08/04/2023
Recurring Dream: The Unfinished Game
by Hide
I found myself on the fourth floor of the mall, bewildered as to how I ended up there. I had no recollection of how I got there, but what caught my attention was a purple carnival outside. As I was pondering this, I spotted Cai's little brother with his mom. He invited me to play with him, as he always did. But when I tried to leave the floor and head to the ground floor, I stumbled upon a mini room filled with cards and gambling chips, and I found myself stuck there. It felt strangely familiar, like déjà vu.
As I looked around, I noticed a TV next to the door. Two doors were accessible, and through the TV, I could see what lay behind them. The first door led to a kitchen with a bathroom and another locked room. Everything seemed normal in the kitchen. But the second door seemed to meld with the walls, giving me an uneasy feeling. I tried to find clues and make sense of the situation, desperately trying to remember why it all felt so familiar.
Then, suddenly, it struck me. I had been in this exact situation before. I had dreamt of this place, and I knew I was dreaming again. Remembering what had happened previously, I searched for something above the sofa and found a compartment with another remote. This was the remote I had used before to escape. I had to do it again. I pressed a button, hoping it was the right one, but I made a mistake.
I had only seconds to rectify it before the dream consumed me. Finally, I managed to escape with the others. As I stepped outside, I realized I was in a park. I bid farewell to the other dreamers and ventured on my own. But then, my memories came rushing back. These people were not done with their game. I had encountered this dream before, with different individuals. Humanoid monsters similar to me would chase and kill me. I found a gun, but when I tried to shoot them, it had no effect. I needed to go back and warn the others, but it was too late. Their clones were already attacking them.
I sought refuge in a nearby building, hiding from my look-alike who was closing in on me. Just as she was about to strike, I jolted awake. It was 4:50 am, and I had to prepare for school. But the lingering fear remained, knowing that this nightmarish dream would haunt me again. The game was not over, and I had to find a way to break free from its clutches.
