[Open post] pieces of your presence here

[umpteenthdream]

It's one of those late mornings - Helen's been up since dawn, feeling that slow quietness that comes with nostalgia. Her son got married - he and Bridget give her joy, but that has also set her to remembering her own marriage

Comments

[paradox_steps]

Arthur's after a cup of coffee when he wanders through, reflexively giving her an absent smile as he passes. He doesn't know yet that she's the woman he wanted to talk to abut her dreaming experiments. "Morning."

[umpteenthdream]

"And to you," Helen replies very politely. She has a sense of decorum - and so her brooding is erased from her face, making her the perfect hostess.

"I don't believe we've met, have we?"

[paradox_steps]

"We haven't. I haven't been here very long." He gives her a friendlier smile and offers a hand. "Hi, I'm Arthur."

[umpteenthdream]

"Helen Curtis," she replies, smiling. "Please, have a seat - would you like to try the biscotti? It's home-made, of course."

She realizes how silly that sounds, and chuckles to herself.

[paradox_steps]

"Oh, yes, thank you." He smiles. "Helen Curtis? I think a friend of mine mentioned you. Dominic Cobb?"

Excellent, he won't have to go looking for her now.

[umpteenthdream]

"Did he now?" Helen replies, amused, "Mr Cobb is a fascinating individual. But I suppose you have questions for me, then?"

[paradox_steps]

"He was telling me that you were involved in some unique dream-sharing experiments," he says. "I'd love to hear more about them."

[umpteenthdream]

In another world, Helen would have been reluctant. Here... it`s lost all importance, and seems so rampant a theme, that she doesn't feel bothered, on the contrary.

"Well, the news do travel fast," she says patiently. "But have a seat - what exactly would you like to hear about?"

[paradox_steps]

He takes a seat, folding his hands in front of him. "I'm in a similar line of work," he explains. "Dom tells me that you were involved in some sort of immersive dream therapy, I'd love to know more about it, since my own work work strictly involved short-term applications."

[umpteenthdream]

"From my discussions with Mr. Cobb," Helen replies, "I understand that our experiences of dream-sharing may be similar in process, but ultimately, the work which we performed was very different in that..." she smiles, a bit wistfully, "you see, the Village is present in every single one of us."

[paradox_steps]

"Like some kind of...universal shared subconscious? Is that possible?" He's comparing it in his head to limbo, though from the name he assumes that the Village may have a more stable structure.

[umpteenthdream]

"Something of the sort," Helen replies, nodding. "Though it requires a dreamer, so as not to collapse."

[paradox_steps]

"So do ours," Arthur says, "though I've never heard of a universal shared dream like that. It almost sounds like Limbo, but that's not something you'd want to mess around with on purpose."

[umpteenthdream]

Helen knows nothing of limbo, unless its a decadent teenager dance or a biblical reference, and so she might look a bit puzzled.

"I beg your pardon?"