Dream Funk, Inc.

by elveloy

Julia was dreaming. She was in a garden, filled with beautiful flowers. Purple petunias, pink impatiens, orange marigolds, sweet Williams and tiny violets, all filled the flower beds in neat rows. A delicate perfume wafting from a bed of white roses, tickled her nose as she strolled along the grassy path. In the distance, stood a graceful Grecian-style folly, complete with intricately carved Corinthian columns made of glistening white marble. Gentle sunlight warmed her back as she wandered through the garden.

Peaceful. Everything was so beautiful and peaceful here. She smiled in her sleep and snuggled further under the quilt.

The machine attached to her head hummed almost inaudibly, lights glowing faintly on the monitor alongside.

In the next cot, sixteen-year-old Jason dreamt of racing cars. He was driving a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Mark 5—red, of course—around the famous Le Mans race circuit, swooping and skidding on two wheels as he overtook the other cars on the track. Breathless with exhilaration, ace driver Jason was unbeatable.

The machine attached to his head hummed sweetly, like the Bugati's engine, the lights on the monitor glowing a bright green.

Further along the ward, Noah was having a nightmare. Panic-struck, he ran through the dark streets of his mind, pursued by a monstrous insect. He could hear the feet skittering on the pavement behind him, smell the fetid breath, see the huge shadow looming over him, about to pounce. Noah screamed and woke up, sweat pouring from his body.

Shakily, he took a sip from the tube of water positioned near his mouth, and tried to calm down. Just a dream, it wasn't real. It was just a dream. He took another sip of water from the tube, wishing futilely that he could get up and pour himself a proper glassful. Or better still, go for a walk until his heart steadied and the last wisps of the dream faded away.

He might not be able to leave the cot, but perhaps he could stay awake for a while. Knowing from past experience that tossing and turning would only attract attention, he lay as still as he could, pinching the soft flesh above his elbow under the covers to keep awake. He was not going to fall asleep. He wasn't. He daren't. He simply couldn't bear to have another nightmare.

The machine attached to his head buzzed irritatingly and the lights on the monitor went out.

Noah heard the door open at the end of the ward and froze. Desperately, he tried to steady his breathing and pretend he was asleep. In. Out. Eyes shut.

Two men in white coats entered the ward. One of them was studying a small laptop and frowning at the results. He tapped the screen a couple of times with a long forefinger.

Despite himself, Noah felt his muscles start to relax. He was unaware when he fell back into a deep sleep, as the benzodiazepine drug streamed into his bloodstream through the port in the back of his neck.

The man with the laptop shook his head. "Noah's being non-compliant again, Jackson. We'll have to keep a closer eye on him."

Jackson nodded absently, already focussing his attention on the first sleeper in the row. He picked up a helmet device attached to her monitor and put it over his head. In seconds he was transported to a pretty garden. He was strolling down a path, looking at the flowers and... nothing else happened. True, the scent of the flowers had been pervasive and the colours... ever so slightly different from how he would have seen them, but...

He took the helmet off.

"Anything worth keeping?" asked the other man.

Jackson shook his head. "Nothing. I'm tempted to say that she has, like, a vanilla personality. But I feel like that would be doing a great disservice to the flavour vanilla. I mean, people actively seek out vanilla-flavoured products. Children clamour to get a vanilla ice-cream cone. Nobody's clamouring for anything Julia-flavoured."

"What about Jason, then?"

Jackson picked up the helmet attached to Jason's monitor and smiled. Instantly he was transported to the race track. He could feel the leather wheel twisting in his hands, smell the petrol and experience Jason's excitement as if it were his own.

"That's more like it! Race cars."

"Cars again?" The other man didn't return the smile.

"It's a good one, Miller," Jackson protested. "Lots of action."

"Hmph! That's all very well, but the market wants something more sophisticated. Perhaps we should consider upping his dose. Maybe increase the level of SSRI."

Jackson looked down at Jason, happily sleeping, enjoying his dream. "I suppose so. If we have to, but let's wait a little longer, shall we? After all, there's still a demand for these sort of dreams in the children and young teen's market."

