Yume and the Grey Dream

To start with, my name is Yume, and it means dream... Quite a peculiar name, I know, however, we do not have a choice over our names, we only live with them. Even if it meant being picked at because of how strange it's.

On the night when I was born, my mother saw a dream as she was giving birth, in which an angel gave her a baby shining brightly. Since then, Mom believed that I would be something great in the future. And so she named me after that dream of her.

I say it was only delusions from fatigue and pain, but who am I to speak?

The word ' dream ' didn't stop with my name. Eventually, the village I'm living in is called the Dreams' village. And if you want to know why, then come closer. It may sound like an unbelievable story but it's true.

We have these furry small ball-like creatures that we call ' Dreams ', they have some kind of blessing that can grant you your future, your calling. Some people think of them as gods, others as fairies. No one knows anything about them, not from where they come from nor how they work.

When you buy a ' Dream ', it becomes attached to you and linked to your feelings. But they don't come for free. To ensure your future, a Dream should grow up well by love and hard work. The more you work, the more your Dream grows, the more you love it, the more it gives you blessings.

There are different types of Dreams, each goes with the kind of calling you want, and they can be classified by their colors.

As red as blood and very agitated, the red Dream brings callings associated with health.

As pink as a blush and very shy, the pink Dream brings callings related to art.

As blue as the wide sky and very curious, the blue Dream brings callings linked to mechanics, electricity, and things like that.

As green as the trees' leaves and very calm and peaceful, the green Dream brings callings related to nature.

And as yellow and shining as gold and so serious, the yellow Dream brings callings associated with business and money.

That's the five Dreams I'm familiar with. There may be more, but I've only seen five up until now.

Well, although I'm surrounded with all those types of Dreams, I don't really have one of my own... No, not the living Dreams. A real dream... In other words, I don't have something set for my future. I don't know what I want to be, and that's why I don't have a Dream.

It's not like I can have one anyway. I'm from a very poor family that we barely find something to eat for dinner, let alone buying an expensive Dream.

Both our situation and my hesitation about my future made me unable to get a Dream... It was until...

***

The bell rang and we all hurried to get our things inside our bags to get out. But we all stopped when our teacher spoke. " I want you all to write about what you want to be in the future."

We were all taken aback by that strange topic, and the teacher continued to explain further. " I want to get to know what you want to be, and I want you to explain the reason behind your Dreams' choice of colors. So by tomorrow, I want this homework done."

We weren't convinced, or let's say I wasn't convinced. Nevertheless, we nodded.

We got out of the school and walked through the village's road. We were a big group of kids, but we started to split slowly, each one leaving when reaching his house. In the end, I was the only one left, but there were no more buildings on the sides of the road. And before me was the ever-extending woods.

I kept walking alone until finally I reached the wooden door of our cottage that was standing all alone outside the village and near the forest. We were completely isolated in that place.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, and everything went in silence as I walked in. " I'm home," I announced to my parents who were sitting to the table in the hall, which was also the dining room and the living room.

They managed a small smile at me and greeted me with as warmly as they could be through their tired faces. " Welcome back. How was school son?"

Dad voiced out, trying to start a conversation with me. " As usual." I quickly cut it short and went into my room, announcing that I would be skipping dinner.

I heard them sighing from behind the cracked door after I closed it. " What should we do about him? He seems very down?" Mom started.

" It's the natural thing for him because he doesn't have a Dream like the other kids his age. We have to buy him one soon."

" But we couldn't gather enough money to buy even the cheapest one."

" I have to work harder. It's my job as the father to get him a Dream."

" I will help you, I can't stand watching my son like this."

For the whole time, I was leaning against the old door and listening. I felt my chest tightening. I couldn't tell them, I couldn't face them with the truth.

I really wanted to open the door and tell them to not bother thinking about me because I had given up already. I don't have an idea of what I want to be. I'm not good with anything. I'm a failure.

I pushed my body forward and walked towards my small desk before grabbing a paper and a pen. What I want?

I placed the pen's end on the white paper and started tainting it with the ink...

***

The next day, the teacher asked me to stay after school time was over, which I did without complaining.

I stood on the other side of her desk and kept silent while she was shifting her eyes between me and the paper that was in her hand. She finally raised her face and shook her head. " I told you to write about what you want to be."

" That's what I did," I told her. She shook her head again and placed the paper in front of me. On it, was one line of words. I want to make my parents happy. And that's all. I didn't find the need to explain or add anything else.

" There is a difference between what you want to be and what you want to do, Yume." She sighed and rubbed her forehead. " I will give you another chance. Try redoing the homework and hand it to me tomorrow."

She said before reaching for her books and the other pupils' papers and leaving. I kept looking at my paper. What should I write then?...