*****

“*Yawn, can I make it out alive today.” I shrugged while closing my mouth with my hand. Dragging my feet along as I walk on a stone pavement, creating a rough sound. My eyes are so heavy right now. It hurts as I rub the watery eye with my hand.

I used the usual route to school, earlier than usual. It was 7 in the morning and the roads were already busy. I walked with my eyes half closed and would sometime stagger as I was so sleepy. I really wanted to sleep but I will definitely die again in that dream so no thank you.

Arriving at the school front gate, there were already some students running around like little kids playing tag. Some were just sitting on benches chit-chatting or reading book and even ate breakfast. Arriving at the school building entrance, I heard a running footstep behind my back and I unconsciously turned my body trying to avoid something. In the next second, a loud thud could be heard as somebody fell to floor. With my drowsy head, I tried to observe this fallen body and it took a while before I could recognize this person. He had a large stature, thick arms and large chest. The shape of the muscle was clear beneath those school uniform, stretching them like it was going ripped apart at any moment. His face had a stern look on him, but when he smiled his face will change from the dead serious wrestler to muscle brain dork. Those sharp jaw lines would cut any girls heart. His hair were short and messy. I just knew who it was the moment I say his large stature.

“Don, don’t you have any larger school uniform other than this? I got a feeling that it’s going to rip apart soon.” I said to him. I thought that he didn’t heard what I said as he was already seated on the floor, rubbing his head because of the fall. I lend him a hand and said, “What were you trying to do?” He took my hand. I tried pulling him up but he was so heavy that I staggered a little bit. In the end I didn’t have to pull him up too much as he was raising himself up.

“How did you know I was going to tackle you?” he said as he rubbed off his pant.

“You what? I’m totally going to black out if you tackle me with that body!” I said as I emphasized the difference of weight between our body. We the same height but comparing the wideness of his body, than I’m just a twig that will break if he sat on me.

He put a hand on my shoulder and continued, “Relax, you did good to evade my tackle.” he burst out a laugh before adding, “Woah, that’s a lot of bag you’re carrying there.” he looked at me seriously.

I looked at myself and check whether he was saying the truth. I knew I was drowsy and sleepy so I might have ended up bringing too many bags. “What? I’m only carrying this bag.” I said as I hold it in front of him to see.

“No no, there’s two more bags. That two eye bags that you are carrying. Hahaha” he laughed out at his own jokes. There were other students who entered and saw him laughing. They must have thought he was too loud or something. Wiping his tears from the burst of laughter, he continued “Fuhhh, that was funny. You’ve got to laugh at my jokes sometimes you know. Really though, what’s with that eye bag. Been on an all-nighter? If you know what I mean.. hahaha”

He laughed again, with his hands on his hip, acting so proud about something. “Yeah, I can’t sleep last night. Been having this really weird dreams though. I just don’t know how to explain it.” I said as rubbed my eyes again. After changing to my indoor shoes, I walked through the hallway towards the stairs. Don continued on following me.

“Oooo poor little Yuu, he’s got a nightmare and he can’t sleep because he’s afraid.” he said while acting out like I was a baby.

“Oiiiii!! You lazy ass Don! Get to the field now and get running!” a shout could be heard as it echoed throughout the hallway. As I looked out the window, the PE teacher was staring towards us, or specifically towards Don, with his hand on his hip holding a file holder.

“Ohhh shit! Got to go Yuu!” he ran as he said that with his back facing towards me. He was an athlete, of which his specialty are shot put and hammer throwing. That explains his large stature very much. As I looked towards him, he ran with not much noise even for a large size like him. With that weight, his running should have been noisy as he stomp across this hallway. Then how did I manage to hear him running to tackle me just now, and he must have been extra careful to not make as much noise as possible. I pondered on this thing until I reached my class.

Upon reaching the class, all the seats were empty. It seems like I was the first person to enter the class. I strode along the tables and chairs to my seat, the seat that was the nearest to the windows and in the middle of the column. I put down my bag on the floor and sat on the chair.

Lazily, I rest my chin on the palm of my hand as I looked out the window. The leaves of the trees rustles as a spring breeze blew. Suddenly I remembered the memory of when I entered the dream, it was beautiful though. However, despite the beauty, nature always have its dark side. For me, I have seen this dark side, twice already.

