~*Dreams*~

Chapter 1:Strange

You may have never met someone like Toku Kodomo. Someone with a story like Toku Kodomo. His life story was quite unusual from the start. To start, he had never known his parents, as they had died when he was two. All Toku had from them was a string bracelet with a small dream catcher charm attached. After his parents' deaths, he lived with his aunt. 

6 years after Toku had started to live with his aunt, he began experiencing extended periods of anxiety. A year later, he was diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder. After that, he was much more reserved and found it hard to make friends. This feeling stayed with Toku through primary school to high school and never left him. That is why his story is strange.

What's particularly strange is the dream Toku had one day in science class...

Toku opened his eyes and saw that he was in a room that was bright white; the color was so intense that he had to slightly squint his eyes as he looked for any sign of life. He soon realizes that he is the only living thing there.

Suddenly, a black mist seemed to disperse from the walls. Toku's eyes widened as he began to shuffle away from the large shadow, which had already engulfed half of the room. Tears were about to spill from his eyes, but before they could a voice spoke.

'Hello, it is wonderful to finally meet you,' the voice spoke gently, a quiet echo following.

'W-Who are you?' Toku spoke fretfully.

The voice gave a light chuckle.

'I'm... someone,' the voice mysteriously replied. 'Someone who has no need for you to know, or question, their identity.'

The answer didn't exactly settle Toku, but he took what he could get.

'What's that mist?' Toku asked the voice, his curiosity laced within his tone.

At his question, the voice went silent, as if it were contemplating it's answer.

'The mist doesn't matter. What matters is what's in the mist,' answered the voice.

'Well then... What's in the mist?' Toku questioned rather bluntly.

'What do you think you can see?' The voice spoke up, keeping it's little mystery a secret.

Toku unsteadily got up and onto his feet before squinting at the mist, trying to picture anything hidden in it's dingy depths. Then, he let out a gasp as he pieced together the different things he had seen and realized that it was a person. A person was trapped in that mist.

They were on their knees, shaking uncontrollably (from what Toku could see). He reached out his hand, but he was thrown back the instant he touched the dark mist. Surprisingly, he hadn't been too injured.

'I'm sorry for that, but you have to find them in real life,' the voice said.

'B-But this is just a dream though!' Toku challenged in a confused tone.

The voice gave it's signature light chuckle.

'Oh this may be a dream, but it's a very important one,' the voice replied.

Toku's face wore a confused expression before the voice spoke up again.

'You must find the person trapped in that mist, in real life. You must find that person and help them off the ground. Help them to figure out their problems and, although it will take time, help them to recover,' the disembodied voice established.

Then, his head lifted from his desk in his science class. He pretended that he had been awake the entire time and decided to do some studying when he got home. Lucky for him, it was the last lesson of the day.