What Is Reality?

Why

is

it

so

dark

and

cold?

I glance around but I can’t see anything other than the pitch black.

All I hear is silence. Or rather, all I don’t hear is silence. All I feel is a light yet cold breeze that sends shivers through my body.

This can't be real. But it feels so real.

I pinch myself to see if I can wake up from this dream but I feel the pinch. It actually hurts. This can't be a dream.

I stand in silence for a brief moment before something haunting happens.

“Hello~”

I jump slightly as I hear a voice come from nowhere. A nightmarish voice. The kind that makes you wonder if you're about to die.

“Who’s there?” I ask hesitantly.

“A…new friend.” The voice chuckles softly and I freeze at the sound. It's comforting yet terrifying at the same time.

“Do you have a name?” I ask quietly.

“You may call me Sora. I already know your name, Evan.”

How

does

he

know

my

name?

“Well, Sora, how do you know my name?” I turn in the dark, trying to see the direction the voice has been coming in.

“Oh, I know everything about you. Your dreams. Your hopes.” I feel a breath on the back of my neck but then I turn around and it’s gone.

“Your fears.” As the voice whispers that last part, something that feels like a sharp nail drags against my arm and I wince at the sudden pain that shoots up my arm and the blood I feel dripping down.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, moving my hand to cover the cut, but…there’s nothing there.

How

in

the

world

did

he

do

that?

He? Is it a he? Maybe. Yes, I think it is.

“Why am I here?” I ask with a slightly defiant tone.

“Why not?” He chuckles again.

I pause at that and tilt my head. He has a point. Kind of.

“Then can you tell me what is going on?” I ask, getting a bit impatient, still standing in the cold and the dark.

“What do you recall from before now?” Sora asks, his voice carrying all around me so that it sounds like he is everywhere at once.

“I was…at a bar with my sister. She had to leave early so I was by myself for a while. I stepped out the back into the familiar alleyway. Next thing, I’m here. And now, I’m thinking that maybe I had too many drinks.” I mentally slap myself for being so irresponsible.

“You need to be more careful.”

Did

he

seriously

just

sound

concerned?

I hear a drop of water break the silence.

I hate water. It scares me.

“What is happening?’ I ask Sora, my voice turning slightly panicky.

He doesn’t answer and the water dripping quickly escalates. I can feel my feet starting to get wet.

This continues for a few more moments before the water is up to my chest and I start feeling a sense of dread creep up on me.

I decide to take a chance. I start screaming even though something inside me knows that no one will respond.

The water finally reaches my mouth and I hold my breath as I feel it keep rising above my head.

After around thirty seconds, my lungs start burning slightly and it's getting harder not to take a breath.

“Take a breath. Trust me,” Sora’s voice speaks up finally.

Why

does

he

think

I

would

trust

him?

But I don’t really have any other option. It’s either suffocate myself, or be ridiculous and trust this random person.

I hesitate a moment before opening my mouth to find that I can breathe.

I am shocked. I still feel the water fully enveloping my body yet it isn’t filling my lungs and I can breathe.

“How is this possible?” I ask quietly, my mouth open with disbelief.

“Because this isn’t real. It’s all in your head.” I feel a hand on my shoulder and I jump at the sudden touch.

How

could

this

all

be

in

my

head?

“Don’t doubt that some of this is real, though. I am real. In your head, anything can happen, but nothing can cause you actual harm.” The hand drops and I pause, contemplating his words.

“Why am I here though? And please don’t say ‘why not’ again,” I roll my eyes though I know I don’t have much chance of gaining the upper hand here.

“Because you seem…interesting.” This time, he doesn’t chuckle, he laughs, and it actually seems genuine.

“How so?” This is getting more intriguing by the second. How could I ever be interesting? I’m no more than your average coward.

“I don’t know but by some chance, the fates have let me keep an eye on you and personally, I believe we will be great friends. The coward and the demon.” I hear his footsteps and he seems to be walking around to the front of me.

“Can I at least see you?” I doubt he’d let me but I ask anyway.

“Perhaps.” Sora chuckles once again. It’s getting kind of annoying.

Why

can’t

he

just

explain

things?

Finally, a spotlight appears and I see the man for a fraction of a second before he snaps his fingers and everything goes black again. I can’t even tell what he looks like before…

…I open my eyes, sitting up quickly and gasping for breath.

I glance around and see the familiar setting of my bedroom.

The light blue wallpaper.

The dark yellow lighting.

The soft music playing.

I guess it was all just a dream.

Or

was

it?

I hear a dark chuckle come from behind me.

“I’m offended that you don’t think I’m real,” says a deep voice, as if they can read my mind. The one that had haunted me for years yet also brought comfort to my dread.

I turn and see a man with black hair, red eyes, pale white skin, and a smirk on his face. He is wearing all black except for a blood red belt.

That is when I realize I know this man. He is my best friend who I’ve known for years. Sora.

Who may or may not be a demon.

“Are you having a nightmare about the first time we met?” Sora asks.

Where does

the line

between reality

and

fantasy

end?