‘Will I be able to survive in that dream? Will my plans work?’ I thought as I stare at the trees in the front yard of the school.

My eyes were very heavy. So heavy that if I were to lay my head on this table, I would just fall asleep in that instant. I pinched my arm to keep myself awake, but it was not enough. The pain was already dull as I had done it so many times already.

“Hohoho, look who’s early today.” a voice entered my ear as I was about to doze off. Turning my body to face the source of the voice, I replied “Hey Aki. You’re early too.”

“I’m always early you know. So it’s not that rare to see me at this time. I’m just surprised to see you this early.” Aki said as he walk next to me and sat on the chair. “Woah, it’s even more rare to see you become a panda. Did you even sleep last night?” he continued.

“Yeah, some… stuff happened.” I said, not wanting to tell him about the dream. I was reluctant to tell him because of how Don reacted just now. I wouldn’t want him to think me as immature kid who got scared of nightmare so much that I ended up refusing to sleep. Plus, no one would believe me if I said that my dreams were so realistic that I could even feel pain.

He looked at me, adjusting his spectacles. He stared at me for a while and continued, “Well then, if you’re not going to tell me anything then its fine.” He let out a sigh after those words and took a book out of his bag. “If you stayed up late last night then you must have done your homework right?” Aki said, wearing a very wide smile.

I knew what he wanted from me judging from the book he took out and that annoying smile. I took the similar book from my bag and gave it to him, “If you want to copy my homework just say it. I really hate that annoying smile of yours.”

“Hahaha! I knew you would understand… I’m really surprised you did all this homework. It’s ridiculous how sensei gave us this much homework though. Does she think we can even finish this much. Well you did what she wanted, then you really must have been targeting her didn’t you?” Aki continued his long chat while copying my homework. I only listened as I was too sleepy to answer him. At least I won’t fall asleep if he keeps on talking though.

The long chat continued until the class was full of students making all kind of noises. However, it was getting harder for me to stay awake as all the noises, even Aki’s voice, became white noise to my ears. Pinching myself just wont help anymore. The only outcome was a numb feeling and a red skin.

I just had to wash off my face with cold water to at least reduce the drowsiness. “If you’re done, just placed it on my table. I’m going to the toilet for a sec.” I said to Aki which he replied with a nod. I don’t think my book is going to be returned soon. Three people were already gathering near Aki to copy my homework.

I walked to the sliding door and opened it. As I was about to exit the classroom I stumbled with someone and the person staggered as papers scattered on the floor.

“Hyaa!..” a woman shrieked as all the papers fell off her hands. I immediately went to the ground and help her picked up those papers since it was my fault anyway. After lending her the paper that I had picked, I immediately apologize, realizing that it was sensei that I stumbled on.

“Haaa! Yuu, pay attention where you’re walking next time!” she shouted as she pulled my ear. Even with this drowsiness, my gaze was fixed at her chest at it was pressed on by the paper she was holding.

“Ouch ouch, I’m sorry sensei!” I apologized again as she was pulling my ears so much that my head tilted down to her height. Well she was definitely shorter than me but just that strength to pull my head down was to be feared.

“Where did you intend to go? Homeroom is starting soon.” she glared at me thinking that I was going to skip the class.

“I was on my way to the toilet though, gotta wash my face to freshen up a bit.” I said as I smiled wryly. Then she examined my face intently that I couldn’t hide my surprise as her she so closed to me.

“Yuu! Those eyebags! Don’t tell me that you stayed up late playing games again last night!” she said puffing her cheeks. She reached her hands again, precisely towards my ear, but I managed to stop her halfway.

“Sensei please don’t jump to conclusion. Please put your hand down, my ear is going to fall off if you pull it again,” I said as I put her hand down and continued “Some accident happened while I was on my way home yesterday and made me awake for the entire night. I promise I’m not lying okay and I did finish your homework.” I had to promise that I wasn’t lying as she was already trying to pull my ear again.”

“What kind of accident huh? Don’t make excuses, you young boys have to sleep properly if you want to grow properly.” She said while pulling her hair to back of her ear. “Quickly go to the toilet and wash your face and don’t wander around, I have important thing to announce later.” She said again as she entered the class.

