Silence11

Throughout the night I recalled only fragments that went nowhere. They would always come in pairs. Strangely was that one of the two would always dance around the border of lucidity. In one of these encounters I was delving in the concept of lucidity with someone else. In another, my dream self would always feel unease around the oddness of the dream world. I was always present during their runtime.

When I opened my eyes prior to this last dream, it was already 10:30 am. I debated in my head if a WBTB felt proper. I decided not to. There was a thought inside my head this morning. A belief, that if I could by any chance stretch another hour of sleep, I would become lucid in a dream. I tossed and turned and long enough a sense of sluggishness reeled in. I wasn't aware when I had fallen asleep.

* * *

After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, I gave up. I remember feeling pretty ordinary and awake. I hold still for a few seconds, should a final memory reveal itself. When I opened my eyes, I saw a different bedroom. It was a place that existed in reality, my own bedroom (I'm currently staying somewhere else). To my right lied two more beds. The last one was disheveled and covered in clothing. The table at the end, opposite the beds, was empty. A large window stood in front of it. The light was on and colored the space in a strong orange tint. I felt like grabbing some breakfast after taking a shower.

While I grabbed a pair of socks, a t-shirt and some shorts from the pile of clothes, my father entered. He sported a plain white shirt, some shorts and sandals. I notice a laptop on his hands, as well as a small black device that looks like some sort of radio receiver. Upon seeing it I took for granted it was a speaker for the laptop. He sits and places his belongings on the table and watches T.V.

I hadn't decided yet what I wanted to wear and juggle too many socks on my hands. I remember there was a dark shirt around the pile I wanted to grab but I couldn't find it.

Dad senses the struggle and asks while watching, "Need any help?".

"Uh, no," I respond.

I stop for a moment and contemplate for a second. Looking back to the light I think, perhaps I overslept into the night and it's already late. Lowering my eyes, I notice I already have the shirt I want on my hands.

After closing the bathroom door I sit on the toilet. I don't know why, but I keep looking at my hands. As I stretch them out in front of me, I notice they're unnaturally pale. My vision is a bit weird also, like someone decided to drop a visual effect on the scene. I turn back to my hands and stare for long seconds. I stare… my eyes widen, oh my god, I'm dreaming!!! This is a dream! I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming!. I am beyond excited. The reality check worked! It finally worked!.

Thrilled, I turn my gaze towards the door. I sense fear.

A monster or demon lies on the other side of this door.

I come back to my senses. Don't be a fool! Remember that expectation rules in this place. If you do not give it focus, nothing will happen.

I become hesitant. The door appears menacing, towering in front of me. I try a different approach. A primitive reaction fills inside me. Women! Yes, if I open the door and imagine beautiful women standing on the other side, it should work!. I have some doubts but open the door anyway.

A hallway stretches out for a good six meters or so. I can see a sink and a mirror far away. This passage is old. I can see the paint peeling off from the corners of its walls. They are painted evenly of dark bluish tones. As I walk around the narrow path fear has already left me. I'm so happy for my success, I don't know what to do! I notice how I'm walking for the first time in my dream. It's like in the book! A mental intention, not a physical one.

I try speaking, but no sound comes out. I try shouting with greater strength, but the sounds are muffled as if being underwater. I look up at the ceiling and think of flying. Will I make it happen? I try setting my intention clear. I want to will myself up but I'm afraid I will crash on the ceiling. Nothing happens.

A vibratory sensation penetrates my sides. It is a strong, uncomfortable feeling. I realize the dream is about to collapse. I can feel it getting stronger, and when engulfed by it I'm already awake.

* * *

Turns out the practice was successful. After one long 3 year break from this hobby, it only took 11 days to get back in the game. I must continue the practice, I can do this. We, can do this.

As a formless observer I see myself at the front door of the house where I'm currently staying. There's two other people with me. C stands beside the sofa and U. Ch in front of the kitchen table. The observer part in me locates an object approaching from outside towards the entrance. It is a square-looking thing that my dream self recognizes as my reality check (it is). It rolls its way up the steps and stops before the door. But my dream self denies it passage, explaining to my two guests, that because I don’t know what the object entails, unless we're to open the door and find out, then it would "defeat the purpose" of the reality check altogether, and so I couldn't invite it in.

* * *

Authorities are searching for a boy who has been missing. I'm inside a completely dark room covered in black drapes, accompanied by a creepy lady who holds the boy hostage. This lady, whose name is not known, looks like a very sophisticated clairvoyant dressed in black robes. The kid, who will never speak during the course of the dream, resembles a very young Anakin Skywalker. He is neither scared nor unfazed about his present situation. While we stand together, a bunch of computer screens turn on, revealing the face of FBI agents that know of the boy's whereabouts. The lady leaves the room and escapes.

I'm left with the boy and convince him to tag along. We follow a tunnel that leads to the outskirts of a large castle. We change into new attires to match with the times and setting of this place. The boy in particular now resembles a very young Link, except for his blonde hair. We walk around a lake lying to the side of one of the castle's towers. As we reach the other side of the lake we sneak past some guards standing watch by a gate and reach what appears a small town.

