[ The woods are disorienting enough--gentler than the ones he knows best, but no less nauseating. The green, warm sunlight and the peaceable quiet are dreamlike, too sweet to be real. Being without his clothes makes it a near absolute certainty that he's having too deep of a dream. That's dangerous. Anything can get you in a dream.
[ When he hears the question from another white gash in the deep green woods, his brain skips a few beats. Is he real? How real is the man asking?
[ Thack goes unanswered for an uncomfortably long time, enough to make a person nervous. Then, the gangly young man on the other side of the gulch from him turns to the side (some misplaced, barely effective attempt at modesty) and wrings one hand into the heel of the other (a little pain, wake up, wake up) before calling back: ]
awakening
[ When he hears the question from another white gash in the deep green woods, his brain skips a few beats. Is he real? How real is the man asking?
[ Thack goes unanswered for an uncomfortably long time, enough to make a person nervous. Then, the gangly young man on the other side of the gulch from him turns to the side (some misplaced, barely effective attempt at modesty) and wrings one hand into the heel of the other (a little pain, wake up, wake up) before calling back: ]
I dunno. Are you?