I was glad that she didn’t pry more on the accident yesterday or about me being awake all night. As I thanked her in my heart, I went to toilet and washed my face. Even with how she pulled my ear, that wasn’t enough to clear this drowsiness. Even washing my face to the point my shirt was wet still couldn’t reduce this sleepiness by a tinge.

I gave end and just walk back to the class, being half asleep. As I entered, sensei had already started homeroom and her voice became white noise to my ears. I went straight to my sit and rest my chin on my hand. Sensei was definitely angry at me for still being sleepy even after going to the toilet. Well she must have noticed that my shirt was wet so I guess she won’t think I lied that I told her I was going to the toilet.

As she continued talking, my drowsiness started to kick in. ‘Oh shit, I forgot that I get sleepy easily when sensei talks in front of the class.’ With me being so sleepy like this, theres no telling that I will definitely fall asleep.

‘Shit! Hold it, don’t sleep dammit. Not in here!’ I cried out loud in my mind as my eyelid slowly closed itself. This was the first time ever I tried so hard not fall asleep. I tried to stop my eyelid from closing by using my fingers to hold it but even my hands would not move anymore.

‘Fuck! Here it comes!’ I shouted in my heart as my eyes were fully closed and continued by the feeling of floating in mid-air. Then an abrupt force pull me down to the ground.

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*****

“Damn it, I didn’t think I will be back here so soon…” I said as I looked around. I was in the middle of the forest. There were sound of crickets chirping were soft as it was covered by the sound of hissing, the one you usually hear when putting out a flame. A cold breeze hit my face followed by a hot steam. I stepped back as the heat made my body reacted reflexively. As I looked down, there it is, “Guhhh, this is gruesome…”

On the ground, my body was decomposing as it emits steam. I could even make out my face outline, without much of the skin left. My head was loosely attached to the body as half of the neck was gone. The left hand is also not there. This is basically how I ended up dying in my previous dream.

“So this is how it’s going to be huh…” I mumbled as I understood one thing. Every time I die, my body will decompose itself into steam. I have no idea how it turns into steam but who cares anyway. This will end the dream and wake me up. Another thing to add, the time I spend in this dream is longer than reality. Basically I can spend half a day in this dream but will be awake half an hour later from when I fell asleep. Lastly, when I am back again in this dream, I will be greeted by my decaying steaming corpse.

“Oh wait…” I looked around the forest. The glowing flowers around the area were only glowing dimly. The ground level of the forest was still dark. Looking up to the sky, I could barely see the sky with the forest canopy blocking the view but it was enough to distinct what time it was. The sky was still dark but painted with a tinge of orange ray of light. The sound of the choir of birds sings harmonically. It was still dawn.

If I can conclude from this and my previous dream. I will always return to this dream in the morning or specifically a few hours after I previously died.

“Haaa…” I let out a sigh as I thought of my fate. Just what did I do to end up having this frightful and painful dream as this. I shook my head and slap both my cheeks to pump myself up. I tried to remember back what I had researched last night in order to survive.

I was surprised that I could remember every detail of the plans that I tried to memorize. Somehow, after having this weird dream even my memory was getting better. I walked around as started the first plan for my survival in this dream, finding a shelter. A good place to hide, and store whatever weapon that I make later.

I walked around the forest carefully, striding from one tree to another. Even with the decisive my plan in my mind, it would not work if I met the jaguar again without preparing everything. It was also the best choice to strode around trees as it was still dark on the forest ground since the sun was not up in the sky. The glowing flowers were glowing dimly so there was barely enough light for me to see.

After walking around for a while, the sun was high enough for the ray to passed through the canopy of leaves above and now I could clearly see the crevices of each tree roots and animal trails. At least I will not accidently step on tree roots of sharp rocks beneath the grass. I could already feel the pain on my toes and beneath my feet as I had already stepped on so many hard rocks.

Luckily, there was no sign of the jaguar anywhere near me. I was fairly confident since I realised that my senses were very sharp. I could even hear the flapping of birds as it rest on a tree branch and even pinpoint where it was. At least with this I could sense the jaguar if it was anywhere near me. And with this sharp senses, I could finally walk with a destination in mind rather than walking around blindly. I was able to listen to the sound of flowing water probably a bit far ahead. I could only hope that it was a steam. It would be an assurance to have a water supply to survive in this forest.