Miller paused and studied Jackson thoughtfully for a moment. "I hope you're not getting too close to any of the subjects, Jackson. Remember, they are all here for a purpose. They—or their families—signed a contract. They are no longer citizens, they're a resource. They belong to Dream Funk Incorporated."

"Of course," murmured Jackson obediently. He changed the subject. "What were you saying about Noah?"

"He was awake when we came in, pretending to be asleep."

"Another nightmare," said Jackson quietly.

"I hope you're right," said Miller, looking happier as he strode towards Noah's cot. "Horror is on the rise at the moment, and Noah's dreams are always in demand. No one can manifest fear as successfully as he does."

Miller reached out for the helmet device and placed it on his head. Even though he knew it was a dream, he still felt the adrenaline kick in as he fled down the dark streets, chills running up the back of his neck as he heard the skittering feet get closer and closer. Miller took off the helmet and grinned. "That's going to be a winner, if I know anything." He looked back down the ward to Julia. "You know, I'm tempted to give her some of the same stuff we're feeding Noah. Might shake her up a bit. Nobody's buying sweet dreams anymore, not even little old ladies."

"Might be worth a shot," agreed Jackson, who didn't particularly care about Julia. "So we'll let Jason be for the moment, then? That race track dream was rather good."

"All right," said Miller. "We'll give him another week." He rubbed his hands. "I'll get the lab working on a new formula for Julia as soon as possible. We'll start slow and build up, see what we get."

Miller came to work the next day eager to test the effects of the new drug regime on Julia. He dodged the usual group of protesters outside the Dream Funk building with their "Stop the Funk" signs and "Give up the Funk" chants. Troglodytes, all of them. He bet they still watched movies on flatscreens while munching popcorn. They probably all thought Nickelback was the greatest band of all time. Losers, every one.

"Move with the times, dudes," he muttered under his breath. "Gotta move with the times!"

Dream Funk, Inc, had cornered the entertainment market several years ago, quickly replacing the old fashioned TVs and DVDs. With the advent of new technology and carefully crafted drugs, it was possible to record living dreams, save them electronically, and sell them to the public via Dreamcaps. All the purchaser had to do, was sit down comfortably and place the cap over their head and be transported to a new world.

Who wanted to watch a screen when you could experience a Dream as if you were living it? When you could not only see and hear what was happening but smell, touch and taste it? And people loved being scared, especially when it wasn't their own body in actual danger. Currently, Horror was Dream Funk Inc's biggest seller, overtaking that perennial favourite, Adventure / Fantasy.

Miller logged in his arrival with the Receptionist, then went straight to the laboratory.

"Good morning, Heather. How's that new dose for Julia coming along?" he asked the studious young woman working at the nearest bench.

"Good morning, sir. I've got it ready for you here." She picked up a syringe lying in a small tray and handed it to him carefully. "I've added one cc of Formula 23 to her usual mix. Not too much to start with, as you requested. Let me know how it works out and I can adjust the dose if necessary."

"Thank you, Heather, I'll do that." Smiling, Miller took the tray. Then, dressed in a clean white coat, he went through the laboratory to the Dreamer's ward beyond.

Julia was sleeping, the quilt pulled snugly around her shoulders. The machine attached to her head was making its customary almost inaudible hum.

Miller smiled with a touch of malice as he inserted the syringe into the bag of chemicals connected to the port at the back of her neck. "Let's see what this does to your garden, then. Perhaps you'll find a few wicked fairies at the bottom of it," he chuckled.

Julia continued to sleep peacefully. It would take some time before the new dose took full effect. Miller turned to Jason.

"Still dreaming about cars then? Time to move on, Jason boy. What about an adventure? Something involving hunters and prey with lots of blood, or better yet, dragons. You could be a dragon slayer." He bent down to whisper into Jason's ear. "Did you hear when I said 'Dragon Slayer'?"

There was a drop of Julia's solution left in the syringe. No-one, and especially not Jackson, was watching. Before he could change his mind, Miller shot the last drop into Jason's bag of fluid.

Who knew whether that would make a difference or not? Dreaming was such a new field and there was so much they didn't yet know. He was keen to try more experiments but Jackson was always cautious—too cautious in his, Miller's, opinion. It was good to come in here for once without Jackson tagging at his heels.

