An Imaginary Dream

The day was turning dark and there were no one left in the Rockland Community College.  The only one left was a lonely boy, who was so happy that he just done all the final exams at his college.  He didn’t need to find out what he got for his grade.  He knew that he got a good grade.  With his afford after a long week of studying, he deserted to earn that good grades.  For every time the school was end or before Holidays, he took a bus and traveled around, enjoying the beautiful perspective of the creations that God had been given to the Earth and enjoying the lives of others while walking around.  What a happy day for that boy?  He would be off the college for summer or winter breaks and start to work, earning some money to pay for college bill.

            The cloud was nearly covered the Rockland County and the darkness took over the place for the day.  There was no heat outside the college when the passengers were waiting for the bus.  The cold started to invade the county at the beginning of the December and the lovely snow would like to compete with others for falling into the ground.  However, most of students were already going home and got ready for the big Holidays, Christmas.  The only one left was that boy.  He would like to wander around the Palisade Mall, which was opened a year or two years ago.  Staying at home was no fun than wandering around the Palisades Mall.  Holidays in his family was just like every normal day.  He had not much friends to celebrate; the only friends that always love to go wandering with him in the college were Vinh and Seyon.  Vinh had shared so much common with him.  They can talk anything out inside their heart and they were so understandable.  They were best friend.  Seyon was a beautiful Korean girl, who the boy knew when he was doing volunteer for The Ambassador club.  He started to get to know her after they were both having interest in art.  This boy, sometime he can look at the art work and guess the expression and the feeling of the person who drew the artwork.  One touch of her gentle finger or a kiss from her can delight the boy heart.  Vinh, Seyon, and the boy were often enjoying talking to each other and had some laugh.  However on that day, his best friend and the beautiful girl was not there.  They had already done their final exams.  The boy was smiling and laughing while he was waiting for the bus.  He thought of those special moments that he had shared with his best friend. 

They were chasing beautiful girls and it did not work because they were so shy, no one had a heart to approaching the girls while forcing each other to do.  They tried to chase Seyon and did not know what to do.  They looked at the girls and their hearts were full of joys when the girls returned a smiling face.  They wished for something that would never come true.  The boy also started to know Maria on that semester.  She is very cute and she was smiles to him every time they were seeing each other on the hall way while walking to the class.  Her smile made him so happy and he could not refuse to show her a sadly face instead of smiling back to her.  Her dimples on her chin were so pretty and so her voice.  Each time they met they stopped shortly, feeling like wanting to talk to each other.  The boy was usually walks really fast and very shy.  All he could say to her was, “Hi,” and then walked to the class, not having a gut to stop her and kissed her and saying how much he liked her.             

            Eccccccc that was the 59 bus going to Nyack and stopped by the Malls.  The boy was chasing after the bus, “Wait wait, stop the bus, there is someone waiting for the bus.”  Still daydreaming boy huh?  Stop dreaming while waiting for the bus and stop sleeping on the bus, so you won’t have to miss the bus or the bus stop next time.  Still the boy was smiling, “Phew, feeling so happy and lucky today.  Everything is going great.  I don’t think I can go to the Palisade Mall if I miss this bus or else I’ll have to sleep in the Mall.”  The boy got on the bus and wow there were so many people on the bus.  There were only some sits left in the back and so he took one.  Heat was taking over the coldness.  The bus felt warm with air and people, who never stop chic chat and laughing.  What a great day?  The bus rode on the same route to Palisades Mall.  People on the bus fill with happiness when The Holidays Season comes by.  They must be exciting about The Holidays Season and so do the boy.  The boy was happy.  He tried to count how many people on the bus and count how many traffic lights the bus had been pass.  There were so many things to count and he couldn’t finish counting. 

On the bus, he saw many beautiful views of the Rockland County from Suffern to Spring Valley, Nanuet, and West Nyack.  The houses shone with various lights trying to show off their beauty for The Holidays Season.  There was Santa Claus riding on the deer.  There was snowman.  There was Jesus Christ when he was a baby and a group of people kneeling down before Jesus Christ.  There were so many things to see for such a small amount of time.  There were also lights from various stores.  It was beautiful. 

