The World of Dreams (Eng)

2 The Discovery

Luca found himself inside the train, in the same position where he had left that place, his eyes fixed on the first line of the manual. After approximately 5 seconds, Luca managed to move. First, he began to read the manual. It comprised almost 500 pages, but the crucial sections were the initial three chapters. Luca read them meticulously, gaining a deeper understanding of the enigmatic train. In essence, this train existed within everyone's dreams. At the core of each person's most significant dream, there was a train – or, to be more precise, the inception of this pivotal dream always featured a train.

Whenever this dream morphed into a forgotten memory, you would find yourself on this train. The train's purpose was to recover those lost memories, and there was but one way to retrieve them. The second seat was designated for inviting a fellow traveler you encountered on the train. The longer someone occupied your seat, the more a progress bar filled. Once this bar reached completion, you could recover your lost dream. To ensure everyone's comfort, there existed a kind of automatic translator, allowing each person to hear conversations in their own language. To entertain passengers, an array of board games was readily available. Passengers were not allowed to venture into other carriages in search of individuals; instead, a button was provided for requesting assistance of any kind. Luca discerned only this much from those initial three chapters. Initially, he pressed the button, and almost instantaneously, a remarkably beautiful girl arrived, almost Aphrodite-like in her appearance. Initially, she appeared human, but her near-robotic voice and slightly stiff movements led Luca to believe she might be programmed. The girl inquired with a politeness that seemed almost excessively human.

Girl: "How may I assist you?"

Luca was so embarrassed that he turned beet red. Noting his blushing and trembling, the girl adjusted her question.

Girl: "Are you feeling unwell? Should I summon a human doctor if needed?"

Luca felt even more self-conscious. It took him more than five seconds to muster the words to ask his question.

Luca: "I-I would like to know how to observe this (Bar) mentioned in the manual."

Girl: "You can't observe it. When it's complete, you'll simply arrive at your destination. Enjoy the journey."

Luca found himself even more bewildered. Destination? What destination? When? A flurry of questions assailed him, but one, in particular, lingered: "Will someone wake me up, or am I skipping school today?" Regardless of the answer, Luca yearned to comprehend more and wished to rediscover that lost memory. He wanted to begin exploring his carriage in search of individuals to invite to the seat next to him. He knew, however, that he would awaken shortly. Thus, he began to peruse the various board games to understand what was at his disposal. He encountered several well-known games and commenced examining them one by one. As Luca concluded his survey of the various board games, he heard a familiar voice – that of his mother, calling out:

Mother Luca: "WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

Luca looked to his mother before realizing that he had slept until 10 AM, having gone to bed at 1 AM. Luca contemplated, "Not even nine hours, yet in the dream, it felt like... I don't know. I remember every detail of the dream, but I can't determine whether it felt like two hours or ten. What's happening to me?" Meanwhile, his mother said:

Mother Luca: "Get ready for school; I believe it's for the best."

Luca grabbed his backpack and set off for school. He arrived at school promptly at 10:47, knocked on the classroom door, and was promptly granted entry with a "Come in!" Luca stepped into the classroom, casting an apologetic glance toward the teacher, who permitted his entrance. Luca expressed his gratitude to the teacher and made his way to his seat. Sofia, his new desk mate with medium-length brown hair and light eyes, inquired softly:

Sofia: "Did you have a good night's sleep? Hahah."

As Sofia conversed with him, Luca recalled that he had forgotten to pack his backpack the previous night. Now Luca felt like a zombie. Sofia noticed and inquired:

Sofia: "What's the matter?"

Luca: "I feel peculiar. I started dreaming about a memory train and no longer comprehend the distinction between reality and dreams. Yesterday, I began conducting research and forgot to pack my backpack. I'm so fatigued that I'm dozing off while seated at my desk. How do you think I feel? I don't think a response is necessary."

Sofia listened and decided to leave him in peace, realizing that any action on her part would only serve to exacerbate his frustration. Luca recognized her consideration and stated:

Luca: "Thank you for understanding, and I apologize..."

Sofia: "Don't worry; we all experience moments of confusion. But recover soon."

Sofia smiled at him and turned her attention back to the lesson. Luca, on the other hand, continued to grapple with questions until recess arrived, which felt like hell to him. He pondered, "During recess, they behave like animals, shouting, conversing with food in their mouths, and, above all, causing annoyance." Luca resolved to remain seated at his desk during that recess. While lost in thought, he failed to notice that it was already the sixth period. This was perplexing, as no one had posed any questions or directed interactions his way, making it a day of straightforward explanations. Luca limped home, exhaustion weighing him down. To be continued...