Alright, let's begin.
My name's Nathan.
Let me ask you something-what do you really know about rumors?
You see, a rumor is basically a story, a phrase passed from mouth to mouth, each person adding their own bit until it was unrecognizable its stretched like crazy until no one remembers the original shape. But here's the kicker: no matter how far it's bent, there's always a sliver of truth buried inside.
Unfortunately, I learned that the hard way.
What you're about to hear is the story of the worst and maybe, just maybe-the most important days of my life. I'd say they were the best too, but that'd be a lie. There were no "best days." Just... unforgettable ones.
So listen closely. Don't drift off. Don't roll your eyes or tune out. What I'm about to tell you might just save your life.
Now, where do we begin?
It started when I turned seventeen.
I wasn't much different from anyone else on the surface, just quieter, more reserved. I had no real goals, no big ambitions. I wasn't trying to be a doctor, an athlete, or an influencer. I just... existed. I moved from day to day like someone trying to stay alive and basically not die by a freak accident or something.
Friends? Not really. I kept a few acquaintances around, people who could help me get through group projects or answer questions in class but no one I'd call close.
Crushes? Please. That always felt like more trouble than it was worth. Emotions were distractions. I preferred the things I could control: video games, anime, comic books... and most of all, sleep.
Sleep was my escape. My peace. The one place where nothing could touch me.
Until the night it did.
It started like any other. I played some games, watched a few episodes of a romance anime I was into, and went to bed way too late. But when I closed my eyes, something strange happened.
I opened them.
I was standing in the middle of a forest, but not one I recognized. The trees were glowing faintly, like they were lit from within. The air shimmered. It was quiet, but not in a dead way. Peaceful. Alive. My footsteps didn't even make a sound.
It didn't feel like a dream. It felt real.
I looked down at my hands. I could see every detail-every line, every wrinkle. I tried jumping, just to test something.
And I flew.
Not just floated-I soared.
I was weightless, gliding above the treetops, laughing like a crazy person. I could feel the wind rushing past my face, the way it felt in my hair, the adrenaline surging through my body like lightning.
I wanted the sky to turn gray-and it did. I imagined clouds forming into wolves, and they curled into shape like it was the easiest thing possible.
It was... incredible.
Then, just as quickly, I woke up.
My room was dark. My fan buzzed softly. It was early morning maybe around 4 AM. But I wasn't groggy or confused like I usually was after a dream. I sat up straight, heart racing, mind buzzing.
"What the hell was that?" I whispered to myself.
It had been so real. Too real.
I couldn't let it go. I didn't even try to fall back asleep. I just lay there thinking, replaying every second in my mind. I needed to know what happened.
That morning, instead of booting up my usual gaming sites, I started searching.
I typed into the search bar: "dreams where you can control everything."
Hundreds of results popped up.
Lucid dreaming.
The term hit me like a switch turning on. That was it. That's what I'd done. I'd experienced full lucid dreaming without even trying.
And apparently, it was a skill people trained for. Some people kept journals, performed "reality checks" during the day like staring at their hands or pushing fingers through their palms to trigger awareness while dreaming.
There were tips, tricks, audio guides, supplements. Entire communities dedicated to exploring the dream world.
I was hooked.
The next night, I tried again. I stared at my hand for ten minutes before bed. I set alarms to wake me during REM cycles. I whispered, "I will realize I'm dreaming," over and over like a chant.
Nothing.
To be honest thinking back I get disappointed with myself for wanting it so bad, sigh how I wish I didn't want it so bad.
The night after that? Still nothing.
Five nights went by. Six. I was starting to lose patience.
"Why won't it happen again?" I muttered into my pillow one night.
I missed it-the flight, the control, the feeling that nothing in the world could hurt me. Everything here, in the real world, felt dull. Lifeless. Empty.
But in that dream? I felt alive.
On the seventh night, I fell asleep without trying any techniques.
And something strange happened.
This dream didn't start in a glowing forest. No sky-wolves or flying.
I was in a long hallway-dimly lit, almost endless. The floor creaked beneath me, and the walls were lined with portraits. The faces in them were blurry, like water-stained photos. Some were smiling. Others frowned. A few just stared.
I walked for what felt like hours.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps. Behind me.
I turned.
Nothing.
Then a voice.
"Hello, Nathan."
I froze.
A figure stood at the end of the hallway. I couldn't make out the face, but I could tell it was male. I went closer and realized his hair was familiar and so was his eyes, posture, skin and then I realized I was looking at myself
"Who are you?" I asked, or tried to. The words came out slurred. Cause why would I be seeing myself and why would the vibe of this other me be so… unnatural it terrified me.
He didn't answer. He just tilted his head slightly, his neck cracking as he did. Then he smiled.
There were too many teeth.
I bolted awake, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. My sheets were tangled around my legs, my heart hammering like it wanted out of my chest.
What the hell was that?
That wasn't like the first dream at all.
I tried to shake it off, but it clung to me all day-his voice, the hallway, that smile. I couldn't concentrate in class. I kept checking over my shoulder like he'd somehow followed me out of the dream.
By lunch, I had to know more.
I dove back into the forums. Deeper this time. Past the top posts and popular guides.
That's when I found it.
A single post. No comments. No likes. No replies. Just sitting there basically waiting to be read. The words I can remember to this very day as if to taunt me and remind me of my mistakes.
The title read:
"Have you heard the latest rumor?"