Hugo felt like a seven-year-old child lost in a strange city—lonely, helpless, and unable to find any assistance. He wanted to go home but couldn't find the way he came. He could only stand on the street, wailing helplessly. People passed by constantly on the road, but no one was willing to stop for a child. Even a lingering glance seemed stingy as they hurried past Hugo. The prosperity and bustle of the city streets only made Hugo's dazed helplessness feel more lonely and terrifying.Tears burst from his eyes like a broken dam. Hugo bit his lower lip hard, not letting any sound escape, simply allowing the tears to slide down continuously.Hugo didn't know what was wrong with him. Tonight's audition for "a few good men" had clearly gone smoothly. When he was moving in the afternoon, he felt like everything was looking up and getting on the right track. But a nightmare at night had brought Hugo back to the time and space before his transmigration for the first time. Intense emotions submerged Hugo like this; he had no power to fight back and could only let tears occupy his mind."Knock, knock..." The sound of knocking echoed in the quiet air, startling Hugo into a sudden turn. His entire guard went up in an instant, like a hedgehog entering an attack state. Then came two more knocks. "Hugo, are you okay?"It was Joseph's voice.Since there was only a bed frame on the fourth floor and not even a mattress, Joseph was sleeping on the sofa in the living room downstairs tonight. Carl had gone back to his previous rental and would officially move in tomorrow after buying furniture at the second-hand market.Apparently, Joseph had been awakened by the noise Hugo made in the room and couldn't help but worry about Hugo's situation, so he came over to check. Hearing Joseph's voice initially made Hugo feel a bit repulsed because this world was foreign and Joseph was a part of it. However, Joseph's concern calmed Hugo down slightly. He realized that he was now an inseparable part of this world too, and Joseph was currently his most familiar friend."I'm fine," Hugo finally spoke, his dry throat making his voice sound a bit raspy. "Just had a nightmare."Joseph didn't seem to know how to handle such a situation. He was silent for a while without speaking. Just when Hugo thought he had left, his voice came from outside the door again. "I think I have a Dream Catcher. Do you need it?"This suddenly made Hugo burst into a laugh, even though his face was a mess of tear stains. Dream Catchers are talismans originating from the Native American Sioux. They use willow for the frame with a loose net or spider web woven in the middle. When Native American children had nightmares, parents would hang a Dream Catcher at the head of the bed to symbolically catch the nightmare or the demons within it. Later, Dream Catchers were also given the meaning of praying for peace and bringing good luck, as well as dispelling nightmares to let people sleep with sweet dreams."I don't think a Dream Catcher can catch godzilla," Hugo replied casually, wiping the tears from his face.Standing outside the door, Joseph was also stunned for a moment, realizing that Hugo wasn't a child and didn't need a Dream Catcher to help him sleep. He thought about it but didn't know how to offer comfort, so he could only say stiffly, "There's boiled water in the kitchen. If you need it, you can have some." After saying that, Joseph walked back to the living room.Hugo listened to Joseph's receding footsteps and stood still, turning his gaze back to the quiet city outside the window.Interrupted by Joseph just now, Hugo had cleared his head. He knew he had been possessed by a momentary obsession. He was already standing in Los Angeles in 1992 and had even participated in a movie. The fact was established. Constantly longing for the past wouldn't help at all; instead, it would only make him sink into memories he couldn't escape, ultimately achieving nothing.He still missed Glory to Death, he still missed his parents, and he still missed that familiar era. But he couldn't go back, so he should bury these longings deep in his memories, pull himself together, and walk toward the future with firm steps.Music flowed slowly in Hugo's mind, and lyrics followed the melodies out. Hugo thought of the famous Bed-In for Peace performed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono during their honeymoon—one of the most classic works in the history of performance art, created to protest the US war against Vietnam.At that time, Yoko Ono and John stayed in a large bed in an Amsterdam hotel for seven full days, accepting interviews and photos from major media outlets. However, this good intention was not understood by everyone; some even thought it was indecent.For Hugo, he had a deep memory of John's famous words: "I'm going to start a revolution from my bed, because you say the brains I have went to my head." The emotions in Hugo's heart began to surge. The piano intro to "Imagine" composed by John immediately appeared in his head. Recalling this famous line, the