Gabriel slowly opened his eyes to find himself in bed, the events of the previous night hazy. Before he could gather his thoughts, Alex and Ryan burst into the room, their energetic chatter and laughter filling the air.
"Where were you, man?" Alex asked, plopping down on the bed beside Gabriel. "I don't remember seeing you after the party."
Ryan snickered. "Of course you didn't, Alex. You were too busy making out with Rhianna."
Alex playfully shoved Ryan. "Hey, you're one to talk. Poor Kiara could hardly walk today."
The banter continued, with Gabriel listening quietly, trying to shake off the vivid dream he'd had the night before. The images of the woman and the baby still lingered in his mind, but he pushed them aside, focusing on the here and now.
Gabriel felt a sense of relief wash over him as he realized his friends were no longer giving him strange looks. The visions still lingered, but he'd learned to manage them silently. At least he wasn't waking up screaming anymore.
The robot, too, seemed different. It didn't appear angry or aggressive; instead, it felt like it was trying to show him something. Gabriel wondered if he was losing his mind, conjuring up these bizarre phenomena in his own head.
But then there was the newspaper article. Was it just a coincidence that it mentioned another one-eyed robot, similar to the one in his dreams? And what about the robot he'd pushed after his first dream? Was it really a suicidal robot? Gabriel wanted to investigate further, to see if there were any follow-up reports on the case.
He longed to discuss all this with Alex and Ryan, but he knew they'd think he'd lost his mind. Who was the woman in his dreams, and what had happened to the baby? The more he thought about it, the more it felt like someone or something was drawing him back to that metallic heart, urging him to uncover the truth.
"Hey, man, where are you?" Alex asked, waving his hand in front of Gabriel's face. "You're not even listening to us. You look like you're in another world."
Gabriel blinked, snapping back to reality. "Realm..." he murmured, his eyes glazing over again.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. " Realm? You say that like it means something, Alex. Do you even know what it means?"
Alex shot back, "Do I look like I'm as dumb as you, man?"
"Hey, knock it off, guys," Gabriel said, interrupting Alex and Ryan's banter. "Save it for later. Today's the day of that party with the native Hawaiian tribe, right? The one with divination and astrology?"
Alex and Ryan exchanged a look, grinning. "Yeah, dude, we're totally going," Alex said. "It's gonna be lit. You coming with us, Gabe?"
"Of course, we're not missing it!" Gabriel replied, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "I may even find out my destiny lol.It is going to be lit. ."
Alex chuckled. "Oh, come on, Gabe! The universe is full of mysteries, and maybe this party will reveal your destiny. Who knows, you might find your Hawaiian princess!" Ryan snickered, and Gabriel shook his head, laughing.
Alex burst out laughing. "What the hell, dude? You're freaking crazy! Even if you're not having nightmares, you're still out of your mind!"
Ryan chimed in, chuckling. "I agree, man. Nightmares would at least give you a reason for being crazy. But you're just... naturally insane, Gabe!"
As they continued to joke and tease each other, the three friends were oblivious to the fact that their evening was about to take a dramatic turn. The party, with its promises of divination and astrology, held secrets and surprises that would challenge their perceptions and change their lives forever. But for now, they were content to simply enjoy each other's company, laughing and joking together like they always did.