"Ugh... where... where am I...?"
The first question I asked myself as I opened my eyes, welcomed by a bright light emitting from the hollow entries of light from the clouds swarming above.
I sat up and rubbed my head, feeling as if I woke up from a good, lasting sleep. I yawned as if I'm ready for another day of studying in Hell. Groaning, I would usually do, whenever I determine these horrible days of life for five days, in 4 weeks, in 10 months, and in every year of my childhood life.
After a while of thinking, my body started responding to my curiosity and pulled myself up to a quick stand. I realized, that as my eyes scanned the scenery around me, I was on top of a high circular tower. Clouds would've covered those of below and the emptiness around me like an ocean of cotton.
I then looked up, everything seemed normal as it would usually be. The sun was just rising at a position, shimmering with its glorious rays and would rather be smiling at the world, effortlessly.
And lastly looking down at myself, I was wearing my usual clothes before I woke up in this place. My usual jacket, my sweater, my pants and my slippers.
I then wondered, "Am I dreaming?" closing my eyes and suddenly pinching myself for the sake of sanity.
"I'm awake," I told myself as nothing happened at all, "but... I'm still unaware of where I am and how I got here."
I then saw a staircase appear as steps seemed to fall and stop along the way like rolling off a carpet on an invisible floor. Just like what a 10 year old kid like me would probably do, I would just go with the flow and go down these creepy stairs.
In every step I take, I felt a sudden floating sensation as the steps would rather be floating. I then thought that maybe, I'm just hallucinating. Or maybe I'm still in a dream, waking up from the previous dream I was in. But it seemed impossible though, my mind is starting to get confused in every second I think about my crazy situation.
And then again, continuing back to the staircase, the walls of the tower were beginning to fade away as I go down. With this thing happening, my confusion had finally come to an end.
"Oh, I-I'm in a place filled with... c-castle ruins. I guess that's cool..." I'd tell myself, trying to calm myself down and sink into the main problem here.
The temperature started turning colder, making my breath immediately build up into a fog. I then hugged myself, looking around as it began to snow.
"W-what the heck i-i-is happening here..." I whispered to myself, seeing the surroundings starting to get covered in snow.
After a while, the snow then stopped and I heard someone call from an open bridge with large windows, a bridge to a massive yet old and somewhat ruined castle on another mountain farther from the tower I was in.
"Alexander, Alexander! Would you like a plate of cookies and a glass of warm milk?"
The voice would echo through the bridge. I was then shocked, how could that unknown voice know who I was? The voice wasn't familiar, nor do I know if I've heard it before.
But either way, again with my curiosity, I followed the call and took my first step into the bridge.
"Alexander~ Don't leave me waiting here and for your food to spoil~!"
The voice spoke once again which made me feel a chill down my spine. The phrase sounded clearer, the voice was of a boy that seemed to be lost like me in this weird place.
I continued to walk through the bridge, looking through the windows and seeing nothing but oceans of clouds once again. I looked up, the ocean of clouds were gone. I then started to feel something weird about these clouds, thinking that maybe they have minds of their own and started following me and hiding something.
But... that's impossible. They're just clouds, right? Or... maybe not. I don't know.
Either way, as I have reached the other end of the bridge and entering the castle ruins, I was greeted by silence. Plants would crawl on the walls and a tree grew in the middle of an intricate tile structure on the ground.
Before I could've took another step forward, I heard a sudden shout which got be startled out of the blue.
"ALEXANDER!" It shouted, and tackled me from behind, wrapping one of his hands around my neck and grabbing my other hand which leaved me trapped.
"WHAT THE WHAT!?!" I exclaimed back, escaping the sudden trap of this sudden weirdo.
I pushed myself away and with this, I then turned around and looked. It was the boy.
I then scanned him from head to toe, seeming to feel a weird sensation that... he looks just like me, but more mature than expected.
"W-who are you!?!" I shouted, disrespectfully with a question.
He then looked at me in confusion, unable to understand what I was feeling.
I stared down at him from head to toe, not even knowing what to say since he was never familiar to me, nor do I know a stranger that looks like me.
