He was lost for words. A young black man who seemed no older than him was standing just beside him, as clear as the day this person revealed himself to him.
Danny doesn't have much else to say but to nod his head in compliance, as he was both confused and surprised to see a character in his dream who isn't some weirdly drawn-out guy from a surreal television show. Instead, this one looks and acts like any other human being he finds in the waking world.
Eyes focused on Tom as he sat down facing him. Danny blinked multiple times at the sight of this very strange, realistic individual. "Your name is Tom...?" Something about that triggered an overwhelming sense of familiarity, yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly where he knew this guy from.
"I'm Danny," he replied straightly, wasting no time of introducing himself by extending his hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you," a genuine smile spread across his face, praying friendly presentation would prevent any nightmare from occurring.
Chuckling softly, "nice to meet you, man." Returning the kind gesture with his own, he shook Danny's hand before they retreated their arms back to their sides. "I've been watching you for a bit now," Tom explained. "You seem lost."
The observation made the dreamer wonder if this character is somehow connected to his dreams or just another person living in this city. "What brings you here?" Inquiry followed, and curiosity was piqued by the young man's presence as he stepped foot upon this restaurant.
"Watching me?" Little crept out of this notion; he felt like he was under some sort of surveillance. "Were you stalking me or something?" Unable to help himself by asking a blunt question rather than acting politely to avoid future problems between them,.
Danny nonetheless needed to ask what the person meant in hopes of easing his growing paranoia that someone was indeed following his every move. While he is aware of his dreaming and all of that, it's still downright creepy for him to know this.
Everything around him feels real, so vivid and alive that it's almost palpable. The soft clinking of silverware against plates was noticeable, along with the gentle murmurs in conversations happening throughout the building.
It's if he's stepped into a living, breathing painting, one that he truly believes is actually the waking world. "I'm not wanting to sound rude or anything!" Quickly raising his hands up in surrender, hoping to not cause any ruckus between them, he said, "I just want to make sure you're not some creep who likes to follow people around."
Tom stared at him long and hard, finding it concerning to know that Danny was perceiving his actions in such a negative light. He decided to take a more diplomatic approach to alleviate the young man's worries. "I apologize if my words came across as invasive"
"My intention was purely observational, nothing more sinister than that," hoping his explanation would be enough to quell any fears Danny might harbor. Not wanting to be seen as a stalker or someone who has ulterior motives before firmly stating, "I've been in this city a while now, and I find myself drawn to those who seem lost, like yourself."
The use of the word 'lost' echoed in Danny's ears, striking a chord deep within him. Nevertheless, he knows this is only a dream, and being worried about anything is a stupid way to waste his time. "Okay, fine," shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly,"so you're saying you just happened to see me wandering around this place and thought I looked like I needed company?"
His tone was skeptical yet not accusatory, simply trying to understand the character's motivations behind approaching him. Before Tom could respond to his inquiries, the same waiter who guided Danny into the restaurant had seemingly appeared at their table all of sudden.
"Wholo nud yeep beew," holding a silver plate with a dome covering the surface of it, he placed it between them on the table before bowing politely, completely shocking Danny from how the waiter teleported just beside them without even noticing his presence, a terrifying and weird experience that he couldn't help but let out a loud gasp of shock.
"Oh, don't mind him," Tom chuckled, waving the waiter off as if it were a normal occurrence, "he's just doing his job," reassuring Danny that there's no need to be alarmed by the waiter's sudden appearance. "Now, where were we?" he asked, turning his attention back to the young man.
"Ah yes, you were wondering why I approached you, correct?" Turning to face him directly, the 19th century ambiance of the bistro seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them, suspended in time as the waiter discreetly withdrew.
Tension grows on the young man's back, not understanding the situation nor the intentions of this character, who seems to know everything about him. "I guess so," Danny replied slowly, his eyes darting between Tom and the mysterious food that the waiter left behind.
"You're really strange, you know that?" He said with a small, wry smile, trying to lighten the mood, "But I suppose it's nice to have someone to talk to."
Within his mind, something told him that Tom might know more about his dreams than he initially thought, yet he decided to keep that to himself for now. Observing the other man closely, "So, what do you say we dig in and get to know each other better?"
Tom grinned, pleased by Danny's willingness to engage in conversation despite his initial reservations. "I was about to say the same thing!" An understanding look passed between them, and Danny found himself relaxing in Tom's presence after an invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
The mysterious food on the plate, once a source of mystery, now seemed inviting, its savory aroma wafting up to tease their nostrils. "Dig in, then," his only company with him said. Seeing this no longer as a dream but reality, Danny reached out and lifted the dome off the plate, revealing the horrific scene before him.
