Dream Realm by Leyanna Fernandez
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
If you're wondering what that was, it’s me waking up from the first hypo-dream I ever had. Little did I know this dream would change my life forever…
6:45AM January 13th, 2007
“Hey, you ok? I heard you screaming.”
“Yea I’m good I just had the weirdest dream.”
“About what?”
“Oh-Nothing.”
It wasn't nothing, but I can't tell Julia that; she’ll think I'm crazy. But this dream was different, it felt real like I was really there. It was like I was in a different world, an empty one filled with opportunities, and wait— wait– this is crazy… it couldn't have been real right?
“Manny! C'mon you’re gonna be late for work! Are you sure you’re ok?”
“Yea I’ll be fine.”
I work at a paper company, the most boring, uneventful job you could possibly think of. I pretty much do the same thing every day. Working in the sales department is the easiest job there is. All you have to do is get on phone calls with people who look like they need paper, and convince them to buy our paper. Now there are times where it gets a little exciting. Sometimes we get spam calls and you can pretend you're the FBI hacking their accounts after catching them in the act. Or maybe even pretend to be another fellow hacker who’s hacking their computer too. My life is pretty normal. My name is Manny Gonzalez (A.K.A Manny). I'm From Spain, born and raised in Queens, New York. I have one sister and one brother. I live in an apartment in downtown Manhattan. I have one roommate, Julia who became one of my closest friends. I work in a boring paper company, and I get paid $45,000 a year. And no matter how hard I try, nothing exciting or thrilling happens in my life. That's why I became a hacker myself– there are some people who are fine with living uneventful lives, but I need the thrill, the danger. “Hey! Manny get to work, we got a lot of paper to sell!” Shouted my manager.
7:14PM
Sometimes I think about what I could do if I used my hacking skills to work for the government or something. You know sometimes they recruit hackers that are able to get through their system, they always want the dangerous ones on their side. I guess that's what I'm trying to do, but my goal isn't to get caught and just accept any job, because it isn't about the money for me. I want to show them how dangerous I can really be so they could beg for me to work for them. Then I'll leave them hanging, retire from my years of work and be known as the guy who cracked the system and disappeared into thin air. That's my dream, the most interesting life I could think of. Imagine this, “The man who grew up in a normal middle class family, grew to be the most dangerous hacker in the world.” Can't get any better than that. That's why I've spent my whole life working on this, because in the end it'll all pay off.
“Manny! Manny!” Said Julia
“Yea whats up?” Oh yeah and I forgot to mention, I have a partner in crime.
“Come upstairs, dinner is ready!”
“Coming.”
I've known Julia since birth; she’s my best and only friend, you know other than myself.
“So how's it goin, crack the system yet?”
“Of course I did, don't you underestimate me. I'm gonna be the most famous hacker in the world one day, and you'll be the assistant that took care of me during my struggles of hacking the most security coded system in the world.”
“Oh really well you left out a few minor things. I'm the person who helped you come up with the idea, I also got past that fire wall that you couldn't, AND I have a way higher IQ than you.” said Julia sarcastically.
“I don't know about way higher, it's more like a slight increase achieved by pure luck.” Manny joked back
“Yea ok… if you say so. So you wanna talk about that dream this morning?”
I completely forgot about that, that was probably the weirdest, most real dream I’ve ever had, it sure was interesting though. I don't think I'll ever forget how it felt, like I was in a new world, or even universe. It was like my body was on fire, but it didn't hurt, it felt great, like a new me.
“Hello? Manny?”
Even though it was empty I felt like I could see a distant utopia, filled with possibilities but dangers as well.
“MANNY? MANNY!” Screamed Julia
I kinda want to go back there just to feel it again…
THUMP
3:15AM
“DOCTOR! DOCTOR HE'S AWAKE!”
“w-what happened? Where am I?”
“You're a lucky young man, we thought you were gonna die.” said the doctor, who tells someone that anyway.
“Wait, what?”
Julia walks in with two other doctors and a cup of water
“You were in a coma for a week, you passed out at the apartment, and you scared the crap out of me.”