As I was heading towards the supposedly water stream ahead, I was aware of other animals around me. Particularly there were many small animals. My vision now can even see further than I can previously. I could even see rabbits lurking between bushes roughly 200 metres away, staring at me. But this rabbit was definitely different, it had a fluffy rainbow-coloured round tail. It gave a feeling off an other worldly creature, just like how I felt for the jaguar. The rabbit was definitely harmless as it was scared and hopped away when I get close.

Along the journey, I meet many different weird animals, mostly are harmless. Some of which gave me quite a surprise, a squirrels with colourful fur, a dark red fox with colourful horns, and even frogs with two silver heads. Many animals that I saw have the same characteristic of having bright colours in any parts of their body.

Some larger animals that I saw was a white deer with flowers growing on its antler. I had a feeling that the deer was intently watching my every movement. Even as I was approaching near, it did not run away but stood there magnificently. Since I was walking on the small animal trail and the deer was standing on an elevated boulder, I could not be amazed looking at its magnificent figure as the ray of light shone on its white fur. Despite it being larger than me, it did not give out killing intent but rather pleasant and welcoming feeling. Walking pass the deer, the fragrance of flower emitted by the flower on its antler gave me the feeling of being relaxed at home. This was definitely different from the impression that the jaguar emits. Somehow this gave a between the day and night where this magnificent deer welcomed me to its home as a guest while the jaguar eliminates and treat me like an intruder. Even as I walk away and faced my back towards the deer, I could still feel its gaze as if wanting to see me off safely.

My minds were jumbled up to think if this was a fantasy world or either my dream was getting so messed up. I despise the jaguar for how much it wanted to kill me but the creature in the day especially the deer was very pleasant and even gave a feeling of wanting to stay in this dream longer.

After walking probably two hours and meeting many kind of animals, I reached a small stream of water. The view was breathtakingly beautiful. The stream was clear enough that the rocks beneath could be seen glimmering with the radiance of the sunlight. The rocks itself was translucent-white thus making it looked like water was flowing on a glass bed. Boulders reside near the streams covered with colourful moss. There were rows of colourful flowers blooming under a tree. The trees lining along the stream was unique but I could not call it trees since there were no trunk but just roots. The roots protruded out of the ground like a mangrove tree. It continues to curved above the stream and meets the other side of the stream where the roots protruded into the ground, creating an arch above the stream. For as far as my eyes can see, the rows of the tree roots continued on creating many beautiful arch with flowers growing on them.

‘How can this be just a dream? Can my brain even create such beautiful scenery? I would have never even imagined this kind of thing. This must be more than just a dream.’

Approaching on the root arch, I can see a potential shelter beneath the protruded roots. There was enough space for me to sleep in those root columns. Although there are spaces between the roots but it can be covered with leaves or clay. There were also many flowers around it so it may even cover my scene from the jaguar if it were to approach here.

I stood near next to the stream and dipped my finger. It was cold, but just cold enough. Without hesitation, I scoop the water with my hands and drink the water. The water flows in my throat, washing away the dry feeling after a long walk. It was refreshing. It was tasty. Never have I tasted plain water this tasty and I continued scooping the water to drink it.

‘Oh shit! What if the water is contaminated?’ I thought and suddenly stopped drinking. All kinds of thoughts crossed my mind but somehow I had a feeling that I can just let this go. ‘There’s no way a water that tasted so great can be contaminated right?’

After I had shrugging it off, I washed of my face. Even just washing my face was enough to freshen up my body. Without thinking further, I took a dip in the water and sat there where the flowing water washed away all the anxiousness I had since dawn. The water stream was not that deep as it was only my chest level even while I’m sitting in it.

While enjoying the cold and calming effect of the flowing stream. I moved on the next phase of my survival plan, creating weapons and tools. I searched for stones beneath the water to make primitives that I have been learning to make in the YouTube videos that I have watched. While searching for the perfect sized stones, I was just amazed by how beautiful they were. Some were translucent white while some were just transparent, reflecting the sunlight as if it was a diamond. I was slightly worried that this kind of stone would be too brittle or just to hard to be made into simple primitive tools. ‘I’ll know once I try.’ I thought as I continued searching.

