The X-Project

It’s time for Meggan to play with Catseye, but she’s been having some strange dreams.


“Meggan?" Catseye called out, knocking on the door of her former room three times in rapid succession. "Meggan? Meggan? It is Catseye I wanted to know if you wanted to play Chase with me?" she called out hopefully. "Or maybe read? Or nap? Or go driving?" It seemed as if she hadn't seen her friend in ages!

Meggan heard the knock, and for just a fleeting moment that was uncharacteristic of her, considered ignoring it. She realized that wasn’t right, but would have been hard pressed to say why she felt like doing that to Catseye. It could have been the persistent dreams of drowning (or just swimming in the ocean) that had plagued her for the last three nights, but that was all they were, really--dreams. Meggan called out instead, “I’m coming, Catseye!” And if a tiny hint of her tiredness seeped through, she wasn’t aware of it.

She shook her head with a sigh. She was probably just a little tired. Getting up from her chair, she put a smile on her face despite it all and opened the door. She briefly had to fight the urge to tell Catseye to go away—she didn’t deserve that for a greeting.

“How’ve you been?” Despite her sleepiness, Chase did in fact sound like a good idea to Meggan. It might clear her head, and make her sleep a little more soundly.

"I have been well," Catseye answered, tilting her head and frowning at Meggan. Her former roommate seemed…strange in some way, but Catseye couldn't figure out what made her think that. "Are you well?"

Meggan chuckled, closing the door behind her. “I’m fine, really. Just a rough couple of nights.” She was starting to think that those nights when she was accidentally levitating right out the window were going to be missed, when compared to the odd dreams.

Her subconscious must have been really stressed by tests or something little like that. Or maybe it was just things from previous months trying to catch her when she wasn’t paying attention. She opted for a joke about it, instead, to keep Catseye from worrying. “I really shouldn’t eat cheese before bed, should I? My dreams go into the darkest of Alice in Wonderland territory when I do.”

"I can bring you mice before bed tonight if you want," Catseye giggled, clearly teasing. "Mice will make you have better dreams than cheese I think. Maybe I should nap with you tonight too to make sure you sleep better," she added, nodding her head with conviction." She bounded down the hallway ahead of Meggan, excited by the prospect of playing Chase. "Do you want to Chase first or Run first when we are outside?"

Meggan scrunched her nose at that one, and laughed a little. “Best to avoid the mice, I’m thinking.” While it wasn’t likely to ever happen, it would be just plain horrifying to roll over one morning, and see a dead mouse on her pillow. And why was she even thinking that? The offer of napping with her was nice...and it would probably be a coincidence if the bad dreams stopped. She nodded firmly, as she decided. “I might take you up on that offer later, but not tonight.”

While a thrilling game of Chase seemed more appealing most of the time, running around some might clear her head a bit. Get the cobwebs out. “I’m thinking Run first, Chase later. Sound good to you?”

Catseye nodded her head vigourously. "Yesyesyes that sounds good!" Holding the front door open for Meggan, she offered her friend a pouty look. "How come not tonight? Are you having private time tonight?"

Meggan nodded her thanks as she went out the door. “No, just giving my brain one last chance to think of a better dream.” One that didn’t leave her gasping...and feeling as though she was about to go under for the third and final time, if truth be told. She was feeling like there was more to the dream, and trying to ignore any residual strangeness. “I’ll read some of Treasure Island, see if that helps me. If not, tomorrow we nap together.”

For now, though, they would run and she would try to ignore the dream.