"Is this guy a dopplegänger or is this guy an imposter?" I thought to myself, without having any second conclusions towards him.
"Don't... don't you remember me?" He stutterly asked, "This... th-this very, very handsome face?"
I was then confused, thinking about what he was talking about and yet was disgusted by sudden claim of looks. "W-what do you mean I don't remember you?! I... I DON'T know you! AND DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE HANDSOME."
He then sighed along the way, but his smile came up which made me think twice of my exclaim.
"Here, I think you'll remember with this." He said, somehow pulling something out from his pocket.
It was a piece of paper, folded to fit into his pocket. He slowly unfolded it and his smile curled from the ends into a smirk, seeming to be as if an effect as he looked down at the somewhat side with an unclear image.
"Here," he said and showed me what he smiled at, "now, do you remember?"
I then stared deep into the paper, it was a drawing. Specifically, my drawing. There, it was drawn, a boy wearing a hoodie underneath his unbuttoned, short-sleeved polo, his shorts, and his slippers. And then beside the simple drawing, a phrase was written.
"Enoch Kühnweiss. My imaginary older brother."
I was then surprised that he was real. I didn't mind such complications as the word imaginary seemed as if a different person wrote it, also having a symbol that the word imaginary was supposed to be in between my and older. It seemed suspicious, but who am I to bother?
I looked back and forth from the drawing and at him, but he was so different than what I've imagined him to be.
"Wait, y-you're real, Enoch?!" I exclaimed in surprise.
He then raised a brow at me with his grin to show his truthfulness. "Duh, waddaya think I am? A big mistake? Yes I'm real, lil' bro!"
"And y-you kept the drawing?" I asked, remembering a few things, "I could remember yesterday when I told mom to leave that in the closet because-"
"Yeah yeah, I know. I always hide there and tell about my adventures!" He chuckled.
In this moment as I smiled, and now that I'm still sinking into the situation, I then thought it was my chance to ask questions, and to know why he seemed to be real, that maybe he WAS real and was NEVER imaginary.
"Wait, w-wait since you're here, I wanna ask questions." I requested, politely as I could.
He then thought for a while, a somewhat useless while. "Sure, what are they?"
"First off, why are you real?"
"What?" He looked at me in an expression of disbelief. "Woah, I'm real because of you."
"Wait, because of me? How did that happen?"
"Okay, long story short, you created me." He winked to his response.
I was then more confused to his explanation. I then decided to move on my next question, maybe I could understand more.
Taking a deep breath, I asked. "Where am I? A-and how did I get here?"
He then looked at me in shock. I didn't expect his expression but I guess expect the unexpected, then.
"Don't scream if I tell this to you, okay?" He said, "Don't you DARE try to tell this to anyone since there's nobody to trust here. Don't talk about it, and DON'T you ever try thinking about saying this when I'm gone."
"Uhm... o-okay." I replied, somehow worried if I might disobey what he said.
"All right, you're in the Land of Dreams, also known to be as your dreamscape in your mind. I know you remember this, right? We talked about this when we were at the beach."
"... I'm listening."
"So currently, we're in the Ruins. Specified as the Ruins of Memories, taking the shape of an old castle on a mountain and surrounded by a sea of clouds. There's hidden passages underground which keep the Books of Memories in your life, and one is being written about what's happening right now."
He then held my shoulders and looked me in the eye after those statements, making me look back at his before he spoke again. "Capiche? Take this noted."
He made me turn around and look at the tree behind us since a while ago. "That's the Tree of Memories. Eat a fruit, there are different effects so don't touch it."
"I... I don't understand what's happening though..." I whispered.
He then sighed and made me face him. "Look at me. Hey, Alex, look at me."
Like he did say, I looked at him. Fearing that he might get mad at me, but I felt comfort at the same time. "I... I-I..."
"It's fine, it's fine if you don't understand. Let it sink into you while time passes by, and for now, we have to get going."
He smiled at me in a way he was worried about me. He picked me up and carried me on his arms with my legs dangling down. He then started running through hallways and rickety old paths out of the castle.
