"Dream" INC.

[MistyTales]

Hello everyone, I started a new story

Available on wattpad (and other stories) and of course here:

 

Chapter 1

The evening sun slowly but inexorably sank towards the horizon. The coastal town, perched on the edge of a high cliff, sank into a sweet slumber, weary from the day's heat. In the distance, the roar of engines could be heard; the sound grew, sweeping away the evening tranquility like a steamroller. A red sports convertible suddenly shot out from around the corner, scattering a flock of sparrows peacefully bathing in a shallow puddle, and sped towards the precipice.

Gaining speed, the car plowed through the fence that separated the peaceful town life from the abyss, and flew downwards. From a distance, one could see a small figure detach from the car, and a parachute open above it in mid-air. The figure skillfully maneuvered through the sky and soon landed on the deck of a snow-white yacht, gently rocking on the waves at the foot of the cliff. The hero swiftly detached the parachute, which was immediately carried away by the wind. He took the helm of the yacht and steered the vessel towards the horizon in the direction of the setting sun. The world held its breath.

Alex threw off the blanket and sat up in bed. He rubbed the corners of his eyes, yawned, and looked at the monitor next to him. In large white letters, the screen displayed:

"Simulation ended. Save?"

"Alright, yes," he said to himself and touched the corresponding button on the touch screen. The message disappeared, and after a while, another appeared: "Saved. Send for review?"

"Yes," Alex confirmed again. He got out of bed and, slightly staggering, headed towards the bathroom, replaying his dream in his head.

Only a few decades had passed since the fourth industrial revolution when humanity had conquered the immaterial world. In that time, the entertainment industry had undergone colossal changes. Cinema, computer games, and even virtual reality had ceased to be outstanding and gave way to dreams. Now they could be saved, altered to one's liking, and revisited every night, making new changes each time. The cornerstone and main trendsetter in this industry was a corporation with the unpretentious name "Dream," where Alex had been working for the past few years.

Before the invention of machines for recording and transmitting dreams, people like him were called dreamers and fantasists, and sometimes even laughed at, either for their absentmindedness or out of envy for their boundless imagination.

Now everything had changed. Yesterday's daydreamers had become the architects of a new reality. They could not only create new worlds with the power of their thoughts alone but also control them. They were not passive observers of the world created by their tireless imagination; they lived in it and crafted countless stories for their clients. Lucid dreaming and the ability to control dreams were some of the main criteria for successful work in the corporation.

Ever since his childhood, Alex preferred the world of his fantasies to reality. No, he wasn't unsociable or a recluse, but life in the orphanage didn't offer much variety. Wake up, morning washing, breakfast, school, games, lunch, more school and games, and finally dinner and lights out. That was the simple daily routine that repeated day after day.

But when night came, he could become anyone he wanted. Over time, Alex had been a knight fighting dragons and a superhero who repeatedly saved Earth from alien invaders. By the time he graduated from the orphanage, Alex knew exactly what he wanted to be – an Architect of Dreams.

He worked on his qualification project for many nights, adding more and more details. The fairy-tale world of the future, where technology, magic, and genetics intertwined in one whimsical tapestry, so impressed the Corporation's representatives that they entrusted him with the Architect's position without much thought.

Usually, all newcomers spent several years editing and polishing the dreams created by their more experienced colleagues. They reviewed them hundreds of times, adding countless seemingly inconspicuous and unnecessary details.

Fortunately for Alex, this part of the job, tinkering with other people's dreams, passed him by. In a few years, the man managed to accumulate an impressive base of regular clients whose preferences and tastes he knew almost by heart. Even now, after finishing another dream about the exploits of a secret agent for the elderly Mr. Lowksley, he was confident that his work would be appreciated.

After taking a shower and sipping a mug of aromatic coffee, Alex finally banished the remnants of dream-weaving. He quickly got dressed and headed to the "Dream" corporation office. Approaching the main entrance, Alex, following his usual tradition, looked up at the cloud-piercing building. The mirrored walls reflected the blue sky and clouds drifting by.

"Truly a dream," he thought to himself as he climbed the stairs. At the entrance, as always, he was greeted by the security guard. The good-natured burly man smiled warmly and, as always, delivered his unchanging joke: "Good morning, Mr. Alex! A working day after a working night?"

"Hi, John, you're always right," Alex smiled in response and raised his hand in greeting. "How was your surfing in the Bahamas with Alicia?"

"Oh, it was unforgettable, thank you so much," said John, extending a bag of homemade donuts that appeared out of nowhere. "Please take these as a small token of our gratitude."

Alex smiled once again and gladly accepted the small paper bag. Legends circulated around the office about Alicia's donuts.

It should be mentioned that custom-made dreams were not an affordable luxury, and not many could indulge in such entertainment. However, Alex, being an incorrigible romantic and firmly believing that dreams should be accessible to everyone, occasionally created dreams on a gratis basis.

So, having gone up to his floor, he headed to his office. Walking along the long corridor with transparent walls, Alex saw dozens of his colleagues working on creating new adventures. They all sat in a semi-reclined position in comfortable, snow-white chairs, each with a dream recording device at the headrest.

One of the perks of being an architect was the ability to work from home, which Alex took advantage of. However, visiting the office at least once a week was still necessary.

Grabbing another cup of coffee from the vending machine on the floor, Alex finally reached his office. Sitting in the chair and opening his laptop, he unwrapped a bag of fresh, still-warm doughnuts. The sweet scent of vanilla and strawberry glaze hit his nose. Biting into a piece of doughnut, Alex began to check his work email.

He quickly scanned reviews from satisfied clients, smiling and sending pre-written messages of gratitude and encouragement to continue using the services of the "Dream" corporation. Over these few years of work, he began to notice a certain pattern in his creativity. Of course, he tried his best to come up with new and unique plots, but inevitably found repeating elements in them after a while. Perhaps this fate awaits all dream creators, for a person cannot endlessly invent something new without repeating themselves.

Alex also noticed that his work no longer brought him the same pleasure as it did in the first months of his service. After all, there was something mundane and vulgar about creating custom worlds. Almost all dream creation tasks included a description of the place, time, characters, and how the dream should end. His job was simply to enrich the dream with details, while the main plot was mostly predetermined. Not everyone is ready to receive the unknown for a tidy sum, and most clients preferred to clearly outline the boundaries of the final product.

Finishing the last doughnut, Alex finished his coffee and was about to start planning his next work week when Edward, the senior architect, entered his office.

Of medium height with a neat haircut and, as always, in a strict business suit, he was the complete opposite of tall Alex, who preferred jeans and comfortable sweaters to a formal look.

Edward was one of those people who, as they say, made themselves. He started from the very bottom, spent several not-so-interesting years in the dream editing department, and only then was promoted to architect, and later, after a few more years, to senior architect.

For understandable reasons, Edward was not particularly fond of Alex, whom he considered a show-off, and being his boss, he periodically assigned him the least interesting tasks. Nevertheless, despite some animosity, Edward could not deny Alex's talent. Alex, in turn, felt that Edward had some hostility towards him but still respected him, at least for his persistence.

"Still eating? When will you work?" he addressed him, watching as Alex wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"I'm already working," the man smiled and stretched in his chair, disarming his opponent with his good nature.