There's folk going by doing their business. The streets are crowded with merchants, women, and children. A string of houses lie on both sides of the street. The armors of the city watch shine under the light of the sun as they patrol around every now and then. If we walk close to any of the town's inhabitants a prompt appears above their heads like those in a video game.

We make our way to the roof of these houses to remain hidden from the authorities and think about our best course of action. The kid seems to take this little adventure rather well. From above, an underground passage leading to a cellar lies to our left. When we reach the bottom, we find a large room of beds with people sleeping. I turn on some lights to see what we can use.

Suddenly the agents (also dressed in armor) have discovered our location and reach the gate with a whole army to spare. I frantically search for weapons but can't find any. A lady approaches the inlet to the cellar. She interrogates the man who guards the entrance. He refuses to speak so she sticks a sword up his side and leaves him to die. She returns for her army but we take this opportunity to sneak out and run for our lives.

We run around the corners of the town, and climb atop people's homes, keeping out of grasp from the city watch. On rooftop we find a long round door that covers a tunnel. It is a long path that leads to the other side of town, away from danger. We enter and I find three sets of sandals and shoes, mostly light to wear and white in color. They look beautiful and I can't help but store them in my bag.

Outside we reach another gate surrounded by a dangerous current. The precipice is tall enough to prove deadly. I fall and in true "Dark Souls" fashion lose my "souls". Now I'm trapped on top of a very small hill while three crocodiles roam around in the water.

* * *

There's a door I keep opening and closing. I keep explaining to someone or more than one person about what happens when you open a door. I make sure they know that it takes at least three times for the person who crosses it while entering for it to mean something, and the same when someone exits the same amount of times. Was it perhaps, lucidity? Ah, the memory eludes me.

Walking outside in the streets at night I follow the road upstream to wherever it may lead. After a few minutes I come about a simple house at the top of a closed street. A young woman sweeps the floor as I approach her on the porch. She reminds me of an old friend from years past. The front door is open and I notice a young child playing with her toys. They are kind people I feel, but know deep down in my gut that her partner is an abusive monster.

She does the laundry and waits beside as if expecting me to get close. I lean in to her and she begs me for her and her daughter's well-being. I'm hesitant at first, scared of what might become of me, but I can't refuse her pleas now that I'm here. I tell her we have no time to waste and will prepare some tickets to get her out of the state. At first she seems wary of her remaining tasks at home, the wet clothes, the dinner in a few hours, but I tell her to just let it be and pack as is. She washes hastily and we agree to meet in a few hours while his husband sleeps in bed.

I meet her and her child at a bus terminal. I had arranged beforehand to get our tickets from a known underground contact. As we board the bus I'm wary about danger close by. His husband is on the know of our plan and he's on his way right now to the terminal and bring them back. We have to be quick, so we get into our seats and I hope with all my heart he doesn't reach us before this bus departs. I fear if he were to arrive at the terminal the bus would not move. I speak with the flight attendants for the delay but I'm reassured when I feel the bus initiates its launch into the streets. At this point I know we're safe, she is safe.

As we roll out into the streets, I'm marveled at how different the bus is. We're not so much driving as we're gliding across the road. I peak out the window and notice this bus has wings like those of a plane. A row of seats stretch above us and to the side. This bus is magical. Then come the deserts. Whether we're in the mood for ice cream, cakes, pies, plates filled with deserts come descending from above. They float in front of us and linger just in reach for our hands to grab. I serve me some ice cream and feel delighted at the amount of care and service we're getting.

* * *

I've been having some pressing confrontations with a vampire as of late. Both me and my associate C, a woman with unimaginable skill, search the creepy and foggy woods at night in wait for its attack. I've been getting better with each fight and because of my success, fortune has awarded me with two long sables to defend our cause. Now it is our turn to become the predators and it the prey. We reach the end of an abandoned chimney that sits inside a big willow tree. The damn entrance is closed unfortunately. So we start digging.

Moments prior someone important had gifted C a white glowing dagger that could end the life of this vampire forever. It was our secret weapon, our last resort should the battle turn ugly. Anyway, we end up digging far more than we expected but reached at last a buried treasure. It is an ancient book, beautifully crafted (like those found in the movie "The Mummy"). The book is entirely made of precious stone and engraved on its plates lies a short tale about the vampire itself. As we turn the pages it greets us through its story, excited for all this time it has been leading us fools into a trap, preparing us for our doom as it is our fate to become its slaves.

At this point the chimney opens. A blinding mist escapes through the abyss that covers the entrance. Its attack was swift and silent. I thought I had it so I swing my right hand and hope the blade managed to make contact. It anticipates this move however, and restrains my arm with its hand and, holding a short dagger with its free hand, is about to deliver a deadly blow. I know this is the end, but before the blade penetrates my skin, C swiftly pierces its side with the white dagger. The creature moans in agony and disappears for good into the night.