A Nightmare Or What
The door slammed shut behind me, and with a mixture of frustration and anguish, I tossed my handbag onto the bed. Standing before the mirror, I found solitude in the quiet apartment, devoid of Carl's presence as his hurtful words resonated in my mind. The silence pressed against me, amplifying my internal turmoil until I couldn't contain it any longer. With a sudden surge of emotion, I released a guttural cry, the sound reverberating through the empty space.
"How dare youuu..."
"Who gave you the right?"
My shouts echoed against the walls until an unexpected knock on the door abruptly silenced me. Wiping my face with my hands, I navigated the corridor, my steps heavy with the weight of emotions, and opened the door.
"Hey, what happened? There are voices of shouting coming from your apartment. Is everything alright?" inquired a concerned voice from the other side.
A concerned masculine figure stood outside my apartment, his forehead creased with worry as his olive green eyes remained fixed on my form. My gaze wandered down to his muscular legs clad in tight jeans, complemented by a checkered blue and red shirt that hung open from the top buttons, suggesting a hasty departure. Water droplets trickled down from his still-wet blonde hair, cropped slightly on the sides, and a set of slightly L-shaped whiskers gave him a touch of old-fashioned charm, intentionally chosen or perhaps a nod to current trends.
"Yeah, everything is fine," I replied in a plain tone.
"Oh, thank God," he sighed in relief. "I was taking a shower when I heard someone shouting. I immediately got out of my apartment and figured out it was coming from your place," he explained, his words pouring out with genuine concern.
"Thanks for your concern. Things are fine," I assured him, starting to close the door when he interrupted.
"By the way, I'm Murphy. I live next door to you," he said with a friendly smile.
Unexpectedly, a spark of interest flickered within me. It seemed I had been oblivious to the existence of others on the same floor. Murphy, with his presence and amiable demeanor, managed to momentarily divert my attention from the earlier restaurant incident.
"Oh, really! So, I was wrong. There are other people who live on this floor," I remarked, my initial disinterest giving way to a more open attitude. "So, good to know about it," I added with a genuine smile in return.
"Yes, just moved in yesterday. The corridor seemed deserted, so I thought there might not be people living on this floor."
"Then you should thank me. My shouting proved you wrong. There are other people too," I chuckled.
"Haha... Yeah!" Murphy laughed. "So, do you live here alone or with family?" he inquired.
"No, this apartment belongs to my brother; he owns it. I just moved in a few days ago," I replied.
"Oh, I see. So, you're a newbie here too," he observed.
"Well, yes," I admitted with a slight lift of my lip.
"Why don't you join us for tea in the evening? Carl would also be at home by then," I offered, extending an invitation to share a cup of tea with us.
"Yeah, sure. I would love to meet your brother," Murphy accepted with a smile.
"Okay, then. See you in the evening," I said, closing the door as he turned around.
I retreated to my room and entered the washroom. Suddenly, fatigue set in. The stress of another day at school, dealing with students and curriculum matters, began to wash over me. In the midst of the hustle, my earlier anger dissipated, replaced by thoughts of tomorrow's plans.
After a refreshing shower and a change into comfortable clothes, I settled in front of the TV, enjoying episodes of my favorite show, FRIENDS. Carl was expected to come home around 5 pm, as he had mentioned in a text earlier. With an hour left until his arrival, I decided to unwind and relax until then.
The weariness of the entire day crept over my nerves like a slow swarm, and I drifted into sleep without realizing it. As the dark curtains closed, my breathing slowed, and my mind shifted from the day's concerns to the realm of dreams, where desires take the lead.
In this dream world, silence reigned, accompanied by the rhythmic dripping of raindrops from leaves rustling in the trees. Seated on a bench beneath the sheltering branches, a river flowed gracefully in front of me. Faces of those I loved began to reflect in its waters, and the waves narrated tales of rebellion, sorrows, heartbreaks, regret, and compulsion.
As I peered into the river's depth through a magnifying glass, I sought any reflection that diverged from these stories. Yet, the vivid scenes playing before me were my past, a vivid panorama where all my hopes threatened to fade, like the seven colors of life painted across the sky.
A gust of wind tousled my hair, carrying with it echoes of laughter. Everyone—trees, birds, heavens, earth, water, and the life within it—joined in mocking me. I had become a punchline, a source of amusement, and my life had turned into fodder for mockery.
Desperate to escape the derisive laughter, I covered my ears with my hands and sprinted away, attempting to evade the relentless pursuit in every direction I turned. Yet, they persisted, an inescapable echo haunting my every step.
Suddenly, I came to a halt, tilting my head skyward to face the welkins. In an emotional release, I cried like a baby and screamed like a banshee, unleashing the bottled-up turmoil within me.
As I jolted upright on the sofa, I became aware of all the eyes fixated on me, their gazes descending upon me as if I were the perpetrator caught in the act of a heinous crime.
"What happened?" Carl's voice broke through the remnants of my nightmare, grounding me back to reality.
Despite the passage of years, the nightmares of those days persisted, haunting my subconscious with visions of people laughing and mocking me. I surveyed my surroundings, noting Murphy standing next to Carl and another unfamiliar face behind whom Arthur loomed, all staring down at me.
"Nothing. It was just a bad dream," I replied, swinging my feet down from the sofa in an attempt to shake off the lingering echoes of the past.
"When did you guys arrive?" I inquired of Carl.
"Oh, we just entered the house. I was about to wake you up, but you started shouting," he replied, genuine concern evident in his voice.
"I'm fine. Thanks!" I reassured him, offering a faint smile. Without further explanation, I excused myself and retreated to my room. Although I had initially intended to introduce Murphy to Carl, upon waking up, I found them already acquainted.
I couldn't quite understand why I chose to isolate myself in my room instead of joining them. It felt as if a lingering insult, still etched in my mind, had played a role in my actions. The remnants of that past incident seemed to cast a shadow on my ability to engage with others openly.