Cocoon

I had a dream a few months ago. I was standing in front of a familiar crowd, but strangely, their faces were shadowed by blurry marker scribbles. They were murmuring amongst themselves, bickering drones in a strange language. Interesting topics, curious talk, I stood there listening in. Maybe I was too naive, too forgotten to understand. Or maybe I had too much lunch, too stupid to comprehend. Whatever it was, no matter how I tried, I couldn't understand. Not a single word.

Then came a thunderous clap. And everything became darker. And darker. And darker. Everything was a single shape of untamable black. The darkness then flowed into my eyes, my veins, my lungs... until I was one with the night. Is this the life I desire? I know somewhere near, the shadowy familiars are in celebration. I can hear their peculiar words in song. They seem to be singing. Banging of footsteps and shuffling of feet. Could they be dancing? Or running? I had no idea. What I saw was the unusual darkness. I was tired. Not sleepy tiredness, but tiresome energy delay. I was lost. My fading. New beginnings to my flight towards past recollection.

But someone turned on the lights. A man. A big man with big arms that could carry the world. My first impression was that this man could be God. Or maybe a giant. Whoever he was, he was far too large, far too tall for me to see his face. His face was radiating like sunlit arrows. Far too bright for my eyes. Far too...

I saw myself. Standing. Wings? I had wings. I was a toddler. The Man whispered something into my ear. I seemed to be excited. I responded with claps and a somewhat of a happy dance. "Really? I don't have to?" The Man nodded. I stretched out my fist, inside it I clenched a piece of something. The Man took the object from me and put a little pink velvet box on my left hand. He smiled. On that day, he gave me a pulse. I felt warm. And alive. And somehow, a little relieved.

The picture faded away again. Clouds simmered into my vision, making everything a big white puff. Then out of the blue, the same darkness returned. The same darkness with its same blindness. "I don't like this," I thought. "I don't appreciate this weirdness and this confusing language. I don't wish to carry on but I don't want to give up either. Who is this I am fighting with? Who are you? And what do you want from me? Show yourself!"

Nothing. No reply.
Nothing. Silence.
Nothing. Sameness.

Wait. I think felt something. No, I heard something. One of the murmuring made sense. Kick. Kick? What does it mean? Should I kick? Am I going to be kicked? I didn't bother too much. I launched a hard kick toward the darkness. The sick feeling of doubt subdued my self. Nothing? I kicked again. Sameness? I kicked again. Silence? I kicked once more. Crack!

A piece of the darkness fell off like an eggshell. Then another piece crumbled off. And another. Yet another... Light bellowed into the system of darkness and shone through the walls of night. "Good job." There was a voice behind me. I turned around to see the Man standing, smiling. "Good job, you have done well," saying that he stretched out his hand and took my left hand. He opened it up gently and with his other hand, placed a familiar pink box. On that day, he gave me a heart. I felt warm. And alive. And peaceful. And somehow, relieved. It is over. I am ready to fly.