"Anyway, here's a new task," Edward handed him a thin folder with the corporation's logo. "The client is new and important, so no messing up."

"We'll do it," Alex replied.

Without a word, Alex opened the folder, expecting to see a blank form with a dream description, but instead of the standard papers, there was only one white sheet. "Childhood" read the handwritten inscription in the middle of the sheet. The man took the sheet in his hands, bewildered, looked at the back, and checked again that there was nothing else in the folder. He looked up at his boss, not understanding.

"Is this a joke?"

"If you saw the amount the client already transferred as an advance, you wouldn't be asking such questions," he replied.

"But what should I do, is it a man or a woman, what are they specifically interested in?" Alex continued to inquire.

"I don't even know," Edward replied, this time looking genuinely baffled as well. "Start with something, maybe make a demo version for an hour or two, and then maybe some details will emerge." With these words, he headed for the exit. Standing on the threshold, he turned around: "Good luck, if you need anything - let me know, I'll try to help." Edward closed the door behind him, leaving Alex alone with his thoughts.

"I'll try to help," he said aloud. It was indeed unexpected for him; Edward had never offered his help before and only laughed at his ideas.

"Well, let's get started," Alex opened his notebook and wrote the word "Childhood" in the middle of a new page.

"What do I know about childhood?" he began his reasoning aloud. Words started to appear on the sheet, written in a neat underline: school, toys, fairy tales, playground, swings, tears... Unknowingly, Alex found himself in the middle of a children's playground, a group of boys stubbornly refusing to let him join their game of tag, and he stood there, nearly crying, proving to them that he was already big and could play with them.

Shaking his head, he banished the sad memories. "No, our client definitely doesn't want to see this. So let's start with something simple..." With these words, he began to describe the interior of a children's room, which, in his opinion, should be in every happy child's home.

He dedicated his entire workday to the painstaking description of details. He described everything meticulously, every little thing and every toy that should be in the room, even how the rays of the sun penetrate through the airy curtains in the morning was subject to scrupulous detailing. Along the way, Alex studied all possible interior design options that he could find on the internet.

In the evening, weary and clearly satisfied with his work, the man hurried home. Hastily taking a shower, he lay down on his bed, adjusted the dream recording device, and prepared for the most interesting part of his job. A pleasant weakness and heaviness grew throughout his body, the surrounding street sounds became more distant, and Alex finally fell asleep.

Waking up earlier than usual, he pressed an icon on the touchscreen with practiced movements to save his dream and send it for review. Quickly drinking his traditional morning coffee, Alex rushed to work, hoping to hear feedback and comments on his nighttime work. This time, for some reason, he didn't care to scrutinize the corporation's building; he hastily greeted John, impatiently went up to his floor, and locked himself in his office, waiting for Edward to give him feedback.

Alex sat in his office, drumming nervously with his ring finger on the table, unable to understand what was happening to him. It seemed he had only been this anxious when the corporation's admissions committee evaluated his entrance work. He poured a mug of black coffee and gulped it down in a few swallows, predictably not adding any calm to his state. Finally, Edward's silhouette appeared at the door, and it swung open without a knock. The senior architect entered the room and, without waiting for an invitation, sat down across from his subordinate.

A tense silence hung in the air.

"What?" Alex was the first to break.

Edward sighed and began in a tone as calm as a person whose expectations had been completely unmet could speak.

"Alex," he began, "I told you if you need help, just ask."

"I didn't need any," Alex mumbled in response, clearly not expecting such an assessment of his work.

"You see, a changing table, a game console, and superhero posters can't all be in the same children's room. These are things for different ages. Remember yourself."

Alex bit his lip. "There's not much to remember," he whispered.

Realizing he had pushed it a bit too far, Edward hesitated for a moment. "Anyway, you'll be working as a pair on this project. Emily, please come in," he said, turning to the door.

"But I never work with..." Alex cut himself off.

On the threshold stood a fragile red-haired girl, who was of short stature and shyly smiled; a mischievous spark flickered in her green eyes.

"Hello," Alex said haltingly. Not only had he never worked in a pair before, but now his partner was also this red-haired female. It wasn't that he was a misogynist; rather, he lacked proper experience in communicating with the opposite sex, and all his knowledge was limited to well-known facts.

"Emily, our new employee with great promise. Actually, just like you once were," he introduced the girl. With these words, Edward got up and left the room. As he passed Emily, he whispered, "Good luck."

"Hi, my name is Emmy..." the girl began cheerfully.

Snapping out of his shock, Alex hastily got up.

"Excuse me," he muttered and dashed out of the office. Catching up with Edward, he called out to him.

"Hey, just give this project to her!"

"Out of the question!"

"But why?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

"Because the client wants you specifically to create the dream. Congratulations, you're popular! We need a prototype by tomorrow." Edward patted Alex on the shoulder in a friendly manner and walked away, leaving the latter standing in bewilderment in the middle of the corridor.

"Excuse me, is something wrong?" a thin feminine voice pulled Alex out of his stupor. He turned around and approached his new co-author. The top of the girl's head barely reached his chin, and she had to tilt her head up slightly to look him straight in the eyes.

"Not sure yet," the man replied.

"Shall we get started, then?" Emily smiled and pulled the still dumbfounded Alex into the room for paired simulation.

Upon entering the room, Alex finally snapped out of his thoughts. He approached the whiteboard and began sketching the dream's blueprint.

"So, I suggest we start by defining roles and the location where everything will take place..." He turned to his companion, who had already prepared two cocktails for accelerated dream immersion and settled herself into the dream recording machine's chair.

"Sit next to me!" She patted the seat of the chair next to her.

"No, we have to agree on what we'll create first," Alex resisted.

"Oh, come on, let's just see if we can work together," she countered. "Maybe we won't be able to build together."

"Sounds logical," Alex didn't expect such assertiveness from his new partner.

He sat down next to her, and Emily handed him the cocktail. Alex drank the offered beverage in one gulp, as did Emily.

"Good night!" she cheerfully said.

"Good night..." Alex replied, already falling asleep. Before completely blacking out, he felt Emily take his hand.

Alex opened his eyes. He and Emily were standing in the middle of a dazzlingly white space, dressed in work clothes with the "Dream" corporation's logo.

"Where shall we start?" Alex asked his companion. He had never started new projects like this without preparation. Moreover, he sincerely believed that the entire world depended on how the first stroke was made in a new project. "Maybe we should start with a nursery?"

"Can I try it myself?" Emily asked.

"Yes, please..." Alex finally gave in; after all, he had tried to create a nursery before and hadn't achieved much success.

"Alright, then let's begin..." Emily closed her eyes tightly, and the world around them changed.

 

Chapter 2
"Beach?" Alex stared in astonishment at his colleague.

"Yeah!" she playfully looked back at him.

"What does childhood have to do with the beach?" The man looked around, puzzled. A gentle southern breeze ruffled his dark hair, bringing with it the salty scent of the sea and freshness. In the distance, the cries of seagulls and the sound of waves rolling onto the sandy shore could be heard. They stood next to each other on a small wooden pier, separated from the water by a strip of white sand about thirty meters wide.

