*Sttttt* Alex winced in pain when he felt his wounds throb from the liquid dropped in them. Wait…..I’m back! He exclaimed. But why can’t I remember a thing when I wake up. And yet I remember everything perfectly clear when I get back into the dream. Looking down at the wounds on his arms that were being attended to by the nurse, he discovered he was back in the body he presumed belonged to Ralph. Because previously, he had called his child self his nephew. At least he wasn’t that stupid not to figure that out. WAIT WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! He screamed inwardly at the sudden discovery. Since what he said couldn’t come out his lips. He was like a ghost living in a person and had no control whatsoever. UNCLE RALPH!!!!!!! WHAT Am I DOING HERE, AGAIN!!!!! He exclaimed again. Yes, he had these weird dreams that he couldn’t remember in the real world. But never has he continued with where he ended with them.

And being able to feel pain in the dream was something extremely peculiar. Usually, even an explosion couldn’t harm him. Yet here he was wincing in pain from the hydrogen-peroxide the nurse was using to clean his wounds. Not to mention, he didn’t have any control over the body he was in. No scratch that…..That wasn’t what he was supposed to making a fuss about. The fact that he was in his uncle’s body was completely out of his world and it rendered him thunderstruck!!!!!!! And it wasn’t the usual muscular and steady body he possessed. He could even see his pointy bones on his wrist. “Is this how Uncle Ralph was?” he questioned. But another wince escaped his lips when the nurse rubbed cotton dipped in methanol over his wounds. Why was she torturing him like this?

He shifted his weight to side as he put his hand in his pocket to pull out his cell phone. With shaky hands, he turned it on only to discover several missed calls. From Henry and Jessy. Tapping on Jessy’s contact, he dialled her number. But just he placed the phone over his ear, a panicked and unsettled woman’s voice reached his ears. “Ralph…….Why weren’t you been picking up?…..we just saw the news……..Are you okay? We’re on our way back.” she blurted in a single breath!

“I-I….I am fine Jessy.” His voice broke in between his sobs and scared breaths, “Bu-But Alex………”

“What about Alex? What happened to Alex.” Though they were having a voice call, Ralph knew that the lady had slumped into a bed in fear and panic.

“He-h….”he stammered, but Jessy was quick to speed him up, “What happened to Alex, Ralph.” Her voice came out raised. Shaking Ralph to his spine. “Ralph!!!!! What happened to my son!!!!!!!!!”

“He is in the O R. They say he got……He…. He has a head injury.” He blurted under the intense scrutiny.

So that’s why I’m dumb! Alex rolled his eyes inwardly.

“Hello………Hello……….Jessy.” Ralph called out when silence was all he could here from the phone. He wiped his tears momentarily. The words he said still hurting him to the spine he didn’t know what would happen to him when Henry found out. After some time, sobs and cries reached his ear and he didn’t have to listen twice to know that it was Jessy crying. She must have had a backlash after she had what he said.

“What happened? Why are you crying?” His heart skipped a bit and his face turned grim when he had a faint manly voice on the other side. The person’s footsteps got louder and louder like he was approaching the phone.

“I-t’s It’s Alex.” He heard Jessy’s voice sob again. “What happened to him?” the manly voice demanded but it got no answer.

Muffled buzzes sounded and Ralph could guess that Henry was picking up the phone. His heart raced uncontrollably as he waited for the yell that would deafen his ears. But it didn’t come. Instead, a low and cold chilling growl scared sounded, making him stiffen in terror. “R A L P H!!!!!!!!!!!!! I F ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ALEX,,,,,YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH ME.”

Before Ralph could open his pale lips to speak up, the phone call disconnected. “Crap!!!!” he cursed, discovering that his phone’s battery was depleted. He gritted his teeth in a fit of rage and fear as threw the phone across the place and onto the wall; mercilessly breaking it to pieces!!!!!

Alex was pulled into the dark wormhole again, the world built in his dreams disappearing yet again.

His vision was halved by his flattering eyelids for a couple of blinks before opening fully. Pushing himself up against his elbows, he scanned his eyes around the place, only to discover he was in his room. Flashbacks of the incident from school fazed in and out of his memory, bringing a faint headache to him once again. “Ahhh…….” He groaned, rubbed his aching temples as he forced himself off bed. Trying to remember the contents of the dream he had just woken up from.

He staggered a bit as he made his way to the door. It was like he was wasted the day before. Which was impossible cause he had never tasted alcohol in his entire life. The blurred objects in front of him slowly became vivid as he advanced. “Why……am I feeling this way?” he asked behind his hoarse voice. Stretching out his hand, he opened the doorknob and stepped out of his room.

"Good morning dad, good morning mom." He greeted. Feeling less giddy. And took his seat at the dining table.

“Ahh…. Alex you’re awake. Good morning, dear.” Came his mother’s response. While his dad simply grumbled as he focused his gaze on the new paper he was reading. He hated the way his dad acted. But he could never muster the guts to tell it to him straight. He didn’t act that way when David asked for something or greeted.

“How are you feeling………….” Jessy asked. Feeling Alex’s forehead with the back of her hand. Earning her a thankful smile from him as he picked up a loaf of bread. “I’m fine now mom.” At least his mom cared.

