You were never supposed to come here.
These are the last words I can remember before I woke up in a dark corridor.
Confused and fearful, I try to stand up, my body hurting. As I support myself, leaning against the wall, I feel smooth and cold marble touching my body. My eyes slowly wander around, spotting countless torches lining along the corridor, burning with a ghostly white flame. My mind racing, unable to remember anything, I look at the spot where I woke up—on a red stone plate. It was rough, yet it emitted a warm feeling. Behind it, a wall—a dead end.
I slowly sit down on the red plate after making sure there is no direct danger, the adrenaline slowly wearing off, and the comforting warmth lulling me back into a deep sleep.
As I open my eyes, I am sitting under a tree in a golden cornfield, with a beautiful sunset and an orange sky.
A meow comes from the tree. As I look up, there is an elegant cat, her fur as black as the night itself. Our eyes meet. She jumps down and approaches me with confidence, nestling against my hand, purring as if we've done this countless times before.
I wanted to open my mouth and speak, just to notice that my voice is missing. I start to panic, unable to understand why the cat holds in and looks at me.
"Don't worry, Lou, one day you will understand."
As soon as she finished this sentence and I could process that the cat spoke to me, the dream started to shatter. The sky turned dark red, and the sunset got replaced with a dark red moon. The cornfield started to catch fire that slowly burned everything that got into its way. Soul-shattering screams came from the distance. The tree behind me got replaced by a grave.
A shiver went down my spine. It all happened in an instant. Before I could process, the screams came dangerously close. How can they be so fast?
I turned around, and to my shock, I looked at eyes full of hatred glaring deep into my soul. The creature jumps back and growls. The soul-crushing screams came from its void-like skin. It feels hypnotic to look at. I feel drawn to it, even though it sounds like souls being burned alive.
Before I noticed, it attacked—time slowed down, but I couldn't react. My head was gone.
i woke up covered in sweat, putting my hands around my neck to check if my head is still on my shoulders. Slowly standing up from the stone plate, which is not feeling as warm and welcoming as it did before, I start to slowly walk down the corridor and wonder if the dream was just a nightmare. I started to leave the first place with nothing but empty hands and a new name on this new world behind me.
After what felt like hours, the corridor finally came to an end. Still feeling weak, I limp through a gate that leads to freedom.
The view was stunning. The whole landscape is covered with green grass, not a single tree blocking the view, and a bright sun at the horizon. A light spring breeze is covering my body.
I turn around to see where I came out from. To my surprise, it was a grass hill that had the form of a cylinder so big it didn't even fit into my view. I looked up, and it seemed to not have an end.
Still fascinated, I turn around and slowly start to limp towards the sun on the horizon, not knowing where it might lead me.
All I got now is a name. Even if it was only a meaningless dream, it was deep-rooted into my brain.
Lou. I am Lou.