It didn’t occur to me to go over the note she sent since we already agreed on what we were going to do. Later that night, after I had tucked the note in my jacket to be delivered on the morrow and to expect a quick response in form of a golden opportunity, I went to bed.
That night, I had a dream.
I was in a room all alone. It was a square room, full of lights so bright is was almost blinding. In the middle of the room was a table, empty save for two envelopes, both addressed to me. Behind me was a closed door and before me was a high window that opened skyward; I could see the expanse of the blue sky and a white cloud the size of a fist—almost invisible.
It occurred to me I was expected to do something, but what, I didn’t know. I could open the letters—perhaps there was instruction in one of them…but for some reason, I felt compelled to leave the letters untouched. I walked towards the wall to my right and on the floor was a small golden key which I had no doubt would fit the lock on the door. But still, I felt compelled to leave the key untouched.
I walked towards the wall to my left and saw a light switch. By now the brightness of the light was beginning to hurt my eyes, so I flipped the switch and off went the light. After a moment of nothing but darkness, my eyes began to grow accustomed to the darkness and I saw on the floor, a glowing arrow in green, leading forward. As I stepped on an arrow, another came to life ahead. I began to follow slowly. Then something on the wall caught my eyes. I left the path and approached the wall to my left, the side where the high window was. On the wall was a writing in green, dimly glowing. It said: “Look inward, not outward, to find a way.”
To the right of that was another glowing writing: “Beware of blind optimism; for you see what is not,” it said.
As I pondered on what that might mean, I heard a faint sound. It was the sound of a distant crashing wave, and then it was gone just as quickly as it came, to be replaced by an uproar. I listened intently and in the midst of the uproar, I heard the sound of drums and music and singing; it was pleasant to my ear, so I paused and enjoyed it for a moment. Then it too was gone, and I was left with an utter silence once again.
On the adjacent wall, another writing began to glow, so I approached. As I reached it, I felt the cold golden key under my foot. This writing read: “Time lost is lost for all time.”
Other writings glowed after that but I could not read them for they were in an unknown language, so I went back to the path, but it was gone.
Retracing my step, I found my way back to the light switch and was about to flip it when I saw another writing close to it that said: “know where you are, but more importantly, know who you are.”
It then occurred to me that I hadn’t looked upon myself since I awoke in this strange room, so I flipped the switch and on came the blinding lights. As I looked upon myself, lo! I was naked, and on my right arm, sewn into my skin was a writing: “You are the light, you are the darkness; but above all, you are your choice.”
I looked around the room, the table was still there with the two envelopes. I approached and picked one—the one to my left, for now, I know what I must do. I went ahead and picked up the golden key. On the key was an inscription: “Dreamer”. When I opened the envelope, as I thought, it was empty. I placed the key in the envelope and sealed it, went to the door and slid the envelope out through the small space underneath the door.
I heard a ruffling on the other side and then the sound of the key in the lock. As the door began to open, I closed my eyes in the square room—and opened them in my room, on my bed.
On my night table was the other envelope I had left in the room of lights. I opened it and found inside a note that simply read: “Freedom.”
