincoln's sudden visit, exchanged a brief glance before Howard replied:

"Of course, Lincoln. Clyde's in his room, go on up."

Lincoln thanked him with a nod and went upstairs to his friend's room. When he got there, he knocked on the door and waited a few moments before hearing Clyde's voice authorizing him to enter.

On entering the room, Lincoln found Clyde sitting at his desk, concentrating on a book. When he noticed Lincoln's presence, he frowned slightly in surprise.

"Lincoln, what are you doing here so early?"

Clyde asked, looking at his friend a little confused.

"It's a long story, and I don't have time to explain it to you right now. So just listen."

Lincoln replied seriously, interrupting any attempt by Clyde to reply.

Clyde, seeing that his friend had a serious expression, something he had never seen before in his life, decided to just obey Lincoln and not ask any more questions.

Lincoln took a deep breath before starting to speak, choosing his words carefully.

"Dude, what I'm about to tell you might sound a little strange, and you might even think I'm going crazy, but just trust me and listen to me, and, if possible, don't ask me too many questions."

Clyde said nothing and nodded, indicating that he understood.

"Well, Clyde, this morning I had a dream, or rather a nightmare, in which I lived in a world full of monsters and evolved creatures. There, I had lost everyone: my parents, my sisters, you. And in order to survive, I had to do things I wasn't proud of, but which were necessary for my survival. But out of the blue, when I thought I had been killed by one of these monsters, I woke up alive in my room, as if nothing I had done or experienced was real."

Lincoln was about to continue his account, but decided to pause, as his friend was dumbfounded and had probably lost his way at some point in the explanation.

"Do you understand everything so far, Clyde?"

Lincoln asked, catching his friend's eye and startling him. After all, what his friend was telling him seemed too surreal to be true.

"Yes, go on."

Clyde replied, a little sheepishly, thinking that his friend really was going crazy.

Lincoln, after noticing his friend's tone of voice and the look on his face, had already figured out what was going on.

"Apparently, even you, my best friend, must think I've gone mad, like my sisters, or think it was all just a dream, like my mother. But I can swear that it was too real to have been just a dream or a nightmare; I refuse to believe in that possibility."

Lincoln said seriously and with a cold expression that frightened even Clyde, who had never seen his friend like that.

"Lincoln, you've got me a bit confused with all this."

Clyde commented, his eyes widening at his friend's unusual account.

"But I'm intrigued, go on."

Lincoln, noticing his friend's reaction and the tone of disbelief in his voice, decided to clarify his words.

"I know everything I've said must sound crazy, but what I experienced wasn't a dream or a nightmare like everyone is saying. It was too real for me to ignore."

Clyde, still perplexed, tried to understand.

"So, you're telling me that everything you've told me is true? So, it could happen again?"

Clyde asked, almost shouting with a frightened face at the thought of this possibility.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Lincoln replied firmly, sensing the urgency in Clyde's voice.

"I still don't know, nor do I understand how or why it happened, but I know one thing for sure: I'm not going crazy and it wasn't a dream."

Clyde tried to process the information, still shaken by the surprise.

"Man, that's a lot for me to process..."

Lincoln, seeing that Clyde was going to ask him something else, decided to interrupt him before he stretched the conversation too far.

"So, are you going to help me or not?"

Lincoln asked, already losing patience.

Clyde scratched his head thoughtfully.

"Man, I can try to help you, but I can't guarantee anything. Like I said, this is too surreal for me, it's hard for me to just accept that everything you're saying is true."

Said Clyde, still not 99% believing his friend, but leaving that 1% just to see what would happen if he went along with the idea.

"But since I'm your best friend, you can count on me for anything."

Clyde added, giving his friend a smile.

Lincoln sighed, relieved to at least have his friend's support.

"Thanks, man. I realize this might be a little hard to believe, but I really need your help in this situation. Because if what I saw wasn't just a dream or a nightmare, we need to prepare ourselves. And you can be sure, from what I experienced there, we're all screwed."

Lincoln said, trying to convey his urgency.

Clyde, after hearing this, became even more apprehensive, not knowing whether to be afraid of the things his friend had said becoming real, or to be afraid that his friend had really gone crazy.

Clyde took a deep breath, trying to remain calm in the face of Lincoln's serious expression. After a moment of tense silence, he finally spoke:

"I understand. But... What are we going to do now?"

Clyde asked, trying to understand what his friend's next move would be.

"Unfortunately, we're not going to do anything today, but tomorrow, I want you to meet me early in front of the mall, understand?"

Lincoln asked, staring at his friend with a serious face, sort of not accepting any answer other than a yes.

Clyde, understanding his friend's message, not only replied with a nod, but also decided to confirm with his mouth to make it clear that he had really understood. After all, he didn't know why, but he really was a little afraid of his friend.