Truth is, I didn't pass out, I had another dream, I think.
“Actually he had a stroke,” said the doctor. “We’re still trying to figure out what caused it. It's very rare for young people as healthy as you to have a stroke out of nowhere.”
This is crazy! It was just a dream, a really crazy realistic dream. How could it cause something like this to happen?
“Actually doctor, it wasn't a stroke,” I said mysteriously.
“And what do you mean by that?”
Crap, why did I say that out loud? I can't tell him about the dream; he'll think I'm insane! Next stop – insane asylum
“Mr.Gonzalez, we're going to have to keep you here until we finish examining you, you know, to make sure everything is alright.”
“For what? didn't you just say I was fine?”
“Well Your friend Julia here told us about the dreams you’ve been having. She said you were whispering while you were on the floor about a dream world or universe. So, we just want to make sure you’re ok, mentally.”
“What do you think I'm crazy?”
“No, Mr.Gonzalez we just want to make sure your mental health is ok, so we can send you back home knowing it’s not dangerous”
“So what, you think I’m dangerous now!?” I was starting to get agitated with the accusations.
“N-no Mr.Gonzalez we just want t-”
“YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT INSANE, WELL I'M NOT I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!” With that, I got up and sprinted out of the hospital. To be honest, that was the most alive I've felt in years. I keep running through the empty halls of the hospital until I reach the doors leading outside. It’s raining, well that's an understatement, it's pouring.
“MANNY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”
I turn around to see Julia chasing after me, then I realize what I'm doing.
“I don’t know”
“What's wrong with you!? Maybe that doctor was right, maybe you are crazy!”
“I'M NOT!”
“Then what in the world is going on with you!”
“I don’t kn-”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW? YOU'VE BEEN ACTING WEIRD ALL WEEK AND THEN OUT OF NOWHERE YOU HAVE A SEIZURE! AND WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO JUST SIT AROUND AND SETTLE FOR` ‘I DON'T KNOW’?”
“No, but I can't tell you'll think I’m crazy too.”
“Manny, we’re hackers, hit me with your best shot.”
“Ok, I think I found a dream world.”
5:15AM
“Wait- so let me get this straight. You've been having weirdly realistic dreams, in a mysterious dream world that allows you to not only make up your own dreams, but to see anything going on in the real world?”
“Yea I guess so…”
“And how do you know this is real?”
“Well I tested it out by looking at our block, you know, to see what was happening out there, and I saw an old guy getting chased and mugged. Then the next day on the news they reported an old man getting mugged, and killed on our block the same night.”
“But couldn’t that just be a coincidence?” Julia probed.
“I don't think so, and for it to be the same night…”
“But it could have been,” she challenged.
“I knew you wouldn't believe me.”
“It's just, you can't prove anything with just your word, how do I know all of this is true, I mean anyone would think this was complete nonsense.”
It's true, but she can’t think I would ever lie to her. I mean she's my best friend.
“I know, but do you really think I would lie to you?”
“I mean, no but, ok fine I believe you but I have to see for myself. Just have another dream tonight and I'll wake you up so you could tell me what you see. And if it works then I’ll believe you.”
“Deal.”
I can't believe I had to go through all this just for her to even believe me.
“C’mon, now go to sleep.”
“It's not that easy you know, sometimes it even takes me hours to knock out.”
“If you don’t go to sleep I’ll knock you out!” Julia joked.
I swear this woman is going to drive me crazy.
…
After that conversation, I went into a deep sleep. I then realized the many things I could do in this dream world.
“So did you bring the money?” said the boss.
“Yeah, I did,” replied The buyer.
“Well where is it? I can't just wait around here all day, I got things to do!” the boss snapped.
“Yes, sorry sir.”
The guy pulls out a duffel bag filled with 3 million dollars. He slams it on the table and shows it to the boss.
“Is that everything?” Said the boss as he counted the money.
“Yes sir, Do you have the package?”
“Of course I do.” The boss pulls out a black bag.
