[You don't understand, he doesn't say, in a tone like a child's that just happens to be spoken with a man's voice. I am alone, in spite of all pledges and promises; that's just the way it is.]

Thank you. I got here by dreamwalking so... it's likely that's the only way I can leave.

[He's sorry, truly, that he got her all mixed up in this.]

It's like I said... it's not good or bad. It's just where a dreamer starts. In my case, it... was a beach, with--

[His breath catches unexpectedly. Is he actually going to have a difficult time explaining the awful occurrence that drove him to dream until his brain was half-fried?]

It was what happened on the beach. I watched it a thousand times with slight differences, I thought maybe the outcome could have been different.

[He didn't find what he was looking for. His nearly-grey face communicates that well enough.]

It was too much, so my Omen kicked me, and now getting back will be harder.

[He drops promptly when she seems to have found something, squinting to better see it.]

Yes, that's likely it! Let me see.

[His fingers trace out the answers as he thinks it through, faster than most might.]