Chapter Seven

For someone who was clearly trying to give off an air of mystery, Jake was rather surprised that Percy lived in a rather swanky flat above a shop on the outskirts of Guildford. Despite his initial suspicions about him, Jake was definitely beginning to warm to The Writer. Not least because Susan was clearly happy around him. Despite the fact that she still hadn’t managed to look him in the eyes yet, Jake was very happy they had met Susan. She seemed to be the thing driving them forward as apposed to just wondering around the bars of Guildford getting drunk and looking for the Pixie. Despite the fact that he was no way closer to getting the M.P. back apart from the word ‘Hi’ on an unsent text, Jake was excited about everything that was happening. The old man in the bathroom leading them to Susan who had recognised Harris from the dream and lead them to Percy who claimed that this was all just a figment of one of their imaginations. He became even more excited when he breathed in inside The Writers flat and smelt the sweet scent of cannabis. He saw the pipe and ashtray on the coffee table and sat down closest to it. It was at this point he realised that Harris was lagging behind.

Harris was feeling the complete opposite to Jake. He had missed a day off work and was probably going to lose his job. He had damaged a young boy’s scrotum and was feeling incredibly guilty about it and although he had several dates to prepare for next week he was stuck with a nutcase who claimed she dreamt about him and a middle aged man called Percy who clearly thought he was some sort of magician. Harris didn’t believe any of this nonsense about dreaming. He thought Susan had probably read his name off his label at the speed dating and taken a liking to him. He was just waiting for the moment when this ‘Writer’ was going to ask them to hand over their bank account details so he could punch him in the face and get Jake out of there. However he also smelt the drugs wafting in the air and decided he would see what Percy had to say for himself before he lamped him one. Hopefully he had a bong as well.

Susan could barely contain her excitement. She had been reading up on dreams for months now and was positive that this was one of hers. After all she had dreamt about Ryan Harris and The Writer many times before. She wasn’t sure who this Jake Stunner was but he had the Shopping list and she knew he must be important. Susan was sure that her dreams held the solution to her unhappiness and her future. The only question was unlocking how. Well now she had brought Ryan Harris to the writer she was about to find out. She sat on her hands on the couch to stop them from shaking and stared at Ryan as he rolled up a joint and lit it before passing it to Jake.

‘So come on then Percy, which one of us is dreaming and which of us is imaginary’ Harris asked.

‘Yes please Percy, we’re all dying to know’ squealed Susan, not getting Harris’ sarcasm.

The Writer sat in a long armchair and put his feet up. He had put a fedora on his head, which Jake couldn’t help but think he had done for effect.

‘I’ll keep it brief as I hate exposition and you all have a long journey ahead of you’. Percy paused for effect and looked around the room. Susan was watching him with intent whilst Jake and Harris were trying to make a bong out of his kaleidoscope. He continued anyway.

‘I’m sure you all know what lucid dreaming is.’ ‘His only reply was a huge coughing fit. Jake had managed to get the bong working.

‘Lucid dreaming is when the person having the dream can control it. At a basic level it is being aware that you are asleep. At a more advanced level it is being able to access parts of your own subconscious that you previously thought was impossible.’

‘But surely if one of us was lucid dreaming then they would be aware of it?’ Susan asked.

‘Yeah you dick’ said Harris and he and Jake burst into fits of laughter. The Writer continued.

‘Yes this is also a worry. Either one of you is lying or something has happened to make you unaware of the dream’

‘Or it’s a load of rubbish’ snorted Harris.

‘I’m not trying to be rude Percy’ began Jake. ‘But what reason would any of us have for wanting to have theses dreams anyway? Especially one so messed up where the drink is expensive and I haven’t got laid yet?’

‘Many reasons Mr Stunner. For you of course it is trying to get back your Manic Pixie. Or is it trying to find out how your parents died?’

Jake sat up and stared at The Writer with intent. When he spoke again it was very soft and slowly.

‘How do you know about my parents?’

‘Who knows Jake? I’m just part of a dream. I also know that Mr Harris is trying to find some direction in his life and Miss Susan here is simply trying to work out how she can live a normal happy one’.

Harris got to his feet, his fist clenched by his side.

‘Come on Jake we’re leaving. I’m not listening to anymore bullshit.’

‘Is it true Ryan Harris?’ asked Susan. ‘Are you looking for direction in your life?’

‘Honey, I’m 23. We’re all looking for some direction in our lives’.

He grabbed Jake to go but Jake was still looking at The Writer.

‘So what do we do next?’

Percy smiled and disappeared into the backroom. Within a moment he was back with a small cloth bag. He offered it to Jake and threw Harris a set of keys.

‘These are the keys to my car parked outside. It is yours now until you wake up or cease to be. In the cloth bag is something which will help you in the car’

Jake put his hand in the bag and pulled out a small metallic screen. Harris put his head in his hands and moaned.

‘This is a Sat-Nav’

‘Not just any Sat-Nav my friend.’ began The Writer. ‘This Sat-Nav will…

‘It’s a fucking Sat-Nav!’ Harris exploded. ‘You program in where you want to go and it tells you how to get there. You are not a wizard! You are a stoner living in a small flat in a nice part of Surrey who has clearly played to many online role-playing games. But you know what? I’m taking your car anyway because I need to get back to work and then I have 8 dates to prepare for!’ And with that he stormed out.

There was a moments silence then Percy went over to Susan who had begun sobbing and put his arms round her.

‘Go Susan, only you can make him stay’. He kissed her on the cheek and she wiped her tears away before giving him a small smile and darting off after Harris. Jake looked at the Sat Nav. It did seem pretty ordinary. He turned to head after Harris.

‘Don’t you want to know what it does?’ Percy called out.

‘It’s a Sat-Nav Percy I’m sure I can figure it out’ said Jake. ‘And I need to make sure Harris and Susan are ok.

‘Look out the window; they’re waiting in the car for you’. Jake slowly went over to the window and had a peek out. Surely enough Harris was sitting in the passenger seat with Susan spread out in the back. She appeared to be singing to herself and Harris was almost smiling.

‘Ok then Mr Writer. What does it do?’

‘This Sat-Nav will take the person who uses it to the place, object or person who they most want to go to. To find out which one of you is dreaming you must find whatever it is they are hoping to accomplish within the dream. This Sat-Nav is the best way of doing that.’

‘You mean…?’

‘I mean Mr Stunner if someone wanted to find out what happened to their parents or where a certain Pixie was located all they would have to do is use this Sat-Nav and it would take them there.

Jake Stunner was already out of the door. The Writer sat down in his long armchair again and drummed his fingers together when suddenly Jake ran back in.

‘Just checking if I was still here or melted away with the dream?’ smiled Percy

‘No. I was just wondering if you had any beer we could take for the journey.’