FERRIS FROWNED AS THE WOMAN took a seat beside her at the table. Pushing her glasses up, the artist listened closely, struggling a bit with the quietness required by being in a library and with the delicate nature of the topic, Ferris really would rather they speak somewhere else entirely. The stranger, who Ferris vaguely recognized from school but as far as a name- she drew a blank. Looking at her drawing, Ferris’ expression remained one of mild annoyance and diluted anger. She studied the drawing, taking in the information slowly, carefully. She peeked at the other girl and instead of confirming or denying the details of her drawing, asked, “Have you ever heard of the Dancing Plague?” She waited only a moment before explaining, “There were these people in France, it started with one lady who just ━,” she shrugged, “started dancing in the streets. For three or four days. Then a few more. Then a few more. Suddenly, over 400 people were all dancing until they died. Heart attacks, heat strokes, exhaustion.” Ferris shrugged and absently flipped her pen over and under her fingers, eyes drifting from the drawing to the other girl, “A form of mass hysteria, maybe. There are a lot of theories but ━ sometimes, shit just..happens.” A soft sniffling noise as she shifted and adjusted her glasses. “It doesn’t mean anything,” she concluded looking at the girl, “They’re just dreams, right? Bad dreams can’t kill you,” her tone was flat, impartial, and clearly expressing her disbelief in her own words. Watching the other girl a long moment, Ferris turned back to begin gathering her things.
before robin can answer her question, the girl is already explaining. she’d learned about it briefly in french class, but not many details. both scenarios are certainly unexplainable, but they’re vastly different. one woman dancing was public, tangible, and real. one woman dancing encouraged others, because everyone could see her. these dreams—these nightmares—aren’t the same. “ no one was influenced to dream of this man, ” she argues, watching the girl pack up her things. frustrated that she’s so quick to blow her off, robin stands up. “ i didn’t know you were dreaming of him, and you didn’t know i was. so, how is that possible? ” mass hysteria, is what the girl suggested. a shared delusion, is probably another argument she’ll use. folie à deux doesn’t just happen; there has to be an idea presented before it’s accepted and believed by others. and folie à quatre isn’t some shit that just happens.
“ there are more, ” she blurts, standing up as if to block the girl from leaving. “ it isn’t just you and me. ” glancing around to make sure no one is overhearing, she leans over a bit and lowers her voice. “ i don’t think these are just bad dreams. ”
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