Chapter 15:

Done With The Past, Time to Deal With The Present

The Garden Of Dreams


When Nate woke up for the first time in the Garden of Dreams, he had no memories of his past life in the Garden, but he seemed to have every information about his new life. He didn't remember what happened yesterday or the days before, but he knew which college he went to, he knew who his friends were, he knew his street's name, he knew the way to different places, he knew everything, he just didn't remember the events that happened with him. 

He had no memories of the real world too, he didn't remember a single thing. While living his new life, he always had a weird feeling that he didn't belong in this life. He found this world odd.

He started having nightmares, he saw the bad memories of his real life in his nightmares, his family's accident and Tessa's death. When these nightmares became too frequent, Nate started questioning this world. 

Nate was living a fake life and slowly he started realising that something was wrong. After living in this world for almost and year, he still couldn't escape the odd and mysterious feelings.

The night after the day he met Dr. Clauss, he regained all the memories of his past life. He remembered who he was and what had happened to him. He knew that this wasn't his world. 

 The last thing he remembered from his real life was a man pushing him towards a floating black ball, which seemed like a portal. He figured that he must have been sent in the Garden of Dreams by the COUNCIL.

*SKIP BACK TO THE PRESENT DAY*

Nate was in his parents' house, in his old bedroom. He was sitting on the bed. 

"How do I get of the Garden Of Dreams?" He thought to himself. 

He got out of bed and went downstairs. 

He saw his mom making breakfast, Ellie was getting ready for college, and his dad getting ready to leave for work. He was amazed by how real this life felt. But he knew that this wasn't real because in reality, he had lost them all. 

He was curious to see how this world functioned. He wanted to see if it really was another world or was it just a fake dream. 

His mom offered him for breakfast but he refused.
He was hit by a sudden thought, he went to his dad who was about to leave for work, he wanted to ask him something out of curiosity. 

"Dad...you leaving for work?"

"Yeah..."

"You mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all, ask away!"

"What is it that you exactly do dad?"

"What do you mean? I thought you knew I was a detective."

"Yeah, I know that you're a detective. But what is it that you actually do as a detective?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"What's so hard to understand dad, I'm simply asking what do you do as a detective in a crime free world? Our world is literally crime free, then why do we need detectives?"

"To fight crime of course..."

"What crime? There is no crime!"

During his time in this world, Nathan had noticed that this world was crime free. There were almost zero murders, zero robberies, zero theft, zero trafficking. There was no sign of criminal activities. Nathan was used to this fact but at the same time he found it very odd. 
When he regained his memories, he came up with a possible explanation. He concluded that he was having these feelings because this world was entirely different than the real world. 
He randomly asked his dad this question to check this world's accuracy and plausibility. 

After listening to Nate's questions and arguments, Alek froze up for some time and then came up with an answer. 

"Son, there is no crime because of people like me. Our generation has spent years fighting crime, and now that we've got rid of it you're asking why? Looks like you're not in the right mind son. Did you sleep properly?"

"But if crime doesn't exist anymore, why do you continue being a detective?"

Alek froze up for some time again...

"What if the world starts committing crimes again? We do need some people to stop that from happening, don't we?" 

"But dad you could have become an actor, just like you always wanted to. You didn't have to be a detective."

Nate made this up, his father never wanted to become an actor. 

Alek looked at Nate with a confused look. He didn't know what to say. 

"You need help Nate, you're not fine." He said to Nate while leaving.

"Hey, at least answer me before going!"

Alek turned back, his eyes became red and there was anger on his face.

"Stop ruining my efforts!" He screamed at Nathan, but it wasn't his voice. 

Nathan backed down. 

"Whoa! Chill out dad."

"What?" Alek said in his own voice, he was clueless of what had happened.

"Nothing. You were about to leave for work."

"Oh yeah...See you later."

"Yeah, see you later."

Nate wasn't expecting something like this.
This incident increased his curiosity of this world.
He stepped out of the house and decided to go to his appointment with Dr. Clauss. 

"Good morning Nathan. How are you doing." Dr. Clauss greeted him.

"Good morning doctor. I'm doing fine."

"So...How have you been feeling these past few days?"

"I've been feeling better."

"Is that so...? What about the nightmares?"

"I didn't have any in the last few days."

"I see, good for you. Looks like the meds I recommended are working."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"So, what about your feelings? And your memories?"

"I've got it all sorted out doctor. I now know the reason behind all this."

"Huh? Care to share with me?" Dr. Clauss seemed rather shocked.

"I can't exactly tell you doctor, it's pretty unbelievable."

"Oh please, go ahead. I'm all ears. I'm sure it's nothing compared to the stories my other patients tell me"

Nathan was hesitant about telling him. But he was also curious to see an ordinary person's reaction to the truth. 