Miller walked quickly along the rest of the aisle, checking briefly that all ten Dreamer's were sleeping and their machines operating correctly. He stopped for a moment to adjust Noah's dose, keeping the SSRI level high to keep him from waking too easily, then he left the ward. He'd return in an hour or so and see what the next crop of Dreams had delivered.

~~

Julia was dreaming. She was in a garden, her garden—or was it? Blue delphiniums, purple monkshood, pink foxgloves, irises and azaleas, all filled the flower beds in lush profusion. A sweet scent wafting from a hedge of oleanders, irritated her nose as she strolled along the grassy path. In the distance, stood a ruined Grecian-style folly, its roof long gone. Morning glory vines wound their way up four intricately carved Corinthian columns, the marble finish crumbling.

A cold wind made her shiver as she wandered through the garden.

In her bed, Julia's fingers clenched around the quilt cover, pulling it tighter.

In the cot next to her, Jason was striding through a green forest. He was wearing a leather jerkin over a long-sleeved shirt and carried a heavy sword at his side. He stumbled, confused. Why was he here? Where was the race track? His beautiful car? He stopped and looked around, as if it would suddenly pop into sight. Suddenly, flames tore through the trees in front of him. A huge dragon's head pushed through the burning foliage and roared.

Unthinkingly, Jason unsheathed his sword and brandished it. Now he remembered. He was a Dragon Slayer! He slashed with the sword, pressing forward to drive the dragon back. The dragon roared again and flames bellowed forth, burning through Jason's glove and sleeve. Oww! That really hurt, thought Jason in surprise. He'd been tired, muscles aching with handling the wheel, but he'd never been hurt in a dream before.

He didn't like this dream. He wanted to wake up and return to his racing cars, but he remained in the forest. Panting, Jason gripped the sword in both hands.

The dragon roared again, its huge eyes glowing blood red.

Further down the ward, Noah was having a nightmare. Running. Always running. Skittering sounds followed him, getting louder and louder. As if a nest had burst open and all its inhabitants were chasing him, their tiny claws scratching the pavement, mandibles clicking. Faster, he had to run faster. Even though he didn't dare turn his head, he knew they were gaining. He felt a sharp pain in his left calf. Then his right.

Noah screamed. But he didn't wake up. He ran, sucking in great gulps of air, his chest heaving painfully and his legs feeling as if they were on fire. Warm blood ran down his calves.

He stumbled and looked down. Huge insects the size of dogs were scuttling alongside of him, their eyes glittering. Noah tried to run even faster, but the insects were crowding him, jostling him from one side to the other, then one stopped suddenly in front of him and he flew head over heels, landing on his back—winded.

Insects swarmed over his prone body. He felt their sharp little claws digging into his flesh. Noah screamed again.

They were over his face. A giant cockroach climbed into his open mouth. Noah spat furiously, swinging his head from side to side but the cockroach dug its claws into his tongue. Inch by inch, it started to climb down his throat as ants scuttled over his bottom lip and into his mouth. Tears of horror streaming from his eyes, Noah choked and spluttered, gagging furiously but they kept coming. More and more, filling his mouth and throat. He couldn't breathe. Noah's body thrashed wildly.

~~~

Miller had his head down over his laptop, headphones on, when Jackson snatched his arm and swung him around.

"He's dead, you idiot! Dead!" Jackson's face was screwed up and bright red, fury and horror battling for supremacy.

Shit! What had happened?

"Calm down, Jackson!" Miller said firmly. "What are you talking about?"

"It's Noah. Noah's dead!"

"How? A reaction to the drug?" Miller kept his voice calm.

"He choked to death on his own vomit!"

"Ah. An accident, then," concluded Miller, unthinking in his relief.

Jackson looked as if he was going to hit him.

Hastily, Miller continued, pasting a look of concern over his features. "What a tragedy! But an accident, Jackson, a terrible accident. It wasn't our fault."

"There will have to be an autopsy," insisted Jackson, gritting his teeth.

"Of course, my dear chap. Of course," agreed Miller, in soothing tones. "By the way, how are the others? It's about time I checked on Julia." He was very careful not to mention Jason and his little experiment. Jackson was worked up enough as it was.