            Ecccccc, the 59 bus is stop and it stops at Palisade Mall.  What a great time?  What to be expect that Palisade Mall is crowded and it was hardly to be able to walk fast.  Time was very important to the boy because he had to take a bus to home.  There was no bus after late night.  Time was short, so the boy had to enjoy as much as he could before he went home with a normal life.  He wandered around the Mall and daydreaming about beautiful girls, smiling, and thinking about Maria and Seyon.  He went to shopping, but he came out nothing.  He just looked at the items, but he refused to buy it because he didn’t have any money to pay for it.  It was funny.  When people liked to buy something, they didn’t have money to buy it.  When they had money, they couldn’t get what they want.  So the boy came out of Mall empty handed, but he enjoyed wandering around The Palisades Mall.  The Palisade Mall filled with people talking and cheering.  He missed the Congers bus to his home, so he had to take the 91 bus home, which he had to walk for about 30 minutes back to his home.  The 91 bus was crowded too.  The bus was always crowded in Holidays Season and so do the Malls.  Lucky again, the boy found a sit.  This time the bus rode fast, sheooo, it stopped and the boy stepped down and walked 30 minutes home.  The weather wasn’t pleasant.  It was cold, but the boy enjoyed walking home.  He had enjoying his day.  30 minutes 29 minutes steps by steps he was home.  The street filled with beautiful lights, radiating everywhere, just light the moon showing off her beauty dimmed light. 

            Surprise!  Everyone was waiting for him to come home.  They had a gift for him.  What a great day?  He had enjoying the day and he was tire, walking 2 miles to home under cold weather.  He fell into sleep.  He loved to sleep.  He slept 24 hour a day when he was a baby, but he was never aware of dreaming at that age.  Sleeping is not only refreshing his energy and help his mind to relax; sleeping also brought him a dream. 

            He dreamed about a faraway land.  He was flying and flying to this faraway land.  There was no name for a faraway land, but the weather was cold.  There was a village, filling with beautiful candle lights.  The sky looked so white.  It looked like it was going to snow.  He kept flying and he stopped flying.  What was happening?  Why was he stops flying?  He heard voices.  The voices seem to be nearby, not far away from him.  The boy tried to approach closer to the voices to see what he could hear.  It looked like the voices are outside the house.  There were candles insides the house.  Closer and closer the boy sees images, the images of two boys, very young at age.  They talked about going to the church, which was far away from their house.  Everyone headed to church every year on Christmas.  They wanted to join people at the church and enjoyed with them for Christmas. 

The first young boy was worry, “What are we going to do?  It is going to snow and the church is far away from where we live.” 

The second young boy acted with confidence, “We are going there and I am sure we can make it before snow starts falling.  We plan to make it there before people start to gather around the church to celebrate for Christmas.  Don’t worry Tim; we are going to make it.”                                                         

            “Are you sure, Shin?  I know we try to surprise our neighbor by going there ahead of them, but it looks like it is snowing soon.” 

            “It will be alright, Tim, if we start now and walk to the church.  I know the shortcut to the church.  I am sure we make it before snow is falling.  Let’s pack up our stuffs and get ready.”

            “Alright, Shin.”    

            Shin and Tim rushed into the house and pack up their stuffs.  The boy that was dreaming followed them.  It looked like Shin and Tim didn’t even notice that the boy was behind them.  The two young boys packed up their stuffs and here they went.  The journey to the church for Christmas had started.  It was going to be a great journey. 

            Tim and Shin passed through their village and enter the little forest.  A little forest was only short cut to the church.  It was creepy at night in the little forest.  There were wolf, snake, and creepy animals.  Shin was scare, but Tim said a little forest is only short cut to the church and through the forest they would make it before anybody else before Christmas.  Tim liked adventure and he walked around all different places.  He didn’t afraid of creepy animals.  Meanwhile, Shin was a homeboy.  Shin didn’t travel around much.  This was the first time that he traveled with his good friend, Tim, to the church through the little forest.  A little forest was dark at night.  The moon was covered with blanket of white clouds, soon to drip off a tiny beautiful snowdrop to the ground.  The snow started to falling to the ground as they entered the little forest, covering with trees and filling with animals’ voices and echoes.  Shin tried to go back to the village and decided to go another route, but Tim convinced Shin since they already entered the little forest, why not continued to the end.  It would be short and he knew the way to the church through the forest.  They were not aware that the boy dreaming followed them behind.  Snow started to fall heavily to the ground, making it hard for Tim and Shin to continue their journey.  It was a short journey, but it seem to them the journey lasts forever.  Heavily snow covered the routes and trails.  The weather seem to be warm when snow falls to the ground, but the weather got cold after snow falls to the ground.  The boys couldn’t see anything in the little forest.  They couldn’t find the routes that continue them to the church.  All they saw were a blanket of white snow and echoes from animals.  They heard the howl of wolfs.  Wolfs weren’t seems as dangerous animals, but when they were hungry they eat anything.  Shin was scare and he cried, “What are we going to do, Tim?  We are lost.” 

