“ Ughaaa… ha, ha, ha. What? ” With panic, my drowsiness vanished. With panic, my eyes looked about the room I found myself in as if looking for the existential threat. With panic, I notice a flaring pain in the right side of my stomach.

Immediately my hands went there to check and recheck the problem. Feeling and touching it, I found no wounds but still; I felt pain. Removing my shirt, I still found no wound, and yet the pain lingered. Observing it more, the pain spiked for a second, and with it came the cause.

“ I… I, how is this possible? ” With the pain came memories or better-said memories of the dream/nightmare that I had. Unlike anything ever before that I had, these memories felt different. It was as if they were burned into my memory. With the recollection of that dream/nightmare, another spike of pain came, and I realized my problem. “It’s phantom pain. What my body is feeling and what the fresh memories tell me don’t align, so I am feeling pain despite having no injury. ”

“ Fuck, this feels like something stabbed me deep into the guts. ” I said to myself. “ Ugh, just thinking about it materializes the pain. Ok, this can’t go on. Take a deep breath, Daniel, and refocus. ”

With the said words Daniel closed his eyes and refocused on himself and tried his best to tune out the pain along with the memory. It took a bit of time, and similar to a mediation exercise, Danial breathed in and out to focus on his breath instead of the pain and memories that brought it forth. Once it was tuned out to a degree, he opened his eyes to observe his surroundings.

“ This… place, right I remember now. This is the hotel room I booked last night. ” Spoke Daniel to himself. “ Good. I am nowhere in danger. Let’s rest for a second. ” That said, he laid back on the bed he had been on all along.

“ I think I should try to remember everything I did last night. ” He said to himself again. “ Let’s try to order everything chronologically. Let’s see, yesterday I woke up, had some breakfast. Then, to drown the misery I drank a lot of stuff and, and, ah, I remember. Max called me and asked to meet and talk about the case. Ah. ” Remembering the case, the focus Daniel had shattered as he remembered what the case was about. Immediately the memories he tuned out came back to bite him with emotions of guilt and despair, alongside another dose of pain. The memories focused the most on the last words he had said to himself as he died in that dream/nightmare.

Once that rush passed a few seconds later, he focused again. Breathing in and out, he found himself again. With said clarity, he analyzed his dream/nightmare. “ That was not a dream or nightmare. No, the way it burned the memories and emotions into me, I doubt it was anything like a dream. But if not that, then what was it? ” Thinking about it some more, he spoke to himself again. “ No matter what they are, I need something to drink. ”

That said, Daniel rolled to the edge of the bed and slowly stood up. With care, he went slowly, as the pain in his guts could still be felt. Once he was up, he looked around the small room that held very little besides a bed. Noticing two doors, he went for the one leading to the small bathroom first.

Tossing some cold water on his face made his body truly realize that he woke up. Done with that, he looked at himself in the mirror. Noticing his own silver eyes, guilt came up again as he remembered his daughter that shared his same eyes. “ Emilia. Ugh. ” With another flare of pain and a dose of cold water, he buried his feelings again and went to the living room.

Once there, on the table, he noticed empty bottles of scotch lying around. Looking around again, he saw no more alcohol and went to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he barely saw anything inside, aside from eggs and some bacon.

“ Breakfast it is. ” Sighing Daniel everything he needed and not long after he ate bacon and egg for breakfast.

Done with it, he noticed how the pain had lessened. “ Sigh, the case? I will ignore it for now. Let’s see, Max called me out to a bar. He told me about the department’s decision and, after that, I just drank and drank and… Ah, I remember now. A man came to talk to me. What was his name again? J, J, John, yes that’s it. His name is John. ”

Finally, having a name to which he could relate to the memories came, one by one. They talked and talked but when he finally spilled the beans about his current situation. John became intrigued and spoke about some empirical stuff about the World when finally he made an offer.

Remembering that moment, all of it clicked into perspective. “ Where is it? ” Said Daniel as he searched for his jacket. Going back into the bedroom, he found it lying on the ground. Picking it up in the right pocket, he found a piece of paper. On it was written a phone number. Touching all the pockets in the jacket, he found his phone and dialed the number.

It beeped a few times before it was answered. “ Hello? ” Said a male voice.

“ Umm, hi. I am sorry if I am interrupting something but are you, John? ” Asked Daniel.

“ Oh, this voice, Daniel, it’s you, right? ”

“ Yes, listen umm. I just woke up, screaming with pain in my guts and memories that feel like they were burned into my memory. So, after remembering last night, I immediately called you. ” Said, Daniel.

“ Ah, I see, you had the Dream and from your description, it wasn’t pleasant at all. I take it you died in that Dream? ” The voice asked.