Just in a while, I then heard a sudden roar from behind us. I then looked back and saw a lady in white. One of my worst nightmares.
"Alex, don't look back! Don't look into her eyes!"
"B-but why...?"
"Just look ahead! We're almost outta here!"
My heart started beating stronger and faster. The roars continued to grow louder and louder as I still looked behind us, blobs of black goo were behind the lady, following us like a tsunami wave.
The lady then started screaming, screeching into deafening static noises which made me cover my ears, her hair suddenly standing up on ends and revealing her blank face.
"GAHHH...!" I heard Enoch exclaim as he couldn't bear the noise. I was afraid he was struggling so I removed my hands from my ears and hugged him to my best.
I closed my eyes as the scream continued and continued until it suddenly stopped.
Slowly as I did, I opened my eyes. I looked around and we were outside the castle already. Enoch was breathing heavily and hardly, catching up to his fatigue.
He then put me down onto the ground as he couldn't really catch up to his energy.
Before I could've react, I suddenly fainted into unconciousness as the lady appeared beside me and screamed at my ear.
...
The following moment as I opened my eyes, I was on a bed. Inside a decent room, probably inside a decent house. I didn't really mind to escape to wherever I was, and if ever the scary lady brought me here.
"Ugh..." I groaned as I turned to the right, surely because a wall is to my left.
I then saw Enoch, thinking deeply as he sat on a chair. He seemed more worried than a while ago. And when he saw me look, he immediately walked up to me and checked my temperature.
"Alex, you all right? Were you injured? Were you hurt? T-tell me, t-t-tell your brother what's wrong!"
I then looked at him, still feeling weak with a short reply. "I'm fine... just feeling weak..."
"I hope you're not lying... you suddenly fainted a while ago. I... did something... to ward off that evil lady. Glady I had the chance to take you into this village not so far from the castle, gladly being protected." He explained to me, "With all honesty, before everything happened, that lady was actually a queen."
"A-a queen...?"
"Yes, a queen. She ruled a Kingdom, the Kingdom of Memories. And this is THIS kingdom."
"P-please tell me more," I somewhat hesitated to how I'll call him, "b-brother..."
"Okay, this Kingdom actually used to have something special. Something really special, and it was shiny. It was this gem," he said as he brought it out of his pocket, "I found this when I saw an odd hooded merchant hurried to his way, so I beated him up to take it since it had such power, a power to maintain the important trait, Remembrance. We HAVE to find a way to put this back, into the Tree of Memories and to bring back the Kingdom."
"Woah... t-that... was very cool..." I would say as I slightly smiled.
"Oh, just so I won't confuse you, but I called you when I saw you fall from the sky and to ensure that you were all right. I think that maybe, I could meet you and be with you for a longer period of time? But I know that I needed your help, because this is your mind. Probably you can dream things to pop up, right?"
I then thought about his words of suggestion. Slowly I thought, thinking of a chicken to appear out of nowhere.
"So...?"
Nothing happened.
"I... I can't do it." I said in discourage.
"We... need to reaaally work on that later. But I believe in you! Just rest for a little while longer, I'll bring you food and something to drink, okay?" He said and pat my head, heading out of the room and doing as he said.
After a few minutes, I then sat up from the bed as I felt a little better. There, I realized a table sat beside the bed I was on. I saw a picture frame and took it, checking out what was there.
"Hm..." I thought, seeing a picture of me and Enoch smiling for the camera. "I think I remember this... this... oh yeah! This was on my tenth birthday."
I then smiled at the thought and touched the frame's glass pane. "I love my brother..." I said to myself, thinking and hoping he was real, REALLY real.
"Love you too, lil' bro." I heard him say as he was leaning onto the entrance with a tray of cookies and a glass of milk.
I then looked at him and quickly placed the picture frame on the table, blushing of embarrassment. "Y-you heard that...?!"
"Well yeah," he chuckled, "I don't really mind that, buddy."
He then sat next to me and offered the food. "Here is your favorite snack, cookies and milk! And the favorite thing you do?"
I then smiled at him though my blush was still glowing bright on my face. "I dunk it on for a milky shot!"