“Thanks, nice doing business with you si-”
AAAAAAAAAA!
“Manny! Manny what happened?” Julia said as she shook me awake.
“CALL THE POLICE!” I screamed frantically. Beads of sweat falling from my forehead.
“What why?”
“I saw something –just do it! And tell them to go to 179 Glenholme Road, report a wounded, possibly dead man.”
“Wait, what in the world did you see?”
“JUST DO IT THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE DYING OUT THERE!”
“Ok, ok,” she said as she ran for the phone.
After Julia dialed 911, they went to that address and found a man named Daniel Parker shot in the shoulder. He was there buying drugs from a drug lord named Remy Burke, nicknamed “Boss.” He was a known drug lord the police had been looking for for years.
“Mr.Gonzalez, a word please?” said an elderly officer.
But right now I’m at a police station about to be questioned by a detective named Dunklemen. What kind of name is that?
“We want to thank you for calling us about this transaction” Said Dunklemen. “It helped us catch Mr. Burke, and you even saved a man’s life. But what we're trying to understand here is how you and your girlfriend knew this was going on. After all, you called from 45 miles away.”
What was I supposed to say to this? ‘Oh yeah, I had a dream about this guy and thought I should be a good person and call 911.’ They would immediately lock me up and send me to an asylum. And did he say girlfriend? “First of all she's not my girlfriend…”
“My apologies Mr. Gonzalez, but can we get back to the point?”
“What point?”
“Please take this seriously, Mr. Gonzalez.”
I have to stall until I come up with a lie. I happen to be a professional liar. “Ohh you mean the whole 911 call thing right?”
“Yes, Mr. Gonzalez, can we please get to the point and stop stalling and talking about irrelevant topics?” Dunklemen started getting impatient.
“Sure.”
“Fantastic.”
“So, what happened was my friend, not girlfriend, was driving past there earlier in the day. She saw some guys in all black walk into that abandoned warehouse. She told me she didn't pay any mind to it, but then she saw them with some duffel bags and a guy with a pillow case on his head. So instead of staying there and risking getting caught or killed in that dangerous area, she came home and called 911.”
“And how would you explain her knowledge of a wounded man in the warehouse, hmm?”
“Well, I didn't know about that. I’m guessing that was an assumption of her’s, you know she is a little twisted in the head.”
Mr. Dunkleman watched me as I walked out of the interrogation room with a hateful look in his eyes. He knew something was up. I had to get him off my back before this went too far.
“Hey I’m back!” I said as I entered our cozy apartment.
Julia’s watching the news like always.
“Hey, c'mere they mentioned you on the news!”
“Wait really? Lemme see, move.” I said as I scooted her across the couch.
“Breaking news! Last night a drug lord known as Remy Burke was caught in the process of selling to a man named Daniel Parker. He was shot once in the shoulder, but luckily he survived. Police claimed that they got a 911 call from Julia Romeo and Manny Gonzalez, in Manhattan at 1am reporting the incident. The police are still trying to uncover the mystery in how these people knew what was going on. The only thing they do know is that this man, Manny Gonzalez, and his friend Julia Romeo recently ran away from a hospital after assaulting the doctor that was treating him. Can he be trusted?. …” The news anchor said.
“Can you believe those pictures they put up of us? They made us look like ex-cons!” I vainly complained.
“Really that's what you're concerned about?! Boy you better get real, they’re onto us.”
“You don’t think I know that?”
“Well you are a little slow, I always need to do everything for you. Anyways I have to come up with a plan to get us out of this.”
Julia has always been so controlling. I wish I could express how strongly I rolled my eyes through paper but, unfortunately, I can not.
“I’m going to bed.”
“Wait, why? Manny, we have things to do!” Julia pressed me as she always does in dire times.
“I’m tired, so just catch me up tomorrow ok?”
“Wait so you’re just gonna leave me here to do all the work while you get your beauty sleep?! I think not!”
“Well yeah, you're the one who always wants to do it her way so why don't you go ahead and control the rest of my life.”