"This world isn't my real world doctor. I don't belong here, it's some kind of dream land. You're gonna think of me as crazy but what I'm telling the truth"

Nathan didn't know what to expect, he just said whatever he thought was the case. 

"No no no...It's not crazy at all. I must say, it's rather impressive, though I have to say it annoys me a bit."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the first one in centuries to realize this."

"I don't follow."

"You won!"

"Won what?"

"Wait, let me show you."

Dr. Clauss was behaving strangely. He got up from his seat. 

"You ready?"

Nate didn't say anything, he was confused.

Dr. Clauss snapped his fingers, and everything around Nate went black. he looked around, It was dark as far as the eye could see. 

"What did you do? Who are you?"

"Me? I am the Garden of Dreams."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I am the one who your world is after."

"I don't understand anything? How can the Garden of Dreams be a human?"

"Oh no, you've got it all wrong. I'm not a human."

"Then what are you?"

"I already told you, I am the Garden of Dreams."

"How can you be the Garden of Dreams? It's supposed to be a portal, isn't it?"

"Yes, you can call me that. But that 'portal' is how you humans see me in your world."

"Then this must be your true form?"

"I don't have a true form, I can be whatever I want to be." he said while changing into various appearances and forms.

Nate couldn't believe his eyes. 

"Are you god?"

"Well, that depends on what you call god. If you call your creator your god, then no, I'm not your creator."

"Then what are you? Who made you?"

"I don't know. I was just there, since the beginning. I was born with this power."

"What is your purpose?"

"My purpose? I am the one who regulates the flow of dreams and desires in your world. If I wasn't who I am, humans would never have the ability to dream."

Nate was slowly understanding, but this was too much to take in. He never thought that something supernatural like this could exist.

"What happens to the people who enter your portal?"

"The same thing that happened to you. I grant all their wishes by creating a world which is suitable to them. Except, they don't usually realize that they aren't in their original world, unlike you."

"The world I was just in...what was it? Was it a real world? Something like the multiverse?"

"No, it wasn't a real world. It was a world that I created in your mind. It didn't occupy space, it wasn't an actual world made of matter, it was a dream world, made solely for you."

"Is that what you do to everyone that comes here?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Then where are we right now? Is this another dimension? What is the real Garden of Dreams like? It's not an actual garden, is it?"

"No, it's nothing like an actual garden. It's simply a void, a void big enough to contain me. In fact, you're standing in it right now. You're standing in the void."

Nathan paused for a second to think what more could he ask.

"Oh! By the way I'm sorry for getting angry at you. It's just that I put a lot of work into this world, so it kinda pissed me off to see someone question it." 

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, when I yelled at you for questioning your father?"

"That was you?"

"Of course that was me."

"You can do that?"

"Do what?"

"Go from one person's body to another."

"Of course I can do that! After all I'm the one in control here..."

"Okay...umm...How many other people are here? And where are they?"

"They're all here, you just can't see them. And as for the number, I don't really know, I've lost count."

"I still don't understand one thing, why do you appear every year and take one of us with you? What could that possibly give you?"

"That gives me joy, and it also puts an end to my vapidity. I get bored of seeing the same dreams again and again, so I take someone new. You know, it's fun to see something different in a while."

"Yeah, but you destroy their real lives. These dreamlands give them false happiness. I mean,. how can a person possibly be happy with something fake."

"That's the catch here kid...these people, they don't realize that they're in a dream. They live happily, thinking that it's their actual life. They don't ever question their life, they just live it."

"But-

"I know, I know....the concept of taking away their real lives from them doesn't seem so righteous. But these people could never be happier anywhere else. They're literally living their dream life, what else could they want?"

"What about their loved ones they left behind in the real world?"

"Well, everyone has to give up one thing in order to achieve another."

"But why do that to them? It just isn't right."

"What's so wrong in giving people their happiness Nathan? Tell me, what is so wrong in fulfilling people's dreams."

"I wonder how many unrighteous people would have had their dreams fulfilled by you. Not everyone deserves the happiness that you give them."

"And what makes you think you do, huh? Why do you think you deserve that happiness?"

"I never asked for it!"

"And yet, here you are." 

"I was forced inside, okay? I didn't come here by choice!"

"I see...Now i understand. That's why you never got used to your life here. You came here unwillingly, and that made your case different from others."

"What do you mean?"

"The reason why I failed in making a perfect world for you, the reason why you realized that this world wasn't yours is that you were sent here unwillingly. And here I thought that you were special."

"What happens now?"

"That's up to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You see, this has never happened before. I mean, this has happened once to be honest, but that was when I was new to all this. Anyways, what I'm saying is that you have two choices. You can either choose to go back to your real world with a wish, which I'll grant you, you can choose whatever you want. Or you can choose to go back to your dream world, which would obviously be improved this time, you won't even notice  single flaw."

