Is This Reality

Later that evening Clarence opened his eyes recongizing he was in the room looked the same and so he slowly looked around until, there in the corner, in the shadow was that man wearing that cape. The stranger approached Clarence and said, "I wasn't sure you could see me but once you pointed to me I realized you could, you are the first person ever to see me." Clarence asked, "who are you?" "I am many things, some people call me fear, others called me confusion because I blur the line between the dream world and the real world I am known as The Dream Master! I believe that somehow your accident has allowed you to see me, for I am as old as time itself." Clarence and then asked, "what do you want from me?" The stranger had a strange look on his face which slowly turned to a grin, than a smile and now laughter, he laughed, and laugh until his laughter began to sound like an echo as Clarence's eyes watched the stranger turned translucent and eventually disappeared. Clearly shaken Clarence grabbed the edge of his bed and with sweat dripping off his forehead he was exhausted and fell asleep.

Several hours later Clarence awoke but he was not in the same room as before he was now in the first room he remembered. The sound was off in the distance but he could still hear that echoing laugh. The doctor approached Clarence and said, "you have a unique neurological portion of your brain damaged, we believe with a little bit of evasive surgery we can repair the damage but we need your signature in order to proceed." Clarence was only too willing to sign the paper in hopes that it would end the nightmare of not knowing if he was in a real world or a dream world. Clarence fell asleep on the bed, after opening his eyes again he realized he was an a different room once again and as the nurse drew nearer him he heard, "Mr. Henderson, your x-rays showed your cerebral cortex has been damaged, the doctor on duty will be talking to you about surgery regarding your injury, so why don't you rest now."

The next day Clarence was being prepared for the operating room but as he was being wheeled down the corridor every so often when he close and open his eyes the corridor changed and there again in the distance was that frightening laughing echo followed by the repeating question, "Is This Real or Memorex?" "Is This Real or Memorex?" The laughter is growing louder and louder.

It has been a week since Clarence's brain surgery. Clarence has not seen the Dream Master since his operation. The doctor felt Clarence's progress was encouraging so they are going to treat him with an outpatient status. With suitcase in hand and down in the hospital’s lobby Clarence is saying goodbye to all those who cared for him while in the hospital. As Clarence started to step through the large glass double doors from behind him in the distance he hears "Is This Me Or Memorex?" Clarence gripped with fear wheels around and sees someone has just switched on the television as an old commercial was playing! With a half smile on his face Clarence dabs the beads of sweat from his forehead and steps through the double doors knowing full well that the next person who closes their eyes will entering the reality of the Dream Master. "Will It Be You..... Ha Ha Ha Ha."

The End