“ Yes, and since you were involved in this, I would like some answers. ” Demanded Daniel.

“ We will see how much I will tell you, but let’s meet up first. ” Replied John.

“ Sure, when and where? ”

“ Since you will need something to drink, let’s go with the Old Town Bar at; 45 E 18th St in like an hour or so. How about it? ” Offered John.

“ Ok, I will be there. ”

“ Good, cya then. ” With that, John stopped the call. Daniel shook his head and sighed. Immediately after, he prepared and left the hotel room.

***

Not long after, Daniel found himself in front of the designated bar. Outside it had a hanging sign that said Old Town Bar. Inside, though, it preserved the Old New York style with a marble & mahogany bar, tin ceiling & dumbwaiter.

“ Give me something to snack on and a beer. ” Daniel said to the waiter in question and sat on the stool. Seconds after, he was taking a big gulp of it to wet his tongue and throat. Done with that, he placed the beer down and considered everything again. If I told somebody about my dream and told them of the events that brought it forth, all they would say was that I have kidney problems, and the problem is alcohol. But I wonder if it’s because of the memories that I am much more inclined to think it was all real.

Shaking his head, Daniel thought. If the dream was real, does that mean it showed me the future? If it was, then it was a useless dream. Couldn’t it have told me more instead of just my failings? Sigh, I hope John’s answers are the ones I am looking for.

Again, Daniel shook his head to clear his thoughts when the waiter spoke. “ Man, your troubles must be huge if all you’re doing is drinking and shaking your head? Want to talk about it? ”

Looking at the man in question, he replied. “ And why should I share them with you? ”

“ You don’t have to. ” Shrugged the man with his shoulders as he explained. “ But during my years working here, I have found that sometimes it’s easier to share your troubles with strangers. Who knows, maybe it will help you? ”

“ Thanks for the offer. ” Answered Daniel. “ But I already did that last night with lots of liquor as backup and now I am waiting for him. ”

“ Very well. Enjoy your stay. ” Said the waiter and left Daniel to his drink. Not long after, the door opened and Daniel saw a man enter. Immediately he recognized him as John, with whom he had drunk last night.

As he saw him, John also saw Daniel in return and smiled lightly. Coming up to him, he spoke in a light tone. “ Daniel, it’s good to see you sober. Considering the amount of drinking we had last night, I had imagined that I would receive no word from you. ”

“ That would have happened if not for my gut still bitching in pain. ” Replied Daniel.

“ I see. Well, let me get myself a beer, and then we can talk. ” Said John. Once he had the beer, he led Daniel deeper into the bar and found a more isolated spot.

Once seated, John spoke first. “ Ok, before we start, I have to ask you something. How much do you remember of our talks last night? ”

“ Enough to know that it only gives me riddles. ” Replied Daniel. “ Even if I remembered it all, I am not interested in your views of the World. What I want to know is this; You knew I would have that dream so somehow you are related, so tell me how and why you did it? ”

“ It appears you don’t remember as much as you think you do. ” Remarked John. “ Either way, before I tell you my side of the story, tell me about your dream. What was it about? ”

“ Sigh, fine. ” Giving up on gaining answers immediately, Daniel spoke. “ In the dream, I was walking down an alley injured. I do not know what the cause was, but I was bleeding heavily from my guts. Soon after, I collapsed. With guilt, I took out a picture of my family and remarked on how I failed them in finding revenge. Seconds later I died and woke up in a room screaming as my guts hurt like hell. There, now explain it? ”

“It’s easy to explain, harder to believe. ” Said John. “ Tell me, can you estimate the time inside the dream? Like was it in the near future or farther apart? ”

“ Time? ” Said Daniel with slight surprise. “ Umm, I don’t know the exact date but I remember saying a sentence mentioning it. So it should be a few years in the future. Is that important? ”

Thinking for a second, John replied. “ Yes, and No. I will get to that. The first thing you should know is that while it was me that gave you the offer, it was by your own choice that you took it. While the alcohol helped loosen you, ultimately it was your own decision and hope that made the choice. ” Immediately John raised his hand to stop Daniel from speaking and continued. “ Before you ask anything, listen to me. You now stand at a crossroad. On one side, you have seen the outcome of a future for yourself. If you take that road, then this will be the last you will see of me and you will continue on your path, in whatever form it will go on. It makes no difference to me. On the other side though, is where you will accept the offer and be introduced to a whole new World. ”

“ I am a bit confused. Didn’t I already accept your offer? ” Asked Daniel in reply.

“ No. ” Said John as he shook his head. “ No, last night all you were given was an offer of having a choice at all. I am not sure who decided it to be so but it is what it is. ”

“ So you are saying that the dream is a placeholder for the actual decision. If my dream was a good one, I would be far more likely to reject your offer. Considering the secrecy you’re showing, am I right? ” Asked Daniel.

