Learn what happens when mystery writer, Zane, challenges his waking abilities by capitalizing on the enigmatic aura of barely conscious creativity.
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An Ingenuity Quest
We live in a world where audiences demand ever increasing vibrant and visceral innovation from writers and artists. Unlike sleepless AI chatbots, writers—though working long hours—require bodily cell rejuvenation from rest. During these periods of respite, the mind sorts and processes the day’s activities for short-term or long-term memory. But this often occurs in a bizarre and illogical, dream-woven tapestry.
Dreams are unscripted cinematography defying the rules of our waking consciousness. Creative writers endeavor to conceive, with arduous effort during work hours, what flows effortlessly during sleep.
Authors at the mercy of their imaginations, whenever it may strike, cherish the ethereal creativity that flourishes on the cusp of dreaming. But the cinematic trailers worthy of transcription are often lost in the clutches of immobile fingers. Too often, people have the intention of penning great ideas that evaporate upon awakening.
As a means of protection, the mind typically restrains muscles in preparation for vivid dreams. Otherwise, we might instinctively react to events in ways that could lead to self-harm. So, the simple act of grasping a pen and paper or a voice recorder requires monumental, often futile, effort.
Some people can perfectly recall one of several dreams occurring at night, with the periods of respite occasionally bearing recurring themes. Other people have no recollection upon awakening.
A Thought Provoking Labyrinth
As in the case of Thomas Edison, one might strive to exploit the “Mind Awake, Body Asleep” state as the zenith of enlightenment. Zane, a science fiction writer by night, who counts “defects” within spices during the day, is a modern example. After many unsuccessful attempts to rise and write, he resorts to the next best thing. With a digital tablet on his nightstand, he has trained himself to interrupt his circadian rhythm at 3 o’clock each morning.
During this time, he captures as many thoughts as possible. They might be unintelligible ideas, comprehensive story outlines, or complete stories more vivid than anything conceivable during normal business hours. What he presents before you today is one culled from the recesses of deep sleep.
A labyrinth of hallway corridors.
A Path Through the Dream State
While emitting a guttural roar of astonishment, he rouses himself from a fearful encounter with a thunderous heartbeat. After entering an unlocked commercial building, Zane finds himself feverishly searching empty rooms within the dilapidated home of a mysterious, enigmatic entity. A door with no knob leads outside along the side of the house to the backyard.
On the way, he passes a window with a bedside small analog television playing to his left. After finding no way out of the vacant backyard, he enters a backdoor in the direction of the room with the television. The cacophony of approaching footsteps causes him to retreat stealthily. To attract little attention, he pulls the backdoor close as quietly as a whisper. At that moment, a half-dozen youthful faces in their early twenties press against the door’s glass pane. This triggers his guttural gasp.
A small retro television displaying color images contrasts the sepia residental room.
Are the youths captives in an unlocked residence, or have they come to exact punishment for his illegal entry, for which he can offer no explanation? His only option for escape is through the other side door into a labyrinth of corridors, effectively compounding his crime of breaching private property with death as a looming consequence.
When the arms of the speechless children part the barrier between them and pull him down the dark hallway towards the room with the television, Zane yearns to awaken once more. There, the matriarch awaits. As he shields his eyes from the brilliant light, which he assumes is gunfire, Zane finds himself in yet another room, one of the speechless youths reaching out to the air in anticipation of the next wandering soul. He wonders if others in this crowd, like him, are ensnared within their own nightmares.
From a diligent dream scribe, this story, though full of suspense, deviates from what Zane produces during waking hours. Indeed, his regular readers, including you, will question the dearth of answers. But the mysteries of this story may be locked within the recesses of the imaginations of other dreamers, yet to be awakened.
The End
Return twice weekly for miniseries. Any relation to actual persons or events is coincidental. Login provides the most immersive experience. About 700 total words. Audio may include sound effects that alter reading time. Educational review questions are available for ClinicalNovellas Scholar members. Cinematic materials are available with ClinicalNovellas Cinematic membership.
