Victor was silently suspended in the darkness. He thought he felt cold, but then he realized that was impossible. Am I underwater? His arms moved differently, like they were no longer simply tools of his brain, but extensions of it.

"Vic." He heard his father's voice and spun around without actually spinning. There were no movements, but he knew his vantage point had changed. "Come here, please."

He was in his father's office, but the man looked younger than he should have. He was hunched over his desk with a black plastic box in front of him. He turned the thing over and inspected it from every angle, then put it back down.

"Victor!" He sounded angrier now, there was an air of impatience about him.

I'm right here, damn it.

"VICTOR!"

"Y-yeah?"

Victor was shocked by the sound of a voice he thought he'd forgotten. He saw a boy shaking in the door and he recognized the kid's blue pyjamas.

"Were you in my office today?"

"No..."

"Don't lie to me."

The boy turned away but didn't retreat.

"Come closer."

The boy inched forward, pinching the tips of his fingers as he stared at the floor.

"You were playing with my things again, weren't you."

I remember this day...

Victor was torn from the scene so suddenly that he thought he would have thrown up if he knew where his stomach was. Instead he allowed his new surroundings to spin and shake until his vision cleared.

What the fuck is going on!

"You know he misses you." The hologram of an old woman stood in front of him. The tricks of the blue light were so lifelike Victor could see every age-worn crack in her skin.

"I know, mom, but--" Victor was surprised to see himself interacting with the hologram.

"If you just--"

There was a click as the holo-panel disconnected and the woman disappeared. Victor watched himself fade into darkness.

Was it hard?

Who's there? The darkness spun and shifted. Light appeared in chaotic patterns and Victor knew he was frightened, but the feeling was dull and short lived.

Not to worry, you can't be hurt. Not when you're here.

Where is here?

Don't you remember?

With a flash, the light took over and receded. Victor was standing on the street outside of a tower made of red metal. He entered the building and a smiling receptionist greeted him with a pamphlet.

"One of our lucky winners, I assume?"

The Dreamlab.

You've got it! The other voice laughed.

So this is a dream?

You could call it that.

What else could I call it?

A router.

There was another flash and Victor was watching a waterfall that was so tall it's torrent disappeared in a cloud of vapour before ever hitting the ground.

Angel Falls, the voice said. The highest waterfall on Earth, and one of my favorite places. See the way the mountain is flat on top? These mountains were believed to be houses of the gods once. They also inspired Sir Arth--

Look, I really appreciate the history lesson, but I'd rather you taught me something more relevant.

Like what?

Like, who you are?

The cloud of mist billowed into the face of Victor's father. Who do you want me to be?

Victor was back in his father's office. He was watching the younger versions of himself and his father stare each other down over the heavy wooden desk. The black box was now sitting precariously close to his father's fist.

"These things are expensive, Vic, how am I supposed to replace it?"

Not him, I don't want you to be him.

What about me? Victor's old mother returned.

I don't want you to be her either.

Who do you want me to be?

Stop asking me that! Victor wanted to fall to his knees, but there were no knees, not to mention no floor.

How about this?

A woman walked from the nothingness around him. She looked simple, humble. She felt warm.

Who is this? I don't know this woman.

Clearly it's easier if you don't. The woman's mouth didn't move as she spoke.

Now... How do I get a body? Even as he said it he saw the nothingness peel away and his body emerged.

It's easier here.

What is? Victor was inspecting his limbs. He reached his left hand to his right arm but it simply passed through.

Everything.

They were at Angel Falls again, standing shoulder to shoulder.

Why do you keep taking me here? Victor asked.

I like it here. It's... Homey.

His father stumbled into view. Why is he here?

You're thinking about him.

That's not true.

Victor's father sat down in an invisible chair and his office furniture materialized around him. "What the hell were you thinking anyway?" The man asked and young Victor swam into view.

"I just... Wanna understand."

"Understand what!" The man's fist slammed against the desk.

"H-how it works."

"Well fuck, Victor, now it doesn't work!" The black box soared through the air, narrowly missing the boy.

"I'm sorry..."

Was it hard?

Didn't you ask me that already?

And you didn't answer.

Was what hard?

They were in Victor's apartment. The holo-panel jingled and Victor watched himself click it on. A series of blue lights snapped into action and sewed together a three dimensional image of an old woman. "Hello, dear."

"Let me guess, this is about dad?"

"Just hear me out, please."

Victor watched the impatience on his own face spread from his temples to his eyes to his mouth. "You already know what I have to say about that."

Was it hard?

This conversation?

"Please, Vic, sweetie, he doesn't have long. He just wants... He wants..." Victor's mother hunched and cowered against his glare.

"He can't possibly want anything that bad if he isn't willing to call me himself."

"You know he misses you."

They were back at the falls, only this time they hovered alongside the cloud of mist.

It looks impressive, doesn't it? Victor's guide said.

I guess.

It's really just a bunch of microscopic particles, you know. They catch in the wind and scatter and evaporate. But for a moment, just one brief moment, they exist side by side as something greater than that. Something beautiful.

Yeah. Victor tried to feel the moisture around him. He extended his imagined limbs but they passed through the water as if it wasn't there.

But I suppose they're only microscopic from this perspective. If we looked at them differently, they might be entire worlds.

Why do you keep taking me here? Isn't this my dream? I don't even know this place.

It's not just your dream. And yes, you do know this place.

Victor caught a brief glimpse of a young, dark skinned boy hunting small animals at the base of the mountain. He was barely dressed in primitive looking rags and his every movement was full of urgency, but in an instant everything was gone. Both Victor and his female companion were whisked away. They settled in the darkness and Victor heard the question again.

