Chapter One

Power Within

Jason stood in the dim glow of his bedroom, staring at his reflection in the cracked mirror. He had always felt like there was something different about him, a nagging sensation that he couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t just about being gay in a town that felt trapped in a conservative time warp—that had been tough enough, but this was something else, something that felt like it simmered just beneath the surface of his skin, waiting. Tonight, Jason felt a restless urge, like a gnawing hunger inside his mind, something that craved more than just comfort or attention. Something that demanded exploration.

It had been a typical night: college classes, a visit to the local diner where he sipped a lukewarm cup of coffee while listening to the conversations of others, and then the lonely drive home. The house was still, his mother asleep in the next room. He glanced at his phone, his social media filled with snapshots of relationships that looked perfect from the outside but often were anything but. Jason could see the distance in their eyes, could feel the lies simmering behind those filtered smiles. He had never been in love, not really. He had crushes—oh, had he ever. He often found himself drawn to those who barely noticed him, people who shrugged him off or politely refused when he made advances. Rejection, it seemed, was something of a recurring theme in his life. But something inside him, some simmering frustration, had started to boil, and tonight, as the world turned dark and quiet, Jason found himself wanting more.

Exhausted but too wound up to sleep, he collapsed onto his bed, pulling a pillow over his face as if that could quiet his mind. He didn’t expect what happened next. One moment, he was listening to the faint hum of the ceiling fan, feeling the rhythm of his own heartbeat, and the next, he was... elsewhere.

It wasn’t just any dream—it was lucid, vivid, something more than the usual nebulous scenarios his mind conjured up at night. He found himself standing in a field, one that shimmered under a sky filled with stars. He could feel the breeze against his skin, could hear the rustle of grass beneath his feet. Everything was impossibly real, and as he looked at his hands, he realized he could control them fully. There was a startling clarity to his thoughts, as if he were truly awake.

Jason took a deep breath and willed the scene to change. The stars above shifted, rearranging themselves into constellations that he had seen in books. He was struck by the strange, exhilarating sensation of power. He closed his eyes and imagined the field turning into a familiar place, the diner he often visited. When he opened them, he was there, standing among the empty booths and flickering neon lights. It was a strange, almost intoxicating feeling—to have a thought and then to watch it manifest right before his eyes.

He turned slowly, taking in every detail of the diner, noting how each aspect of the dreamscape seemed to be molded by his will. He could feel the warmth of the overhead lights, smell the lingering scent of coffee and fried food, hear the distant clink of dishes in the kitchen. It was like stepping into reality, but knowing he held the strings.

For the first time, Jason understood what the feeling beneath his skin had been—potential. There was something within him that allowed him to take control, to shape the fabric of the dreamworld around him. His pulse quickened at the realization, and with it came a rush of ideas, of possibilities.

The next day, the memory of the dream lingered. Jason went about his routine, his classes and the awkward small talk with classmates, the subtle, sidelong glances from those who knew about him but didn’t know him. But now there was something else—a spark of excitement that hummed inside him, a secret that he carried with him throughout the day. When he finally returned home, he could barely contain himself, eager to see if it would happen again.

That night, he lay in bed, his heart pounding as he let the thoughts drift in his mind. He tried to slip back into the same feeling as the night before, the awareness, the sense of lucidity that had taken him somewhere else. Slowly, the world around him began to shift. The ceiling above him blurred, replaced by a sky filled with swirling clouds, and Jason found himself standing in an unfamiliar place—a room filled with soft golden light, the scent of something sweet and comforting filling the air.

It was working. He could control it again. Jason focused, his thoughts sharpening into a clear intent, and the walls around him shifted. He pictured his childhood home, a place he hadn’t visited in years, and as if summoned, the dreamscape transformed. The golden room became a small living room, the one with the threadbare couch and the old TV set his mother never wanted to replace. Jason’s eyes widened as he looked around, everything just as he remembered, down to the worn patterns on the carpet.

He wandered the room, touching the objects, feeling their weight and texture. It wasn’t perfect—there were hazy edges to some of the items, like they weren’t fully formed—but it was still astounding. He was crafting this reality, bending it to his imagination. And that’s when the thought struck him: if he could make a place, if he could control an entire environment... could he bring other people into his dreams too?

The idea was tempting, thrilling even. He thought about the people in his life—those he admired, those he longed for, those who had hurt him. What would it be like to meet them here, in this place that he controlled? The power to manifest his deepest wishes, to create and shape experiences that could never happen in real life—it was almost too much to resist.

The following nights, Jason practiced more and more, refining his abilities. He learned to change his surroundings at will, shifting from a calm beach to a bustling city to the cozy interior of a library. He created people too—figures who were reflections of those he knew, shadows that spoke to him, laughed with him, filled the empty spaces in his dreams. They were just echoes, imitations without true substance, but it felt like progress, like he was getting closer to something profound.

Then, one night, something shifted. As Jason wandered through his dreamscape—a version of his high school, but with all the lockers painted in vivid, impossible colors—he felt something different. There was a presence, something more than just the reflections he had conjured before. He turned a corner and saw a figure standing there, someone he hadn’t created. A boy with dark hair, looking lost, his eyes wide and confused.

“Hey,” Jason said, his voice echoing in the dream-hallway. The boy looked up, startled, his gaze meeting Jason’s.

“Where am I?” the boy asked, his voice trembling slightly. Jason blinked, a thrill of shock running through him. This wasn’t one of his shadows—this was someone real. He could feel it, the difference in the way the boy’s eyes moved, the way his expression shifted. He wasn’t just a construct—he was someone else, someone with his own thoughts, his own fears.

Jason’s heart pounded, a mix of excitement and fear flooding through him. He had done it. He had pulled someone into his dream. He stepped closer, his breath catching in his throat as he studied the boy’s face, the way his features seemed so solid, so real.

