Still in Denial

"You probably think that this is not really happening," said the Archer. "If that's more convenient for you, feel free to believe it. We're not going to hurt you, we just need to run a few tests with you. If you agree and don't make it difficult for us, we'll finish the tests quickly and you'll be able to go home sooner."

"And if I don't agree, will you force me?" She asked arrogantly.

"Yes," he said coldly, and Natalia really felt a shiver. Even if it's a dream, she prefers it to be pleasant rather than a nightmare.

"But these tests ... will they be painful?"

"Not at all. We took your blood and a tissue section, look at your right hand, but that was the most painful thing to happen to you. If you cooperate, there will be no" physical contact. "

Natalia looked at her hand where there was a small bandage. She felt no pain. They probably hadn't done anything more to her than a small spike into a vein. The girl considered her options for a moment. She didn't feel bad and the sight of Archer was weirdly soothing to her. She could try to escape from this dream, but where to? And how? How can you escape a dream?

"Okay, but I want something in return," she said.

"I agree. Name your price."

"Do you agree? Right now? What if I demand the impossible?"

"Are you the person who would demand the impossible?"

"And you know I'm not?"

"I don't know, but there are things worth sacrificing everything for."

"Even your own life?"

"If you demand it."

His black, starry eyes were firm and determined. Is he really willing to pay that price for a few tests on her?

"Really, you are as serious as if I were really going to take your life. You don't know jokes, "she judged.

"It's true," he admitted. "Name your price."

"I don't know yet," she blushed. "But it will definitely have to do with you."

"I agree."

His determination irritated her strangely. Actually, Natalia didn't need any payment and she said it all without thinking. The whole thing was just so absurd the girl didn't even have a chance to think. Archer was weird, even gave the impression of a man capable of doing dangerous things, but for some reason Natalia felt safe with him, as if she knew Archer would do these dangerous things only for the righteous cause.

"Do I trust him only because he is handsome?" She wondered. "No, that's not why, it's his eyes ..."

His eyes, black like two galaxies lit by billions of stars, were firm, resolute and cold, but Natalia felt that they were like this because the Archer's situation demanded just that.

"Can I ask questions?" she asked.

"Of course," he assured. The tone of his voice softened slightly, as did the expression on his face. "I am Hugoarno," he introduced himself. "You were brought here on my orders. We are desperate for time, so we couldn't wait for Zackocuki to convince you. My apologize."

Was it desperation? Is this what desperation looks like? She had heard that desperate people can commit terrible things. The kidnapping itself was not the most moral, but if they are desperate, they can go to the worse.

"Can we start these ... tests?" she suggested. "I wish I had them behind me."

"Of course. Master of the Knife, please start, "the Archer ordered, no, Hugoarno, Natalia corrected herself. Hugoarno is quite a nice name, strong and a bit romantic at the same time.

"Come here" said the old man, pointing to something behind her back. Natalia turned to see a transparent capsule with dozens of wires attached to it.

"The capsule performs a full biometric scan," Hugoarno announced. "It does it completely non-invasively. We will fly over certain places on our continent and check the readings coming from your body and from the surface. Please."

Natalia got up and noticed that she was not wearing her T-shirt, only a soft white robe. She preferred not to ask who had dressed her. She preferred not to know it.

"Will this scan," she asked as she entered the chamber, "will help you determine why our worlds overlap?"

"We hope so," he admitted. "The anomalies in your world are insignificant, but they have been around for several days in ours. We need someone from your world to do the analysis, but we can't use a random person. It has to be someone who, under the right circumstances, can see our dimension. You are the first person we have met with this skill. Maybe there are thousands of people like you, maybe even millions, but we only had contact with you. "

The chamber door closed behind Natalia and she saw the graphs displayed on it and the readings changing.

"And why did you say then that I don't matter?"

"Because you didn't matter then," he replied simply. "Only later research results showed that you can be useful to us."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically.

"When our worlds exist apart," he explained, "they have no influence on each other. They don't matter. You can't even see it in your dream. Why should any of us matter to someone whose existence is so separated from ours that even a million years is not enough for them to become meaningful? "

"Yes, you are right," admitted Natalia.

