reasons to live in your dreams

1| entering the maze

-

If I were to pinpoint a moment in my life that made it turn the other way, I would have a maze of mistakes and memories. It would consist of turns that led to dead ends, turns that appeared promising, turns that interconnected. Alleyways built with bricks held together by the cement of my attachment, walls that were adorned with the paintings of life. Each unique, emotionally and physically.

Essentially, our minds are all mazes. Nerves that interlace between muscles that contract. 

Somewhere in the pathway of my mind is you.

Blocking each thought, living in my dreams.

- me.

"DUCK!" Roars of waves crash upon our boat as we hide, snuggled, behind the ginormous tin containers. 

"WATCH OUT!" I hear from my left.

"GET DOWN!" I hear from my right.

Chaos ensues all around me like a kitten chasing after yarn. It left traces of havoc with no intention of cleaning up its mess, only focusing on the momentary high. 

Water droplets plummet from the sky as we battle the storm and fight off the raging ocean. Masses of cobalt drown our ship as we squirm for air. Bullets of rain open fire upon us while we use our arms as a futile shield, a pure demonstration of our desperation.

I gasp for air in between the crashing waves. "EAST!" I turn my body against the almost vertical ship to search for my brother. However with the thunderstorm blinding my vision, only a plain sheet of white appears. I hastily hold onto the railings of ship as it begins to lean forwards. Much like on a rollercoaster, we are spun and tossed like rag dolls except there was less fun and more fear. 

A high shriek escapes me as the boat leans forwards once more, almost tipping over. I watched the ship's bow submerge into the water. The clanking of tin against tin somehow resonates through the storm yet I was still turning my head to search for my family. 

The storm continues until 10 minutes later. 

"East! Where are you?" I call out whilst wringing the seawater from my shirt. 

Walking to the forecastle of the ship, I spot him sitting breathlessly against the railing. 

"A little warning would've been nice." He says, exasperated as he empties his shoes of water. "Nature gives warnings, you're just not smart enough to notice them." I quickly reply, dodging a flying shoe afterwards.

"Rude." I snicker. He makes a face back at me.

It was moments like this that made me want to rip out his hair yet it was only the two of us so somehow I felt the need to treasure them more than fight him back. Our parents stay on the other side of the ocean, where the winters saw no sun and the summers saw no night.

It was an extreme place. The weather was never warm nor cool, either hypothermia inducing or heatstroke causing. Rain is a foreign concept. The land on that side of the sea never meets any rains, our main water source being the deep waters that surround the continent. 

We are Karcinal. 

The land we are heading to is the opposite of Karcinal. It has abundances of rainforest and natural resources. While Karcinal indulges in technology, Oprhinea was known for its sceneries and agriculture. It blooms with colour and teems with energy. Very different from the cyberpunk aesthetic of Karcinal.

As a part of an agreement, Orphinea agreed to trade their supplies of agriculture with the highest scholars of Karcinal, that is the citizens who scored the most in the national test: mandatory for each citizen above the age of 18. However this agreement has prevented any wars and has been implemented for as long as the continents exist, it is the only way to ensure that both continents can survive.

"Off the ship!" One of the sailors hollers out as he appeared from behind one of the tin containers. "Hurry now we need to get our supplies." He impatiently swats us away.

East hops off, wet shoe still in hand. I grimace at his soaking arm colliding into me as he tried to put on his shoe. 

"Get off me." I spit in disgust.

"Watch me." He refutes. A glint of mischief shines in his eyes before aggressively shaking his head to propel wet droplets of whatever was in his hair towards me. Shielding myself, I let out an exasperated shout, soon immediately throwing hands his way. He responds by only splashing more water at me as I twist his ear between my fingers.

"Good morning, you are the scholars from Karcinal I suppose?" A sudden voice catches our attention as we both crane our necks to face it. 

A middle-aged woman stands in front of us, a confused smile lacing her face. I say confused yet I sense a subtle tinge of disgust laced between her red lips. 

Hastily flattening my hair with my palms, I flash a flustered smile her way.

"Good morning, I'm Sienna."

- 

Mazes tend to have one way in and another way out, or not. 

Some have traps while some don't.

I don't like solving puzzles, but maybe if I bulldoze through the walls and create a path to the exit...

...I can finally find a way to get you out of my mind.

-