Chapter 4

Nexus Mapping Sequence

2367 7090– film– Inception (2010)

6655 7298 – TV show – Twilight Zone (1959)

0012 4302 – song – Pixies - Where Is My Mind?

* Nexus Mapping Sequence media is provided to support chapter contents.

With sleep taking over, there was no flash of light, no groggy climb to consciousness. One moment, Ethan was sitting next to Alex, and the next, he was wandering through the house he’d lived in when he was twelve.

The halls felt strangely narrow, as if the walls were closing in, and the air carried the faint scent of old wood and mildew. He was searching for something—his English homework, a task etched deeply into the grooves of this reoccurring dream. But as always, the pages eluded him, slipping further from his grasp no matter where he looked.

Turning into the bathroom, Ethan froze. The space was familiar, yet unsettling in its stillness. The tiles were the same soft beige he remembered, but they seemed too clean, too perfect, as if they’d been untouched for years. His eyes drifted to the mirror above the sink, expecting to see his own face staring back at him.

There was nothing.

The glass was smooth and clear, reflecting the room behind him but leaving Ethan absent from the scene. No face, no body—just empty space where he should have been.

A chill ran down his spine as he leaned closer, touching the edge of the sink for balance. The porcelain was ice-cold beneath his fingers, and a faint tremor passed through his hand.

Pulling back, Ethan glanced around the room, unease creeping over him. This wasn’t his house—not really. It looked like his house, but only at first glance. Subtle differences began to reveal themselves, the kind of things you wouldn’t notice right away but felt wrong the longer you lingered.

The walls were too smooth, almost polished, and the air carried a faint metallic tang that didn’t belong. His gaze drifted to the corner of the bathroom, where he noticed a thin crack running from the floor to the ceiling. It was barely visible, like a hairline fracture in glass, but once Ethan saw it, he couldn’t look away.

Ethan approached the gap cautiously, his heart pounding as he pressed his palm against the smooth wall. The surface felt colder than he expected, almost unnaturally so. As his fingers traced the crack, a faint hum reverberated through the air. With a low groan, the wall shifted, revealing an opening that hadn’t been there before.

He staggered back as the familiar floral pattern of the bathroom dissolved, replaced by a massive steel door. The door loomed tall and imposing, its surface polished to a mirror-like sheen that distorted his reflection. A shiver ran down his spine, but curiosity tugged at him. Tentatively, he pushed the door open.

Beyond the door stretched an endless, blindingly bright hallway. The pristine white walls gleamed under harsh fluorescent lights, giving the space an otherworldly sterility. The hallway seemed to go on forever in both directions, an unnerving void filled with rows of identical doors, each spaced evenly apart.

Ethan hesitated at the threshold before stepping into the corridor. The soles of his shoes squeaked faintly against the polished floor as he moved, his breath echoing in the eerie silence. The air here was crisp, almost clinical, and carried a faint metallic tang that made him uneasy.

He approached the door nearest to him, its surface smooth and unmarked. Taking a deep breath, he grasped the cold, steel handle and pulled it open.

Inside, chaos erupted. A woman screamed, pursued by an enormous hamster, its beady eyes gleaming with menace and its oversized teeth snapping inches from her heels. The absurdity of the scene struck Ethan like a slap. Without thinking, he slammed the door shut, his heart hammering in his chest.

"What the hell was that?" Ethan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he stumbled back from the door, his pulse racing.

"You’re not supposed to be here," a calm, measured voice spoke from behind him.

Ethan spun around, his breath catching as his eyes fell on the figure standing a few paces away. It was a man—or something close to one. Tall and unnaturally thin, the figure’s proportions felt wrong, like a human stretched just past the point of believability. His arms and legs were too long, the joints slightly exaggerated, and his posture had an unnerving grace that suggested he wasn’t entirely constrained by human biology.

He wore a simple, gray jumpsuit that seemed to shimmer faintly, blending almost seamlessly with the blinding white of the hallway. The fabric caught the light in odd ways, making it difficult to focus on him as though he were both there and not.

But it was his face that held Ethan captive. The being’s skin was pale, almost translucent, revealing faint veins that ran like rivers beneath the surface. High cheekbones framed a face that was eerily symmetrical, and his golden eyes glowed softly, catching the light in a way that made them seem alive. The gaze wasn’t predatory but piercing, as though those eyes could see straight through Ethan, peeling back layers of thought and emotion to the very core of his being.

"How did you even get out here?" the figure asked, his voice calm and deliberate. There was no hostility, only curiosity. He tilted his head slightly, the motion fluid, almost serpentine, as if he were studying Ethan.

Ethan swallowed hard, his throat dry. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly.

"How did you escape your dream?" the being asked again, his tone unchanging, though a faint shadow of concern passed over his golden eyes. "People aren’t supposed to leave their dream cells."

