Dream World by T.G. Haynes Page A

drink when Richard entered the breakout area.
    â€˜Hi, Kate. Brenda told me that you’d arrived. I’m sorry about you usual room. We’re just making a few alterations to our equipment. Upgrading our security.’
    â€˜Security?’ she said, puzzled.
    â€˜Why sound so surprised, we take it very seriously here.’
    â€˜I’m not sure I follow. What could possibly go wrong in a dream?’
    â€˜Well, for starters, I’m guessing you wouldn’t want anyone to hack into your sub-conscious.’
    â€˜Is that possible?’ she asked, trying her best to quell the feeling of unease that was growing in the pit of her stomach.
    â€˜Highly unlikely,’ he said, assuaging her fears, ‘But we’re not prepared to take the risk that someone out there might develop that ability. We want to stay one step ahead of the game at all times, hence the upgrade.’
    â€˜I guess that means no dreaming for me tonight then,’ she sighed.
    â€˜On the contrary, I was going to invite you to try out one of our brand new chambers, so long as you don’t mind being a bit of a guinea pig.’
    â€˜You mean, I’d be the first?’ she said.
    Richard nodded.
    Kate wasn’t sure she had been the first at anything since winning the egg and spoon race back at primary school when she was seven years old, so she agreed.
    The new room that Richard ushered her into was much smaller than the dream chamber that she and Sylvia had used previously and there were only three beds. Kate had been hoping to take a trip alone, but she was fairly sure that Richard would suggest joining her. To her slight surprise, not to mention relief, Richard explained that he would monitor her as she fell asleep, but then have to leave in order to supervise the work that was going on around the centre. Feigning disappointment, Kate tried to sound sincere as she said, ‘Maybe next time.’
    â€˜Maybe,’ he said, as she lay down and attached the pads to her temples. Along with the two wires that hooked into the pads, there was a third, which Kate wasn’t sure what to do with.
    Ah, that’s one of the other differences,’ he explained. ‘We’ve dispensed with the sleep inducing tablets in favour of an alternative method.’
    â€˜How does it work?’ she asked.
    â€˜Similar to a hospital drip. I simply attach a tiny needle to the end, thus, then feed it into your arm, if I may.’
    Though she wasn’t entirely happy about this, Kate decided that it would be silly to back out now, so she presented her left forearm to him. Taking hold of it, Richard massaged a smidgen of ointment onto the skin of her inner elbow. Kate then felt a tiny prick. Though it didn’t really hurt, she couldn’t help flinching.
    â€˜Sweet dreams,’ he said.
    Kate didn’t hear him. The feed worked instantly. She was already fast asleep.
    Inside the dream, Kate pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. Whether it was the new method of inducing sleep, she couldn’t be sure, but she felt ever so slightly woozy, as if she had taken some really strong medication. She certainly didn’t remember conjuring up the scenario she found herself in the midst of. She was seated at the table of an outdoor café on Monmartre looking out over Paris. Was it an extension of the last dream she had experienced at the centre? It certainly felt like it. A waiter came and placed an espresso on her table, before bustling away to deal with another order. Kate drank the coffee gratefully, hoping that it might help to clear her head. Her thought processes felt hazy though and she didn’t feel fully in charge of the dream.
    Before trying anything grand, she decided to experiment on a small scale. Closing her eyes she imagined her cup refilling. Upon opening her eyes, to her delight, she found another miniature cup of steaming coffee waiting for her. As she reached for it she noticed two