The city lights stretched endlessly below the rooftop.Aarav stood near the edge, his mind still replaying Meera's words."You are a Dream Walker."The phrase echoed again and again in his head.Dreams that felt real… shadows watching him… strange whispers calling his name.
Were those really dreams?
Or something else?
Behind him, Rayan dropped his backpack on the ground."Okay," he said excitedly, "I have been waiting for this moment."Aarav turned around slowly."That sentence never ends well when you say it."
Meera crossed her arms.
"What are you planning this time, Rayan?"Rayan pulled out a small metallic device filled with wires and blinking lights.He smiled proudly."My latest invention."Aarav immediately stepped back."No."Rayan frowned."What do you mean no?"
"The last time you built something," Aarav said, "the school lab almost exploded."
Rayan shrugged."Minor accident."Meera sighed."Why do I feel like this will also be a 'minor accident'?"
Scene 2 – The Experiment
Rayan placed the device carefully on the floor.The screen flickered.Strange symbols appeared."This," Rayan said dramatically, "is a Dream Frequency Scanner."Aarav blinked.
"A what?"Rayan grinned."If the Dream World exists… this device will detect it."Meera's expression suddenly changed."You shouldn't play with that."Rayan looked at her."Why?"
Meera spoke quietly."Because if you detect the Dream World…"…something from there might detect you back."For a moment, the rooftop went silent.Then Rayan smiled again.
"Relax. What's the worst that could happen?"
Aarav sighed.
"Please don't say that."
Rayan pressed the button.
BEEP.
The device started humming.Lights began flashing rapidly.The air around them suddenly felt colder.Aarav frowned."Do you feel that?"
Scene 3 – The Rift
The wind grew stronger.The space in front of them started bending.Like invisible waves moving through the air.Rayan's eyes widened.
"Wait… WAIT."
The device began shaking violently.WHRRRRRR.A swirling blue light slowly formed in mid-air.Meera whispered in shock."That's not just energy…"
"That's a Dream Rift."Aarav felt the same strange pull he felt in his dreams.Something on the other side was alive.Watching.Waiting.
Rayan stared at the portal in disbelief."I… I actually did it."Then suddenly—POP!
Something tiny flew out of the portal and started floating in the air.The three of them stared at it.Rayan tilted his head."…Did we just summon a flying potato?"
Scene 4 – Zippu Appears
The tiny glowing creature turned toward Rayan angrily."HEY!" Its voice was surprisingly loud."I AM NOT A POTATO!"
Aarav and Meera froze.Rayan blinked."…It talks."
The creature crossed its tiny glowing arms."I am Zippu, guardian of the hidden dream paths!"Rayan burst out laughing."Guardian? You look like a glowing marshmallow."Zippu's eyes flashed."You humans are unbelievably rude."
Meera stepped closer."If you are a guardian… why are you here?"Zippu looked at the portal behind him.For the first time, he looked nervous."Because someone else followed me."The portal suddenly started shaking violently.Dark shadows moved inside it.
Aarav felt his heart race.That same terrifying presence from his dreams…was coming closer.Meera whispered,
"This is bad."The shadows inside the portal began crawling outward.And something stepped through.Something that definitely did not belong in their world.
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To Be Continued…