What is this nightmare that has befuddled me? Its secrets lurk in a forgotten language, a wicked tongue that twists my mind and haunts my dreams. I try to resist its power, but it refuses to be tamed.
These dreams haunt me relentlessly, their obscure memories refusing to be forgotten. Every night I endure vivid images of Chucks, the wise man from Africa, whispering foreign words that seep into my brain like poison—"Erim Afoo" His voice echoes in my head with cruel persistence, demanding that I heed his advice and embrace the flood of memories that he insists will clarify my chaos. Unable to resist his urging any longer, I reached out to the Chat Generative Preprogrammed Transformer AI bot for insight, but all it can tell me is that the language I hear in my nightmares is an extinct tongue once spoken in Nigeria—a harsh reminder of a bloody war that wiped out countless lives. Desperate to unravel this mystery, I must seek out Chucks and finally understand why these malevolent dreams continue to plague me, thought Dave as the eerie quiet of the night made his skin crawl. It was 4 a.m., and he had been wide awake since 3 a.m., unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong. The fear from his nightmares still clung to him like a heavy blanket, which wouldn't budge even after hours of tossing and turning. Taking a deep breath, he threw off the covers and stepped out of bed, being careful not to wake his parents. He trudged slowly towards the bathroom, his feet dragging against the cold wooden floor. Once inside, he turned on the shower and let the steam fill the room as hot water cascaded down his body. With each wave of warmth, Dave felt himself relax a bit more, until all traces of fear eventually disappeared. Dressed for school in blue denim jeans, a black t-shirt bearing an ancient Egyptian pyramid logo, and a pair of sneakers, Dave hopped onto his hoverboard and sped away towards the university's virtual reality library. His house was only 15 minutes away, so it wasn't long before he arrived at his destination.
Resolute in taking full advantage of the extra time before his classes, Dave swiped his student card at the virtual reality library door to gain access and began his study session without interruption.
After studying for three hours in peace, his stomach grumbling to remind him of breakfast, he left the virtual library and headed straight for one of the university's many cafes. His regular order was Mexican tacos and a hot drink, as he barely eats at home since enrolling. He had just taken a bite when Tunde, one of his schoolmates and someone he usually tried to avoid, slapped him on the back. Looking behind him, he saw Nora and Jessica smiling at him, which forced him to smile back even though Tunde was grinning from ear to ear with a smug look on his face, saying, "You're a really tough man, never complaining."
He flashed his knuckles at Tunde in a warning not to push any further, eliciting a hearty laugh from him before he walked away to get his meal. The others followed behind to join Dave at the same table, and Steven, one of Dave's close friends, soon joined them after finishing his breakfast. Eventually, everyone had to leave for class. All day long at school, Dave seemed preoccupied and distant, something that wasn't lost on Shen, his self-proclaimed best friend, who asked if he was all right, stating that he was giving off a wired vibe as one about to go through some metamorphosis.
Dave told them he was all right and that Shen was the one who seemed wired and on the brink of a transformation, which both of them found funny. As they left the classroom together, Dave and Shen discussed plans for the weekend since it was Friday.
Dave got home shortly afterwards, feeling rather exhausted given the fact that he had inadequate sleep and his subconscious was full of thoughts from his dreams. He changed into his favorite blue t-shirt, took a shower, and decided to watch some TV in order to relax.
After an hour or so, however, he realized that it wasn't really helping him de-stress, and he found himself getting more anxious by the minute. He decided to call up Shen and ask if they could meet up for a late-night jam session at their usual spot near the riverbank. Shen agreed, and soon enough, both were making their way there in the dark of the night.
As they reached the spot, Dave was finally able to take a breather as he experienced a sense of calmness coming over him. He grabbed his guitar and started strumming while Shen joined with his drums, and together they spent a few hours playing music that energized them both until late in the night. As they talked about their day, Dave finally shared with him all the worries that had been weighing him down throughout the day which he patiently listened to before offering comfort and support through his words of encouragement explaining to him that dreams appear to assist in memory formation, integration, problem-solving and consolidation of ideas both about ourselves and the world, he says, adding that neuroscientists have discovered that dreams help with information processing and mood regulation, too and that despite human advancement in science all we know is about what happens physiologically when people dream and that there is still much to study about what happens psychologically.