We both laughed by the memory as I took a cookie and taking a bite.
"Uhm, don't you wanna eat?" I asked him kindly.
"Oh no, you don't have to share it with me. I ate a while ago! Just fill yourself up." He replied.
I then continued to eat as we talked about a few stuff, usually about school and nothing else. Oddly when I talk about mom and dad, he would rather be changing the topic.
"All right, now for the finishing shot!" He said and handed me the glass of milk.
"In three, two, one, score!" I laughed and gently took the glass and drinking the milk all the way through.
He looked at me in funny surprise and told me his reaction. "Woah, you were thirsty, huh?" Giving a slight tug.
I then replied with a sigh as I didn't really mind replying, so I then placed the glass on the table and standing up.
"So... what are we going to do now?" I asked in curiosity.
"I guess to return the gem of Remembrance? But that old hag is still lurking around with her allied blob monsters. Those blob monsters are usually called Nighties, since they give nightmares when it comes into contact to you and could trap you as it grows."
"Oh... then how can we get to the Tree?"
He then stood up and placed the teay on the table. "We need us some gear. Follow me."
Taking my hand, he walk pull me out of the room into the living room of the house. He stood on the center which seemed to have a large circle he can fit in.
"EIN, ZWEI, DREI!"
He dictated and a shimmer of light shone from the outline of the circle making him disappear.
"W-where did you go...?" I then asked as I looked around.
"I'm right here!" I heared him say, but I still can't see him.
"B-but where? I can't see you."
"Try doing what I did."
"The magic thingy?"
"Yeah."
"Oh... okay."
I then took a deep breath and did the same thing as he said. Standing onto the circle thingamabob and saying, "EIN, ZWEI, DREI!"
And then suddenly, the light shimmered as well from below me and I was still in the living room, but things looked somehow different. Since machinery was around us!
"Woah! That was cool!" I said when I was relieved to see Enoch.
"Yup, these are my gears. For now, take that bag over there and have these. Inside are my Dream Bombs, used to drive away Nighties and other creatures, this Freezing Gun, well, you know what it does. And lastly, these Invisibility Gumballs! Youcan chew into it and turn invisible for a couple of minutes."
I then followed as what he said, and carrying it on my shoulders. It seemed quite heavier than expected.
"And, what will you take?" I asked him.
"What I will take?" He asked, "This, a lantern. This isn't just an ordinary lantern but this serves as a forcefield from any danger. If the flame suddenly disappears, then we'll have to bring it up again to power up the forcefield."
"Awesome..." I said as I jumped in excitement.
As of this, as we packed up with out things, we came back into the real living room and went to the door. I could closely see it was night time since it was dark outside.
He then hesitated by it, making me feel worried. "This is a disadvantage, we have to hurry since these creatures are stronger at night. Don't forget to keep quiet! You know how these movies show how stupid noisy people are!"
"Okay...!" I whispered and chuckled silently.
And then, here we go. Slowly Enoch would reach to the door and would swing the door wide open. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me close, enough to be inside the spreading light. "Stay close, being too far away might get you out of the forcefield."
So, we started walking across the empty streets. I wondered to why these streets were so silent as if it was dead.
"Why does it seem like... everyone's not here...?" I asked him.
He didn't dare hesitate about my question, he continued walking as he tried to explain as quiet as possible. "They... they all turned into the Nighties. We have to be careful, because these Nighties are in larger numbers than to your expectations."
I then nodded in understanding, taking all advices noted.
We were almost to the foot of the mountain but we stopped as we heard sudden rustles of bushes around us, followed by footsteps from behind.
"D-did you hear that?" He asked, as both of us looked behind. "We have to start running if you do."
"I... I heard it."
"Then let's get going!"
We then looked back in front of us slowly as possible as to scan the place around if there was any sign of danger. But then sudden, a Nighty suddenly pounced on us from behind.
I suddenly screamed for my life and closed my eyes as if I was going crazy at the moment.
"Hey, hey snap out of it!" I heard Enoch say. "It's all right, it can't come near us."
