Technology: A Portal to Destruction

Do you ever wake up from a strange dream - one that you've had before - and wonder why you had it? Do you ever feel like a higher being is trying to get your attention somehow, whether for good or for bad? I have...

I have been haunted by a dream for the past 2 weeks. Every night it is the same...

I wake up from some sort of coma with a major headache. I feel tired and anxious, like my subconscious knows something that I don't. So I leave my room out of interest in a Tylenol pill to give me relief. But as I stumble my way down the great stretch of a hallway, the world around me starts spinning and my vision turns to spots of blaring white light. It feels like gravity was giving way and couldn't decide whether to let me float or pull me down with great force to the cold, wooden floor.

I barely make it into the living room without falling over. But once I am in the living room, all matter begins to contort into a vortex. Everything is being sucked in by this gateway to another world, which is humming at a pitch just out of the hearing range of a human. Nothing matters anymore. All I care about is getting out of this.

Then there is the voice, in audible to others, but I can hear it. It is deep and draws my attention back to the portal. It tugs and beckons and refuses to accept any form of a 'no'. It echoes in my mind and transforms my headache to a great migraine.

"I have you now.... Just one more swipe. Just one more click. Just one more friend. Just one more - that's all it takes and you're mine!!!" the voice cackles.

As I stare into the vortex, still blinded by its white light and undertones of blue, everything slowly seems to be made of pixels. I feel like I am going cross eyed.

"NO!!!" I cried, but it was of no use.

"Step into the portal... Leave everything behind... Only what you want matters now..."

I have no other choice but to follow his commands. I'm captivated and can do nothing. I need to be saved, but there is nobody to save me. Oh, how I wish there was! ...Someone to remind me of what's important... someone to tell me I can leave - heck, that I have to leave! But there is no one. I'm alone and just about to waste the rest of my life by stepping into this portal, which gave me everything I ever wanted or needed. But it isn't enough - I still feel empty inside. Was I about to give up everything in my life for my selfish desires? There was only one way to find out.

So I slowly walk toward the portal, still suffering from that migraine, but I ignore it. I have nothing better to do... I take my last few steps, just started to climb into the portal, which was very cloud-like and airy to the touch. Dense, yet sparse at the same time. For whatever reason, there was a weird bleep-sounding music as I was in the portal. I am just about in, and....

"Honey, it's time to get up!" cried the familiar voice of my mom.

I wake up, shaking and sweating, to my alarm going off. Bleeping its weird tune just as I had set it the night before. I dragged myself out of bed for a quick shower. I could not be seen in such a state.

While in the shower, I mulled over what I had just dreamt - or, at least what I remembered. I had been having this same dream every night for the past 2 weeks. Every time, it shakes me up and I can't get over it. Every night, my subconscious is anxious and afraid for what it knows is coming. But what could it mean?

Once out of the shower, I walked down the long stretch of a hallway to the living room and kitchen where my family is. Everything is in its place and everything is normal. There was no sign of a vortex being here. I look around to see my siblings on their phones or watching TV, hypnotized by their screens. My parents are eating breakfast together. This is the routine every morning, but something was different... I peered over the shoulders of my siblings to see their screens. Blinding white light, with an undertone of blue glared at me. The TV was static and was humming at a pitch just out of human hearing. All were in a world of their own, checking social media or playing games - all of which revolved around what they want or care about. Nobody but my parents paid attention to each other. And then the voice again...

"I have them now!!! Just one more click... Just one more game... Just one more to enslave!!!"

PING! My phone dinged with a notification from one of my friend's social media. They had posted something about their boyfriend and them going out last night. I had to make a choice... People or a fake reality. Do I really want to be enslaved by a small object that dulls my mind anyways? NO!

I slapped my down down on the counter and went and sat down with my parents, who were still eating breakfast. The sweet smell of porridge with apple butter and brown sugar filled the air.

"What's wrong?" my mom asked.

"Nothing... Just wanted to say good morning and chat"

My dad cut in, "You usually go on your phone in the mornings and text your friends. Why the sudden interest in us?"

I hesitated. This was hard to admit. "Because I've been on my phone too much lately. I'm tired of being sucked in my own world and missing out on what really matters - like this delicious breakfast with my parents!"

My parents smiled and served me a helping of hot porridge. They were touched that I wanted to spend time with them for once. My dad went up an shut off the TV and told my siblings to join us. They weren't too happy, but they grew accustomed to it.

Since then, I haven't had the dream. Everything was as it should be - real. Not fake and made up. Now, I rarely go on my phone and have higher grades in school. My relationships and social life are so much better with real interaction. That's not too say my friends liked this new me, though. I hung out with them less because they never paid attention to me unless I was having conversation via text. They 'unfriended' me and we didn't speak much afterwards. But that's okay... I have my family instead - people that mean it when they give me a 'like' on social media.