Crack!
The sound of the wooden door creaking.
The smell of firewood in the fireplace, the dim morning light coming through the window. And the touch of a rough blanket, and the cold air biting the skin.
Behind the bedroom door, the morning air felt too quiet... as if holding its breath, waiting for the moment I stepped out.
"Huh..!! Where is this?!!"
The child suddenly woke up in a panic, hurriedly looking around.
"Hey, Østberg... Calm yourself down, you're in your room." Another voice was heard.
"A- Auntie?" Østberg asked with a gasp.
Auntie seemed worried about the child's behavior. "It looks like you're dreaming again, I told you not to come home late at night too often."
There was silence between the two of them. They were silent for a moment, looking at each other.
Auntie said softly but firmly. "Your face is pale again. Wake up, Uncle is waiting for you in the garden... he's worried that you're constantly trapped in a dream."
Meanwhile, Auntie, started to walk out of the room, leaving him alone there.
"..."
Why do I always come back to that dream… is this a calling?
Do Uncle and Auntie know how bad my inner wounds are every time I wake up?
But anyway, It's… Still a Dream, huh?
Maybe… That's right.
Silence enveloped the room, only accompanied by light conversation that made Østberg slowly realize that everything might be just a dream, or at least, a reality that is not yet fully understood.
As the saying goes, a dream is a condition where someone is in a conscious and unconscious position, on the same axis.
That's a saying, where even himself is confused about who created it?
---
His name is Østberg. Since he could remember, his life had never been too complicated, but it was also not as simple as many people often said.
He didn't have any striking features. His hair was black and he looked like a normal child. He was around 9 years old, and he wore his everyday casual clothes.
Østberg is a boy with a big dream, he was born in a village called 'Audhild', a village located in the Eastern part of the Xar'Kairos Kingdom
Xar'Kairos is a fairly large kingdom, which is divided into 4 districts. There are the East, South, North, and West regions. Each district has its own village, such as Audhild which is located in the Eastern district.
Østberg lived with his Uncle, Arvid, and Aunt Mina since child. Both of them never talked about their biological parents, and that was one of the mysteries that made him feel a little alienated.
On this quiet morning, the sun slowly rose behind the Audhild mountains, giving a soft color to the previously dark sky.
The fresh morning air filled his lungs as he stepped out of the house, accompanied by the sound of the wind humming through the trees.
Østberg sat on the threshold, letting the sun warm his skin, but that empty feeling, the feeling that something bigger was waiting, came back to haunt him.
Sometimes, he felt like he was in the middle of a world that never really connected.
Like a shadow that passed by, so quickly that he couldn't quite grasp it.
Even though his life seemed calm from the outside, there was a strange feeling, like something was out of place.
In the distance, Østberg could see Uncle Arvad working in the garden. And my aunt, busy with her morning routine of cooking breakfast and setting the table.
The two of them were the only family she had since as a child. They always showed me attention and affection, but I felt separated, like there was an inexplicable distance.
As time went by, Østberg felt more and more that life in Audhild was too small to accommodate all the questions that plagued his mind.
"Østberg!" Uncle Arvid shouted from the garden, his voice slightly louder because of the strong wind.
"Do you want to help today?" Uncle continued.
Østberg nodded, even though he knew his answer was more out of habit than intention.
Østberg felt that nothing could really fulfill his needs right now, even with hard work.
It was like something was missing, and he didn't know what it was. While Auntie was busy in the kitchen, she glanced at me and gave me a gentle smile, as if she knew what was on my mind.
"Don't think too much, Østberg." Auntie said in a friendly tone.
"Sometimes, we just have to live day by day."
However, her words felt like a passing wind, leaving no trace. Østberg took a deep breath before finally getting up from his seat and walking towards the garden. His small steps walked along the dirt path that was still wet with morning dew.
His shoes left faint footprints on the ground, while the sound of birds began to be heard from a distance, welcoming the morning with their usual songs.
Uncle Arvid was cutting branches that were starting to interfere with the growth of the tomato plants, and when he saw Østberg coming, he smiled faintly.
"I knew you would come," he said without turning around. "Hold this."
He handed him a basket of cut leaves. Østberg took it without a word, then began to help pick weeds from the sides of the field.
Not many words were exchanged between them. Uncle Arvid was not the talkative type, and Østberg was lost in his own thoughts.
But in the silence, there was an inexplicable comfort. It was as if the world had stopped for a moment and allowed them to understand each other in silence. Østberg took a deep breath and walked into the garden, approaching Uncle Arvid who was hoeing the hard soil with steady, rhythmic movements.
"Hold this," Uncle said, handing him a small shovel. "We'll plant carrot seeds today. The soil is starting to grow well after last week's rain."
Østberg nodded and began to help, though his mind was elsewhere. His hands moved according to Uncle Arvid's instructions.
All morning, they worked in silence. Occasionally, birds could be heard and the wind rustled through the trees.
Auntie appeared with water and bread for them, then returned to the house without saying much. She knew Østberg was lost in his own world, and sometimes it was best to leave him alone.
By late afternoon, the work in the garden was finished. Uncle patted his shoulder gently. "Good job, son."
Østberg just smiled faintly, then walked back to the house with shoes covered in dirt and sweaty clothes. After cleaning himself and changing clothes, he returned to his room.
