SCENARIO
Amber’s stomach turns as the door squeaks open and the doctor’s face appears in the doorway.
“Don’t be scared,” he gently says as he approaches her bedside, but Amber knows right away that something is terribly wrong. Suddenly, everything happens very quickly. The doctor reaches inside his coat and pulls out a gun. With a sinister smile, he points the gun at Amber. Then he pulls the trigger.
Amber gasps and grabs the handle above her bed, pulling herself up onto her pillow. At the same time, she scans the room like a maniac. It was only a dream, she realizes, it was only a dream! But then the sound of squeaking door hinges fills the room again. It’s the doctor who appears in the doorway, this time his eyes cold and lifeless. He walks slowly to her footstool, pulls a gun from behind his back and whispers disdainfully. “No need to be scared, Amber.”
Once again, Amber is startled awake. She is drenched in sweat. What on earth was this? A dream within a dream? She tries to get out of bed, but her body aches too much to move. She is exhausted and needs help. With all her remaining strength, she reaches for the button to call a nurse. Just then, the door swings open and a doctor appears in the doorway.
DIALOGUE
Doctor: “Hi, Amber. My name is Doctor Linaghen. How are you feeling today? Can I come in to do some tests?
Amber: “I …, can I …”
Doctor: “Calm down, Amber, calm down. It’s completely normal to feel exhausted after everything you’ve been through. Let me get the nurse to bring you some food once we’re done here, okay? You don’t have to be scared, Amber…”
QUESTIONS
It is common for dreams to feel as real as waking life, and many people have experienced dreams within dreams. Does this mean it is possible that you’re dreaming right now? That you’ll soon wake up to find out you constructed reading this post in your dreams? In other words, how can you be sure that you’re awake?