Feeling lighter and more upbeat than ever, they said goodbye to each other with promises of meeting up at school again on Monday morning. As Dave went back home with renewed energy levels, he couldn't help but feel thankful for having such an understanding friend like Shen, who always had his back no matter what.
Dave got home and greeted his parents before joining them in the living room. He asked about their day and caught up with their conversations for a while. Afterwards, he went to his bedroom to find his younger sister already there, eagerly awaiting to hear about his day. With a smile on his face, Dave began to tell her all the exciting things that he had learned in school, along with the stories of what he did after school with Shen.
His sister listened attentively, as she was amazed by how mature and wise Dave seemed in dealing with all kinds of situations life threw at him. After Dave had finished telling her everything, she gave him a hug and thanked him for taking the time to share it with her.
Before getting ready for bed, Dave took a few moments to reflect on everything that had happened from the start of the day until now. He felt grateful for having so many amazing people around him who continuously inspired him to push towards greatness each day. With these positive thoughts in mind, he tucked himself into bed and drifted off into a peaceful sleep full of dreams that provided insight into the depths of his subconscious mind.
Dave found himself in a hut, the like of which he had only read about in the history books, made from mud clay and reinforced with raffia palm fronds. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of it.
Dave stood before a hut of raffia palm leaves and a clay-thatched roof. The smell of animal dung surrounded his nostrils. The mud beneath his feet was warm. Steve's wife was in front of the hut, weaving thatch from palm leaves.
As Dave walked along the huts, he noticed a group of children playing in the distance. They were naked aside from grass skirts, which they were clearly enjoying. They were splashing around in a mud puddle, and it was a jovial scene.
Dave was so captivated by the scene that he almost missed an elderly lady beckoning him to come inside her hut. He started to enter, feeling a little apprehensive about the unknown. Inside the hut, the lady invited him to sit down, and Dave obliged.
She asked Dave about his life, and he told her everything: his family, his friends, his troubles, and his triumphs. She listened with intent and compassion, offering her wisdom throughout as she peppered him with questions. Her words of wisdom settled deep in Dave's heart as he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
The elderly woman shared stories of her life in the village, which were both fascinating and heartbreaking. One story in particular, that of a child drowned in the village river, made Dave realize how precious life was and how unpredictable it could be at times.
At the end of their conversation, the elderly woman smiled warmly at Dave and produced a necklace from her bag. She said, "This is Orla. It is an ancient necklace of my people, with symbols that signify light and knowledge. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or lost in life's hardships, this necklace will help guide you on the right path."
Dave felt touched by her kind gesture and thanked her profusely. He put the necklace around his neck with gratitude.
As he was about to leave, the elderly woman gave one last piece of advice: "Remember that if you want to achieve your dreams, you must never give up, no matter how hard it gets. Stay strong and keep believing in yourself; that is what will get you through any challenge."
Dave left feeling deeply inspired and even more motivated to pursue his ambitions after such an enlightening experience. He vowed to stay true to himself and never forget the lessons he learned from the wise elderly woman. With a newfound sense of courage, Dave set off home once again with Orla around his neck as a reminder of strength and perseverance.
On his journey back, he thought of her words and how they resonated with him on such a deep level; she had reminded him that nothing is ever certain in life, but what really matters are our connections with other people who enrich our lives through their presence alone. This was something that he would never forget, even after many years had passed.
As Dave was walking through a bush path on his way home in his dream, he encountered a man in his mid-30s who walked alongside him without saying a word. This intrigued Dave as he thought about why the man, who had acknowledged his greeting, failed to say anything else, but the man soon responded, as though reading his thought, and touched Dave by the shoulder. His hands were cold to the touch, dry and rough. His skin was leathery, and his bones protruded from his hands and face.
His breath is cool and crisp, like a winter's morning.
He had a warm, gentle hand with long fingers, and his body felt like a totem pole, strong but flexible.
And then he spoke with a voice that was soft and gentle; he spoke with wisdom and kindness. He said, "I am Igwe-ka-Ala, master sorcerer; hear me and obey my words; be warned, for death will come to one who does not respect my name."
His voice is strong and powerful, like a single clap of thunder.
