One day, Rihaz woke up with a jolt. He reached for his notebook and pen, which he always kept on his bedside table. He had to write down his dream before he forgot it. He did this every day, ever since he started practicing lucid dreaming. He scribbled furiously on the paper, trying to capture every detail of his vivid experience. His whole body was sweating, as if he had just run a marathon. He put all his concentration into writing that book. He wanted to document his journey into the realm of dreams, where he could be whoever he wanted and do whatever he pleased. He smiled a little and thought, I know I can do it. I'm getting closer to my goal.

He finished writing and put the notebook away. He looked at the clock. It was 10 a.m. He had slept for more than 12 hours, but he didn't feel rested. He felt exhausted, but also exhilarated. He picked up his phone and called his friend Kidoo, who was the only person who knew about his obsession with lucid dreaming.

"Hey Kidoo, I think I am getting closer." He said, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Getting closer to what?" Kidoo asked, sounding annoyed.

"You know what. To the ultimate lucid dream. To the perfect reality. To her." Rihaz said, referring to the girl he loved, who had rejected him in real life, but who he had recreated in his dreams.

"Rihaz, you need to stop this. You're losing your mind. You're wasting your life. You're playing with fire." Kidoo said, trying to reason with him.

"No, you don't understand. This is the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm happier than ever. I'm in control. I'm free." Rihaz said, defiantly.

"Wait, I'm coming there. We need to talk." Kidoo said, hanging up.

Rihaz shrugged and took another notebook. He had several of them, filled with his dream logs. He opened a new page and started writing like this: Sunday, October 1st. I think I am getting closer to what I want. It took me five months to achieve it. Now I can handle it. I have experience in that. Now I can feel whatever I want.

He wrote about his latest dream, where he had flown over the mountains, explored a hidden temple, fought a dragon, and made love to his dream girl. He wrote about how real it felt, how intense it was, how happy he was. He wrote about how he could manipulate his dream environment, how he could change the scenery, the weather, the time, and even the people. He wrote about how he had become a master of his own domain, a god of his own world.

He was so engrossed in his writing that he didn't hear the doorbell ring. He only noticed when someone knocked loudly on his door. He closed the notebook and opened the door. It was Kidoo, his best friend since childhood. He looked worried and angry.

Kidoo walked into the room, without waiting for an invitation. He stared at Rihaz and shouted, “Rihaz, do you understand what you are doing?” He saw the notebooks, the books about lucid dreaming, the posters of his dream girl, and the dark circles under his eyes. He saw a man who had lost touch with reality, who had become addicted to a fantasy.

Rihaz lightened up a cigarette and said coolly, “I know what I am doing. If you are afraid of that, you can leave now.” He didn't care what Kidoo thought. He didn't care what anyone thought. He only cared about his dreams.

Kidoo shouted again loudly, “What’s wrong with you? I have been seeing you for the past few months. You’re getting mad about that lucid dreaming. You know what consequences you have to face after this.” He knew that lucid dreaming could be dangerous, especially if done excessively and without proper guidance. He had read about the risks of lucid dreaming, such as insomnia, nightmares, dissociation, confusion, and even psychosis. He had seen how Rihaz had changed, how he had become isolated, depressed, and obsessed. He had tried to help him, to convince him to stop, to seek professional help, but Rihaz had refused to listen.

Rihaz looked at Kidoo and said, “Yeah, I know, but I don’t care what happens to me.” He was willing to pay any price for his dreams. He was willing to sacrifice his health, his sanity, his relationships, and even his life. He believed that his dreams were more important, more meaningful, more real than anything else.

Then Kidoo said, "Arguing with you is a waste of time, so you decided to do what? Fine. Okay, tell me what you have done in your dreams." He wanted to understand what Rihaz was thinking, what he was feeling, what he was chasing. He wanted to see if there was any hope left for him, any chance to bring him back to reality.