"This wish, what exactly can you grant?"

"Anything!"

"What if I asked you to change the real world?"

"Change how?"

"You know, change everything according to my wish."

"Oh! That is simply not possible. I mean, I have the power to do that, but I won't, rather I can't."

"Why not?"

"I can't interfere with your world! That would defeat my whole purpose! And I couldn't change it on such a large scale even if I wanted to, because your creator won't like that. I've met him once, you don't want to see him angry."

"Then what is it that you can grant?"

"You know, wealth, fame, power, a lost loved one...and some other things."

"Wait, you can bring back the dead?"

"I've never tried it but I'm pretty sure I can."

"Wow! I never thought something like this could be possible."

"So...what will you choose?"

Nathan thought for a while. But he knew what he was going to choose.

"What if I asked you to bring back my dead family members?"

"Yeah, I could do that."

Nathan had started believing that he had moved on and that he could live his life without his family but as soon as he heard that there was a way to bring them back, he didn't even give it a second thought. He was ready to bring them back. 
But just when he was about to tell him to bring back his family, the thought of Tessa came to his mind. 

"What about me Nathan? Have you forgotten me?" he could hear Tessa's voice in his head. 
He now had a new dilemma. He wanted to bring back his family but he also wanted to bring back Tessa. He couldn't decide.

"I'd like you to bring back my family along with Tessa."

"Now now, I see what you did there. I'm sorry but that's not possible. I can either bring back your family or I can bring back Tessa."

"Tessa is like my family too, can't you bring her back along with the others?"

"No kid, you'll have to make one choice. Or you can just choose to live here, that way, you'll have both."

Nathan would do anything to experience his family's love again but at the same time, he also wanted Tessa by his side, she was as important as his family. But he had decided on one thing, which was, he wouldn't live in the fake world.
He thought about this for long, but still couldn't make a choice. 

"I can't, I can't choose one, it would be unfair to the other. I don't know what to do..."

"I don't get it. Why are you so hell bent on making a stupid choice?"

"What?"

"Why would you want to bring back your family or Tessa? You can live with them right here! You won't even have to face the problems that you might face in the real world. You can happily live with them here...."

"But that won't be the same. They won't be real."

"You won't even know that they're not real. Your life here would be perfect. Why do you desire to go back to that insane world?"

Nate couldn't say anything, because deep down he knew that what he was saying was right. Bringing back his family in the real world might no be that good of an idea. The real world was indeed insane and insecure. Anyone could hurt his family, and there was no guarantee that he could live happily with them. At least here, he could be free of the worry that someone might hurt his family. 
Nate was having a hard time making the choice. He couldn't seem to decide on choosing one thing. He wanted his family and wanted to live in the real world, but he also wanted to make sure that he would be happy and that no one could hurt him or his family ever again.

"Make a choice Nathan, I won't force you to do something that you don't want to, but you've got to make your own decision."

 "Look, I've decided that I won't live in a fake world, I simply can't. I don't expect you to understand my feelings but I have made my choice regarding that, and I won't be changing that. I just can't seem to make a choice between Tessa and my family." 

"Okay...I get it. But why do you have to choose between them, you can wish for other things, like wealth, power, fame, and so much more..."

Nate knew that if was going to choose to live in the real world, then he would face many problems and difficulties. He would have to fight many people, and for doing that he would need power and strength. But he couldn't choose those things over his loved ones.

"No, i don't want anything like that. I need someone by my side. I'm completely alone. What's life if you don't have anyone by your side to share your experiences with?"

"Then who will it be? Who do you want me to bring back?"

Nate didn't say anything. He was thinking.

"Okay...I'll do one thing for you..."

"What?"

"I'll bring them back by my choice."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'll just send you to your real world right now, and when you get home, you're gonna find out that either one of your two choices is alive. That way, you'll get someone you love and you won't have to regret all your life about whether you made the right choice or not..."

"That's great! Would you really do that for me?"

"Yeah yeah...It won't matter to me anyways."

"Thank you so much. I will always be grateful to you."

"Okay, you don't have to flatter me so much. Just say the word and I'll send you back whenever you're ready."

Nate looked around for one last time. He prepared himself to face the real world again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He just had one last question...

"Would I remember all this?"

"Do you want to?"

"Yes."

"Then you will."

"Okay...I'm ready"

"Fine...it was nice meeting you Nathan. I hope you have a good life."

"Thank you for everything!"

The moment had finally arrived, Nate was leaving the Garden of Dreams and was going back to his real world.

The unnamed person snapped his fingers once again, this time to send Nathan back to his real world. 

Nathan opened his eyes. He was lying on a footpath. He didn't know where he was, so he walked around a bit. 
He saw a big board with "LW-99" written on it. He was a long way from home...

TO BE CONTINUED IN "Starting Over"
SATAY TUNED!!