Escape with the Dream Maker Read Online Free PDF

an artist and an inventor.” Oliver did not seem terribly excited. “As I say, Josh, it’s just a small thing. Most of the villagers come in and enjoy it. They like relaxation too, you know.”
    Josh was still amazed. “But it was so—so
real,”
he whispered. “Oliver, it was just like I was there in the book. Can you do that with other books?”
    â€œOh, yes. Books—and some old television videos that were left. You could be back with John Wayne in
Red River,
that old cowboy movie. I’ve got that one, I think.”
    â€œReb would love that!”
    â€œReb? Oh, one of the other Sleepers. Yes, of course. Well—” Oliver seemed to make little of his wonderful invention “—it
is
rather fun. I go into it myself pretty often. It keeps a man from going crazywith boredom. But we’ve got to talk about finding those who are lost. Goél is expecting that. I think we’d better have a meeting of all the Sleepers—or one at a time, perhaps. Why don’t you send them by here, and let me talk to each of them about our mission? This could be a focal gathering point for the group.”
    â€œDo you really think we can find Goél’s servants, Oliver?”
    â€œI’m sure we can, Josh. Now then, what shall we do next?”
    Josh hesitated. “Could I try the innervision again?”
    â€œWhy, nothing simpler. What would you like?”
    Josh thought for a moment and said, “Do you have a book on the machine called
The Call of the Wild?”
    â€œAs it happens, I do. It’s about the North, isn’t it? Wolves, sled dogs, and all of that?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWell, just sit right down here.” Oliver turned and went to the cabinet again, where he added drops to a fresh glass of cider. “Take that, and you’re off running through the frozen North behind a pack of sled dogs. Here you go, Josh . . .”

4
A Fellow Needs a Lift!
    T he quest for the disappearing members of the House of Goél seemed absolutely hopeless. Two more weeks went by, and not a single clue turned up that led to any discoveries. Josh spent hours every day thinking of some way to get at the problem, but nothing came to mind—nor to any of the other Sleepers.
    The most profitable—or at least the most pleasant—times of Josh’s life came during those hours that he spent with Oliver. He had gotten very close to the older man, and every night the two would sit and talk. Oliver had led an exciting life, and he kept Josh spellbound with tales of his adventures all over the globe. He was an excellent cook too, so that Josh seemed to be gaining back some of the weight that he had lost. He also felt a great deal calmer.
    After they had cooked supper and talked for some time, sooner or later Josh would say, “I’d like to try the Dream Maker again, Oliver. If you don’t mind.”
    â€œMind, my boy? Why should I mind?” Oliver would instantly put the headset onto Josh’s temples, offer him some of the colorless tranquilizer, usually in a glass of fruit juice, then would inquire as to which dream he would like to have.
    Night after night this went on, and Josh learned to quickly allow the machine to take over so that he could plunge almost immediately into whatever book or television series or documentary or movie that he wished.
    It seemed that Oliver had almost everything ontape. Josh experienced sailing with Sir Francis Drake in the fight against the great Spanish Armada; he rode with General Sheridan’s cavalry in the Civil War. He even went into some of the Hardy Boys’ adventures that he had read over and over again while back in Oldworld.
    After these sessions, Josh always noticed that he would feel completely relaxed and slept like a log all night. Once he asked Oliver, “Do you think doing this is dangerous?”
    Oliver’s eyes opened wide. “Why, of course not, Josh. You