Rihaz said, "Adventure, travel, living in my fantasy. And you know, I've done sex also. Now I can take over the control of my dream. I can do whatever I want." He said it with pride, with joy, with satisfaction. He had done things that most people could only imagine, that most people would never experience. He had lived a thousand lives, in a thousand worlds, with a thousand possibilities. He had fulfilled his every desire, his every wish, his every fantasy.

Kidoo said, "Dude, it's just a dream." He said it with disbelief, with pity, with sadness. He knew that Rihaz was deluding himself, that he was living in a bubble, that he was missing out on the real world. He knew that dreams were not reality, that they were not reliable, that they were not lasting. He knew that Rihaz was hurting himself, that he was losing himself, that he was wasting himself.

Rihaz said, "Haha, no, it's reality." He said it with a small laugh, but he meant it seriously. He had convinced himself that his dreams were more real than reality, that they were more valid than reality, that they were more preferable than reality. He had rejected the real world, with its problems, its limitations, its disappointments. He had embraced the dream world, with its wonders, its freedoms, its pleasures.

Kidoo said, "I know the visuals seem like reality, but they are not. You are fooling yourself, Dude. You are escaping from the real world, and that's not healthy." He said it with logic, with reason, with common sense. He tried to explain to Rihaz the difference between dreams and reality, the dangers of escapism, the importance of balance. He tried to make him see the truth, the value, the beauty of the real world.

Rihaz stared at Kidoo and said, "Do you remember, a few months ago, I asked you to join me? Then you said it's not as easy as you think and you have to face the consequences of your mental health of lucid dreaming." He said it with resentment, with bitterness, with accusation. He remembered how he had invited Kidoo to try lucid dreaming with him, how he had promised him a new world, a new life, a new adventure. He remembered how Kidoo had refused, how he had warned him, how he had lectured him.

Rihaz still stared at Kidoo and said clearly, "Now see, I am trained to do this. I achieved it. Trust me, I'll teach you. I want to experience you how I feel." He said it with confidence, with persuasion, with temptation. He wanted to share his dreams with Kidoo, to show him what he had discovered, to make him understand. He wanted to have a friend, a partner, a companion in his dream world. He wanted to have someone who would support him, who would join him, who would love him.

Kidoo said, "I'll think about it." He said it with hesitation, with doubt, with curiosity. He was torn between his loyalty to Rihaz and his fear of lucid dreaming. He was curious about what Rihaz had seen, what he had done, what he had felt. He was tempted by the possibility of lucid dreaming, the opportunity of exploring a new dimension, the challenge of testing his limits. He was unsure of what to do, what to say, what to choose.

Rihaz said, "Ok then, I'll be waiting for you this night. Happy morning." He said it with hope, with expectation, with anticipation. He hoped that Kidoo would agree, that he would try, that he would like. He expected that Kidoo would call him, that he would join him, that he would follow him. He anticipated that Kidoo would see, that he would do, that he would feel.

He smiled and hugged Kidoo, who was still confused and conflicted. He walked him to the door and said goodbye. He closed the door and went back to his room. He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. He was ready to go back to his dream world, to his dream girl, to his dream life.

He didn't know that it would be his last dream.

Let me take you a few months before:

Rihaz was fascinated by lucid dreaming, the state of consciousness where the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming and can control some aspects of their dream. He had learned how to lucid dream after reading some books. He wanted to live in a fantasy world, where he could do anything he wanted, without any limitations or consequences. He especially wanted to live with one girl who had rejected him in real life, and who he still loved deeply.

Kidoo was afraid of lucid dreaming. He had heard that lucid dreaming could cause some mental health issues and anxiety, such as insomnia, nightmares, dissociation, or confusion. He also thought that lucid dreaming was a waste of time and energy, and that it was better to focus on the real world and its challenges. He cared about Nani and wanted him to be happy, but he also wanted him to be safe and healthy.

They often argued about lucid dreaming, and this day was no exception.

(To be continued....