~~~

Julia was dreaming. She was in a garden. White snakeroot, yellow hellebore and purple wolfsbane ran wild. The sickly smell emanating from a cluster of snake lilies, filled her nostrils as she strode along the stone path. Nearby, the ruins of a Grecian folly thrust up into the stormy sky and she could see deadly nightshade and angel trumpets winding their way up the worn columns.

There was an archway in the furthest wall which she couldn't remember noticing before. Although it was still daylight where Julia was standing, it appeared to be night on the other side of the arch. Drawn to the darkness, she ignored the icy wind whipping her hair around her face, and approached the folly.

Then she heard a footstep behind her.

Without hesitating, Julia stepped inside. And waited.

~~~

By the time Miller entered the Dreamer's ward, Noah's body had been whisked away, and the cot made up freshly—waiting for its new occupant. Miller walked along the ward, checking each Dreamer and their equipment carefully, twice. The last thing he needed was another accident! All appeared to be as usual. Jason was sleeping soundly, the lights glowing green on his monitor. Dreaming something exciting, then. That was good.

Rather warily, he approached Julia's cot and looked down at her sleeping form. Nothing appeared to have changed. From her calm appearance, it seemed unlikely she had produced any Dreams worthy of note; still, he'd better put on the helmet and make sure. He picked up the helmet and put it on his head.

Immediately he was transported to the garden, but what a garden this time! Weird plants covered the ground and something stank like rotten meat. He screwed up his nose. If they were going to use this one, they'd have to tamp that stink down after the initial impact. A bit too revolting to have in your nose for the whole dream.

He strolled along the stone path, careful not to brush against any of the strange plants. The folly, which had been so graceful in Julia's dream previously, was now—to him—a far more interesting ruin.

Something moved, at the edge of his vision.

Miller blinked, then laughed at himself. For a moment there he'd thought he'd seen Julia disappearing into the folly. That was impossible, of course. You never saw the person who was dreaming in the Dream. After all, the whole point was that you were the Dreamer for the period of the Dream.

Curious, he approached the folly and peered inside.

~~~

Jackson looked down at the sleeper lying comatose in the bed. An alarming number of tubes connected different parts of his body to various machines, keeping him alive. The white sheet rose and fell gently with each breath.

"Any change?" Jackson asked the middle-aged nurse as she adjusted the nutrient drip.

"No. I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson. Still no response to any stimulus."

"I expected him to wake up as soon as we removed the Dream equipment."

"I did, too. I've never seen a case like this before, and I've worked with Dreamers for years." She studied the patient with clinical detachment.

"Any idea how long this state will last? Will he recover?"

The nurse shrugged infinitesimally. "We might know more after Doctor Wang sees him this afternoon. He's one of the top specialists in coma treatment." She paused, then added, "but to be honest, Doctor Jackson, I wouldn't get my hopes up. After all, it's been a month now."

Jackson nodded in reluctant agreement. "Do you think he can hear us?"

"I'd hardly think so. His brain is showing a very limited activity. Just the same little pattern, over and over."

Jackson shook his head, "What a tragedy, and we've had more than our fair share of those this year! I'm due in the Dreamer's Ward now, but I'll look in again after Doctor Wang's visit."

He hesitated on his way out the door, then turned back for a moment to speak to the patient, with a self-conscious smile.

"Sweet dreams, Miller."

(Author's note: Sub-genre: Dreampunk

Word count: 3000 – 3500 (total 3428 not counting this note)

Prompts: A reference to Nickelback being the greatest band of all time

A reference to Parliament's "Give up the Funk"

You must have some kind of drug being taken

Two images: I chose-

4. Plants growing over ruin

5. Skull with insects crawling in

Plus these two quotes: "Did you hear when I said 'Dragon Slayer'?"

"I'm tempted to say that she has, like, a vanilla personality. But I feel like that would be doing a great disservice to the flavour vanilla. I mean, people actively seek out vanilla-flavoured products. Children clamour to get a vanilla ice-cream cone. Nobody's clamouring for anything Julia-flavoured.")