The Lost Memories

Chapter Three

THE DREAM

I woke up gasping for air.

So, it was just a dream. Nothing really happened.

I looked around. There was a familiar atmosphere in this room. The warm sunshine spreaded on the bed that I was on, the dusty old wooden bookshelf which handmade by my grandfather; the desk which carried all my school books; my chair which was wearing my yellow t-shirt and the wardrobe which all my clothes were kept in. I was home.

The sound of the squeaking floor board echoed through the silent, narrow hallway. The wooden door slammed shut with a loud bang behind me. I walked down the stairs and a woman, with long, dark brown wavy hair, which was tied up into a bun, baking in the kitchen. She stood patiently in front of the oven, reading a book.

The delicious smell of chocolate cake diffused through the air and entered my nostrils. I was immediately brought into a fantasy world of cake, as if I just tasted the sweet chocolate melting in my mouth. I looked at the old clock and wander,

Why is my mum baking in the morning?

'Good morning son,' said my mum.

Before I could say anything, there was another boy with short, dark brown sitting on my usual chair. He looked exactly like me. His sky blue eyes looked eager to eat the cake. Fire rose within me. 

'You see, Owen.' my mum looked at me. Her deep brown eyes just stared into my soul. 'I found a replacement after you left. You see, he is much more intelligent, much more disciplined, much more...' She paused for a moment. I didn't realized her face was in front of mine. She spit her last word out. 'Better.'

I fell backwards. No. Impossible. This is all a lie. I must be dreaming. When I wake up, everything will be back to normal. 

I closed my eyes and took deep breathes. In. Out. In. Out. I opened my eyes and nothing changed. 

My entire head went spinning and everything in my head became a mess. Before I could collapsed, a voice echoed throughout the entire kitchen. 

Use the Dream Blade. Imagine yourself holding the blade that I used, and stab the Nightmare.

I was the girl that I just met.

I closed my eyes and focus. I imagine the same glowing blade that the girl was using earlier. My hand felt heavy. I felt something rough slipping off my wet palms. I opened my eyes and saw a golden blade, carved with the words 'Let your mind be free, let your dreams be happy'.

The Dream Blade.

The question is, where's the Nightmare? I guessed the Nightmare was something that scared me most. 

No. It can't be. It's my mum.

Get your crap right. She is not your mum. She is a nightmare, morphed into the shape of your mum. Slay it and you can see it;s true form. Only Nightmares get effected by the blade. 

There it is again! How does she know what am I thinking? I raised the blade and charged towards my 'mum'. 

Nothing happened. The blade just went through her like she is just a projection or something. 

'Looking for me?' said the boy which looked like me. He had a grin on his face. 'Glad you enjoyed the little scene I pulled up.' His voice sounded just like mine.

'WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY MUM?!' I hold my blade so tight that my bones or the handle will break. 

'You see, everything here is an illusion. I'm the Nightmare. I... how do you say? Ah yes. Destroy the dreams of others and collect the fear which was produced by the Sleeper itself.' He came nearer to me and grabbed me by the neck.

'I find your fear and dreams fascinating,' he choked my neck single handed. His human hand turned into long wrinkled fingers felt cold and real. 'I only can kill my victim in their dreams.' 

The blade felt warm in my palms. I try to raise it but it was difficult. I couldn't breathe. Something within me gave me hope. I felt like I can do anything, even fly.

'Any last words?' He looked at me with  its soulless black eyes. I slashed its body with the blade. 

'Argh!!!!' He dropped me and held his waist in agony. I ran. I saw its true form. He no longer look like me or human. He was basically gas like. His face looked creepy, his long pale face which was covered with wrinkles like tree bark and soulless black eyes which grew by his cheeks. His nose is sticking out like a twig. His entire face was constantly moving, swirling around. He doesn't have any legs. He wore a purple torn dress.

'You little bastard!' He tried his best to move but every step he takes, his body turned to gas, bit by bit. 

Before he could kill me or anything, I ran towards the door. No matter how hard I bang it with my fist or kick it, it was locked tight. 

'There is no such thing of escaping. How can you over come fear if you try to escape. I know what you fear, boy.' 

He turned into a large boy with black hair and dark eyes. His nose was large. Ryan. He turned into Ryan. 

'Look. Isn't that stick boy opening the door? Looks like he is too weak to do so.' He laughed as he grabbed me my the neck. Again, I tried to slash him. It wasn't easy when he was twice my size. Instead I tried to chop off his hands. Every time I tried to move, he squeezed tighter. He looked effortless. What am I thinking? I'm like a grape to him. 

I felt like giving up, but something within me gave me strength. I used my last energy source to lift the blade and slash his lower body. I closed my eyes to do it. The next thing I know I was droped on the floor like a rag doll. 

I got up immediately. The Nightmare was howling in pain as he clenched the part that I blindly slash.  He was breathing heavily. There will always a weak spot. I only have less than a nano second to think. 

I saw something beating in his body. A heart. That must be it! I immediately strike his heart. He kept blocking my strikes. Sadly (more like Thank God!), his entire arm was vanishing. I took the opportunity and slice the Nightmare through his heart. It was tough and it is like slicing meat. 

As I pulled the blade out slowly, it felt easy and the blade was pulled out in a split second. I looked a the end on the sharp blade and saw nothing but purple gas going through the ceiling. As the last particle left the room, the scenario changed. I was floating in darkness. I couldn't move. I was just floating freely.