These were the best days of his life, but he didn't stop there. Gradually, step by step, Kane began to fulfill his long-held dreams, the ones that had been born in his infancy. He had always dreamed of freedom and health—perhaps modest desires, but for him, it would be enough. He longed for these days never to end, and because of that, he initially resisted sleep, fearing that it might all just be an illusion. But later, he unconsciously drifted off to sleep and eventually overcame this fear. "Maybe this is why I suffered," Kane thought, savoring the sweet desserts he had only tasted once before. He pondered how he would spend this day with his friends.
Kane decided that today he would be a tracker. Soon, with ease, he jumped out of the second-story window and stealthily appeared on the street, where his friends were already waiting for him. He shared his idea, and he was immediately praised for such originality.
"Kane, why are you so smart? I would never have thought of that; I'm sure today will be a lot of fun!" one of his friends said excitedly.
Another girl, stuttering and clearly hesitant, added:
"We need to make sure everything is as safe as possible, please don't forget that."
Her best friend, knowing her anxious nature, hugged her around the shoulders and reassured her:
"Everything will be fine, believe me, this will be an interesting adventure!"
After finishing all the preparations, they set off to track animals. Discovering a fresh paw print in a puddle, they decided it was fox tracks and followed them, hoping to encounter the creature. But the longer they searched, the clearer it became that there wasn't a single fox around. Kane examined the tracks again and realized that it wasn't a fox at all but small animals living in the trees. Disappointed, they continued their search, and suddenly, they stumbled upon something that made Kane's heart skip a beat. Before him lay a track he immediately recognized. It was the print of that very wild and dangerous fox that had pursued him in the harsh reality. Suddenly, a rustle came from the bushes. Kane froze. A fox appeared in the clearing, but not just any fox—this was the very creature he had tried to escape. Its eyes glowed with malice, and its teeth gleamed in the dim light. It was a predatory shadow from his past, and it looked fiercer than ever.
A few days ago, Kane would have run without thinking, but now everything was different. Clenching his fists, he stood firm, not taking his eyes off the fox. The beast lunged forward, and Kane, momentarily flinching in fear, deftly dodged the first strike. The fox leaped again, its claws slashing through the air near his face. But Kane was no longer the same—he parried its attack with unexpected agility.
"Throw stones!" he shouted to his friends, never taking his eyes off the beast.
The fox snarled, its wild screech echoing around, but the children, caught up in the excitement, no longer saw in it the terror they once had. Stones flew one after another until finally, one hit its mark. The fox howled, but not as fiercely, and began to retreat, realizing it had been outplayed.
"After it!" Kane dashed forward, and his friends followed close behind.
The fox tried to escape, but the terrain was too difficult for it, and soon the children caught up with it. They surrounded the beast, and despite its desperate attempts to escape, threw the last stones. The fox fell to the ground, and the children, breathing heavily, froze, realizing that they had defeated not just a beast but also their fears.
When they returned to the village with their trophy, they were greeted as true heroes. Kane was especially praised—his courage and determination had inspired everyone.
His life began to resemble a fairy tale, but even the most fairy-tale-like stories have their end. Despite his young age, Kane had always been able to adapt to new surroundings. It seemed strange to him that he didn't feel any physical pain at all, even when, experimenting, he hit his head. Moreover, the people in this world never argued with him, always agreeing. This was the world Kane had always dreamed of. But even a child eventually begins to notice inconsistencies.
"Kane, my dear, is something wrong? You look thoughtful," his mother asked, noticing the changes in his mood.
Kane just slightly nodded and went outside. He decided to conduct an experiment he had long hesitated to try. Sitting on the grass, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus on the thought that this world wasn't real. In the next moment, he felt a strange effect: the world around him began to crumble. Frightened, Kane instantly pushed these thoughts out of his mind. He wasn't ready to leave this place and return to the cruel reality waiting for him there. "Why return to reality, even if this is just an illusion? It's too good here," he mused, slowly heading home. He understood that he had to make a choice, but this choice was incredibly difficult. Should he stay in this beautiful world even if it was an illusion, or return to harsh reality? He couldn't delay this decision, for his beautiful world would not continue to be as perfect as long as he hesitated to abandon the real world.
The essence of existence, perhaps, does not always lie in overcoming hardships but in finding and maintaining inner peace and harmony. If the illusory world offers this peace, is it any less valuable than the constant struggle with real conflicts? However, true harmony lies not in the absence of storms but in the ability to dance among the waves. Reality, with all its conflicts and challenges, offers not only a chance to find inner peace but also to gain a deep understanding of oneself while moving through life's storms.
Kane pondered this on a smaller scale, but his thoughts were full of doubt. Deep down, he would have preferred to find peace in the real world, but knowing what reality was like, he understood that this was practically impossible. Today, he had no appetite. Slowly sipping the remaining orange juice, he stared into space, unable to make a final decision. Returning after all these sufferings seemed foolish, but he also couldn't simply dismiss this thought.
Returning to his cozy room, Kane decided to gaze at the moon, just as he once did as a slave, clearing his mind of unnecessary thoughts. Its light was still as dazzling as before. As he enjoyed the sight, his mother quietly entered the room. She hugged him, praising what a wonderful son she had, and reminded him that it was time to sleep. Kane lay down in bed, and his mother gently covered him with a blanket and began to sing that same soothing song he remembered from the time when he was a slave. It was the most lulling song of his life. Kane looked at the fake mother with deep longing and hope, feeling his heart still in his chest. In his eyes flickered the last question he had long hesitated to ask, but now, realizing that the choice had to be made, he whispered:
"Mom, will you be next to me until I fall asleep?"
She nodded, smiled, and continued to sing, beautifully and gently.
Kane made his choice. Perhaps it wasn't the most correct or rational, but it was his choice, made after long doubts. Slowly closing his eyes, his body relaxed, and he immersed himself in the silence of the night, which brought long-awaited peace. The world around him grew increasingly misty until it finally dissolved into soft, cozy quiet. His illusory mother turned off the light and went to her room. And Kane slowly drifted into a sweet sleep, surrounded by the light and tranquility of this beautiful, illusory world.