            Tim was not afraid that he got lost because he got lost many times during his travel.  However, this time he was seem to get a bit scared due to heavily snow and they were in a rush before they start their journey to the church.  They didn’t bring many things for themselves.  Tim worried about wolfs too.  He could outrun or take on one, but he couldn’t outrun a pack of hungry wolfs during heavy snow.  Besides, he had to take care of his friend, Shin, who was very scared now.  Tim kept try to find track to the church, but the further he went the further he got lost.  Accck, Tim fell into the ground and down to the hill.  He sprained his left ankle and he couldn’t walk.  Meanwhile, snow kept falling.  Shin cried, “Are we going to die in the little forest, get bury by snow or eat by a pack of wolfs.”  He carried Tim up, but they could not go anywhere because they were lost.  They searched for the tracks to the church, but they blinded by heavy snow.  What were they going to do?  They were tire searching for the tracks.  They were scare, but there was nothing they can do.  There won’t be people come to rescue them because it was dark in the forest and snow was heavy.  They lied on snow and make an angel.  Tim felt bad for bringing his friend along, but only got himself lost. 

“I am sorry, Shin.  I don’t realize we come to this end.  We are lost.  I am sorry to drag you to this end.” 

Shin replies, “Don’t be.  I decide to come along.  We are good friends.  I am glad I have this journey.  I have never been traveling much.  It is scary journey, but being with you the journey seems fun.” 

Tim said, “Thank.  I am glad you enjoy the journey with me.  I enjoy being with you too.” 

Shin asked, “Do you think we are going to die here and freeze to death?”

“I think we can last in this little forest for three of four days without food.  If the snow stops, we can find routes to the church.  Too bad we are in hurry.  I don’t bring any food or anything.”

“I do bring some food, water, and match to light fire.”

“That is great, Shin.  We are going to survive and we will make it to the church”

“I hope we do.  It starts to get cold here.” 

 

Wooo.  The boys shrugged, “What is that sounds?”  Tim sits up, “Wolfs must be nearby here.  We should gather branch and stick to light fire.  They won’t come near the fire.” 

            Shin stands up, “Let me go gather them.  You sit here and make sure your ankle is alright.” 

            “I’ll prepare some matches,” Tim said. 

            The boys lighted up the branches and sticks to make them warm and to make wolf stay away from the fire.  Now, the dark forest had been lighted and the cold from weather had been warmer.  The boys were still not aware of an image that follow them, the boy that dreaming.  The boy that is dreaming would like to help Tim and Shin out of forest, but he didn’t know how.  Ah, he got an idea.  He could fly.  If he flied up high on the sky and saw the light, there must be a way out to the church or village.  It was dark in the forest, but there must be light from the church or village.  He flied up high and looked all over four directions, West, East, South, and North.  He saw light.  There were lights at South West direction.  That must be the way to the church.  YaY, he found the way out, but how was he going to communicate with the boys.  He was just an image to them.  Ah, he got it.  He could throw branches and stick at them.  He threw some stick to the fire, but there were no responses.  It looked like that Tim and Shin didn’t see anything at all.  The boy that dreaming threw stick into fire a few times, but there were no reaction.   He sounded, “Hello, can you hear me?”  No one heard him.  Too bad that he found a way out of the little forest, but Tim and Shin couldn’t hear or see him.  After a while, the boy gave up.  He observed what Tim and Shin are doing and stuck around them.  The boy didn’t feel cold at all even though Tim and Shin did.  He was just an Imaginary boy.  He couldn’t feel, taste, or hear, but he could fly and see what people were doing.  Cold weather didn’t scare him at all. 

            Shin shivered, “It is getting cold.  The fire doesn’t seem to warm us all.”