"Don't you get it? How can I explain this to you..." Emily's voice had a sympathetic tone.

"Oh!" was all Alex could say, once again noticing his companion. Unbeknownst to him, she had already changed into a beach tunic and a light straw hat.

"I've got it! A trust test!" Emily even jumped a little at her idea.

"What kind of test?" Alex became more and more confused by what was happening. He was already vaguely aware of what was going on, what the beach had to do with it, his childhood, and some kind of test. And the deadline for the dream prototype to be ready was relentlessly approaching.

"I'll explain everything now," Emily began excitedly. "Turn your back to me, like this..." she took Alex by the shoulders and turned him, "now spread your arms out to the sides," the girl helped him raise his arms, "and now close your eyes and fall backward, and I'll catch you, but you can't open your eyes!"

"Why all this?" he replied, puzzled, and was about to turn and look at his companion.

"Just do it!" she stopped him.

"Even with whims... Well, it's just a dream," thought Alex to himself. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, hesitated a bit more, then shifted his weight backward and began to fall.

In an instant, he felt someone's gentle hands catch him and abruptly lift him upward. To say the sensations were strange would be an understatement. Firstly, the hands that grasped him had to belong to someone at least twice his size. Secondly, the feeling of his own body at the moment it was lifted up was distinctly different. He felt... lighter.

Soon, he felt himself being placed on something soft and, with a slight push on his chest, made to recline so that he was in a semi-lying position. Alex lay there, not daring to open his eyes, and barely breathing.

"Hey, kiddo, are you alive? Open your eyes!" he heard Emily's familiar voice.

"Yes," he replied. He didn't know what shocked him more: being called a child or hearing his voice sound unusually high-pitched, like a child's.

Finally, Alex opened his eyes and looked around. To his left and right, a dome of fabric surrounded him. He was in a semi-reclined position, so he could only see a small piece of the sea. Mostly, his field of view was filled with blue sky and sparse fluffy white clouds. Alex tried to sit up in a more familiar position and extended his arms forward to balance his weight. But in the next moment, he forgot what he wanted to do and began to examine his tiny hands in amazement.

Emily had been standing to the side all this time, watching fondly as Alex reacted to his transformation. Finally, she leaned in and asked with undisguised delight, "Well, how do you feel?"

Alex dropped his hands and stared at her. Now she seemed bigger to him… much bigger.

"It's incredible," Alex muttered. "I've never done anything like this before."

"We've only just begun," Emily smiled. "Let's continue our work! Do you want to see yourself?"

"Yes," he said hesitantly, "I guess…"

With a light wave of her hand, Emily conjured a large mirror. She raised the back of the stroller so Alex could sit more comfortably. He looked at himself and couldn't believe what he saw. Of course, during his years working at the corporation, he had created countless dreams with various and whimsical incarnations, ranging from journeys through the Amazon rainforest to alien invasions, but this was a first, especially with himself in the leading role. Staring back at him from the mirror was a dark-haired toddler with big gray-blue eyes. He appeared to be three, maybe four years old. He wore only blue swim trunks and blue toddler sandals. He sat in a stroller with large wheels and seemed quite content with his life.

"Well?" Emily eagerly repeated her question.

"But why did you do this?" Alex countered, seemingly not listening to his colleague.

"Well, you couldn't understand the connection between the beach and childhood. So I thought it would be faster to show you than to explain. Do you like it?"

"I think… Yes," the boy managed to say.

"Great! Let's continue. We have a lot of work ahead of us," Emily said, lowering the back of the stroller again and heading toward the water. Unprepared for the sudden jolt, Alex lost his balance and toppled onto his back.

"Oops!" he squeaked in surprise.

"Hold on, little one! There are sand dunes ahead!" With that, Emily began pushing the stroller determinedly through the white sand. Alex wanted to protest, preferring to ride sitting up and at least maintaining the illusion of control, but he soon resigned himself to his situation and continued to watch the clouds, listening to his own sensations.

"Why haven't I created something like this before?" he thought. "How did she manage to create this world in such a short time?" Suddenly, his leg started to itch. To his own surprise, Alex effortlessly lifted his leg and brought it within reach of his outstretched hand. In his adult body, this would have taken some effort, but now everything was so easy and natural. Alex began lifting his legs alternately. He was genuinely amazed by the capabilities of his new body. "She even thought of the physiological reactions," he marveled to himself.

"Oh, you decided to do gymnastics," Emily peeked into his stroller.

"I... well... no... just..." he hesitated.

"Alright, you don't have to explain," the girl smiled. "Let me help you get out." With that, she picked up Alex and set him on the sand. "It's going to be warm enough today," she declared, and with those words, she took out a gentle blue baby sun hat with a little ship on it and put it on Alex.

"And what am I supposed to do now?" the boy looked at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean? Play, of course."

"I see... And how?"

Emily smiled. She knelt down, positioning herself next to Alex.

"Let's start by trying to build a sandcastle," she suggested.

"Alright," he agreed. The little boy waved his hand, and in an instant, a small sandcastle with whimsical towers and a moat with water stood before him.

"No, that won't do," Emily smiled. She snapped her fingers, and the just-erected castle crumbled into a pile of sand.

"So she can also destroy what she didn't create," Alex noted to himself.

"Here you go," the girl handed the little boy a red bucket and a plastic shovel. Alex took the tools and continued to look at her, still puzzled.

"This will be a bit more complicated than I thought. Run, get some wet sand!"

Alex obediently turned and ran towards the water, but after only a couple of steps, his sandals got stuck in the sand, and the boy fell. The bucket and shovel flew in opposite directions.

"What's happening to me?" the boy thought. He gathered his strength and got back on his feet.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. It happens to everyone..." Emily encouraged him.

"Everyone?" he asked again. "So I'm not the first one you..."

"Less talking, the castle won't build itself!" his cheerful companion interrupted.

"Alright, I'll find out later," he thought and began to gather the scattered tools.

Upon reaching the edge of the water, Alex squatted down and began diligently scooping wet sand into the bucket. The little boy was so engrossed in this seemingly simple task that he didn't notice the incoming wave licking his legs. "Oh!" he jumped in surprise and nearly fell again but managed to maintain his balance.

Emily's ringing laughter could be heard from the side. "You're so funny right now, not like you were in the office." Alex blushed. Indeed, just a few hours ago, he was trying to refuse this incomprehensible project, and now he was sitting there, scooping sand into a child's bucket.

The work went slowly but surely, and within a few minutes, the bucket was filled. Getting on his feet, the boy confidently grabbed the handle, but as it turned out, his physical strength had diminished along with the change in his body.

"Heavy," he thought, but said aloud, "Can you help me?"

"No, do it yourself. Otherwise, how will you grow up big and strong?"

"Grow up..." Alex smirked. "Well, if you say so." The little boy lifted the bucket, leaned slightly to the opposite side, and hesitantly moved towards Emily.

"Good job! I'm proud of you!" she encouraged the boy when the bucket was delivered.

Slightly out of breath, Alex looked at his partner and asked:

"Is this necessary?"

"What's necessary?" she asked, surprised and raising her eyebrows.

"Well, the baby talk with me. I'm not a child after all."

