Dreams & Illusions Pt. 2

Ramat Village, 9:54 PM

I sneaked into the cemetery. It was peaceful here. I smoked all night here. The moon was red as blood. Made me feel like I could quench my thirst for flesh! So, I went out to hunt in the village.

The next day...

I am now sleeping all day here at home. The noise of the construction peasants is not bothering me at all, no matter how loud, as long as the windows are covered by the sunshine. Then I woke up at night time.

"Oh, nice evening, ain't it, Klei?" exclaimed my father.

"Yes, indeed so. The night is young, fresh, and vibrant as the blood of the innocents I will victimise tonight."

"I hope you're not taking this vampire thing seriously. And I am starting to think you're a real one."

"Oh, c'mon now, father."

"I'm kidding!"

"Whatever. I need to eat."

"Your favourite, Tidtad/Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew with Rice)."

"Oh, gee, thank you, father! You're so thoughtful. You know my favourite!"

"Of course. I cooked it for you."

"Thank you, father!"

"Dig in. And by the way, if you're going outside tonight, I need you to buy yourself something."

"Holy shit, really?!"

"No, that's not what I meant. You have to buy your own medications using Mom's money. Just to see how responsible you can be."

"Tsk, tsk, another one of your tests, father?"

"Maybe. Just do what I tell you."

I finished my food and took my pills, except for the sleeping ones.

"Put on these clothes and buy your meds. And come back home right after, then you can go have fun outside."

"Sure."

I ventured out to San Fernando City to buy antipsychotics. I don't locally buy them nearby pharmacies because they do not sell those things here. So travelled far. I purchased the medications and got a discount using my PWD ID. Then I went home gave the change back to my father.

"Keep it. You passed the test."

"Fuckin' Christ, really?!"

"Yes. Now go on. Have fun, don't drink too much blood."

I headed outside and bought Monster Energy Drink and a pack of cigarettes, red branded in Lubao. The furthest I went to Lubao is far, a lot further than DAU or San Fernando, even Angeles City itself. I love this part of Lubao. It's a new city for me. It looks like Manila.

I spent the time walking around strolling in the lights of Lubao. The air was fresh as a virgin! As fresh as ripe vine grapes! Sadly, there are so many people around here at the time of night that they don't have jeepney carriages on the way back home after dark. So, I texted my father to stay in Lubao for a night. And come back home by 7 AM.

As promised, I would never drink again. After that, it will be a rabbit hole!

...

...

...

Nothing was interesting here, just city lights and strolling with cigarettes with my empty can of Monster. Sadly, there are no jeepney carriages to take me back home, even if I wanted to. The Tricycle carriages are private transportation services that are much more expensive, especially at night.

So, I took the bus that brought me to SM. I bought a new hoodie, dyed my hair red, and overdosed on caffeine in Starbucks. Then as soon as the caffeine crash hits me by the end of the night by sunrise... there are no jeepneys yet since it's too early, and the tricycle drivers outside the Terminal of SM only take you to Mexico City. I know someone from Mexico City, but it's pretty near SM Mall. It's my grandfather. I walked all the way there. Knocked on the door. Did not speak a single word and passed out onto the bed, murmuring, trying to speak.

"Coffee... Crash...."

My grandfather never laughed so hard in his whole long life.

I woke up that night...

"Here, take some of my money." So says my grandfather whilst I was dining there with his wife and his baby daughter. He's such a playboy! After all, he is wealthy yet lives in a shady, old apartment.

"So that's what happened last night?" asked my grandfather

"In fact, yes, indeed so. It was boring. I think this is the real reality now. In my dreams... I thought they were real, as vivid as they seem to be. But waking up in real reality seems boring. I feel so funny these days; I'd rather sleep than stay awake. Trees used to talk to me. Now I know what's real and what is fake."

"I see. Well, I could give you a drive to Angeles if I wasn't so busy, little Klei. How old are you again?"

"22 in July."

"22? You don't seem like your age."

"Yeah, because I'm a fuckin' vampire, I don't age. I'm immortal."

"HAHAHA!!! Your father loves your vampire jokes. But in fact, I think you just have a baby face. That's why you look so young."

"The rest of my body never even aged at all, not even my own mind."

"Well, for your mind, that's because you're mentally ill. But, though you never changed, you became better, well-behaved too. Do you want more coffee?"

I gagged, "No, thank you."

He laughed like an old man, which he quite literally is.

"So... what is the next adventure of your nightlife, Klei?"

"I wish it to be like the ones in my dreams; it has been boring since I woke up from those dreams."

"Maybe you need some... intimacy."

"Jesus Christ. I don't want to get anyone pregnant. I don't want any woman to bear a child yet, thanks to my huge dong!"

"HAHAHAHA!!!"

"HAHAHA!!"

The conversation went on. Little by little, I took a small amount of caffeine in my body.

I went back home after he treated me to dinner. Then I took my pills and slept the night.

Morning.

The workers are almost done with the first-floor renovation. I finally get to get my own room. They are doing the second floor since my elderly brother Regie has finally got a job in America and my mother retired. I went with my father to the airport using my grandpa's Montero. My father drove to Manila from this province, taking me with him.

"So... Klei. How are the nights going on? You've been going outside in and out for a few years now. This is the actual first time you slept at night time since your house arrest."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, right, nevermind."

I read his mind using 7th Sense.

"Father..."

"Yeah, Klei?"

"Did the psychiatrist hypnotise me to make my real memories turn into dreams?"

"How did you know that?"

"You know what? I'm not taking those pills anymore. The psychiatrist is supposed to make me know what is real and what is fake. Now he's doing this contradiction. I wrote in my dream journal everything, and I am bringing it with me right now. Climax events in parts of the story aren't real."

"Klei... that is because the psychiatrist hypnotises you to find out what you actually feel because you asked for it. So, we all know how you feel. Then some demonic vampire crap came out. I thought it was some mental illness, but the doctor said that hypnosis drives away from the mental illness.

The person being hypnotised will tell the truth between delusion and reality. And then you said those things. Your dream walking thing. I knew you've been sleepwalking this whole time, drinking blood and killing people. I just didn't want to tell you because I want you to be the Klei we know. Not the Monster. You're a human, regardless of whether you're a vampire or not. You're our special little angel Klei."

"So those dreams... were real... I thought..." I started to break down into tears.

"Klei, Klei, no, please don't cry. Fine, to shut you up, I'll get you blood bags. Tomorrow morning."

"How many years has my mind been dormant through hypnosis? I finally got to snap out of it!"

"13 years... and you're going to America soon. You just graduated from being a Blood Doctor recently and got a PhD. Your big brother Regie is taking you with him."

"When? No, I have to know what is real or not first!"

"I CAN'T TELL YOU!!!"

I shut my mouth after he yelled.

We reached the airport. Mom came in early.

I woke up again... it's the same thing! I've gone mad!!!