Collective Unconscious is a short story written by Michael Robertson. Released in 2020, it is part of the anthology Down the Middle (though was released early to promote the anthology) and tells of Chris Cwej rescuing trapped dreamers.
Characters[]
- Chris Cwej
- Dr. Jen Ashfield
- Sara Wilcox
- The Geldex
Plot[]
A young woman named Sara Wilcox visits a therapist named Jen Ashfield to discuss unusual dreams she has been experiencing. For the last few weeks, Sara has been having dreams about a mysterious world inhabited by inhuman creatures and a blonde man named Chris. After hearing of this, Jen returns to her house and breaks out a dream diary - revealing that she has also been having similar dreams.
Six nights earlier, Jen finds herself in a beautiful place that quickly becomes a warzone between a race of insects and a race of reptiles. She is found by the blonde man and brought to safety in a cave. The blonde man introduces himself as Chris Cwej and explains that the dream is actually a virtual reality created by the lizards (or Geldex) called the "Psychosphere" which has been capturing humans due to the war between the Geldex and the Hytherians. Chris has been sent to turn it off. After revealing this, Chris travels with Jen to the top of a nearby mountain (using dream logic to manifest an elevator) and finds a castle at the top. Beside it is a fire exit. Chris has Jen go through the exit before he enters into the castle.
Inside the castle, Chris hears a woman screaming. This woman is revealed to be Sara. Chris reveals to Sara that she is within the "nightmare within the dream" and is within the nexus. The two enter into a dark and twisted forest with a red button under glass inside of it. They are found by an elderly Geldex who assumes them to be enemy spies at first. Chris reveals that he has been sent to shut down the Psychosphere. The Geldex pleads with Chris not to do it - revealing that the Psychosphere is a respite from their dying world. Chris says that he has to do it and that the Geldex will have to find a new solution. He then smashes the glass.
Sara wakes up from her dream and looks for a new dream therapist.
In-universe continuity[]
- The Hytherians are mentioned again in Evan Forman's short story The Eternal.
- Chris mentions the planet Golgalith. This world appears in James Hornby's short story Crushing Reality.