I then opened my eyes, not being aware of what's surrounding us. I then saw the Nighty, which was struggling to slam into the protection keeping us alive. ALIVE, I TELL YOU.
I then freaked out of the creepy faces staring down at me from that horrible monstrosity, making me pull Enoch immediately into a quick run.
"Woah, woah! Alex, try relaxing up a bit! The flame might fade if you run to fast!"
"GAAAAAHHH!!! NO, NO, NO, NO! I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!"
Continuing to scream for my life, I was unaware once again of what was happening. I was confused to why it seemed darker as we ran through a path to the castle surrounded by a thick creepy forest. The flame went out.
"..."
"A-Alex!!! The flame went out!" Enoch said as he was starting to freak out. He grabbed the lantern from me and started trying to make it spark again, pressing the button repeatedly but no, it won't spark.
He then threw the lantern away and pulled me, we were pulling each other along the way but there was no time to talk nor think about it. We both ran through the path knowing that the Nighty was chasing. We could hear the scary noises they made as they started multiplying, you could imagine as if a large wave of gum would begin swallowing you whole.
Nevertheless, we reached the entrance of the castle and rested for a while. We were breathing more heavily than we could ever be, heart beating fast and lungs struggling to catch up. Adrenaline continued to rush through our veins which made us tingle while almost feeling hopeless to whatever was happening.
I saw him look at his wrist watch - which I never knew was there - and checked the time.
"In... i-in a few minutes, a large smog would appear inside the Ruins. We could... w-we could rest for a while until the smog appears..."
"Okay... I-I'm sorry about a while ago..." I sadly said and looked down on the ground, sad about my mistake.
Enoch then kneeled in front of me, making me looked at him.
"Alex," he sighed, "I don't have to say this repeatedly, but it's all right. You don't have to apologize with things that aren't really important."
He then pat my shoulder and stood up. I saw him walk somewhere, and actually digging into a large, oddly shaped bush as if he was looking for something.
"W-what is that?" I asked, trying to determine what he was picking out.
"Aha! It was still here!" He exclaimed with a smile on his face as he pulled something out. Another lantern. "I lost this when I was lurking around a few weeks ago."
"Oh, that's great then!" I said, having a chance to see something really important and needed in our situation.
He immediately pressed the button on the lantern and made a spark, starting a flame. Next thing that happened, then smog then appeared slowly, crawling into view.
"Let's go." Enoch said as he slowly opend the entrance gate.
He then leaded the way and made me follow behind as a tail.
"Bring out the your gun, and give me the bombs." Enoch said once again, in which followed and handed him the bombs in my bag, and holding tight onto the gun.
We continued to walk through the main hall and we suddenly heard scratches from the rooms around us.
"Ahuhuhu~ Time for a graceful dance at the ballroom~"
We heard a voice echo across the main hall and from the rooms followed by a woman's evil laughter.
"Follow my voice, dearies~ Let's have a wonderful dance~! Ahuhuhu~"
"That's a trap." I told Enoch, as I begin covering my ears.
We were standing in place and I was isolated from the outside noise. I couldn't hear anything else, but I do heard something, but it was somewhat unclear.
"Follow me, follow me, and see~ Listen clear, to my voice~ Dubirubiru, don't be blue, sing and be~"
I then slowly removed my hands from my ears and waved my hand at his face. "E-Enoch...?"
Enoch didn't reply to my call. He lended me the lantern and slowly walked through the door in front of us.
"Hey, Enoch! Enoch, where are you going?!"
"Why do birds, suddenly appear~? Every time, you are near~ Just like me, they long to be, close to you~"
"Enoch, d-don't listen to the voice...! Snap out of it, please...!" I then started fearing what was happening, I started pulling him away but he pushed me.
I then did nothing else but start to cry, I peeked through the door and saw him stand in the middle of the ballroom. Lights suddenly opened elsewhere from the rickety chandeliers above from the weak ceiling.
There, I saw an elegant looking woman. She wore a grand gown, wide and puffed up. She sparkled from the jewelries she worn and the gown had shimmering crystals embroided into perfection.