“You know what? I’m done, you always take everything out on me when something doesn't go your way and I’m tired of it. So you know what? You can do this by yourself because I’m not having it,” she retaliated.
“FINE YOU ALWAYS THINK I NEED YOU BUT I DON'T! YOU NEED ME! SO GOOD LUCK SURVIVING OUT THERE WITHOUT ME.” I defensively bellowed back.
“OH, REALLY! I NEED YOU?! YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE ONE HERE FOR YOU, AND ALL YOU DO IS DEPEND ON ME! SO, I'LL DO FINE ON MY OWN BECAUSE I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT A GOOD FRIEND TO YOU, I DON'T NEED YOU. I'LL WAIT AROUND BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'LL COME RUNNING BACK AND WHEN YOU DO, YOU'LL GET TO SEE ME WALK AWAY.” She yelled back through a wave of rage and emotion. Her face was red and her voice was quivering. I could tell I hit a nerve.
Julia grabbed all her stuff and ran out of the apartment. I don't need her, I thought to myself. I can survive on my own, how do you think I made it this far? I'm the one who came up with this whole hacking the government plan, and I sure can do it by myself.
I Spent the rest of the night hacking until my fingers hurt, it used to be the only exciting thing going on in my life but I can't stop thinking about this whole dream thing, you know sometimes I still can't believe it. Maybe I'll have another one tonight. I'll just watch the news, and go to bed.
I turned on the TV and the first the this lady says is
“Breaking news! hospitals are reporting thousands of people falling into deep comas, they say that people have been coming in with very high fevers, and claim to be having realistic dreams. These people then go into deep sleep after being treated. Hospitals say that there is no cause yet found for these deep comas.”
Wow this is an eventful day for the news, I wonder why these people are falling into comas that's really weird. Oh well, I'm tired. I guess I'll just go to bed now. Maybe they'll have some more information on this tomorrow...
“HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!” Said a mysterious voice.
“Hello!? Who's there?”
“HELP ME PLEASE WE'RE STUCK!”
“Where are you? I can't see you!”
“OVER HERE AGAINST THE WEEPING WILLOW!”
Wait where am I? This must be another dream. How do I get out of here? I must be in a mysterious forest. There's trees and dirt everywhere, ok focus Manny you're trying to find a weeping willow OW! Something just bit me! What is going on?
“HELP PLEASE! IT'S COMING!!!” Screamed the mysterious voice
“What's coming? Hello? HELLO!?”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
Suddenly I heard what sounded like hundreds of shrieking at the top of their lungs. It was mortifying. The sound made me feel like my ears were going to explode.
“WHOEVER IS THERE I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU!”
The shrieking continued, I had to cover my ears to stop the sound from possibly deafening me. At some point I found it very hard to walk like the ground was holding me back. Then out of nowhere I felt someone grab me! It started pulling me down!
“STOP! LET GO OF ME!”
“HELP! IT'S GRABBING ME HELP PLEASE!”
It was like the ground was swallowing me, it was so strong I could barely move.
“PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE”
I kept screaming for help, but I knew there was no one to help me, I thought, is this it? But then something happened, I don't know what but someone pulled me out. It looked like a woman, but it was too blurry to tell.
“Manny, wake up, it's time you're the only one who can save us Manny, you are the chosen one…”
Beep beep beep
10:30Am
I threw my alarm on the floor and sat up on my bed. What was that last night? I've had some weird dreams but I could get myself out of the other ones. In this one it felt like I was trapped, like the dream was pulling me in. This dream had to mean something, there were people screaming for help, they kept saying “It's coming” I have to go back and help them, but I don't know how. Usually I have these dreams at night or whenever I'm in deep sleep, but every time I try to fall asleep just to go back it never works. The only time it did was when I was with Julia, and that didn't end well. Maybe I should call her. I picked up the phone and dialed her number, I called 7 times and all I got was her voicemail. I guess she really is mad at me, cause her voicemail said “You have reached Julia Romeo, leave a message and I'll call you back, everyone except ex friends ” But I have other things to worry about now.