"Jesus!"
Two heads, one belonging to Mei and the other to Lei, their faces staring directly at him with empty, soulless eyes, jump out of his seat from the table in disgust and horror before landing on the hard ground after seeing a grotesque dish in front of him. Pure terror slithers throughout his body and mind, beyond disbelief at the mere sight of this.
"You did this."
"What are you fucking talking about?!" The mere moment he looked up to face Tom, otherworldly emotion filled the person's eyes—something dark and menacing that sent shivers down Danny's spine.
He then felt it, a worrying feeling of impending doom coming his way, telling him to run as far as he could. Glancing around, he notices all the patrons staring straight at him, their blurry faces making things much more terrifying to the point of wanting to run away from this place.
"You left them," Tom's entire head split into two. "You left your entire family," a groveling, deep, and painful voice echoed in the mind of Danny.
"To die alone," the words cut deeper than any knife ever could. "You're a monster," he accusingly pointed out, "a coward who abandoned those who loved him." The accusation hit harder than any physical blow, striking at his very core. "That is what you are, isn't it, man? A monster who only cared about himself more than anyone else in this entire world."
Trembling from the swirling mix of emotions building up inside of him, Danny felt like he was drowning in this sea of despair, unable to escape the tormenting words that seemed to seep into his very being. "No," he whispered brokenly, shaking his head in denial.
"I didn't mean to." A flash of unrecognizable memories appeared in his mind, memories blurred and vague, but a sense of guilt and shame permeated through them. "I just..." There were no more words he could say, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, incapable of forming coherent sentences amidst the turmoil of his thoughts.
"Can you hear them, Danny?"
One by one, he was surrounded by the patrons, their faces morphing into Mei and Lei, their voices whispering in his ears, "It's all your fault," their combined voices hitting his soul entirely, "why did you kill us?" The accusation repeated, "because you were too scared to stay."
The words consumed him, making him feel like he was going insane. "You left, and we died from you," Lei's voice, small and pathetic; "alone, with no one to save us," Mei's voice, laced with sorrow in her tone from the statement she uttered out of her own mouth.
Breathing rapidly, Danny held the sides of his head tightly, his fingers digging into the scalp as if trying to push away the voices, the faces, and the accusations that seemed to swirl around him.
"Please...stop..." He begged, tears streaming down his face, his body shaking uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of guilt.
He doesn't know what it is, as the crushing burden of his mistakes is noticeable in his heart. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The tormenting screams of Mei and Lei died down, leaving only the sound of his desperate, anguished sobs echoing in the empty and dark restaurant.
"I didn't mean to..." feeble attempt to justify his actions fell flat even to his own ears. "I didn't mean to." Kneeling down with both of his knees, he buried his face in his hands, tears dripping onto the cold, hard ground as the full extent of his regret and remorse crashed over him.
"I should've stayed," admitting the truth, his shoulders convulsing with each sob, "but I was too scared," confessing his weakness, "too scared to face my problems." His voice broke on a choked cry, "so I ran away just to see what life has to offer."
The patrons faded away like mists in the wind, leaving only Tom standing before him, his appearance still twisted into a grotesque visage.
"You're a monster, Danny." The words were soft, almost sadistic, yet carried an undeniable weight. "You're human, flawed, and a and a monster nonetheless," his gaze was piercing, as if seeing right through to the core of his friend's being.
Removing his hands from his tear-streaked face, "I don't know how to fix this," he admitted, his voice small and fragile. "I don't know how to make it right," the words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his guilt and sorrow. "All I can do is try," he said finally.
"Try to be better, to learn from my mistakes, to face my fears." His resolve was shaky, yet it was there inside of him. "To become the man I should've been," he whispered, his eyes locked down at the ground, refusing to look at the man before him.
"Try? You don't try," snickering wickedly, "You just do." Tom's words were a slap in the face, harsh and unforgiving. "Face the truth of your desires," the advice was brutal, yet oddly wise.
"Right now, you're unsure and a coward who abandoned those he loved for his own selfish desires," the judgment stung, but Danny knew it was true. "Look up at my face, Danny, and see what defines you as a person," commanding him to meet his gaze, "because until you do, you'll never truly know who you are."
Gulping nervously, he slowly lifted his head, preparing himself for the worst. "I'm scared," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm terrified of facing the truth." The words hung heavy in the air. "I don't want to be a monster," he begged, his eyes ready to see Tom's twisted visage for any hint of lies behind it after seeing it.
"Please, tell me the type of person I should be." As he finally took sight of the man's face, Danny immediately screamed with extreme terror from the mere sight of a once normal human face into grotesque picture, an image that represents his darker, truer self.