Was it hard?

Why do you keep asking me that? I don't think I like this anymore. I just wanna wake up.

They were in a room filled with flashing technology. There were a dozen people dressed in medical scrubs rushing past each other and a single high pitched tone rang out above it all.

This is the Dreamlab again... What's going on? Victor asked.

"We're losing him!" A woman called out. Victor noticed she was standing over his body. "This can't be happening! If this ass hole dies in one of our machines, we're screwed!"

That's me.

Yeah... That's you.

No, I don't wanna see this!

Darkness again.

Do you still want to wake up?

YES! But I'd say from the looks of things that won't happen.

The woman's voice laughed but she showed no physical signs of it. They were in the misty cloud again.

If we looked at them differently, they could be entire worlds you know.

Yeah, you mentioned that.

Was it hard?

Was what fucking hard? Travelling through time in my own head? Revisiting memories I'd rather forget? DYING?

Young father and son materialized again, levitating in the air along side Victor and his guide.

"I can't believe you keep doing this, Victor! You can't just take apart all my things! You don't understand how to put them back together and I can't afford to replace them!"

Young Victor cowered and cried. He turned and ran from the room, leaving his father alone. The man looked at the broken box and a tear came to his eye. "What was I thinking? How could I do that?"

He didn't say that.

How do you know? She moved closer to him but he didn't look at her. Sometimes we have a hard time containing our emotions. That doesn't make us bad, or wrong. You said you remember this day. Do you remember this one?

They were in Victor's childhood bedroom. His father was standing in the door.

"Hey buddy." The man said and the boy didn't turn from his games. "Can I come in?"

The boy still didn't turn around or acknowledge his father. Victor saw the look of pain on both their faces.

"Okay... Well, maybe later..." The man snuck off and the boy remained where he was.

No, why would I remember this day?

You're right. Why would you? It's not easy to create memories of times when we're so closed off.

Closed off?

When we're offered love, we can open ourselves to it, or we can close ourselves off. You're default was always closed.

That's not true. He didn't love me anyway.

Victor was in his apartment. He watched himself answer the holo-panel and his father's aged face appeared.

"Hello, son."

"Hey, dad!" Victor saw himself smile. "I know I'm late but don't worry, I'm on my way over now."

What is this? This never happened.

Not for your body. But this one always kept itself open to its father.

What does that mean?

They were at Angel Falls again, in the hazy cloud of untouchable mist. If you look at it correctly, it could even be a trillion universes existing together.

Are you saying... That other me is from another universe?

Was it hard?

"I know mom, but--" Victor was speaking to the hologram of his mother again.

"If you just--" His mother disappeared and Victor watched himself stand up and start to pace.

Are you asking me if it was hard not going to my father on his death bed?

Sort of.

The holo-panel rang again and the Victor of the past ignored it.

You never answered that call.

It was just my mom calling back, trying to guilt me into coming over.

Victor's apartment shifted into his parents' house. His father struggled to operate the holo-panel from bed. "I knew he wouldn't answer."

"It was worth a try, wasn't it?" His mother leaned over and kissed the old man's forehead. Victor's father just sighed and looked away.

Was it hard?

Wait... Are you asking if it was hard to be closed off?

His guide smiled, it was the first expression he'd seen grace her face.

Victor thought for a moment and felt a sense of relief as he realized the true answer. So hard.

Do you still want to wake up?

Yes.

Darkness seeped in again. Victor called for his guide but she didn't answer. He watched the darkness for a long time before he saw the tiniest pinprick of light in the distance. Without intending to, he felt himself draw closer to it.

"Hey buddy." Somewhere to Victor's side he saw his younger father creek open a door. "Can I come in?"

This time the boy put away his toys. He turned to nod at his father with a nervous smile. Victor's dad smiled back and came into the room. He sat on the floor and placed a shiny new black box in between them. "Vic, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I really wish I could take it back..."

As Victor watched the unexpected scene play out the tiny spot of light grew bigger.

"You scared me, daddy."

"I know, I never wanted to though." His dad looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Vic, this is a wireless router."

The boy smiled and moved closer.

"It's not a toy, but if you want to know how it works I can try to explain it." Victor knew his father was no technological genius. "Um... So, this box it... It receives signals from the wall, right."

"Where does the wall get them?"

"Jesus, I don't know!" His father stopped himself and took a deep breath. "We'll figure that out later. For now let's just talk about the router."

Young Victor nodded and moved to his father's lap.

"So, it receives these signals and... Processes them, somehow. And then, it sends those signals out into the air."

"And that's how all the computers come to life!" The boy smiled and gently touched the router.

The man laughed and nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess that's kinda what happens."

The spot of light expanded and took over the scene. Victor felt solid again. He tried to remember what he was doing, but it had completely slipped his mind.

"Vic, it's on, it's on!"

Victor moved to his father's bedside and grabbed a tablet from the table. The holo-panel flickered on and a man appeared.

"Good evening and thank you for tuning in to the Dreamlab beta test lottery results! I know each and every one of you watching tonight are dying for the opportunity to be one of our first ever costumers but unfortunately we've only got twenty spots available." The man's exaggerated voice broke off as his mouth slipped into a dramatic frown.

"I know you'll get one." Victor's father winked up at him.

Victor laughed and watched the numbers appear in front of him as the man listed them off. He looked down at his tablet and frowned. "He hasn't picked me yet."

"There are still three more spots, don't worry."

As the last number was rattled off Victor sighed and put his tablet down. "No luck this time."

"Oh well." Victor's father patted his hand. "Perhaps it's for the best."