Forever

I have the same dream every night. For as long as I remember. In it I am travelling across a long corridor it goes on and on forever. It's walls bend and swirl, the movements feel a lot like being on a boat.



Despite there only being one way to go I feel as lost as ever. Every turn is different from the last. Yet, there is nothing to do but keep walking. So nothing's changed at all. That still makes sense. If you think about it.



After a while the sameness became comfortable. I stopped worrying and spent my dreams feeling the walls spin. Every night the same thing. But. Something new happened.



I heard a voice. It was loud, calm and playful. Yet it sounded distant. For the first time in forever I stopped walking. I don't know what to do.

> Yo waddup?

> Greet that voice, yo. Don't be rude.

> "Who's there?"

I feel the chance for doing something different slipping away quickly. If I don't act now who knows what may happen. I speak out. Well I don't actually speak, it feels more like my mouth is full of marbles. But my voice comes out just fine.



Should something have happened by now? Did I hesitate too long? Crushing anxiety washes over me, every second an eternity. What did I do wrong? Did I mistake hearing anything at all? Can they not hear me?!



I yell louder. Screaming at the apathetic walls. My voice barely making the slightest hint of an echo. The silence screams how alone I am in here. I don't know what to do.

To wallow in misery and stoke the flames of melancholy. When hopes of something new flashes by so quickly that before you know it. It's gone. Hold on.



How long did I have a shadow? Don't usually dream having shadows. A brief moment of excitement, curiosity and yes melancholy but only for just a moment!



Wait! It's moving! It's taking shape! It's alive?!



A raven. A raven stands before me. It speaks in a loud, calm playful voice. It's eyes swirl like white fire. Something new stands before me yet a guttural feeling deep inside urges that this is not new. I don't know what to do.

>Perhaps the path was not infinite after all. Or perhaps somewhere along the road something changed. Who can say? Perhaps the raven knows. Perhaps it is another traveler on this road, seeking someone like yourself. Say "Hello?" to the raven.

suddenly you realize you can look behind you

My head is spinning, being on an emotional roller coaster like this is enough to make anyone spin, right? I need to push down my nervousness, my fear, and a little bit of my giddiness in an attempt to make a good impression.



The raven took a thing! I always thought those things were abstract and not tangible but it took it! The thingy! It has it?



It is staring at me. With those swirling eyes. A wave of nausea rushes over me watching it compress that thingy between it's beak. It's hard to keep looking. It's as if it's daring me to look away. I don't know what to do.

pet it

>See if you can grab one of the white things too. Inspect one closely as an excuse to glance away from the bird.

>Keep looking at the bird as you reach for one of the white things. Breaking eye contact at this point, well. Probably not dangerous, but the bird might see it as a sign of weakness, leading to you waking up.

It feels like my entire body is evaporating. As if a stop gap was removed and my entire being is being flushed down a drain. Every effort is exceedingly exhausting. I try to speak but no words come out. I reach out to the raven which immediately flaps it's wings deeper down the corridor.



I cannot remain standing my body doesn't have enough strength. The last thing I see is my body falling apart. It doesn't hurt. I don't feel anything really. I cannot muster the energy to..

> Be the Inception. Dream the dream.

Everything is so dark and still. I can feel myself slipping into the void. It's hard to remember anything but for some reason one thing burns bright in my mind.





It is super dark out but I don't wanna go to sleep. I don't like sleeping it's scary.



Mommy tries lots of things to make me feel better but I still don't like sleeping.



I yawn a lot and fall asleep by accident all the time.



Mommy tries one more thing to help me sleep. She promises something for Christmas if I sleep.



What was it again?

A smaller box. I kid, I kid. The smaller box had something special. It was a music box!

The present... It was... It was..



What was it? It's my most treasured possession! What was it?!



Somethings wrong I can't. I CAN'T!



I can't remember.

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SpoilerShow

Hoo! I can't believe I got this far. I want to thank you for reading up to this point and thank you for those who dropped in suggestions. I hope you've been enjoying this as much as I have making it. There is more to come don't worry all of this was Chapter 1. And in case your wondering suggestions now still matter.

This thing is important, right? Can you tell me what color the present is? How about the box it came in? What did it smell like? What did it taste like? Was it heavy? Was it delicate? Was it the most beautiful thing? What did it sound like? Who are you? Where do you keep it? Does it have a name? Do you have a name? Does it move?

Sorry Kid. I'm out of my league here. Try to remember as you walk. Not just the box, but names, places, people, anything you can think of. Memories are precious, in this place.

The music box suddenly stops playing, as if it's accomplished it's purpose. Besides the tiny blue platform nothing but the void surrounds me. I was called here in my moment of... It's all a blur was I trying to remember something?



An overwhelming rush of sensations flood into me. Shattered incomplete, but there. Was this what I was trying to remember? Something to do with a present?



It's making me dizzy just thinking about it.

Whatever comes next, you should keep the music box close. After that, try closing your eyes and remembering your room. How about the floor, the walls, and the roof to start with? We can fill in the details later. Here, we have all the time in the world.

fuck remembering, live in the now

I pick up the music box and place it in my lap. I don't know why I did that but, it's nice. I feel warm, safe and something else.



But who knows what that could be.



Where am I anyways? This place, it feels so small. I feel small. Something happened right? I am supposed to do something? Find someone?



I just want to go home.



I can almost picture it.

Have you tried walking? Perhaps it is not so small as you think.

The idea of falling into whatever is down there gives me chills, but to my surprise every step comes with more ground to walk on.



Despite nothing around to walk to. The fact I can feels freeing.



And the more I walk the more colorful the stars get! I cannot help but wonder, if I can go to them. They all look so far away.