"Dream cell?" Ethan repeated, the words foreign and disorienting.

The being sighed softly, his expression tinged with something akin to pity. "Yes. Here, let me take you back to your cell. No one needs to know you were here."

Ethan’s muscles tensed as the figure began to move. His steps were smooth and deliberate, a controlled grace that felt more studied than natural, like he was careful not to alarm a wild animal. Ethan’s instincts screamed at him to run, but the being’s calm demeanor and quiet warmth held him rooted in place, torn between fear and an inexplicable sense of trust.

The closer the figure came, the more Ethan noticed the faint sheen of his skin, as if it absorbed light differently than anything he had seen before. His elongated limbs moved with a precision that hinted at immense strength restrained behind layers of control.

Ethan stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest, as the strange being extended a hand toward him. "It’s okay," the being said softly. "You’re not in any danger. Let’s just get you back where you belong."

Up close, Ethan noticed faint wrinkles around the man’s eyes, the kind that spoke of lifetimes of experience. There was something ancient in the man’s demeanor, as if he had seen the rise and fall of countless worlds.

The man reached out and gently placed a hand on Ethan’s arm. His touch was steady but light, as if guiding without forcing. Ethan felt an unexpected calm settle over him, like the momentary peace of waking from a nightmare.

"Let’s get you back where you belong," the man said, his voice soft and almost soothing.

Instinctively, Ethan panicked. His breath came in shallow gasps as he looked around, realizing with growing dread that he was no longer sitting on the couch at Bobbi and Marco’s apartment, but was actually asleep. The warm, familiar living room had vanished, replaced by the stark, endless corridor of gleaming white walls and countless doors.

His mind reeled, trying to make sense of it all. Then it hit him—this was a dream. Somehow, he knew it. The clarity struck like a lightning bolt, jolting him backward a step.

"What is this place?" Ethan shouted, his voice echoing down the sterile corridor. "How did I get here?"

"Please, it will be okay," the man said, his tone calm and measured as he stepped closer. "Just come with me."

Ethan’s heart pounded like a drum, adrenaline surging through his veins. He took another step back, his instincts screaming at him to run. Without another word, he turned on his heel and bolted down the hallway.

The being gave chase, his footsteps faint but persistent against the polished floor. Ethan ran harder, his lungs burning as he pushed himself to put as much distance as possible between him and his pursuer. But no matter how far he went, the hallway stretched endlessly before him, a nightmarish labyrinth with no end in sight.

Door after door flashed past, each identical and unmarked. The temptation to open one and escape grew stronger with each stride, but fear held him back. What could be behind them? What if it was worse than what was chasing him?

Finally, his curiosity and desperation collided. Glancing over his shoulder, Ethan saw that the being had fallen behind but was still approaching at a steady pace. Ethan’s panic spiked as he grabbed the nearest door handle and wrenched it open, stepping inside and pulling it shut behind him.

The room he entered was shockingly small, barely the size of a closet. The walls were bare, the air heavy with a stale stillness. The oppressive silence amplified Ethan’s racing thoughts as he realized his mistake—this wasn’t a hiding place. It was a dead end.

His pulse thundered in his ears as he weighed his options. There was no choice but to keep moving. Cracking the door open, Ethan peered out into the corridor.

The being was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe he kept going, Ethan thought, a flicker of hope cutting through his fear.

Stepping cautiously into the hallway, he glanced in both directions. The emptiness stretched on, silent and unyielding.

With a deep breath, Ethan took off running again, his footsteps echoing loudly in the oppressive quiet. His legs ached, and his lungs burned, but the absence of the man gave him renewed energy.

When he glanced back to check if he was still alone, he saw nothing. No sign of the pursuer. Relief began to creep in, but it was short-lived.

Turning his head forward again, Ethan slammed into something hard and unyielding. The impact knocked him off his feet, the wind rushing out of his lungs as he hit the ground.

Dazed, he looked up to find a brick wall standing impossibly in the middle of the corridor. It hadn’t been there a second ago. His heart sank as he stared at the abrupt barrier, his sense of direction and escape crumbling around him.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Ethan muttered, his voice shaky as he lay sprawled on his back.

Pain radiated through his body from the collision, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. Every muscle ached as he struggled to process what had just happened. The hard floor beneath him felt impossibly cold, and the harsh, sterile light above made his head throb.

Gritting his teeth, Ethan slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, leaning heavily against the unyielding brick wall. His chest rose and fell as he fought to catch his breath, every movement sending a jolt of discomfort through his ribs.

When he finally looked down the hallway, his stomach clenched.

Another brick wall loomed in the distance, sliding silently and steadily toward him. It moved with an eerie precision, its surface rough and unyielding as it closed the gap between them.

"No, no, no," Ethan whispered, his pulse quickening. Panic clawed at the edges of his mind. The hallway was shrinking, boxing him in with no escape.

