Wine of the Dreamers by John D. MacDonald Read Free Book Online Page A

remained apart from the other children. Why?”
    “I am different.”
    “In body, yes.”
    “And in mind. Their pleasures have never interested me.”
    Orlan looked beyond him. “When I was small, I was the same.”
    “May I ask questions? This is the first time I have been permitted to talk to an adult in this way.”
    “Of course, my son.”
    “Why are we called the Watchers?”
    “I have been puzzled about that. I believe that it is because of the dreams. The source of the word is lost in antiquity. Possibly it is because of the fantastic creatures that we watch in our dreams.”
    “You say that those creatures are fantastic. They are men?”
    “Of course.”
    “Which, then, is the reality? This constricted place or the open worlds of the dreams?” In his intense interest Raul had forgotten to use only the familiar words.
    Jord Orlan looked at him sharply. “You have strange language, my son. Where did you obtain it? And who told you of the ‘open worlds’?”
    Raul stammered, “I … I made up the words. I guessed about open worlds.”
    “You must understand it is heresy to ever consider thecreatures of the dreams as reality. The machines for dreaming have a simple principle, I believe. You are familiar with the vague, cluttered dreams of childhood. The machines merely clarify and make logical these dreams through some application of power. They are limited in that there are only three areas, or worlds, in which we can dream. In time you will become familiar with each world. But never, never delude yourself by believing that these worlds exist. The only possible world is here, on these levels. It is the only conceivable sort of surroundings which will permit life to exist. We become wiser men through dreaming.”
    Raul hesitated. “How long has this world of ours existed?”
    “Since the beginning of time.”
    “Who … who made it? Who built these walls and the dream machines?”
    “Again, my son, you come close to heresy in your questions. All this has always existed. And man has always existed here. There is no beginning and no end.”
    “Has anyone ever thought that a larger world might exist outside the levels?”
    “I must ask you to stop this questioning. This life is good and it is right for all of the nine hundreds of mankind. Nothing exists beyond the walls.”
    “May I ask just one more question?”
    “Of course. Provided it has more sense than your previous questions.”
    “I have seen that this world is large, as though many more men once lived in it than do now. Are our numbers smaller than in times past?”
    Orlan abruptly turned his back. His voice came softly to Raul’s ears. “That question has bothered me. I have not thought of it for a long time. When I was very small there were over a thousand of us. I have wondered about this thing. Each year there are one or two togas or robes for which no children are born.” His voice strengthened. “But it will be of no importance in our lifetime. And I cannot believe that man will dwindle and die out of theworld. I cannot believe that this world will one day be empty when the last person lies dead with no one to assist him into the tube.”
    Orlan took Raul’s hand. “Come and I will take you to the case assigned to you for all of your life.”
    Orlan did not speak until they stood, on the twentieth level, before the empty case. Orlan said, “At your head, as you lie therein, you will touch that small knurled knob. It has three stations for the three dream worlds. The first station is marked by a line which is straight. That is the most beautiful world of all. The second station is marked by a curved line which stands on a base. You will find that world frightening at first. It is noisy. The third station, marked with a line with a double curve, is to direct the machine to create the third world, the one we find of least interest. You will be free to dream at any time you desire. You will shut yourself inside, set the knob for