Østberg nodded and walked home. Passing grass that was starting to dry out from the heat, he opened the door of the house slowly and went inside. The aroma of toast and warm soup filled the air, Auntie had prepared lunch.
"Have you helped your Uncle?" Auntie asked as she stirred the pot on the stove.
"Yes." Østberg replied.
"Good! Then, lunch will be ready soon. Wash your hands first and take a break." He said with a smile.
Østberg went upstairs. The wooden stairs creaked softly under his steps. He entered the room and immediately lay down on the bed. His body felt tired, but his mind was still wandering. The ceiling of the room looked empty, dull white.
In this house, there are 3 different rooms. Namely my room, my uncle's and my aunt's rooms, each of which is separate.
I often call my room as room 1, my uncle's room as room 2, and my aunt's room as room 3.
However, there is 1 more room that is locked. That is my parents' room. My uncle and aunt always lock that room, and do not give me an explanation.
They only said that I had entered that room when I was a baby, but... I don't remember.
Today feels tiring, myself can't even believe that I do this activity every day, for years.
But this is just a small activity, there is nothing to worry about.
Isn't that right?
---
[In Room 1]
A few minutes passed in silence. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling how quiet the place was. But unlike his dream, this place was real.
He opened the window and let the afternoon breeze in, then lay down on his bed. His eyes looked at the sky, which was now starting to change color, a mixture of orange and gold. The day was almost over.
Relaxing at times like this was very pleasant.
Look! Many flocks of birds flying in the sky!
On the small table, his notebook was still open. He took a pen and wrote a few short lines about how he felt today. Not much, just pieces of unorganized thoughts.
Then, Østberg put the book down, pulled the blanket, and looked at the sky through the window.
In the silence, for the first time that day, he felt a little relaxed. Not happy, not sad. Just... calm.
The wind from the window brought the scent of wood and leaves, and the sounds of nature that slowly calmed Østberg's heartbeat. He stared at the sky through the glass, the sky that continued to change color, as if following the flow of his thoughts that were never truly calm.
Østberg lay on his back in bed, touching the rough fibers of his blanket, closing his eyes, letting himself be lost in the uncertainty that had always accompanied him since childhood.
"This world is so real... but why does the dream feel more alive?" Østberg asked himself
"I'll try to think again... who was the old man in the black robe who appeared in last night's dream?"
"But what? And why did he feel like he had been there before?"
On the side of the bed, Østberg saw a book, not his own notes, but a gift from his aunt, containing ancient folk tales from the southern region.
One of the stories spoke of a Monster who was not imaginary, but a 'call' from another time.
"What is this?" Østberg asked.
"I never believed in such things, but lately… everything felt too strange to be a coincidence."
Østberg turned the book over, then shook it to see if there was anything stuck. After he felt nothing stuck, Østberg tried to open the book.
A few moments before he could read the message in the old book, the sound of the wooden floor creaked from below. There were footsteps, then the sound of a chair being pulled.
"Østberg!" Uncle Arvid's deep voice came from the living room. "If you're not busy thinking alone, come down for a moment. I want to talk."
Østberg was silent for a moment. His gaze turned to the door, then he got up slowly, tucking his notebook under his pillow. He took a breath and said softly to himself,
"Okay… I'll be back in the real world soon." Østberg muttered
Then he stepped out of his room, welcoming the fading light. Østberg went down the stairs and into the garden, trying to shake off the doubts that had begun to settle inside him.
For a moment, Østberg forgot about those strange dreams. However, even though everything seemed normal, he couldn't shake the feeling that his destiny would never let him be.
After arriving in the living room, Østberg started to sit on the bench, in front of him there was a fairly large round dining table, made of fresh wood cut from the forest there. Next to him, sat Uncle who was relaxing.
"What's wrong Uncle? Why did you call?" Østberg asked curiously.
Uncle replied. "Nothing. Just sitting here."
At that time, he was sitting by the fireplace with Uncle, his eyes sparkling with the enthusiasm of children full of dreams.
Østberg saw a book that had a carving of Heroes, Heroes who were always enthusiastic to do positive things and help. Then with sparkling eyes, Østberg said in a voice full of hope.
"Uncle, when I grow up ... I want to be a hero!"
His uncle smiled, looking at his young face with love. He looked at Østberg and answered in a gentle tone.
"Yes, of course. In the beautiful future, you will be a hero."
Østberg looked at his uncle, his smile growing wider.
While the flames in the fireplace reflected his shadow on the wall, as if imagining the figure that would grow stronger in the future.
---
[Afternoon]
Østberg spent the morning helping Uncle Arvid in the garden, cutting dry twigs and stacking firewood for the approaching winter.
Although his hands were busy working, his mind wandered to the dreams that continued to bother him every night.
A strange city with tall towers, loud noises he had never heard in Audhild, and a shadowy figure calling out in an urgent tone.
"Østberg," called Uncle Arvid, breaking his reverie. "You're daydreaming again."
Østberg turned his head and smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Uncle. I just..."
"...Thinking too much?" Uncle finished the sentence jokingly, waving his dirt-stained hands.
"You're too much in your head, kid. Try to enjoy what's around you sometimes."
Østberg nodded, though his words felt more like hard-to-follow advice than a reality that could be lived out.
The garden work was done by midday, and Østberg returned home to eat with them.