Emily stared intently at Alex. "You make it sound like you don't enjoy it?"

The boy ignored the counter-question and decided to change the subject.

"Alright, here's the sand, what do we do next?"

"Of course, we build!" Emily handed him a set of molds. "Fill the sand in here like this..." she showed him. "Now quickly turn it over and tap with the little shovel."

"Do I have to tap?" With his characteristic scrupulousness, Alex memorized the sequence of actions. If he had a notebook at hand at that moment, he would have certainly written everything down and made several drawings.

"Of course you do! Three times! And you have to say 'tap-tap-tap'," Emily explained with utmost seriousness. "Then carefully lift the mold."

"Alright, let me try," said Alex as he hastily filled the star-shaped mold with sand, quickly flipped it over, and tapped the shovel once. Then, with a swift motion, he lifted the mold, and a wet lump of sand fell out, resembling anything but a star.

"Well..." the boy was disappointed.

"That's because you had to tap three times. You can count to three, right?"

"I can..." Alex was embarrassed.

"And don't forget to say 'tap-tap-tap'," Emily added.

Alex filled the mold with sand again, carefully packed it, then quickly turned it over.

"Tap-tap-tap," a ringing child's voice accompanied the three taps with the little shovel. Then he carefully lifted the mold and beamed. An ideal star lay in the sand.

"I want more..." With these words, Alex began filling molds, flipping them, and uttering the magical "tap-tap-tap." Soon the bucket was empty, and the boy grabbed his simple tool and ran for a new batch of wet sand.

Emily, sitting on a beach blanket, watched with affection as the architect of dreams played with the sand wholeheartedly. Having emptied the fifth bucket, the exhausted boy collapsed on the blanket next to his partner.

"I'm thirsty," he said to her.

"Here," Emily handed him a blue children's sippy cup.

"Is there just a regular cup?" Alex decided to clarify, although he already knew the answer.

Emily smiled and shook her head. Alex grabbed the drinking cup and greedily sucked on the spout. After quenching his thirst, the boy stretched out contentedly on the blanket. The sun warmed his delicate skin, and a breeze rustled the hair sticking out from under his sunhat. Alex felt only peace and drowsiness washing over him.

"I think it's time to go swimming, or else you'll fall asleep!" Emily suggested.

"You know you can't fall asleep in a dream," Alex lazily replied. He didn't want to move or go anywhere.

"Well, we'll test that later," Emily said cheerfully. She removed her tunic, leaving her in just a swimsuit.

"Let's go, little one," she urged her companion.

Alex sat up on the blanket and looked towards the sea.

"You know, there's something I should tell you…" he began uncertainly. "I can't swim, and…" he hesitated. "I'm kind of afraid of the water."

"No problem!" With that, Emily took off Alex's sunhat. "Now let's get rid of those sandals. Walking barefoot will be good for you! Come on!" She stood up and held out her hand. Alex hesitantly took it and stepped barefoot onto the hot sand. He felt thousands of grains scatter from under his tiny foot, and those that didn't make it formed a dense base for further movement. Step by step, hand in hand, and watching their feet, Alex and Emily reached the water's edge. Wading in up to his knees, the boy hesitated and looked up at his companion.

"You know, I don't think now is the best time to…"

"Nonsense!" With that, the girl effortlessly scooped Alex up into her arms and confidently strode into the water. Alex clung to Emily's neck with all his might. When the water reached her waist, Emily stopped.

"Ready?" she asked Alex cheerfully.

"For what?" he squeaked, not loosening his grip.

Emily gently squatted and submerged the boy in the water. "Relax, I'm here. Nothing will happen to you," she said softly. Alex clung to her for a while, but then relaxed his grip and turned around.

"See, it's nice and fun here!" With that, she took the boy's hand and lightly slapped the water with his palm. Splashes flew in all directions, and Alex smiled. He hesitantly raised his hand and hit the water a little harder. The splashes soared, sparkling and shimmering in the sunlight. Alex laughed.

"You see, it's not so scary after all. Now hold your breath."

Alex barely had time to fill his lungs with air when Emily squatted even lower, submerging them both into the warm sea water. Then she quickly stood up, and streams of salty water poured down the boy's hair, making him snort and spit.

"Well?" she asked him, waiting for the little one to recover from the sudden immersion.

"Awesome!" Alex's eyes were filled with excitement.

"Let's learn to swim, then. Lie on your tummy," with these words Emily flipped the boy onto his stomach, paying little attention to his protests.

"Alright, now quickly move your arms and legs," she said, supporting the child under his chest and hips. Alex, realizing that he wouldn't be able to escape easily, began to diligently follow his teacher's instructions. He moved his arms and legs with all his might and diligently stretched his chin towards the sky. Emily walked alongside him. First, she discreetly removed her hand from under his hips, and then the second hand that supported his chest.

"Alex, you're swimming! All by yourself!" she exclaimed joyfully.

"What?!" the boy got scared and momentarily went underwater. Emily quickly pulled the child out and held him in her arms.

"Good job!" she said. Not yet fully understanding what had happened, Alex smiled back at her.

"I think that's enough for the first time. Let me give you a swing. Lie on your back."

She supported the boy under his back and gently walked with him towards the shore. Alex lay on the water and swayed gently on the waves. He looked at the endlessly blue sky and smiled. Soon, the boy's feet felt the sandy bottom. He flipped over and stood up. Emily easily picked him up in her arms and headed towards the blanket. There, she wrapped Alex in a huge, fluffy white towel.

"Shall we have a snack?" suggested Emily, taking a bag of fruit out of her bag.

"Yes, thank you!" replied Alex, smiling and reaching for a piece of fruit.

They enjoyed their snack, watching the sea and the seagulls flying just above the water's surface.

To his surprise, Alex found himself wanting to take a nap. Emily noticed this as well. She picked him up in her arms and laid him in the stroller, covering him with a light blanket.

"But you don't have to sleep in a dream," mumbled Alex, sinking into a pleasant slumber.

Alex opened his eyes. The screen displayed the message:

"Simulation ended. Save?"

He shifted his gaze to Emily. She silently looked at him and smiled. Without saying a word, Alex got up and left the shared simulation room. Without entering his office, the man headed home.

[Lionsheart]

I love how you painted this world and the characters within it so far. It is well-written and I can't wait to see where Emily and Alex create next in the dreams!

[Anton]

Great start!

[Electrically]

I love the concept. Kinda Ready Player One type thinking (good movie) and honestly I think it’s more realistic than most might think. 
looking forward to where this goes 

[MistyTales]

Chapter 3

He sat in his old armchair, pondering the events of the past day. Outside the window of the small two-room apartment, it was already getting dark, and a light October rain began to patter on the windowsill. Alex tried to get more comfortable, and the armchair responded with a faint creak.

"I should have thrown it out a long time ago," he noted to himself, but for some reason, he couldn't part with his old friend. Alex glanced at the clock – five minutes to eight, too early to sleep, but too late to start something new.

He went to the kitchen and took a small pack of pills from a cabinet. On the backside of the blister pack were inscriptions – 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 90 minutes. Alex pressed a green pill, corresponding to 30 minutes of sleep, onto his palm.