He glanced desperately at the rows of doors lining the corridor, but the walls seemed to press in on them too, warping the space. His limbs felt heavy, his mind clouded by the inevitability of it all.

With nowhere to run and no time to think, Ethan slumped back against the wall, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

"What do you want from me?" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation. The sound echoed off the narrowing walls, swallowed quickly by the encroaching silence.

"I just want you to go back to your dream cell," a voice replied, low and resonant.

Ethan stiffened. The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, vibrating through the wall at his back. It was calm, almost soothing, but carried a strange weight that made the hairs on his arms stand on end.

"What is this place?" Ethan demanded, his voice cracking as he struggled to maintain control.

"This is Chimera," the voice said simply, the words echoing as if the walls themselves were alive.

The name lingered in the air, heavy with meaning Ethan couldn’t grasp. A chill ran down his spine as he tried to make sense of the strange word, its weight settling uncomfortably in his chest.

With his back pressed against the brick wall, Ethan suddenly felt it vanish. One moment, it was solid and unyielding behind him; the next, it was gone, leaving him to tumble backward onto the cold, hard ground.

He groaned, the jolt of the fall rattling through his already sore body. Blinking up, he froze. Standing above him, the being loomed, his expression calm but unreadable as he gazed down at Ethan. The stark white light from the hallway illuminated the man’s thin frame, casting sharp shadows across his face.

"What is Chimera?" Ethan croaked, his voice a mix of fear and curiosity.

"It’s the dream world," the man replied evenly, his tone carrying the weight of something ancient and unshakable. "Now, please, come with me. I need to get you back to your dream cell, or you could get trapped here. You don’t want to be trapped here. People go mad when they’re trapped."

Ethan pushed himself up slowly, his body protesting with each movement. Glancing around, he noticed the other brick wall had vanished as well, leaving the hallway eerily open again.

He thought about running—his muscles tensed, ready to bolt—but something about the man’s words rooted him in place. The mention of madness gnawed at him, an unspoken warning that made his pulse quicken. Reluctantly, he nodded and began to follow the peculiar figure.

"How did I get here?" Ethan asked, his voice echoing softly in the expansive hallway.

"Every living person comes here when they sleep," the man explained, his strides smooth and unhurried. "We create the dreams you dream."

"You create dreams?" Ethan asked, his mind struggling to keep up.

"Yes," the man said.

"What’s your name?" Ethan asked after a pause, hoping to make some sense of this surreal encounter.

"I don’t have a name," the man said without hesitation.

"Why not?" Ethan pressed.

"Children of Chimera don’t have names," he replied simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Child of Chimera?" Ethan repeated, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yes," the man said, turning to glance at Ethan with those calm, ageless eyes. "There are others like me all over this world, creating dreams for people like you. You’re actually the first person I’ve ever talked to. I’ve created millions of dreams but never spoken to anyone before."

The statement landed heavily on Ethan, making the being seem both alien and profoundly lonely. Ethan studied him as they continued walking down the endless corridor. The being’s presence was unsettling yet strangely comforting, like a lighthouse in the fog.

After what felt like an eternity, they arrived back at the door Ethan had first emerged from. It looked the same—ordinary and unmarked—but when the being opened it, the sight on the other side made Ethan’s stomach drop.

It wasn’t the bathroom.

Instead, a dark, yawning cave stretched out before them. Shadows danced across jagged walls, and a faint, damp chill wafted out, sending a shiver down Ethan’s spine.

"That’s strange," the being muttered, tilting his head in what might have been confusion.

"What’s strange?" Ethan asked, his voice tight as he peered past the man into the cave.

"Your house is gone," the Child of Chimera said, his tone tinged with something Ethan hadn’t heard before—unease.

Ethan stepped closer, staring into the void where his bathroom should have been. The cave loomed before him, its gaping entrance swallowing the faint light of the hallway. A cold dread settled in his chest as he wondered what this meant—and where this unsettling new path might lead.

"Look, I just want to go back to the party," Ethan said, frustration creeping into his voice. "How do I wake up?"

The Chimera hesitated, glancing at the cave. "I would say go in, but I didn’t create this," he said, his voice tinged with unease. "There’s something strange about this."

Ethan frowned, the Chimera’s uncertainty doing little to calm his nerves. With a deep breath, he stepped through the door and into the cave.

The air inside felt charged, alive with an energy he couldn’t name. The walls pulsed faintly, as though breathing, and the sound of waves crashing echoed all around him, though there was no ocean in sight. Tentatively, Ethan reached out to touch the damp surface of the wall. It was slick beneath his fingertips, and when he pulled his hand back, he could feel the moisture linger like seawater.

With each step, a faint crunch echoed beneath him. Glancing down, he saw a fine layer of salt coating the cave floor, crumbling underfoot with every move. The sharp, briny scent of the sea filled his nostrils, making the space feel oddly both vast and claustrophobic.