The words he told her only hurt for a brief moment. Their first meeting was like meeting two people walking down the street. For a moment they are aware of their existence or not even. Even if they pass each other dozens of times on the same sidewalk, they will never interact with each other and will have no meaning to each other.

But now they are not random passersby. Will they matter to each other?

Natalia snapped out of her thoughts and looked where the Archer had been standing recently, but he was gone. She looked for him. He was on the other side of the lab, watching the monitors and discussing something with the other man standing next to him. The other person was slightly shorter and stood so that Hugoarno almost completely obscured him. Only after a moment, when he took a step back, Natalia saw it was Zack. The man noticed that she was looking at him, smiled disarmingly, and insolently (though enthusiastically and friendly) waved at her. Hugoarno's firm gaze, however, brought him to order, and he returned to watching the monitors.

Natalia felt angry when she saw Zack. After all, it was he who broke into her room at night and kidnapped her - him and some woman who hadn't shown up yet. Whether it was a dream or she was actually abducted, Zack played a leading role in the whole incident.

Suddenly, a smiling old man's face appeared before her eyes. His eyes were like those of a teddy bear.

"It's ready, my dear," he said in a tone that made the girl shiver. He looked like a mad scientist, talked like a mad scientist and was called 'Master of the Knife'.

"Can I leave?" she made sure.

"Of course, sweetheart," he announced and the capsule door swung open.

"What's the next test?" she asked as she left. She wanted to get it all over with and calmly return to her reality.

"There is no next test. That's all."

"Really?" she asked surprised. "I thought we were supposed to fly over the entire continent."

"It happened so," explained the Archer.

Natalia did not understand. She wanted to ask, but decided it was better to abandon the topic entirely. If these film school students were shooting a movie with hidden cameras, she didn't want to be part of their fun anymore. If it was an absurd dream - she wanted to wake up from it.

"So I can go back now?" She made sure.

"I'll walk you back," Zack announced enthusiastically. "After all, I brought you here."

"Oh yes! We will have something to talk about. " Natalia threatened.

A heavy, dry cough ripped the air. Everyone looked at the Archer, who was covering his mouth with one hand and holding the laboratory table with the other. His cough was so strong and so heavy it doubled over. Both men were next to him almost immediately, but Hugoarno, under the pressure of coughing, had already fallen to his knees, and Natalia was horrified to find that the Archer was truly breathless. Is it asthma?

"Where's his inhaler ?!" she cried. It was no longer the time for jokes, for stupid games of fantasy or science fiction or whatever. This guy can't breathe!

Natalia was completely ignored, however. Neither Zack nor the old man had time to look after her. Archer had just passed out and slumped right into Zack's arms, who immediately picked him up and laid him down on the bed where she woke up. The old man, who may have been crazy, but was also a scientist, began to investigate the patient's condition. He was doing it so efficiently that he seemed to be a real doctor.

At one point, the Master of the Knife breathed a sigh of relief and nodded reassuringly to Zack. Zack took a deep breath as if he had just dropped a five-ton boulder from his chest and slumped to the transparent floor beside the bed.

What exactly happened? Natalia couldn't get it? Is her dream so rich in detail? Did one of the actors trying to deceive her really have an asthma attack? Was it a dream or a reality?

She moved to the Archer one step, then another. She could see his pale, beautiful face and thin, a little too thin, long-fingered hands. This strong, dominant man with a steely voice and cold eyes now seemed vulnerable and fragile. A tiny flame lit up in Natalia's heart, which she wanted to use to warm this man. With a force unknown to her, she stepped even closer and took his hand.

"Do not move! Don't budge! " she heard and froze, terrified. "Zackocuki, come over here! Look!"

The young man immediately ran to the Master of the Knife.

"How is this possible?" Zack asked in amazement.

"I don't know, but the results don't lie."

"But how?"

There was no answer, and though the men stood behind her back, she could clearly sense their agitation. She also felt something else - the twitch of the hand she was holding.