            Tim agreed, “Yea.  There is nothing we can do about cold.  We should find a place to rest and warm us, then we will keep search for a way to the church after snow finish falling to the ground.  It is hard to see the tracks when snow is falling.”

            Shin got up and carried Tim to find a place to stay for warm.  They found a cave under mountain, hopefully there were no wolfs or white bear in the cave.  The snow kept falling and the day soon took over the night.  The night seems to be long for the boys.  Tim and Shin had hard time fall into sleep.  They were freezing.  They weren’t dead yet, but they were going to die by cold weather if they couldn’t get out of the little forest.  The darkness from little forest had been lifted by the light.  The day was coming.  The boys stood up and went out the cave.  They saw that they were in the middle of forest covering by snow.  They were shocked.  They didn’t know which directions were to the church or back home.  They were out of no where.  Tim, his sprain ankle, hadn’t recovering yet.  Shin lent Tim a shoulder to walk out of the cave.  It was morning.  Morning filled with bright light and it was a bit easy for them to see the track and find a way out.  Could they find a way out of the little forest?

            It was hard to tell.  Tim had sprained his ankle while Shin had never traveled before.  Tim would slow down his search for a way out to the little forest.  The morning light had brightened the day and warmed the little forest a bit, but the boys were still cold.  The snow had falling to the ground and it kept falling until the morning.  The wind showed no mercy.  It blew snow into the trees and into the boys.  Even though it was daylight, but snow falling and wind blowing made people lose their sight.  The boys struggled to walk and tried to find a way out the little forest, but it was helpless.  They wet back to the cave.  An Imaginary boy was still there observing.  He felt compassion, but he couldn’t do anything to help.  He tried to throw stick and sound, but he got no reaction from the boys.  What could he do?  He prayed God that God would show the boys a way out of the little forest.  The boys couldn’t travel much.  They decided to go back to the cave and wait till the snow stopped falling and wind stopped blowing.  They were hungry.  Shin was glad that he carried some food with him.  They ate some bread and save for later.  They drink some water.  The water had turn cold from weather.  Each sip of water into their mouth made their bodies colder.  It wondered how long the boys would last.  Were they whether freeze to death, die by hunger, or get dehydrated?  There were too many ways to die.  Dying was painful.  Not only people that died was painful, the people lived with them were also in pain.  They lost someone that they had love and they could never be with them forever.  That was life.  Everyone had to live through pain and suffer once in a while. 

The boys were suffering, but they were strong.  They would never give up their lives before death had come and took over them.  Their energy drained weaker one day from another.  The snow, wind, and coldness showed them no mercy.  They knew they cannot outrun death.  They tried to struggle with their lives, out of the little forest.  However, the nature had no feeling for them.  The nature was a beauty to see, but sometimes the nature was mad, it showed no compassion to living. 

Three days had been passed and snow kept falling.  There were no points to wait for snow to stop falling.  The boys stood up and went out of the cave.  Tim could barely feel like walking.  His energy was drained from being hungry, dehydrate, and cold.  Shin suggested, “I think we should stay here in the cave and wait for people to come and help us out of the little forest.  We still have some food and water left over.”  Tim struggled to walk, but he fell back.  “If we stay in the cave, we could be hunger, dehydrate, and freeze to death.  There is nobody that knows us go to this little forest.”  An Imaginary boy responded, “I know you boys go to the little forest from start to the end.”  Tim was shrugged, “What is that sound?  Who is speaking?”  Shin blanked, “I do not hear any voice.”  That was weird, only Tim could hear voice, but not Shin.  An Imaginary boy sounded out loud again.  Again, Tim was shrug.  He asked if Shin heard any voices, but Shin did not.  An Imaginary boy was laughing.  Tim looked at Shin and thought Shin was laughing.  It was really weird.  Tim heard voices.  Voices sound like real, but it wasn’t real.  Tim was scare now.  He thought it was his own voices, but he didn’t realize it was the voice of the dreaming boy.  It took a while for Tim to adjust hearing the voice.  The voice showed Tim the way out to Light, either it is a village or a church.  After helping the boys their way out to the forest, the dreaming boy left behind.  He was in trouble.  He got stuck in the darkness and couldn’t find a way out.  It was so scary that the boy woke up.  He thought his dream was all real, but it is just An Imaginary Dream.