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An Anime Tangent by James King, inspired by Final Fantasy (created by Square) and DC Comics' Tangent imprint (created by Dan Jurgens)
***
'We were talking about your fear of heights, were we not?' Dr Kefka leaned back in his chair.
'Yes...Whenever I'm at a great height, I have this terrible image of falling off...I have horrible dreams about it every night.' His patient lays on the couch, trembling at the memory.
'Dreams you say...do go on.'
'I dream I'm on a cliff, or a building, or whatever, and I lose my footing, or lean on a loose rail, or jump, or whatever....' He shook. 'I look down, and see the ground approaching...and always wake up an instant before I hit it...and I know...I just KNOW...that if I didn't...if I DID hit the ground...I'd die...'
Dr Kefka nodded. 'Yes...Very common...I have a device...which may help with these dreams...' He stood and turned towards the closet. 'Would you like to try it?'
'Oh, oh yes...anything to end these dreams...'
'Believe me...after this session, you'll never have those dreams again.'
***
He was falling. And screaming. He flapped his arms, trying to fly...tried to climb the air...
'Wait...wait...it's just a dream...just a dream...heheheh...This must be what Dr Kefka's device does...let's me know it's a dream...' He closed his eyes, calming himself. 'Only a dream....only a dream....'
He opened his eyes. The ground was approaching fast. 'I should be waking up any moment now...any moment...just have to wait to wake up...'
***
Dr Kefka removed the device from the broken body. 'It looks like you were right...you hit the ground, you die...'
