"Wake up, sleepyhead!" His mother's voice, gentle and laced with affection, filtered through his sleep-induced haze. With a start, he opened his eyes, blinking against the sudden brightness of the room. A bump on his head and a sheen of cold sweat on his forehead sent shivers down his spine as he groaned, "Ow!"
His mother's warm smile greeted him, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ha! Maa yo... you're okay? Woah, thank God," he stammered, relief washing over him as he sat up in bed.
"Yeah, yeah, you lazy bum. Just keep sleeping and dreaming. Do you have any idea what time it is?" His sister's voice, laced with exasperation, cut through the air like a sharp knife.
His mother's gentle touch on his shoulder calmed his racing heart. "Don't mind your sister. She's just trying to get you moving," she said with a chuckle.
"Dreaming again, bro? Get ready, or else don't blame me for you getting late," his sister added, her voice dripping with mock menace.
His sister's sharp tone jolted him back to reality. He was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding like a drum against his ribs. It was just another normal day, or so he thought, until the same dream haunted him for the seventh consecutive night.
The dream was always the same – a dark, hazy forest, an eerie silence broken only by the rustling of leaves underfoot, and a looming figure in the distance, its face obscured by shadows. The figure would approach, its presence growing more menacing with each step, until fear would grip him, causing him to wake up with a jolt.
He had no idea why this dream persisted, what it meant, or what it was trying to tell him. But a nagging suspicion lurked in his mind, a suspicion that this recurring nightmare was somehow connected to the accident that had left him with a lingering sense of unease and a label he despised – 'retard'.
His dreams were a blur of hazy images and fleeting sensations, leaving him with an unsettling feeling of dread upon waking. The same voice echoed in his mind, a haunting whisper that sent chills down his spine, "You are going to be there. You are cruel."
These recurring nightmares had plagued him for weeks, leaving him feeling unsettled and disconnected from reality. The voice's words were like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over his thoughts. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something sinister was lurking beneath the surface of his dreams, something that was trying to tell him something.
The accident had changed him, leaving him with physical and emotional scars. This hung over him like a heavy cloak, a constant reminder of his perceived limitations. He felt isolated, misunderstood, and trapped in a world that didn't seem to understand him.
As the days turned into weeks, the dreams intensified, their hold on him growing stronger. The voice grew louder, its words more menacing. He felt a sense of inevitability, a growing fear that the dream was not just a figment of his imagination, but a glimpse into a dark reality that awaited him.
He felt like a burden, a disappointment to those around him. The voice's words seemed to confirm his deepest fears, labeling him as cruel and heartless.
One night, the dream took a terrifying turn. The hazy forest transformed into a desolate wasteland, the eerie silence shattered by the sound of howling winds. The looming figure emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. It pointed a bony finger at him, its voice echoing in his mind, "You are the one who is cruel. You are the one who will bring this world to ruin."
He awoke with a gasp, his heart pounding in his chest. The dream's vivid imagery remained etched in his mind, its words echoing in his ears. He felt a sense of impending doom, a conviction that the dream was a prophecy, a warning of something terrible that was about to happen.
The weight of the dream pressed down on him, threatening to crush his spirit. He felt helpless, trapped in a cycle of fear and despair. But then, a spark of defiance ignited within him. He refused to let the dream define him. He refused to let the voice control him.
He would face his fears, delve into the depths of his dreams, and uncover the truth behind the haunting voice. He would not be a victim of his circumstances.