After searching for a while, I lined up all the stones that I needed on a small boulder beside the stream. One stone larger than a fist to make a stone axe, five fist sized stone for spears head and several small flat stones for arrows head. There were many stones that were already in a knife-like shape with a cylindrical body and a pointy end so I took it to make a stone knife.

I start with the knife-like stone first since it was already in the correct shape. I took a fist size stone and smashed the edge of the pointy end. As I hit the first strike, I prayed in my heart that it would at least fracture a little.

“Lucky! I don’t know what kind of stone you are but if I can make you into weapons then who cares!” I shouted as I saw a small fragment of the stone breaks. I continued knapping the edge of the stone to make a rough outline of the sharp edge. After I finished outlining the shape of a dagger, the edge was sharpen by grinding it on the boulder that I was sitting on. I repeatedly grind it and washed off the micro fragments with the stream water.

It took more than an hour just to finish sharpening the stone knife. I held it upright and the sharp edges of the stone knife reflected the sunlight. I quenched my eyes as I looked at the beautiful transparent stone knife. My first ever creation, the feeling of successfully creating something was delightful. Especially when the material itself was beautiful. I was eager to try the sharpness of this knife but the sun had already reached its peak height. It took this much from dawn, just to find a shelter and creating a single knife. There was no way I will be able to finish all my plan in a single day. Whatever it takes, I have to prepare my shelter and survive the night even if I have to hide cowardly.

Postponing the weapon making, I walked around to find tree branches and big leaves to cover the crevices of the tree roots that I was planning to make my shelter. One knife would be sufficient enough to cut leaves but cutting a tree branch would be too much. It would break or chip off the sharp edge. So, I will have to break tree branches with my own hand.

Taking the animal that I used earlier, I retraced back my footstep. I remembered that there were many trees that have large leaves like a banana tree. I know I would be able to climb the tree to get the leaves but at least I will find some fallen leaves at the ground. Again, I’m amazed that I had such a good memory that I remembered small details even by just looking at it once.

As I arrived, my memory really served me well. They were many large leaves beneath a seemingly large tree. The tree trunk stretched even further than the forest canopy. Since my senses have been super sharp, I could see the large leaf waving at the tree branch as wind blows by. My eyes suddenly hurts as I tried to look further above. Somehow, I can control my eyes like a scope, observing things further away and zooming towards it but over extending cause my eyes to ache so much. I had to rub my eyes a few times to get I back to normal.

I went and collected the big leaves as much as I could. I shaved off the fibres of one of the leaves and separate it off into thinner string. Then I twisted it off into cordage. It took me quite a while to make a bundle of the string but it was worth it. Since the very beginning of the dream, I have been stark naked so I tried making a primitive loin cloth using the string and the large leaves. To my surprise, the stone knife was very sharp. It did not require much force to even cut the strings that I made. After just a few minutes, I had finished making my first cloth in this dream and I added a scabbard for the stone knife at the side of the loincloth. ‘It ain’t much, but it’s honest work’ I thought to myself as I wore the loincloth.

It took probably 3 hours just for me to find the tree leaves and back to my base. Since I took some time to make the strings and the time to walk back and forth was quite long too. I probably have a few hours more left before dusk so I started building my shelter. Tying the strings to the large tree leaves, I covered the crevices of the tree root and splattered smaller crevices and holes with clay. The large leaves were also used a cover on the ground of the shelter. Lastly, I took several flowers around the tree roots and rubbed in on to my shelter hoping that it would be enough to cover my scent.

As I finished everything, I sat next to the water stream and drank a lot of water. ‘It ain’t much, but it’s honest work’ I thought of that word again while proudly looking at my shelter. It looked weird with all the clay and mud plastered unevenly on the large leaves.

“*growl~*…” a sudden growl shocked me and I hurriedly took out my knife and searched for the sound.

“*GROWL~*..” another growl could be heard. I was worried for nothing, it was just my stomach. I was really hungry. I just realized I have been going around from dawn and not eaten anything. Well I was thinking this was actually a dream so I never thought I would be hungry.