Ethan turned back toward the doorway, only to see the Chimera standing there, silhouetted against the bright hallway. The figure hesitated for a moment before stepping into the cave. As the Chimera crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind him with a resounding boom.

Startled, Ethan watched as the solid door dissolved into thin air, leaving only empty space where it had been.

"Oh no, oh no," the Chimera muttered, his voice rising in pitch. He spun around, running his hands along the cave wall as if hoping to summon the door back. "I’m going to be in so much trouble."

Ethan’s heart sank. Whatever this place was, it wasn’t behaving like the rest of the dream world.

Turning back toward the cave, Ethan noticed a faint red glow shimmering in the distance. It pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat, drawing his eyes toward it. Despite the surreal nature of everything around him, he was struck by how vivid and real it all felt—the gritty salt beneath his feet, the damp coolness of the air, the soft hum that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves.

"Is this normal?" Ethan asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Not at all," the Chimera replied, his gaze darting nervously between Ethan and the cave. "I don’t know what this is, but it’s not a dream."

Ethan pointed toward the red light. "Do you see that up ahead?"

The Chimera turned, his eyes narrowing. When he caught sight of the glow, his entire body stiffened. Without a word, he broke into a sprint, heading straight toward it.

"Wait up!" Ethan shouted, scrambling to follow. The salt cracked loudly beneath his feet as he struggled to keep pace with the Chimera.

When Ethan finally caught up, he found himself in a massive chamber, its walls arcing high above like the ribs of some ancient creature. At the center of the cavern floated a massive crystal, glowing with an ethereal red light that bathed the room in an otherworldly radiance.

The crystal hovered just above the ground, its facets shifting and shimmering as though alive. Light refracted off its surface, casting brilliant patterns on the cave walls. Despite its brightness, Ethan couldn’t look away. There was something hypnotic about it, something that seemed to reach into him and pull at his very core.

The Chimera stood frozen, his eyes wide and his expression a mixture of awe and fear.

"What is that?" the Chimera whispered, his voice barely audible.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Ethan replied, his voice soft as he stared at the crystal, unable to shake the feeling that it was looking back at him.

Hesitantly, Ethan ambled toward the crystal, each step slower than the last as he drew closer. The red light radiating from its multifaceted surface seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat, pulling him forward like a silent invitation. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the Chimera trailing just behind him, the figure’s usually calm demeanor replaced with visible unease.

The brilliance of the crystal intensified as Ethan approached, its glow casting shimmering patterns across the cavern walls. Now just a few feet away, he felt an inexplicable pull, a magnetic energy that raised the hairs on his arms. Slowly, he stretched out his hand toward the crystal.

"Wait!" the Chimera shouted, his voice cutting through the stillness. "Maybe you shouldn’t touch it. It could be dangerous!"

Ethan hesitated, his hand hovering in midair. The warmth emanating from the crystal was almost comforting, contrasting sharply with the Chimera’s alarm.

"I don’t think it’s dangerous," Ethan replied, his voice calm despite the growing tension in his chest. "Come on, we can touch it together."

He gestured for the Chimera to step closer. For a moment, the figure hesitated, his eyes darting between Ethan and the glowing crystal. Then, with visible reluctance, he moved to stand beside him.

Ethan glanced at the Chimera, who wore the same cautious expression he felt mirrored on his own face.

"Should we count or something?" Ethan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Sure," the Chimera said, his tone subdued. "On the count of three."

Ethan nodded, swallowing hard as he turned back to the crystal.

"One," the Chimera began. Ethan inched closer, the warmth from the crystal now tingling against his skin.

"Two," the Chimera said. The fine hairs on Ethan’s arms stood on end, static electricity crackling faintly in the air.

"Three."

They touched the crystal simultaneously.

The instant their fingers made contact, the chamber exploded with blinding light, its intensity drowning out all sense of space and time. Ethan flinched, shielding his face with his free hand, but the light seemed to pierce through his closed eyelids.

A powerful pulse rippled through the room, radiating from the crystal in a shockwave of energy. Ethan staggered as vibrations coursed through his body, so intense they felt as though they might tear him apart.

The sound was deafening—a low, resonant hum that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Ethan’s heart raced, and his breath caught in his throat as the overwhelming energy pinned him in place.

"Let go!" the Chimera’s voice echoed faintly through the chaos, but Ethan couldn’t move.

Before he could even attempt to pull his hand away, the light intensified further, swallowing everything in its radiance. A final, thunderous pulse emanated from the crystal, and Ethan’s vision blurred, his senses failing him all at once.

He felt his knees buckle, and then he was falling, the hard ground rushing up to meet him. The last thing he registered before everything went dark was the lingering warmth of the crystal and the sound of the Chimera’s panicked voice fading into nothingness.