But... the thing is... she had no face.
"Ahuhuhu~ Oh dearie, you are very charming~!"
I heard her say from the emptiness of her face. It made me feel chills run down my spine. She held Enoch in a stance of dancing. One on Enoch's shoulder, and one holding his hand.
They then started dancing as music started playing. By the corner, I saw skeletons play instruments, violins, bases, cielos, the piano, and a whole of instruments.
"B-brother, come back here!" I exclaimed as I continued to cry.
I started to panic as I saw a swarm of Nighties, slowly swarming down to the ground from the ceiling, like a glass being filled with water. I looked back at the two, the beautiful lady suddenly turned into an old faceless and skinny hag with a torn of gown as large as the other one, but is simply gloomy and ashy.
Either way, I had no other choice. The only thing I had to do was run. I ran towards them and pushed Enoch away, standing and blocking in between them and faced the evil lady.
"S-stay away from my brother you ugly lady...!" I shouted as I continues to cry.
"Go away, little child! BEFORE I RIP YOU TO TINY PIECES. The love of your life deserves to disappear, THE ONE THAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
I heard her respond to my shout, the lights suddenly disappearing and the smog fading. I didn't care anymore as I cried. My tears would rather glimmer from the moonlight.
I took the gem inside my pocket, I cleched it tight into my fist. And looked at her straight in the blankness.
Before I could've made a move, Enoch suddenly locked me in place. Grabbing me and making me unable to move, he was being controlled.
I accidentally dropped the gem, the evil lady laughing devilishly into my face. Slowly, surely, her face ripped open and a chainsaw of sharp teeth rotates inside her mouth. Wide eyes popped open from her face as blood seeped through the wounds.
I was then paralyzed, unable to make a move of one of the nightmares I had: The Queen of Nightmares.
The queen I usually see. I had this nightmare when I was 8, when mom got angry when dad accidentally gave shame to mom when they were at a special ballroom party elsewhere in England.
"You... you don't have the right... TO SCREAM AT ME!" I shouted at the monstrosity, tears started to stop falling as memories flash into my eyes. "MOM IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SCOLD ME, NOT A DEMONIC NIGHTMARE LIKE YOU!"
The queen then screamed right at my face as an insult, making blood scatter on my face. The Nighties are almost a few feet near us and we could already be swallowed in a few seconds.
I then took a deep breath and closed my eyes, taking in all the air I could take and looked at the queen.
"Your dream has ended." I thought to myself and huffed and puffed, and shouted all my feelings out into a deafening blow.
A sudden explosion of sound waves came from my mouth and made the queen fly and get pinned into the wall.
I continued to create the pinning attack, realizing that Enoch got back into his consciousness.
"W-what happened...?" He said and removed his lock around me.
I couldn't reply to his question and decided to just point out the gem. After that, I pointed at the evil queen telling that the gem, there was something about the gem that was related to the old queen since there was an empty choker around the evil queen. I've also seen the gem from the choker of the old queen when visions appeared as they danced, where crystals glimmered from her clothing and the piece of fabric covered in gems around her neck.
The gusts of wind and sound were starting to disappear, so Enoch made a move.
He hurried to take the gem from the ground, but the queen used her magic to prevent this from happening. She made spikes dart from the ground, almost hitting Enoch every time he dodges. Only a few seconds left, was in store, luckily he got the chance to grab the gem as fast as he could and ran to the evil queen.
"Take this, you evil, nitwitted monstrosity!" Enoch exclaimed and jumped towards her, getting closer and close until he pushed the gem into the choker of the queen.
A blast of light suddenly exploded from the evil queen which made Enoch fly off and hit me, making us fall to the ground. The Nighties slowly disappeared as hopeless screams came from them, popping like bubbles giving birth to villagers, citizens, I presume.
"I shall return from the grave you children have set up, I shall return once and for all and you all shall PAY!" The old hag cursed, as her skin started to rip off from her body.
I could slowly see what was happening, and I could determine what was showing up.