He said his name without pride, and it echoed like a warning in a deep cave. His cologne carries the scent of fresh earth, like a tiger's fur, and he smells of herbs and spices at the same time.
Dave was awed at the very presence of the man and was instantly whisked away to a place the man simply called a construct. The construct was in the form of a forest, something Dave had never seen before. He could feel its power emanating from every corner of this realm, and it filled him with an intense sense of awe. Igwe-ka-Ala proceeded to tell Dave that this construct would serve as his home, a place for him to explore and find himself in, telling Dave that this was his cocoon. He explained that there were many different paths one could take, each one leading to something new and wonderful. Alongside these paths were magical creatures and fantastical creatures, unlike anything Dave had ever seen before.
The sorcerer also explained that within this realm he would learn more about himself as well as gain knowledge about life and its mysteries. Igwe-ka-Ala left Dave alone in his new home, telling him to explore all that he found but to always keep safe and be aware of his surroundings at all times.
Dave spent his days exploring the various paths within the construct, continually finding new things along each route he took. He first encountered sprites, and while wondering what they were, he heard one of them speak out to him, saying, "Ah, greetings, unsuspecting traveler! Caught in the enchantment of our woodland hideaway, have you? This forest is a tapestry of delights, a canvas of mischief painted with the sparkle of leaves and the dance of the wind. We sprites—oh, we're the trick stars of this realm! Don't be surprised if you find your path tangled or your hat adorned with a leafy crown. It's all in good fun, you see!" He was immediately in alert mode, hearing that these were trick stars. With heightened breaths and eyes dashing everywhere, he cautiously answered, Hello, I am Dave, and I was brought here by Igwe-ka-ala. On hearing the name mentioned by Dave, the sprites quickly huddled up together, chattering in tongues that Dave could not make any sense of, for they seemed to be talking in muffled voices. After a short while, one of the sprite's spoke up and said to Dave, You are no fun at all. We never asked how you got here, nor did we ask who it was that brought you here. Why did you have to tell us? Now we cannot claim ignorance and are unable to mess with you. What a killjoy! Then an old-looking sprite chimed in and said, "Don't think it is all good that we cannot mess with you because you have lost an opportunity, as sometimes our messing with someone can lead to their advantage and growth, as our taunts can instill both wisdom and folly depending on the individual's understanding of himself.
Dave was glad to be left alone by the rambunctious sprites, and he cautiously exited that path to yet another that seemed quiet and filled with huge trees towering several hundreds of meters tall and mountains with peaks piercing through the skies and their peaks that could not be seen. Here he encountered dragons and serpents way different from what he was familiar with; they had conversations with him about life's complexities and secrets. It was here that he learned what man is, and to his surprise, he also found out more about Orla, how she was connected to this world, and why she had been gifted to him by Igwe-ka-Ala himself.
Through exploration, Dave learned more about himself too—how his previous experiences molded him into who he is today while deepening his appreciation for life's unique beauty along the way. By learning lessons from both creatures and people alike, he built upon what he already knew, which aided him on his journey of self-discovery.
After what seemed like years of exploring within this realm, Igwe-ka-Ala reappeared on the edge of an open field, during which time Dave was reflecting on all he had learned since being brought to the construct.
Dave was startled from his reverie by the sound of a voice calling out to him. He looked up to see Igwe-ka-Ala standing in front of him, smiling in greeting. Realizing it was almost noon, Dave quickly stood up to apologize for dozing off so long and explain why he had been taken into this world.
The sorcerer smiled and nodded in understanding, explaining that he had known that Dave would eventually find his way to the construct and that it was meant to be. He expressed that this realm offered infinite possibilities and knowledge to those who sought them out, just as Dave had done during his time here.
Igwe-ka-Ala also shared with Dave a special gift that would help him on his journey: a magical bracelet that would grant him access to the many secrets hidden within the construct whenever he needed it. With these words, the sorcerer turned away and disappeared back into the ether, leaving Dave alone with his newfound knowledge and dawning realization of what this world could offer him.
Just then, Dave heard a voice from outside the construct—his sister's voice coming from what seemed to be a faraway place—demanding he wake up immediately or she'd be upset with him for sleeping through lunchtime again. With a heavy heart, Dave knew he must return home now, but not before taking one last look at his newfound home with an appreciation for all its secrets waiting for discovery.