DTH Jon and DTH Karyn were sat at opposite sides of a table in a nearby diner.
They had arrived in this universe about an hour earlier. They quickly noticed the purple sky and found it an interesting quirk of this particular universe. They made an unusual sight walking down the street staring into the sky, taking photos with their phones. After a few minutes the novelty wore off. They planned on jumping on a bus into the city. Before they could get to the stop they spotted the diner, which didn't exist in their reality either. They decided it was the perfect place to eat. They ordered some burgers and drinks which they were now consuming.
"This is the best burger I've ever tasted." Karyn said in between bites.
"I think it might be the sauce they use, " Jon answered, " but there is something about this reality that seems to sharpen the senses in general."
Karyn grunted in agreement. "Nobody is noticing the sky. Do you think the purple sky is a new thing here?" she asked.
"I don't know. One way to find out," he leaned over. "Excuse me?" Jon called out to the nearby waitress.
Jon noted that she was similar in appearance to his mother. She was a similar age and had her hair in the same style. She smiled and walked to the table. "Is there something I can get you?" she asked.
"I was wondering about the purple sky. Has it always been purple?" Jon asked. He understood it was possible the question made him sound like an idiot.
"No, silly, it was blue. Didn't you see it change this morning?" she asked.
"It changed this morning, like a couple of hours ago?"
"Yeah an hour or two ago."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
The waitress paused in thought for a moment. "Well I guess it is kind of strange but I suppose it's just one of those things."
Their conversation was cut short as another customer called her over.
Jon considered her behaviour very odd. He glanced up to the diner's television which had the local news on but nothing about a purple sky. He looked around the diner. Nobody else was taking photos.
Jon spoke. "Karyn, I think something weird is going on."
"Purple sky and cheap burgers that taste great. I'm tempted to get another one."
"Yeah but nobody cares. It's like they know it's strange but they are acting like it's mundane."
"It is a different universe, we know a wish has had some sort of vague effect on it. Maybe that's the effect, I don't know. You are the smart one, you work it out."
Jon laughed. "Is that an order?" he asked.
Karyn giggled. "If you like."
Jon decided to have a second look around the diner. Making use of is enhanced memory, he took a note of everything the other customers were eating.
His expression changed from one of amusement to one of worry. "Ok, there is definitely something wrong."
Karyn saw the change in his face and knew he was serious. "What?"
"The man sitting behind you, he had a burger on his plate, now he has two. The family sitting behind you on your left - they had just finished and got up to leave about five minutes ago. They are back at their table and each of their plates has a fresh burger on it. And then there is the waitress."
"What about the waitress?" Karyn asked.
"Where is she?" Jon asked.
"Behind you." she said pointing at the woman behind Jon.
"Turn around." said Jon
Karyn now filled with dread from Jon's observations, slowly turned her head around. Standing in front of her was the same waitress.
She turned back round. "Twins?" she asked, hoping for an obvious explanation. Jon shook his head.
The bell on the diner door rang as another Jon and Karyn walked in. This Karyn looked exactly as she had before she changed her appearance. She still had her very red hair. They completely ignored DTH Jon and DTH Karyn. They both watched as they sat at a table in front of them. Two plates of burgers appeared in front of them. They were speaking to each other in mumbles that they could barely hear.
DTH Karyn spoke first. "I've seen some crazy stuff since we started hopping but this is some next level weird. Please tell me you know what's going on."
"I have a working theory. You aren't going to like it." he told her.
"Tell me."
"We appear to be in a dream."
DTH Karyn thought about it for a while. "How can we both be dreaming?"
"We aren't dreaming. We are real and awake. It's this reality that is a dream."
"How can the DTH take us into a dream?"
"If it was made real by a vaguely worded wish. A wish a Jon made."
"So this is your dream and we are seeing it from the inside. That's pretty cool."
"Yeah I'm sure a psychiatrist would love this kind of access to the soul but there is a pressing issue, I must raise."
"Don't worry Jon, I'll keep your secrets."
"That's not what I meant," Jon blushed from embarrassment. "I meant the issue of what happens when the dream ends."
"When will it end?" Karyn asked.
"I've absolutely no idea."
Karyn wiped her hands on the napkin. "As much as I've been enjoying this I think we better leave."
"Good plan."
Jon pulled the DTH out his pocket. He looked at the display. There was nothing to indicate this reality was any different from any other but technically as a non-sequitur created by the stone it should have been a different colour. Grabbing Karyn's hand he pressed the button that sent them home. It returned them home.