I saw beautiful, soft skin. Pale, but not weak. Probably as soft as my mother's care and hugs. I saw the gown, and the choker, and the jewelries she wore, sparkling like my mother's eyes which looked down at me with kindness. I saw her crown, a majestic crown which glimmered from all those who see which was like my mother's heart, her love.
And then lastly, lastly... her face appeared.
"... m... mom...?" I gasped as I started shaking, shaking not of fear but happiness.
I looked at Enoch, thinking if I was seeing things. But he simply nodded with a smile and made me run to her, the queen, my mother.
As I reached her distance, when her transformation has come to an end, I hugged her tightly and a shower of colors bursted out from us, painting the whole place in color and happiness, the castle returning back to normal as the light of sunrise shone through the filtered windows of history. Everything turned back to normal, well, if this was what it normally was.
"Oh dear, sweetheart. Haven't you told Alex that I would be gone for work, Enoch?" I heard her ask Enoch as he would approach us.
"Heh, he doesn't really know what's happening at all."
I looked at her straight into the eyes, my heart beating softly knowing I was in her loving care. "M-mom... I... I missed you..."
"Oh, Alex. We were just at your favorite restaurant a while ago! Don't you remember?"
"W-what would... what would I remember...? What do you mean a while ago...? I d-don't get it..."
She looked at me with worry, my mother, Elliot. "I'll explain to you later, all right, sweetie? but for now, my people! We shall celebrate for the return of my son, our prince!"
A loud crowd exclaimed in praise and joy. They all began going out of the ballroom and started doing their things, the chefs and bakers said they decided to cook. The knights guarded the gates. The elders decided to create such effects for the event, and such other more important things.
"Come with me to the garden, and let me help you remember." She said and leaded me to the said garden.
The garden was behind the castle, probably a place that was being kept safe from harm. We walked through the pavements of the path and watched the flowers begin to bloom as they were dead for some time. Mom made me sit on the swing, probably in the middle of the garden, also having that intricate tiled structure below us.
She sat on the other swing beside me and then held my hand.
"You know what, Alex?"
"Yes, mom?'
"You're... you're just dreaming. I hope you understand stand that."
"I'm just dreaming? Then... then I guess I'll wake up sooner or later?"
"No... n-no, no. It's not like that. It's just that... I really couldn't explain this to you but you're stuck in this dream until you..."
"I'm STUCK?! Wait, why is this even happening to me?! I can't wake up?!" I exclaimed out of paranoia, trying to pinch, slap and punch myself but never waking up at all. As if... I was already awake.
"Please calm down. All right, a-all right. The thing is, Alex, you are... you are confined in a hospital. You are stuck in a coma after a car accident. We couldn't tell you this because you might freak out, and that maybe your coma might get worse to your surprise."
I then grew silent to her explanation. I then started to begin to understand, but I still can't remember that there was an accident. That there was actually a twist of fate.
"Enoch said, we're in your mind. You created us, and... we need you to live. I wouldn't force you to stay, you deserve to live forth though despite this, I hope you understand what's happening."
"Okay..." I said, "O-okay, I u-un-understand now. I just... need to have alone time, please...?"
She then smiled at me kindly and stood up, walking away into the castle.
Now... now I'm alone. Thinking deeply to myself...
"Why is this even happening to me...? Why...?" I thought and started crying again, "If this isn't real... and... that I'm just dreaming... there's no point to feel anymore... I don't have to think of doing anything else in the world since I'll die in my coma, anyways... I love Enoch... but... he's not real, he's not my brother..."
I then thought by my own thought, "Wait, but... what if he WAS real?"
The thoughts were starting to build up my mind. I thought that what if I see what's outside my mind, if I could check out what was happening? This made me a hundred times more curious and confused all at the same time.
I was then enlightened to discover more of this world. I looked up at the castle and stared at the highest tower. I then ran and ran to the castle up the towers and hallways, and reaching the open top.
I then came up to a long hallway. I then ran and watched the windows act like an animation of each frame, the speed of my running made the frames show what I actually could see. A sudden memory from the past when I was playing with my family, and ended to a sudden shine of light as I came out of the stairs.
The clouds were gone. I can now see...
I see... my Dreamscape.