"Perhaps I should practice a little," he thought and returned to his creaky armchair. Leaning back and placing the pill under his tongue, a few moments later, Alex was standing in a white room.

"Let's begin," he said to himself and waved his hand through the air. Of course, it wasn't necessary, but such gestures helped him focus and somehow separate the flow of his imagination. The space around him transformed into the room from which he had just been taken to the world of dreams. Alex sat in an identical armchair, which, this time, made no sound. Waving his hand once more, a small child's chair appeared in front of him, with a plush teddy bear sitting on it. Alex picked up the toy, its tiny black button eyes attentively looking at their creator. Another moment later, the brown plush fur turned white and then became entirely pink. Alex held it in his hands for a little while longer.

"No, it's all wrong," he said with annoyance and tossed the toy aside. Before it could reach the floor, the bear dissolved into the air.

The man stood up and walked over to a large mirror hanging on the opposite side of the room. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and looked at his reflection again. A 3-year-old boy, resembling himself from just a few hours ago, looked back at him from the mirror. Alex carefully examined his new appearance – chubby cheeks, a snub little nose, large gray-blue eyes, but something was missing. The face looked more like a mask, albeit an almost perfect one.

Alex closed his eyes again, now he was seven years old, his facial features became sharper, he grew taller, but still resembled a doll more than a living person. Some detail eluded him, not allowing the image to become truly alive.

The pill's effect wore off, and the man came to his senses.

"I'm missing something," he thought, and lost in thought, he moved to his laptop. "Well, let's try again to see what's so special about this dream."

Among hundreds of dream titles, Alex found "Childhood. Beach." Author: Alex Smith. "She's modest," a thought flashed through his mind.

"Download," Alex clicked the button and began preparing to dive in.

The screen displayed a message:

"Access Denied."

"What do you mean, denied?" he said out loud. Alex tried to download the dream again, but the result remained unchanged. This could only happen in one case – if someone was editing the dream.

"Someone is sitting there right now, editing my dream!" A fire ignited inside the man. "What is this person doing with my dream?" For a moment, Alex imagined an inexperienced editor lying in an armchair, mercilessly cutting all his memories. They didn't like the color of the bucket, or they were already changing the weight of the wet sand so it wouldn't be as heavy for the client to carry.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Alex slammed the table with all his might. The mug standing on the edge fell and shattered, leaving a brown puddle on the floor. The sound of breaking glass interrupted the sudden fit of rage.

"What's happening to me?" Alex had never experienced such feelings before. "It's just a dream, like the hundreds of others I've created. Jealousy?"

Outside, it had finally grown dark. Alex took a small jar of "Dream Blocker" pills from a drawer in the table.

He took a pill and headed to the bedroom; tonight, he needed a simple, ordinary dream.

The day hadn't started well from the very beginning. First, Alex overslept, which had never happened to him before. Second, he couldn't figure out what was so special about that dream, in his childhood image, that he couldn't recreate it, and this mystery tormented him. The elevator slowed down, gave off a soft "ding," and the doors opened.

"Finally!" Edward greeted the tardy man. "I was getting tired of waiting for you."

Alex hurriedly ran through the reasons for his tardiness in his head. He was sure that the boss wouldn't miss an opportunity to give a long and boring speech about work discipline. But instead of a lecture about responsibility and how every employee must be on time, he heard:

"This is fantastic, you've outdone yourself!" Edward didn't skimp on compliments. "The dream was so light and poignant."

Taken aback, Alex admitted, "I was a little late, but I can assure you that…"

"Forget it, it's a minor issue. I understand that after SUCH work, you need a good rest," Edward interrupted the emerging stream of excuses. "Now go to the shared simulation room, Emmy is already there waiting for you, and the client is waiting for the continuation." With these words, Edward patted Alex on the shoulder as if they were old friends.

"How much did they pay for this dream that got Edward so excited?" With that thought, Alex entered the shared simulation room. Emily was already sitting in a chair, immersed in the world of dreams.

"Emmy," thought Alex. "Strange, but why haven't I ever called her that before?" He downed a glass of sleep-inducing cocktail in one gulp, sat in a chair next to her, and prepared to join his colleague.

Cold lamps flooded the entire space of the long corridor with an unpleasant, deathly pale light. Doors, all alike, lined the walls. At the very end, a girl stood with her back to him. Without seeing her face, it was difficult to tell her age, but Alex would have guessed she was no older than five.

"Emmy," he called out to her. The girl turned around, and at that very moment, the surrounding space shattered into thousands of pieces, and they were once again in a white, sterile environment. Surprised, Alex turned away, and when he looked back at Emily, she appeared before him in her adult form.

"What was that place?"

"Oh, nothing special, just an experiment."

Emily clearly didn't want to discuss the topic, and Alex decided not to insist, after all, everyone has their own skeletons in the closet.

"Edward said that your dream was a success," he continued.

"Ours," Emily corrected him.

"Alright, ours," he agreed.

"Shall we proceed with the continuation?"

"Yes, I mean no, I have a question," from the outside, it looked like a student who hadn't quite grasped the material from the last lesson and was now too shy to ask a question.

"What is it?" Emily sincerely looked at her colleague.

"How did you manage to make me so... alive?" Now Alex not only looked like a student, but also felt the same. "I tried yesterday to recreate my appearance, but I ended up with a plastic doll, not a living child," he helplessly spread his hands, which only added more resemblance to the image of an inexperienced student.

"Show me what you've managed to create."

"Here..." Alex was already standing in front of her as a 4-year-old child, for some reason dressed in pajamas.

Emily squatted down and began to examine the boy. She carefully touched his chin and turned the child's head first to the left, then to the right, examining every detail. Then, holding onto his shoulders, Emily turned the little one around to face her back. Alex obediently carried out all the actions and didn't ask any questions.

"Did you try to create anything else?" she asked.

"Yes," said Alex, turning around and handing her a stuffed bear. Emily took the toy from the boy's hands. She ran her hand over the soft fur of the toy and returned it to the child.

"Maybe this is better?" she asked.

Alex took the bear. The plush friend hadn't changed... almost. Spots appeared in some places, and in others, the fur was slightly matted, probably the result of not-so-clean hands of the little toy's owner. Overall, the bear gained the appearance of not a new, but apparently dearly loved toy, with which the child never parted for a moment. The boy silently continued to examine the bear, stroking it and smiling.

"And now look at yourself," Emily brought him back to reality.

Alex raised his eyes to the mirror floating in the air. In the reflection was him - cheerful, snub-nosed, and... alive. There was no trace left of the doll-like face.

"What have you done?" he asked in confusion.

"Still don't get it?" Emily laughed. "Perfection lies in imperfection. You try to make everything perfect, without the slightest flaws, but that doesn't happen. So you made your face absolutely symmetrical, and I simply enlarged one eye."

Indeed, Alex now saw that his left eye was slightly larger than the right. If no one had told him about it, he would never have noticed the difference on his own.

Emily watched as Alex grasped the truth that had been revealed to him.

"Well, shall we continue our dream? Do you have any ideas?" she asked.

"I don't know..." Alex was still examining himself in the mirror, not even attempting to return to work.

