A few days later I make a new discovery about my roommate: he has nightmares. Around midnight after finishing up my final paper, I'm passing by his room on my way to fetch a glass of water when I hear a sudden THUD. I pause, then assuming he hit his head or something, I continue on. However, the thudding continues even after I grab the water. At one point I vaguely hear a shout and without time to reconsider, I run into the room. I find Chen curled up on the floor, banging his head against the ground and frantically mumbling something. I hurry to his side.
"Chen, hey Chen!" As I reach his side I shove my arm under his head before he does any further damage, causing his head to slam into my fleshy hand instead. Ow. Then I grab his arms, trying to pull him up. He struggles against me, desperately trying to bang his head against the floor again. Thanks to the disparity in our strength (for the first time I'm relieved that Chen doesn't work out) I manage to pull him into my arms and lock him in a tight, unmoving embrace. After several moments his thrashing slowly subsides and I'm able to make out some of his words amidst sobbing cries.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry General, I'm sorry!" I scrunch my brows, general?
After he's calmed down a bit and his sobs wind down to the occasional sniffle, I slowly lift his forehead with one hand. There's a bruise and one side is slightly scratched and bleeding, no doubt by a sharp piece of debris on the floor. Should I leave him and go grab a band-aid? Will he start up again? Forget it, he looks calm now. Might as well risk it.
I quickly run out and grab one. Thankfully, he's still passively lying against the bed when I return. As I crouch down beside him, peeling open the band aid, his eyes crack open.
"General?"
"Nah, it's me Ram." I smoothly place the band-aid on his forehead. His eyes open wider.
"Ram? I-what was I doing?"
"Banging your head on the floor and calling for some general. Who is this general anyway?" I look down and crumple the scraps from the band-aid in my hand.
"He's-" I look up. Chen's cheeks are slightly flushed and he's averting his gaze. What's this?
"You-you have to promise not to laugh!"
"That depends on what you say."
"You-" His cheeks are even more flushed now. I burst into laughter.
"Okay, okay, I won't laugh."
"But you already are!" He pouts. Cute.
"Old boyfriend?" I ask, putting more pressure into pinching the band-aid scraps.
"What-no! He's straight as a steel rod!"
"Ah, old crush then?"
"No way!"
"Ah then-"
"He's my character!!!"
"...Huh?" I look up at him.
"He's a character in the novel I'm currently writing."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah!" I scratch the back of my head.
"Then why were you..."
"Because his family died." His voice is suddenly a whisper.
"What?"
"He went off to war, fighting for his ideals, to help the new king ascend. But in the process he went missing and since he was on the opposite side, his wife and daughter were forced to turn to prostitution and eventually died..." His voice grows quieter and quieter and I have to strain to pick it up. "He won't forgive me, he hates me."
"Holdup."
"Huh?" He looks up, as if pulled from a trance.
"These are your book characters, right?"
"Yes."
"How come you're talking as if they're real people?"
"But they are real." His wide open gaze looks straight at me.
"...But they're in a book."
"But to me they're-I-I can't explain it, never mind." He stops speaking and we're silent for several minutes.
"Um, does this happen a lot?"
"This?"
"Nightmares...about your books." His gaze flickers.
"What do you mean by a lot?"
"I'll take that as a yes then. Um..." I scratch the back of my head. "I can't really help you with your books but if it's nightmares I do have a possible solution."
"What?"
"Well...when I was younger I used to have nightmares a lot too. And my Patti - my Grandma - she's devoutly religious so she'd always tell me to say Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram until I fell asleep."
"She'd ask you to repeat your name?"
"No well, actually Ram is an Indian God. He's one of the incarnations of Vishnu, the preserver and protector of the universe." Chen's eyes alight.
"What's he like?"
"Well...he's blue for one thing."
"Blue?"
"Yeah, Vishnu and at least two of his incarnations are usually depicted as blue."
"Huh, what else?"
"He has a bow and arrow, that's his primary weapon. There's this big epic tale of how he defeated a demon king to regain his wife. Actually, the holiday Diwali is celebrated in honor of his successful return."
"Wow, you know a lot!"
"Eh, somewhat. I grew up listening to Grandma's stories."
"How come you were named after him?" I shrug.
"Many Indians are named after Indian Gods. I guess my family just liked the name."
"Are you like the God at all? Do you know archery?"
"It's a complete coincidence but actually, yes. I learned it at summer camp, I wasn't half bad." I recall the slender bow, the twang of the string as I released it. Chen giggles and I blink to find him smiling at me.
"Alright, if the General comes to harass me I'll just imagine you coming in with your bow and arrow."
"Hey, it's the God not me."
"I don't know the God so I'll imagine you." I open and close my mouth twice. "Although it'd be funny if you were blue..." Chen fingers his chin thoughtfully. I sigh in mock helplessness.
"Fine, do whatever. Just sleep." As I turn to leave I feel a tug on my sleeve. I turn around to see Chen vibrantly smiling. I clear my throat and avert my eyes.
"Ram."
"What?"
"Ram."
"What?"
"Ram, Ram, Ram."
"I'm seriously leaving." Then, I hear Chen call out from behind me.
"Thanks Ram!"
"You're welcome, I'm going to bed." Tugging my sleeve from his grasp, I turn and quickly return to my room.