As they had their breakfast, the doorbell rang. Hesitantly getting up, Alex went to check who was at the door.

“Uncle Ralph?” He raised his brow when his gaze fell on the muscular youth by the door. He wore a pair of tight jeans and a white hoodie that looked like it was warm and comfy. “May I come in?” Ralph’s voice snapped Alex out of his daze. “Ahh……. sorry, come in.” he stepped aside to let him in before closing the door behind them. For the first time ever, Uncle Ralph had visited them. He had always tried convincing him to pay a visit. But he wouldn’t crack no matter what. And yet today, here he was. Making his way in so casually.

“Ralph!” Jessy exclaimed. Completely surprised by the person that joined them at the table. “Sorry for the unexpected visit?” he apologized. His gaze falling on the man opposite him with a newspaper obstructing his face. “Henry…….?” He greeted. But the man simply placed down his newspaper and left the place. And this was the scene that greeted Alex when he came back. So, Uncle Ralph has some beef with dad. He thought inwardly, taking his seat beside Ralph. But he miscalculated a step and almost toppled over. Luckily, Ralph steadied him by pushing the chair close to him. “Easy there boy. You’re not feeling well.”

“You can help your self to some…….” Jessy offered but Ralph was quick to decline, “No thanks, I already had my breakfast…..I came here to check on Alex, you and brother Henry.” He smiled, revealing his pearl white teeth.

“Awww……that’s good for a change……Thanks a lot. We appreciate it.”

“Do you still gat ya video games?” He turned Alex a little mocking expression on his face.

“Yeah…..game on.” Alex replied with the thrill. Immediately, the two left the dining area and hurried to Alex’s room.

Just as Alex was turning on his game console, Ralph locked the door behind him. Earning him a suspicious look from Alex.

He paced to Alex in a panicky way while holding him by his shoulders. “Did anything weird happen to you of recent?” he asked, staring into Alex’s black eyes.

“Yeah……yesterday before I passed out, I heard voices in my head.” Alex answered truthfully. But the Ralph pulled away and turned his back towards him. He ran his hand through his hair while placing his other hand on his waist, letting out a sigh of frustration.

“What? Is there something wrong with me?” Alex asked raising a brow. His uncle was acting overly suspicious. It was scaring him.

“No.” Ralph glanced over his shoulder to look at Alex, “Nothing is wrong you. “He smiled before leaving. Alex wanted to ask, “What about the game,” but he had already left through the door.

Pushing matter to the back of his head, he walked to his reading desk and took a seat. Opening the chemistry textbook on it, he began reading. Not like he had a choice anyway. He either tried or failed the class. And no one would want the latter.

“Wait!” he closed his book, having gone through a full page. For the first time, ever, he had remembered something in the book. And not just something, but everything. He had gone through the entire periodic table, and he remembered the exact page and contents in it. Even the oil stain at the bottom of the page.

“That’s weird…..” he said, opening his book again and confirming his memory. Everything was exactly as he remembered

But nevertheless, he still felt excited about the discovery. At least he won’t fail the exam after all. And for the first time ever, he enjoyed reading. Suddenly, he started seeing words pop out of his book. “What the crap!” he exclaimed. Closing his book in a jerk and standing up from his seat. “What the hell just happened?” he asked, terror struck as he stared at the book from a far.

After a moment of waiting for the book to pounce on him, which didn’t happen, he slowly made his way back to the desk and opened the book with shaky hands. And lucky enough, the words and symbols he had speculated didn’t come. “I think I’m going crazy.” He said laughing back at his actions as he took his seat again and prepared to read.

After a minute of reading and flipping to the next page, his surrounding turned dim and dark. The book he was reading illuminated a white light against his face.

“What the hell!” he exclaimed. Feeling like his heart would jump out of his chest any time. He abruptly threw the book to the ground and stood up. But the crazy book thing didn’t stop.

He retreated backwards, thunderstruck. His breaths becoming hastened and shaky. Unluckily, he tripped on an invisible object and fell to his butt. But that didn’t stop his from retreating backwards. The book madness continued!!!!

*

"Hey……..Uh……Uncle Ralph, I’m seeing stuff in my head. I think there’s something wrong with me.” Alex let himself into Ralph’s house when he opened the door. He paced around the place while rubbing his hands in a panicky way.

“What happened?” Ralph raised his brow as he shut the door before walking to Alex. A bemused smirk on his face.

“I think I’m going crazy!!!!!!”

“Okaaaayy…..Calm down…….What happened?” Ralph sat on the sofa as he watched Alex have a mental breakdown. “See that.” He pointed towards a glass of water on the small dining table.

Subconsciously following where he was pointing, he got confused, “You want me to have a drink?” he asked, brows creased, and turned his head to face Ralph.

But the scene that greeted him left his jaws hanging. “Where did you get that?” he glanced at the familiar glass of water Ralph drunk from.

But all he got was a pointing gesture towards the dining table once again.

Immediately switching gazes to the dining table behind him, he discovered that the glass wasn’t there anymore. But then in the next second, it reappeared out of nowhere. Emptied to the bottom!