"Any ideas?" Emily repeated, but without receiving an answer, the girl snapped her fingers, and the mirror dissolved into the air.

"No ideas," the boy admitted.

"What ideas can there be if I've created so many worlds but still haven't managed to create a living me?" he thought. The architect caught himself feeling a bit envious of Emily.

"In that case, I have an idea, but it's a bit strange, and I'm not sure you'll like it."

Alex finally looked at Emmy, having recovered from the shock. "Anything," he said.

The girl beamed. "Great!" she said. "But be prepared that everything will be a little unusual."

Alex didn't answer and readied himself for new adventures.

"I'd like to try recreating an event that almost no one remembers," Emily began. By this time, the white, lifeless world had transformed. They found themselves on a quiet, cozy street with low houses. The trees lining the road spread their canopies, creating pleasant shade. There was a sense of peace and tranquility in the air.

"Close your eyes, please," Emily addressed him.

Alex obediently closed his eyes, listening to the surrounding birdsong and the lazy hum of the quiet town. He felt himself back in the stroller, but this time the sensations were different, not like on the beach. The stroller began to move, gently pressing its little passenger against the soft backrest. Without opening his eyes, Alex wanted to lean forward slightly but felt the straps restraining his movement

"Interesting, I wonder why she buckled me in," he thought. "Anyway... what difference does it make now?"

The stroller slowed down and eventually came to a stop.

"Are you still sitting with your eyes closed?" he heard Emily's joyful and surprised voice.

Alex opened his eyes and saw the face of his... he didn't even know who. At that moment, he probably wanted to call her a friend. Behind her, he saw the white door of a small two-story house. Emily turned the key in the lock, there was a quiet click, and the door creaked open.

"Perfection in imperfection," Alex remembered her words.

Emily wheeled Alex, like a little king, inside the house, and what he saw made his heart beat faster.

The entire room was decorated with colorful balloons. Paper lanterns divided the ceiling into sections, gently swaying in the air currents. On the opposite wall from the entrance, a large balloon in the shape of the number one floated, tied to a weight.

"Happy Birthday!" Emily exclaimed joyfully.

She leaned over the stroller, deftly unbuckled the straps holding the boy, easily picked up the baby, and set him on his feet. Alex took his first uncertain step, wobbled backward, and plopped down on the floor. Strangely, it didn't hurt at all but was rather amusing.

"Be careful, little one," Emily said tenderly. "Go check out your gifts," she pointed to a pile of boxes in the middle of the room.

Alex made another attempt. He cautiously got to his feet and, shifting from one foot to the other, headed toward the indicated target.

"What a nuisance, what's getting in the way?" he thought as he took another small step. "A diaper," enlightenment dawned on the child. Alex blushed for a moment, realizing the extent of detail in the dream that Emily had created for him. The toddler lost his balance again and ended up back on the floor. "Well, what did I expect?" he thought, impatiently eyeing the heap of presents. "Alright, let's try a different way," with these thoughts, the boy got on all fours and quickly crawled to the center of the room, moving his hands and legs.

Emily laughed, marveling at the resourcefulness of her colleague. "You never cease to amaze!" she cheerfully said, watching the little one crawl away.

Finally reaching the gifts, Alex began tearing off the wrapping paper. There was a little bit of everything: toy xylophone and drum, stacking rings, various stuffed animals, and wooden puzzles. Everything was bright, festive, and so childlike. Of course, among all the toys, the blocks received special attention. Alex ripped open the package and began to enthusiastically build all sorts of imaginable and unimaginable structures. Despite his young age, he remained an architect at heart.

For a while, Emily watched her colleague playing and crawling on the floor with a tender smile. Then, she went to the kitchen and started preparing a festive dinner. When everything was ready, she returned to the boy and sat down beside him.

"Little one, it's time to eat," she said.

Alex, momentarily pausing from the construction of another tower, looked at her and nodded affirmatively.

The girl easily picked up the boy and took him to the kitchen, where a festive meal of boiled turkey and broccoli awaited him.

Seating the child in a highchair, Emily put on a bib that had appeared out of nowhere and placed a plate of delicious and healthy food in front of the little one.

"Broccoli, I can't stand it. Is there anything else?" the child grimaced and looked at her questioningly.

"Oh, I totally forgot," Emily caught herself and snapped her fingers. But nothing seemed to happen, and the kitchen was silent.

"So, how about a steak?" Alex wanted to say, but all that came out were the incoherent words of protest that a one-year-old child would usually utter.

The boy stared at Emily, offended.

"Realism in everything," she encouraged him and patted his chubby cheek. "Let me help you a little," she said, taking a fork from the table. Strangely enough, every time Alex tried to dodge another bite of "delicious and healthy food," Emily managed to trick him and shove another mouthful into his mouth. Soon, an empty plate stood before him.

"And now, cake!" Emily announced cheerfully. This sounded much more appetizing.

In an instant, a huge cake with bears and flowers made of airy cream stood on the table in front of the boy. In the center of the cake was a single lit candle.

"Oh, one more detail," Emily said, placing a festive hat with the inscription "Happy Birthday!" on Alex's head.

"Blow out the candle and don't forget to make a wish!"

Alex hesitated for a moment and blew with all his might. The candle went out, and a thin stream of white smoke rose into the air.

"Hooray, happy birthday!" Emily clapped her hands. "I'll cut you a piece now," she said, turning away to fetch a plate for the little birthday boy.

Alex mischievously smiled and plunged his entire tiny hand straight into the center of the cake, retrieving the tastiest piece from the depths. He began to eat it with enthusiasm.

"Oh," Emily turned around and saw the already quite messy boy. "But then again..." she said, pushing aside the now unnecessary plate and picking up a small spoon. She sat down opposite Alex, smiled, and broke off a small piece with the spoon. "Happy birthday, little one!"

When Alex was no longer able to continue the festive feast, Emily removed the bib that looked rather funny on the cake-covered child.

"Let's go wash up and rest a bit," she said, lifting the child out of the high chair. In the bathroom, Emily washed Alex and removed his cake-stained clothes.

"Now let's change and go to sleep," the girl announced the further plans, carrying the boy, now only in a diaper, to the bedroom. She laid him on the changing table.

"No, this is too much," thought Alex about the upcoming procedure. He tried to object, but couldn't manage to say anything coherent. It wasn't that he couldn't remember the words or form sentences, but his mouth refused to speak them. Alex began to fidget, twist, and vehemently resist the procedure.

Emily understood what was going on. "Don't be shy, it's just a dream," she encouraged him, and it worked. Quickly finishing with the outfit change, Emily dressed the boy in a cozy pajama onesie and put him to bed. Sitting down beside him, she gently rocked his crib, humming a long-forgotten lullaby.

For a while, the boy tried to resist the encroaching drowsiness, but the vivid impressions and cake in his stomach did their job, and within a few minutes, Alex was sound asleep in his crib.

"Simulation over. Save?" the screen routinely greeted Alex. He sat in the chair, afraid to move. Two silver streaks ran down the man's cheeks, disappearing somewhere in his thick beard.

Emily approached her colleague with concern.

"How are you?" she inquired, looking at Alex. "Did you enjoy your first birthday?"