John nodded, gulped a bit of the beer down, and spoke. “ Yes, as once the choice was made, it can not be undone. ” Taking a second to consider his thoughts, John continued. “ I know it all sounds quite ominous as I explain it, but it’s not as bad. The problem is once people learn the truth, their views and goals change drastically. Still, for you, it might be an excellent decision, unlike most. ”

“ Why would it be an excellent choice for me and not for others? ” Asked Daniel with some confusion.

“ Last night, as you spilled your guts of your current circumstances, you also told me of your belief about said same circumstances and I have this feeling that you had not told me everything about your dream. ” Replied John. “ Either way, it does not matter to me, but it will matter to you, as I believe that your current circumstances will become much easier to understand if you observe them from my side. ”

Suspicion came to Daniel as he heard this, and seconds later he remembered the dream and what he said in it. His thoughts lingered on them, and especially on the one sentence about the doubt, he had for his wife. As his thoughts brought him to that memory and the harder he thought about it, the sharper the pain in his gut became.

“ Ugh. ” Once it was too much to bear, in reflex he grabbed that part of his stomach as if it would help with the pain. Seconds later Daniel was taking deep breaths to calm down. Once he could, he saw John look at him with intrigue. Seeing him He found his calmness and resolution.

Seeing Daniel’s expression calm down, John spoke. “ Looks like you’re ready to make the choice. ” Immediately after John took out his phone. Placing it on the table so that Daniel could see what he was doing, he opened an app on the screen. Yet that fact confused Daniel the more he observed.

“ Why are you swiping at nothing? I hope you’re not having an epileptic shock at the moment? ” He asked John.

“ Daniel, the problem is not what I am doing, but that you do not see what I am doing. ” Replied John and seconds later after swiping enough he aligned the phone to Daniel and spoke again. “ It’s time for your choice to be made. If you are ready, then place a drop of blood on the screen of the phone. ”

“ Blood? ” Replied Daniel in confusion.

“ Yes, blood. Oh, and this should help you. ” With a nod, John confirmed it and brought out a Swiss multipurpose army knife on the table.

Staring at John, Daniel was unsure again, but when he remembered his dream and the guilt he experienced in it, he found his resolve again. He picked up the small multipurpose knife and pricked his right index finger. Immediately, a blob of blood flowed out, and he placed his finger over the phone. Seconds later it dropped from the finger and something happened that Daniel had never seen before.

The drop of blood floated an inch above the phone in question. It stayed there for a second and vanished the next. In its place, another thing happened that he never experienced before. In its place appeared two blobs of light. One of them elongated a bit and unfurled into an old-style leather scroll, while the other turned into a fountain pen. Stunned and speechless by the sight, Daniel knew not how something like this was possible.

“ Is, is this Magic? ” He asked once he came out of stupor.

John denied by shaking his head. “ No, while Magic exists, this ain’t it. Read the terms of the Contract first. You will find them familiar. ”

Reading the terms of the Contract, he did find them familiar. Everything was laid out properly, but unlike the one he was familiar with, this one had far fewer clauses. “ This is a Non Disclosure Agreement? ”

“ Yes, it’s not important, bar one thing. ” He said. “ Once you sign it, it will forbid you from mentioning what I will tell you after you sign it. If you break your agreement, you will die instantly. ”

“ So, am I selling my Soul to the Devil if I sign this Contract? ” Asked Daniel.

With a frown on his face, John replied. “ Look, I will be honest with you. You are selling your Soul, sort of, but not to the Devil or anything close to him. Ultimately, the choice here is this; What are you prepared to pay for the price of your revenge? ”

Taking a deep breath, Daniel squished the suspicion that rose in him and with a firm voice replied. “ Everything. To get my revenge on the bastard or bastards that killed my wife and daughter, I am prepared to do anything and everything to get my revenge. ” With the declaration of his resolve, he picked up the fountain pen by the contract. Immediately he felt something from deep within him flow out into the pen and he signed his name, Daniel West, as a signature.

The moment that was done, the fountain pen collapsed into a blob of light and merged with the contract, which collapsed into a scroll first before turning into a blob of light itself that merged into his hand. Seconds later, he felt it flow up the hand and into his head. There it stayed and like a constant beacon, it shined to his consciousness, so it could be examined anytime he wanted.

Coming to himself, Daniel noticed that his eyes were closed as he felt the Contract inside him. Opening them, he saw John smiling. “ Congratulations are in order. You are one step closer to your revenge. ”

Daniel nodded, but a second later he asked the most important question. “ Now, you will tell me everything! ”