Illusion and Reality

Fine the truth

It was one normal bright and beautiful day, just like I remembered. 

I could see a teenager Lily and Samara were laughing at something, sitting on the ground. It was a sunny day, which meant a picnic with Lily’s family.

I smiled looking at them, Lily whispered something in my ear to which I responded with a laugh.

“Girls, eat something,” Lily’s mother said with a smile.

“We will go and take a look around,” replied Lily.

“Be careful,” her mother said, shaking her head with a smile.

She stood up and dragged 16 years old me with her. We went inside the maze,

I followed behind, confused about what was happening and curious about what will happen.

When I entered inside, no one was there. It was completely empty, tall grass everywhere, that’s not how it was.

I turned around to walk outside but behind me was nothing just tall grasses with narrow paths in between.

I took a random path and started walking inside, trying my best not to be scared.

I stopped immediately when I heard some giggles, “hello? Is anyone there?” I called, in hope of meeting someone here and asking for a way outside.

There was no reply.

With a sigh, I continued walking.

I turned around quickly when I felt someone walking behind me, but no one was there. Taking a deep breath I turned to continue walking when I saw something dark purple figure walking behind the grass.

I ran after the shadow, “Stop! Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

As expected there was no reply.

Slightly scared, I removed the grass with my hands to reveal the other side. Someone was standing there, wearing a purple cloak that covered the face of that person.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“It is not important, my dear,” she replied in her soft angelic voice.

“You are the same person who saved me from the birds in my nightmares.”

She took a few steps, touching the grass softly with her long fingers, flowers bloomed wherever she touched, “You are asking the wrong questions. Saving someone is not my hand.”

I stared at her confused by her words.

“Why am I here?”

“Because it is the time to reveal the truth,” she replied, her voice confident yet sweet. She had that kind of voice that could make you do anything she wanted.

“What truth? Are you going to talk in riddles or give me an actual answer?”

She laughed slightly, “Did you wonder why you never got a nightmare when you were in the dark forest?”

“How do you…?” I could not complete the sentence because of the surprise I felt as she said that.

“I know a lot of things, I have seen a lot of things. It is ironic I have to wait and watch people suffer the consequences of someone else’s mistakes.”

I followed her as she continued walking, the grasses cleared her path as she walked in her long cloak. I looked at everything, amazed yet speechless.

“Why do you keep visiting me in my dreams?”

“Because you are not trying to find the reality, you are always trying to catch the smoke with hands,” she replied, making me more confused than I was before.

“I am sorry for being stuck in an unknown place with weird nightmares and creepy people visiting my dreams.”

She replied with a laugh.

“Did you try to find the people you were seeing in your nightmares? Or did you try to find anything about your nightmares at all?” she asked.

“I…”

“You have to solve the problems to get an answer, do not expect someone to save you every time you find yourself in trouble.”

I looked at the cloaked woman silently, feeling anger brewing inside me.

“I don’t stand a chance against these magical creatures and how can I fight in my dreams? It is not even real.”

“Magic is powerful but using the brain can do wonders,” I could imagine her smirking under that cloak.

“Either you help me or send me back, I am done with your games,” I folded my arms.

She stopped walking and turned to face me.

Slowly she walked in my direction, I put on a bold face and did not move from my spot. 

She stopped right in front of me, “Find the truth.”

"What truth? You have to answer me!"

She turned around and started walking.

"Stop! Don't leave me here, say something."

She did not stop, as she walked the grass-covered the whole area making it harder for me to run behind her.

Grasses around me started growing abnormally, covering every inch of ground. They started getting taller, and that's when I screamed.