“It’s okay,” Jason said softly, trying to keep his voice calm, steady. “You’re dreaming. This is... just a dream.” The boy looked around, his brow furrowing as he took in the strange surroundings.

“A dream?” he echoed, his voice uncertain. Jason nodded, his pulse racing. He could feel the power thrumming beneath his skin, the control he had over this place, over this moment. He focused, and the world around them began to shift, the high school hallway dissolving into something softer, something calmer—a meadow filled with wildflowers, the sky above a gentle blue.

The boy looked around, his eyes widening in awe. “How did you...?” he began, but his voice trailed off, his gaze locking onto Jason’s. There was something in his eyes—a mix of wonder and fear—and Jason felt a surge of emotion, a sense of connection that he had never felt before. He had brought this boy here, had given him this experience, and it made Jason feel powerful in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.

As the boy faded, the dream beginning to dissolve, Jason felt a sense of loss, a longing to hold onto the moment, to keep the connection alive. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the boy’s arm, and for a moment, he could feel the warmth of his skin, the reality of him. And then, he was gone, the dream collapsing around Jason as he awoke with a start, his heart pounding, his skin damp with sweat.

He lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing. He had done it. He had brought someone into his dream—a real person, someone with their own thoughts, their own fears. It wasn’t just a shadow, not just a reflection of his own desires. It was real, and it opened up a world of possibilities that Jason could barely comprehend.

In the days that followed, Jason found himself consumed by thoughts of what he had done. He had always felt powerless, always felt like he was drifting through life without any real control. But now, he had something—something that made him feel strong, something that gave him the power to shape not only his own reality, but the realities of others. He could bring people into his dreams, could share the experiences he created, could make them see him in a way they never had before.

It was exhilarating, the thought of it, the possibilities that stretched out before him. He began to wonder what it would be like to bring someone he knew into his dream—to share that connection, to create something that went beyond the limitations of the waking world. He thought of Ryan, the boy from his class, the one who had always seemed so far out of reach. What would it be like to see him here, in the dreamscape, where Jason had all the control?

The thought made his heart race, a mix of excitement and fear flooding through him. He knew it would be risky, knew that crossing the line between dreams and reality might have unintended consequences. Yet, the temptation was overwhelming, like a whisper that wouldn't leave his mind. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing the jump could be both exhilarating and deadly, but the allure of the unknown was impossible to ignore. He thought about Ryan's eyes, the way they sparkled when he laughed, the way his smile could light up a room, and Jason felt a pang of longing.

He imagined what it would be like to have Ryan see him—not just look at him in passing, but truly see him, connect with him on a level that transcended everything else. In the dreamscape, there would be no walls between them, no fear of judgment or rejection. Jason could create a reality where Ryan wanted him, where they could be close in a way that was impossible in the real world. He could show Ryan who he really was, could make Ryan understand him, and maybe—just maybe—make Ryan feel the same way he did.

The possibilities unfolded in his mind, each one more tantalizing than the last. Jason could take Ryan to places he’d only dreamed of—beautiful, impossible landscapes filled with wonder and magic. They could walk through forests with trees that glowed under the starlight, could swim in oceans of crystal-clear water, could lie beneath skies filled with more stars than Jason had ever seen in his waking life. He could make Ryan feel safe, make him feel wanted, make him feel loved.

But it wasn’t just about the places they could go or the things they could do. It was about the connection, the intimacy that Jason had always craved but never found. He wanted to know Ryan, to understand his hopes and fears, to be the person Ryan turned to when he needed someone. In the dreamscape, Jason could be that person—he could create a world where they were the only two people that mattered, where nothing else could get in the way.

Jason knew it was dangerous. He knew he was treading a fine line between fantasy and reality, and that bringing Ryan into his dreams without his knowledge or consent was wrong. But the power he felt—the power to shape his own destiny, to create a reality where he was no longer alone—was intoxicating. It made him feel alive in a way that nothing else ever had. It made the dull, gray days of his real life seem distant, unimportant.

He found himself thinking about it constantly, imagining the different ways he could bring Ryan into his dream. He thought about the conversations they could have, the laughter they could share, the way Ryan might look at him with warmth and affection instead of indifference. He thought about how it would feel to finally be close to someone, to share his thoughts and feelings without fear of rejection. And the more he thought about it, the more he knew he couldn’t resist. He had to try. He had to see if it was possible.

Jason took a deep breath, his heart pounding as he closed his eyes. He knew the risks, knew that he was crossing into dangerous territory, but he also knew that he couldn’t go back now. The power he felt, the possibilities that lay before him, were too great to ignore. He had discovered something incredible, something that gave him control over his own life in a way he had never imagined. And he was going to use it. He was going to bring Ryan into his dream, and he was going to make it a reality worth living in.

He knew it would change everything. He knew it could go wrong, that Ryan might not react the way he hoped, that it could all fall apart. But he also knew that he had to take the chance. For once in his life, Jason wanted to be the one in control. He wanted to be the one who made things happen, instead of just watching from the sidelines. He wanted to feel alive. And if that meant taking risks, then so be it.

With a mix of fear and exhilaration, Jason prepared himself. He would practice more, refine his abilities, make sure he could control every aspect of the dreamscape. He would make it perfect, make it a place where Ryan would feel safe, where he would want to stay. And then, when the time was right, Jason would bring him in. He would create a dream that Ryan would never want to leave, a dream where they could be together, where everything was exactly as it should be.

The thought made his heart race even faster, the possibilities stretching out before him like an endless road. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, knew that there were dangers and challenges ahead, but for the first time in his life, Jason felt like he had a purpose. He felt like he was on the brink of something extraordinary, something that could change everything. And he was ready to take that leap, to see where it would lead him.