[Chapter 193: Walking into a Dream]
Daniel had originally wanted to ask Jessica if she had recently visited a place called Elm Town. But after thinking it over, he realized it was no longer necessary. The incident had already happened, and he knew Freddy was behind it. Whether Jessica actually went to Elm Town and provoked Freddy didn't matter anymore. What mattered now was dealing with Freddy.
Seeing Daniel remain silent, Jessica grew even more anxious and nervous.
"What should I do?" Her lips had turned pale. "I've tried sleeping pills, but they only made me sleep deeper, making it even harder to escape from my dreams! I've stayed awake all night, too, but I can't hold out any longer... Mr. Cross, please help me! I'm going to die!"
Daniel replied calmly, "If Freddy hadn't wanted to toy with you, you'd be dead already."
Jessica's body trembled with fear, her voice cracking into a sob. "Mr. Cross, please save me."
He nodded. "Don't panic. I can fix this."
Jessica's face lit up. "Really? What do I need to do?"
Daniel said, "One hundred thousand dollars. Pay a twenty-thousand-dollar deposit now, and the rest once the problem's solved. If I fail, the deposit's refundable."
"No problem!" Jessica quickly wrote a check.
Soon, Daniel had the twenty-thousand-dollar check tucked away. "Let's go, to your house."
...
After telling Francia to keep an eye on the shop, Daniel and Jessica headed out.
Just as Jessica reached the door, she swayed and nearly lost her footing. Daniel caught her just in time.
"Thank you," Jessica whispered.
"You're exhausted. You need rest," Daniel said.
"I can't," she admitted helplessly. "I haven't dared to sleep at all lately."
"You actually drove here? You're lucky you didn't get into an accident. Come on, I'll drive your car. What's your address?"
Jessica handed over the keys, and Daniel took the wheel. She sat in the passenger seat, yawning repeatedly but forcing her eyes open, terrified to fall asleep. Tears welled up and spilled over uncontrollably, and she wiped them away quickly.
Daniel didn't suggest she nap just yet. This Freddy situation was too dangerous. If Freddy attacked while he was driving, Daniel wouldn't be able to react in time.
...
Finally, they arrived at Jessica's home. The place looked disheveled, with things scattered everywhere, clearly showing she had no energy or will to clean. The housekeeping service hadn't been around lately, either.
Jessica's mental state was fragile; she looked like she might collapse at any moment as she walked inside.
'If you don't sleep soon, I really think you might drop dead,' Daniel thought.
Jessica offered, "Mr. Cross, would you like something to drink?"
Daniel waved her off. "Forget that for now. Let's go straight to your bedroom."
"Huh?" Jessica was a little dazed. "Why the bedroom?"
"To sleep," Daniel said simply.
Jessica blinked, feeling less sleepy suddenly. "To... sleep?"
"Exactly. With me."
Her pale face flushed bright red.
Unsure and hesitant, she asked, "Is... is that necessary?"
Daniel smiled gently. "Don't overthink it. I just mean sleeping. I need to enter your dreamscape to find Freddy and deal with him."
Jessica exhaled in relief. "Oh, please, follow me."
She led him to her bedroom. It was large and filled with dolls, but like the rest of the house, it was a mess.
"Mr. Cross..." Jessica trailed off, embarrassed.
"No need to explain. Wait here," Daniel said.
She watched him closely, curious what he would do next.
"Don't fall asleep yet."
With a flick of his hand, Daniel produced a prayer seal. "Come here and drip some blood onto this seal."
"Blood?" Jessica blinked but obeyed without hesitation. He used a needle to prick her finger, then smeared a drop of her blood onto the seal. Daniel then added a small drop of his own blood.
"All right, lie down."
"Okay." Without bothering to remove her shoes, Jessica stretched out on the bed, arms and legs spread wide.
"Shift a little to the side, leave some room for me."
She blushed and quickly moved over.
Daniel lay down beside her. "Give me your hand."
Jessica reached out, and Daniel clasped it, sandwiching the seal between their palms.
Her hand was cold and trembling ever so slightly.
"What is this?" she asked, curious.
Daniel said, "It's a concentric seal. It connects our spirits. When you enter the dreamscape, I can follow you in."
Jessica marveled, "There's really something that magical?"
"There are many magical things." Daniel gave her a reassuring smile. "Now relax. Take a deep breath, and try to fall asleep. We'll go find Freddy together."
"Okay."
Jessica closed her eyes, but her heart pounded like a drum. She felt the warmth of Daniel's palm and caught a faint sandalwood scent on him. This was the first time she had ever lain so intimately with a stranger. Though she knew it was for an exorcism, she couldn't stop her body's response.
Minutes passed, and she only grew more awake.
"I... can't sleep," she whispered, apologetic.
Daniel opened his eyes and saw her anxious expression. He sighed. "Let me help you."
Pressing two fingers lightly against her brow, a warm, soothing strand of his power flowed into her.
Jessica felt warmth spread from her forehead throughout her body. Her tense nerves slowly relaxed, and her heartbeat steadied.
A profound sense of security washed over her, and her eyelids grew heavy... suddenly--
...
Daniel opened his eyes. He was still holding Jessica's hand, lying beside her on the bed.
Jessica also opened her eyes and glanced around. Then she looked at him. "Mr. Cross, did I fail to fall asleep?"
"No," Daniel said quietly. "You succeeded. This is the dreamscape."
"We're already in the dream?"
Jessica immediately tried to pull her hand away.
"Don't let go," Daniel warned. "If you do, our spirits lose connection, and I'll disappear from your dream."
"Oh." She squeezed his hand tighter.
Even in a dream, Jessica could still feel the warmth coming from Daniel's palm.
"Let's go. Let's head outside and take a look."
After a brief hesitation, Jessica followed him out of the bedroom, down the stairs, out the front door, and onto the street.
Only then did she realize she was truly dreaming.
This wasn't the road outside her house at all.
A thick mist hung in the air.
On either side of the street were typical detached houses, but most were run-down and falling apart. A worn street sign read "Elm Street."
This was Elm Street.
"Mr. Cross? This is it. I've been here many times," Jessica said, her voice tightening with fear.
"Remember, this is your dream," Daniel said quietly. "If your mental energy is strong enough, you can control this place. But Freddy is clearly more powerful than you here. His presence has twisted the rules. This is his home turf."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding scenery suddenly warped and shifted.
*****
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