SCERETS OF THE NIGHT

One quiet night, Ameen stood by the window of his room, staring into the stillness of the dark. After hours of writing, he sought solace in the night air. Suddenly, a flicker of light appeared in the distance. He squinted, curious. The light grew brighter, and beside it, he noticed a woman. She stood calmly, bathed in the glow, and called his name.

Ameen was perplexed. His thoughts chased each other, and he pondered what to do.

He looked around the room, then out the window into oppressive darkness. His thoughts returned to the neighborhood, full of doom. This darkness wasn’t a physical thing; it represented the hopelessness that his community lives in. Thieves and robbers roamed free, fear grips the whole community, where violence and loss are facts of everyday life.

What should I do? He thought. Shall he leave this unknown and venture ahead toward the light and the woman? Or lock himself in his room to live safer and quieter?

CHOICE OF THE NIGHT

Preparing himself, he decided to come out into the night air. The nocturnal coolness pricked his skin as he hesitantly crossed the road. Each step was full of the lurking fear in the shadows. However, something pushed him forward.

As he moved forward, the light went back, flowing deeper into the shadows. Woman disappeared from view, and he ran after light. It threw him into a grove, surrounded by tall, impenetrable trees. The place was creepy; darkness pressed from every side, heightening his anxiety. And then, light faded out, and the darkness took it in.

ALONE AT THE NIGHT

Now, Ameen stood in total darkness. Fear gripped him tight, freezing the entire body. Only his voice was his friend.

He heard the sound of the crushing leaves under the footsteps of something nearing him from the dark.

“Who is there?” he whispered.

Unveiling Hidden Truths of The Night

Emerging from the woods came a young man dressed in white; he looked bright as the sun in sunlight. “I am Dream,” he said, with a smile.

Ameen went on wondering mumbling to himself, “Dream? What kind of trouble have I gotten myself into?”

Dream cautiously smiled, Ameen you can think positive instead of this.

Ameen shockingly, how could he know?

Dream laughed, repeating Ameen’s thoughts out loud, further startling him. “Yes, Ameen, I know your thoughts. It is thoughts that grow stronger in you and become a dream.  I embody the ideas that have taken root in your mind and grown into aspirations. I Love the one you have for your story”

Ameen hesitated before asking, “How do you know about my dreams? Especially the story I’ve been writing? Everyone tells me no one cares for stories anymore.”

Dream’s expression softened. “Reality tells you that, doesn’t it? But I know your story is brilliant. You have a spark—one that can inspire others.”

Ameen did not have time to respond when another figure emerged from the darkness. This man also wore white, but his manner was cold, his presence heavy, like the light of the pale moon.

“I am Reality,” declared the new figure.

Ameen did not understand. Reality set him straight: “Dream may fill your mind with fantasies, but I am here to remind you of the truth. Survival in this world demands practicality. Forget your stories. Open a shop, get a job, or start a business. Only through tangible efforts can you survive in this ruthless world.”

The words by reality hit Ameen like a shock to the body. Doubt slowly crept in. He remembered all his hardships, the criticisms he faced and the uncertainty that came from giving up his dream. He collapsed, unconscious under heavy thoughts.

A loud roar surrounded the place. This time it was commanding, and queenly, with an imperious tone that silenced everything else. A woman stood forward from the shadows: a majestic figure yet terrible. She exuded power.

Dream stuttered in terror. “You… you can’t be! You only exist in myths and fairy tales!” Dream bows “ Queen Consciousness”

The woman rose and said, “Yes, I am Queen Consciousness.”

Reality reeled. “You? You have no right to be in the real world!”

Queen Consciousness pierced him a glance. “And you have no right to crush dreams. Yet here you are, sowing fear and abolishing hope.”

As she turned her spite to Reality, her voice grew harsh. Tossing a hand forward, she seized him by the throat. “Do you dare break the balance? You who once were one with Dream, but now chose to separate and scatter seeds of division and disorder.”

They were aghast, Dream and Reality. The admission of the Queen made long-submerged memories resurface in floods. One day, Dream and Reality had been joined forces-those two aspects of a single coin. Yet, as the clock struck dawn of time, Reality had turned its face to reason and control, leaving Dream to roam in the world of the heart and the imagination.

“You forgot the truth,” the Queen hissed. “You are meant to coexist, not destroy each other. Dream fuels ambition, and Reality ensures its foundation. Together, you create harmony. Alone, you breed despair.”

Her hold strengthened, and Reality started to dissipate, his form melting into the void. “You will no longer choke the living world with your lies,” she declared.

Darkness melted away as Reality disappeared. Bright light filled the grove. Dream fell upon his knees before the Queen, acknowledging her sovereignty.

Ameen opened his eyes, and this time, he found himself sitting in his bedroom. Bright daylight entered through the window, but Ameen sat there bewildered yet strangely at peace. He saw the papers on his desk. He had abandoned the story in doubt.

He stood up and gazed out the window. She was there again, serene and glowing. Queen Consciousness nodded toward his story, urging him forward with her expression.

Ameen understood what she was saying to him. It’s time. He picked up his pen and was prepared to publish his story into the journey of which he had protracted for so long.