Alex shifted his gaze from the void to his friend. "That really was my first birthday. Thank you," he replied and closed his tear-reddened eyes.

[junyour]

Simulation or memory,  I think you have a winner here.  The characters seem real,  even if the business doesn't.

Please keep this one going for as long as your muse allows, and I hope it is a long time.

[keith60]

good story 

[Anton]

Very interesting premise and great writing style. Your story is very compelling. I hope you continue.

[Eagle0769]

I hope you continue the dreams and the story. 🙂

[Electrically]

On 4/30/2023 at 8:17 AM, junyour said:

Simulation or memory,  I think you have a winner here.  The characters seem real,  even if the business doesn't.

Please keep this one going for as long as your muse allows, and I hope it is a long time.

Actually I disagree I think the premise of some kind of dream engineering seems almost likely,

shit if you’d of told me (as I bounced a green dot off a green wall on a 100 lb computer screen), back in the early 80s that someday I’d have a 10 ounce device I could pretty much search or talk to, about anything or anybody anywhere I’d say you aren’t realistic. 
And ya the characters are great 

On 4/30/2023 at 8:17 AM, junyour said:

Simulation or memory,  I think you have a winner here.  The characters seem real,  even if the business doesn't.

Please keep this one going for as long as your muse allows, and I hope it is a long time.

Actually I disagree I think the premise of some kind of dream engineering seems almost likely,

shit if you’d of told me (as I bounced a green dot off a green wall on a 100 lb computer screen), back in the early 80s that someday I’d have a 10 ounce device I could pretty much search or talk to, about anything or anybody anywhere I’d say you aren’t realistic. 
And ya the characters are great 

[D503]

Really cool story. I also started singing "Dream Weaver" ☺️

[MistyTales]

Wow, so many reviews, thank you all very much for taking the time to read and write a review. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough free time to write a sequel, but now the fourth part is ready:

 

The antique clock above the entrance displayed 5:59 PM. In a world where dreams had become a commodity that could be bought, sold, or traded, such an antique was a rarity. Nobody knew exactly why it hadn't been replaced with a modern digital chronometer. Perhaps it was an artistic concept or a nostalgic glance at the past from an unknown designer, or maybe no one simply cared about it.

Alex stood at the main entrance of the "Dream" corporation building, counting the seconds until the end of the workday.

55, 54, 53...

"Seems like everyone has already emerged from their dreams," he thought.

30, 29, 28...

Alex recalled the standard question that sounded after each immersion: "End of simulation. Save?"

15, 14, 13...

"Will she think poorly of me?"

3, 2, 1.

With a slight click, the clock hands converged on mark - 6 o'clock - the workday was over. A stream of uniformly dressed corporation workers burst from the building, and the silence was replaced by hundreds of voices of his colleagues. Steps, conversations, car noises - all of it combined into one noisy and chaotic hum.

Alex intently watched the stream of people, trying to discern among the countless male and female figures the face of the girl who had turned his life upside down today.

Emily never showed up.

Unable to wait any longer, Alex went back into the building.

"John, where is Emily's office?" he asked the security guard.

"Hold on," the hulk of a man always treated Alex kindly and with some affection.

"12.56.B, but it looks like she's already left. About an hour and a half ago."

"Thank you," Alex mumbled disappointedly.

He left the building and got into the first taxi he came across. As he drove away, he cast a final glance at the clock - 9:00 PM.

"It feels as though only an hour has passed," Alex thought. Never in his life had he spent so much time waiting for someone.

The man found himself once again in a sterile white space, pondering what to do next. He didn't know what to call his home sessions—work nights or days.

"Well, let's keep it simple and as realistic as possible." With those words, Alex took a deep breath and got to work.

He found himself in a grey concrete room. A window appeared on the wall, slightly ajar. Alex approached it, fully opened it, and looked outside. The window overlooked a quiet green lane, with cozy houses lined up on both sides. A blooming rosehip bush below exuded a faint sweet scent, barely perceptible.

"Excellent," he thought, and closed the window halfway. "I'll add a little more." With those words, Alex sprinkled some dust on the windowsill. A warm breeze rustled the curtains, filling the room with the scent of rosehip, and Alex with inspiration.

The walls changed color to beige. "Boring," the man decided, and with a wave of his hand, he repainted the room in a tender blue. Here and there on the walls, at half a meter level, traces of pencil drawings made by an unsteady child's hand were visible. "That's better," noted the man.

Then a bed, a bedside table with a night lamp, a toy shelf, a children's wardrobe with neatly hung clothes appeared in the room. One T-shirt had fallen off the hanger and was lying on the floor. Animal stickers adorned the wardrobe doors. The man's feet sunk into the soft fluffy carpet, and an eccentric chandelier in the shape of the solar system lit up on the ceiling.

A small chest of drawers with a changing table appeared in the corner of the room. "Well, let it be. The parents haven't had time to get rid of it yet," Alex thought of his choice.

He walked over to the toy shelf and picked out a few. The car he held in his hands was missing one wheel, and the plush teddy bear looked like the room's little owner's favorite toy.

Satisfied with himself, Alex tossed his toys onto the bed and approached the mirror. It was time to work on his image. In a moment, a four-year-old toddler grinned back at him from the reflection. The boy's hair stuck out in all directions, his shirt was half-tucked into his shorts, and a streak of dirt was visible on his cheek.

"I think I overdid it," he laughed brightly. Straightening his shirt and smearing the trace of some adventure on his cheek, Alex tried to fix his hair with his hands. The result was not particularly great, but he was quite pleased with it.

"What should I do next?" the boy looked around. His gaze fell on a box with a wooden train set in the corner of the room.

Elated, he overturned the box, spilling all its contents onto the floor. Numerous tracks and crossings appeared on the floor of the nursery. Alex built newer and newer intersections. The steam train brought new parts, and the boy diligently attached them to the existing track, trying not to accidentally break what was built a moment ago. Of course, he could have done everything with one wave of his hand, but right now the process was more important to him than the result.

Having had his fill of playing with trains, Alex collected all the pieces into the box and returned it to its place in the corner of the room. He approached the mirror again.

"What if I try..." he uttered aloud, blushing at his own thoughts. "No one will know anyway," with these words, he sat down in front of the mirror, focused, and closed his eyes. After a minute of intense work, he looked around. The room seemed larger to him... no, he had become smaller. The mirror reflected a toddler who looked barely a year old. "About ten months... probably," Alex estimated his reflection. He tried to stand up, but having not even lasted ten seconds, he fell to the floor. The diaper softened his sudden fall, the boy softly cursed the unexpected limitations of his body, but instead of clear words, it came out as amusing babble.

"I need to try to entertain myself with something," he decided. In another corner of the room lay a tiny xylophone. Without much thought, Alex crawled towards the toy. It turned out that in his current state, he crawled much faster than he walked, and in general, it seemed more natural to him. After playing with the xylophone for a while, the boy got bored again. "Of course, being alone at this age is not that interesting," the toddler thought to himself and was already planning to return to his previous state, but before doing that, he wanted to check one more thing.

He crawled to the bed and, holding onto it, cautiously got to his knees, and then to his feet. A meter away from him lay his beloved teddy bear.