I stood up and tried to remember if there were any fruit or edible plants around this area. My thoughts were put on hold when a creature lurks behind the shadows of nearby tree. I was surprised that I did not even hear any footsteps nor do I feel any killing intent but there were already something there. Is it the jaguar? Readying my stance, I point my knife towards the tree. My hearts were beating fast. Adrenaline started to rush in my blood.

The moment the creature stepped out of the shadow between the trees, I put down my knife. “Haaaa, it was just you huh…” breathing out a relieving sigh, I sat myself on the boulder again as I looked at this creature. Its muscled legs could be seen beneath the white fur as it moves. The white deer approached me slowly. No matter how I looked at it, I just could not feel any fear of being suddenly attacked by this deer even though I have been killed twice by that bastard jaguar. This magnificent white coloured fur reminded me of the white transparent stone beneath the water stream.

It stopped just in front of me and lowered its head. I was surprised of what it was doing when suddenly the flowers on its antler swells into a sphere and falls off to the ground. There were at least eight of the swelled up flowers in front of me and the sweet fragrance itself was enough to make my stomach growled again.

The deer nod again, pointing towards the swelled up flowers as if signalling me to have my fill on them. I took one of the swelled flower and smelled it. The sweet fragrance smell was invigorating, my mouths were eager to have a taste on this delicacy for the first time as it spurts out saliva. The deer looked intently at me, waiting for me take a bite. Feeling a bit embarrassed of being watched, I took a small bit of the swollen part of the flower.

“Wahhh!” I shouted as the burst of flavour attacked my taste buds. The balance between the sweet and sour throws away the fatigue that I had stored in my body and gave me a soothing calming effect just as how the stream water had done to my body previously. ‘Could it possibly be that this deer have any correlation with the water stream with its pure white stone?’ I thought as I munched of the flower, or should I say fruit. This taste, I have fever tasted any fruit like this before in my life. This was definitely something new.

As I started munching off the second fruit, the walked to the water stream and drink it slowly. This view was definitely magnificent. If I had a camera, I would take this picture and hang it on the wall. The combination of the white deer and the glass-like rock beneath the stream was definitely a feast to the eye. Even looking at this scenery was enough to gave me a wonderful feeling in my heart.

After taking a few sip, the deer turned to look at me again before walking off into the forest again. I managed to give the deer a thankful nod for the food it gave me. Without realizing it, I had already finished eating another two of the fruits that the deer gave me. I was already full with just eating four of those fruits. I wrapped the remaining of the fruits using large leaves and stored it in my shelter.

Looking at the sky, it probably was already around 5 in the evening. Shadows were already casted in the forest floor as the sun shifter towards the horizon. Blue flowers can be seen glowing dimly over the casted shadows and the flowers around the tree roots closed their petals.

I used the remaining time to make another weapon before the forest gets totally dark. I ended up making one stone spear head for around an hour. Looking at the stones that I have collected, they were glowing dimly. As I looked towards the water stream, the transparent stone beneath were also glowing. Even as the forest enters into darkness, it was still beautiful. As far as my eyes can see, there will always be something glowing, rocks, plants, and even some small animals were glowing.

Looking at the sky, it was already painted in violet with a tinge of red from the setting sun. It was time for me hide in my shelter. I plucked off a glowing blue flower as I entered my shelter and closed the entrance.

Laying down with the leaves-covered ground. I examined the blue glowing flower. ‘To make it simple, I’ll call it blue glower now.’ I remembered in my previous dream, the jaguar strikes my hand and also hit this flower. The flower was ripped apart along with my hand.

‘The jaguar was acting weird when this blue glower burst its spores. It even staggered a little when…’ as I thought to myself I played around with the blue glower and accidently pulled its petal. The blue glower suddenly burst out its golden glowing spore. ‘Ugh, shit I breathed it in… wait…’ as I accidently breathed in the glowing spore, my head suddenly feel drowsy. “…this is… sleeping… powder…” I mumbled as fell into a deep sleep

*****

I woke up, in an unfamiliar ceiling. As I looked to my right, sensei was looking at my face with watery eyes.

“Yuu! You’re awake!” she shouted as she hugged me tight. I could feel something soft on my face as she pressed my head on her chest. “Nu.. Nurse! He’s awake!” she shouted.

‘I survived in my dream but I’m confused what is happening now.’