melody gushed out like a trickling stream."Your eyes show weariness, because you can no longer find the place where dreams come true. When you say you give up, all the effort you've put in will disappear without a trace. So, I will start a revolution from my bed, because you say the brains I have went to my head. Outside the door, summer is in full bloom. When standing by the fireplace, the firelight reddens your face, and the hope in your heart burns like those flames."Hugo could clearly feel that after transmigrating, his entire understanding of composition had improved. Simply put, the song "second chance" he wrote last time was more than a grade better than before in terms of both melody and lyrics. Moreover, Hugo had written the lyrics in English, and the result was so good that even he was quite surprised.It was the same today. Melodies kept bursting in his mind. All emotions, whether positive or negative, quietly melted into the musical notes, wandering in his mind and then forming sequences. A verse of melody just came out of his mouth.For the melody just now, Hugo could choose a piano performance in his mind—not over-rendered or over-released, just like a cry from the bottom of his heart, a whispered murmur traveling freely within the strings of a guitar. The music seemed to be stained with a faint light, healing the inner entanglement and pain bit by bit. A strong and inspirational spirit was injected into the music, quietly uplifting the mood.This passage of lyrics conveyed all the emotions in Hugo's heart at this moment in a straightforward yet artistic way. After finishing the song, even the corners of Hugo's mouth couldn't help but curl into a slight arc. The inner pain and struggle were released bit by bit along with the melody.Hugo's heart was once again certain that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Whether it was the chance in film or the burst of musical talent, these were opportunities worth cherishing for Hugo. Since he had come here, he couldn't give up easily. Therefore, he would bury his longing deep inside. In this time and space, he would continue his parents', Glory to Death's, and his own dreams.However, halfway through the song creation, Hugo felt things getting a bit bumpy. The melody was still flowing, but the lyrics were always a bit rough, clearly not as smooth as the first verse just now. The lyrics of the chorus are very important. Many times, an excellent chorus will improve the completion of the whole song by two full levels. Moreover, what people usually mean by "catchy" refers to the chorus, so he couldn't be careless with it.Hugo coughed lightly, feeling his throat was indeed a bit dry, so he decided to go to the kitchen for a couple of glasses of water. Furthermore, he had just broken into a sweat. If he didn't take a shower before sleeping, he would likely wake up with a headache tomorrow. This body already had many problems due to drugs; if he didn't pay attention, things would only get worse.Hugo pushed open the room door quietly, tiptoeing toward the living room in a pair of cloth shoes. But he forgot that he hadn't pulled up the heels of the shoes, so even if he tiptoed, the heels would still touch the floor, making a sound. This made Hugo grimace in frustration. He stopped, squatted down to put his shoes on properly, and started walking again.Walking into the living room, Hugo looked at Joseph lying on the sofa. He seemed to have fallen asleep again and wasn't startled by him, which made Hugo breathe a sigh of relief. Hugo crept to the kitchen. The distance wasn't long, but because Hugo was worried about waking Joseph and had to tiptoe, it became exceptionally long. By the time he reached the kitchen, Hugo felt like his forehead was sweating.After gulping down two large glasses of water, Hugo felt the burning in his stomach subside slightly, and his dry throat felt a sense of being quenched. He put the glass down and, as soon as he turned around, he saw the spectacular sight of the living room filled with blue moonlight. The blackness stretching outside the window actually had layers, allowing one to vaguely distinguish the blocks of houses, woods, sand, and beach. The scenery was magnificent, making Hugo sigh involuntarily.Setting aside whether the house here was too old, this beautiful scenery alone was enough to make one linger. This view was something no amount of rent could buy; it was a priceless treasure.Suddenly a voice came from the living room, "You should put up curtains, otherwise the light is so bright you can't sleep at all."This gave Hugo a fright. He turned his head and saw Joseph sitting straight up like a zombie. He exhaled with lingering fear, "Damn! Joseph, you made me think you'd been bitten by a zombie.""Shh..." Joseph signaled for Hugo to keep his voice down, as Alex was still sleeping. Hugo couldn't help but make a face; this was another inconvenience of sharing a house. "Seeing how cowardly you are, I really do need to buy you a Dream Catcher."Uh... Hugo suddenly felt three black lines on his forehead.