"Let's see what it's like - learning to walk". Alex began to carefully step from one foot to the other, moving sideways along the bed. Step by step, he got closer to the toy. All the time that he had been in this body, his diaper had become noticeably heavy. "Realism, what else can you say..." he thought, not taking his eyes off his target. Finally, level with the bear, he rose on his toes, reached out, and grabbed the bear. "Got you!" the baby squeaked joyfully, but again losing his balance, he fell to the floor.

Alex lay on the floor and watched as the pendants on his chandelier gently swung from the warm summer breeze. The birds outside had quieted down, which meant it was time to prepare for sleep, or to be precise, for waking up.

"End of simulation. Save?" the familiar inscription lit up. "Not this time" Alex clicked on the icon with a red cross. He would save everything in a more reliable place - in his memories.

A new workday began.

"You left early yesterday," Alex addressed Emily. They both were already sitting in their chairs, ready to start working.

"Yes, I had things to do, I asked Edward. Did you want something?"

"No, nothing special," the man waved off. "Let's get started."

They clinked glasses filled with sleep cocktail and drank them in one gulp, then leaned back in their chairs. The dream recording machine hummed quietly, capturing their brain waves, and Emily, as always, took Alex's hand before they both fell asleep.

"Any ideas?" Emily asked her now traditional question.

"Yes, there are!"

"Wow, then you start," she smiled in response.

"Turn around and close your eyes!" he suggested to her.

"Seems like you're in a good mood today" Emily closed her eyes and prepared. She caught a faint scent of rosehip. "Can I open them now?" she asked.

"No, one more minute."

"Okay."

"All ready, open them!" Alex finally permitted.

Emily looked around. She was in a children's room, almost the same as the one Alex had created the day before. The only difference was that there were beds on either side of the window - one obviously intended for her, and the other for her colleague. Twilight was already falling outside the window and the warm yellowish light from two nightlights filled the room with tranquility.

Emily looked at Alex, he had already taken the form of a four-year-old boy.

"Well, what do you think?" he cheerfully asked her.

"It's great," Emily replied. "Everything is so simple and yet unusual."

"Look at yourself," the boy took her by the hand and led her to a mirror, in which two children of the same age were reflected. The boy was smiling happily, and the girl was examining herself in surprise.

After a brief silence, Emily said, "You learn very quickly." She adjusted the bow on her head and straightened the white dress that her colleague had specially created for her.

"Well, shall we play?" she suggested.

Alex was not ready for this. He had already thought out the script for this evening, but he did not want to limit his friend in her creative flight, so he agreed without hesitation.

"Let's, but what shall we play?"

"Silly, of course we're going to play tea party," the girl exclaimed cheerfully.

"But that's a girls' game," he said, disappointed.

"We'll fix that now," Emily laughed, and was already raising her hand to help Alex fit more comfortably into the "girls' game."

He hastily waved his hands.

"Wait, no need! Let's just do it as it is, tea party it is," the boy was not ready for this turn of events.

"She's incredible!" Alex watched Emily with admiration as she set up the toy tea set on the floor and seated the plush toys. "Even in my dream, which I had thought out from start to finish, she managed to surprise me," he thought to himself.

"Would you like some tea?" the girl asked in a ringing voice.

The game began. The children chatted and laughed. The plush bunny was constantly trying to beg for an extra candy, and the bear was offering everyone to try the most delicious linden honey. To Alex's surprise, he got completely carried away by the game, so much so that Emily even had to stop him.

"Well, the tea is over, and so is the jam," the girl cheerfully summed up.

"Alright," he replied, with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

Together, they put the toys back into the cupboard and each settled down on their own bed.

"So what are we going to do now?" the girl looked questioningly at Alex.

It was time to return to his script, he decided, and said:

"Well, it's getting late, time to brush our teeth and go to bed."

"Oh, I see..." Emily's voice held notes of disappointment.

The children headed for the bathroom. After diligently brushing their teeth, they returned to the room where their pajamas were already waiting on their beds. Having changed, the boy and girl lay down in their beds.

"Good night, Emily!" said Alex and turned off his night light.

"Good night!" she responded in confusion and did the same.

The room fell dark.

"Is that it?" Emily wondered. "If it wasn't for the tea party, sleep would have been very short."

"It's about to start..." Alex tightly shut his eyes.

A gust of wind broke into the room and stirred the curtains.

"Oh!" the girl shrieked in surprise and sat up on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest.

Alex also raised himself slightly and looked triumphantly at Emily. "Finally, I managed to surprise you," he thought.

With the gust of wind, the room filled with the freshness of the night, but there was something unusual in the air, something that smelled of adventure... Suddenly a little star flew into the room through the window. It whirled around Alex, then flew over to Emily and lit her surprised face with a soft golden light. Then it rose to the ceiling and hung between the beds.

"Hello, kiddos!" the star greeted.

"Hello..." Emily responded timidly, clearly unprepared for such a turn of events.

"Do you want to fly with me?"

"Of course, we do," answered Alex, secretly glancing at his friend.

"Let's fly!" exclaimed the star and left the room.

"What is that?" Emily asked Alex in amazement.

"Childhood dreams! Isn't that an important part of being a child?" he joyfully replied.

They climbed out the window, where they were already awaited. Alex and Emily clambered onto the moon, which turned out to be as warm and soft as a pillow. For tonight, this was their mode of transport.

"Follow me quickly!" the star shouted to them as it soared upwards.

The moon, along with the children, shot up into the sky, leaving their house and their cozy nursery far below.

They flew through the night sky, mountains, lakes, forests, cities passing by below. The vistas took their breath away.

"How beautiful..." Emily murmured. Alex only smiled in response, knowing that it was not the end yet.

The little star twirled around them:

"And now, even higher!"

Planets, other stars, and comets flew by.

"Look, these are all my friends. Here's a comet, it's not very talkative, and that meteor, although unsociable, is very kind," the little star introduced the celestial inhabitants. "Want to play tag?" it suggested.

"We do!" the children replied in unison.

Alex moved to a small comet, while Emily stayed on the moon. The three of them joyously flew around the night sky, trying to catch each other, laughing, and leaving a trail of stardust. But then, playtime came to an end.

"It's time for you to go to your beds, and I have other children to visit!" their new star friend announced. They descended to the window of their house. Emily climbed in first, followed by Alex.

"See you soon!" and the little star shot upwards.

"How was it?" Alex asked as he climbed into the window, but Emily didn't answer. They were not in their room, which they had recently left. The boy and girl stood at the beginning of a long corridor with doors on either side, dimly lit by lamp light.

"It's not me," Alex said, stunned by what he saw.

"I know," Emily replied. "It's me." She was trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Alex took a hesitant step forward.

"Stop, don't go," the girl halted him.

Alex looked at his friend. It seemed that she was about to pass out.

"We need to leave!" he said and pinched himself and the girl's hand as hard as he could.

Regaining consciousness, Alex jumped up from his chair and looked at Emily.

"How are you? What was that place?" he asked. "We've been there before, you said it was some kind of your experiment!"

Emily couldn't answer, she just silently opened her mouth, rubbing the hand Alex had pinched. 

"It's the palace of dreams..." she managed to whisper.