The One Absolute

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up one day and find yourself completely alone?

Some people might have experienced this in one way or another, but I can say with absolute certainty that no one has ever experienced it quite like I did. At least, not for a while.

It all started off rather normally. I felt myself waking from what seemed to be a good night's rest. But the moment I opened my eyes; I knew something was off. Something was very off.

For starters, the ceiling I was staring at wasn't the same cracked and dingy one I'd grown accustomed to in my apartment. Instead, it was... different. Luxurious, even. The ceiling was pristine white with intricate black markings, clean and elegant. My still-groggy mind, confused as it was, couldn't bring itself to appreciate the detail.

"What the fuck...?" I muttered, baffled. My first thought was that maybe I'd somehow ended up in a hotel and blacked out the previous night's events. Maybe I'd been drunk. But then I remembered I hadn't left my apartment in three days, and not only that, but I've never even touched alcohol in my life. Which is why I found it quite odd to have considered the notion at all.

But then if that wasn't the case, then naturally, my very logical conclusion was: "Am I dreaming right now?"

Muttering that to myself, I rose from the bed and took a better look around. Much like the ceiling, the room was nothing like the somewhat rundown place I'd been living in for the past two months.

The space was cozy yet elegant, giving off an air of understated luxury. A double bed sat at the center of the room, neatly made with crisp white sheets, brown pillows, and a matching comforter that perfectly tied into the room's warm, earthy tones. Beneath it lay a soft, circular beige rug, positioned to add a touch of hominess.

Against one wall was a polished dark-wood closet, its sleek design blending seamlessly with the minimalist aesthetic. A matching drawer stood nearby, topped with a lamp, a book, and... a coin?

Something was off about the coin. I wasn't sure what, but I felt some sort of attraction to it. Almost as if I was meant to grab it or something. Still, I decided to ignore it for time being as I continued looking around the room.

Two chairs, crafted from a combination of wood and leather, added to the room's charm, their placement casual yet deliberate—one near the closet, the other by a mirror mounted elegantly on the wall. The mirror, framed in thin brown wood, reflected the natural light streaming through a large window.

The walls and ceiling were bright white, amplifying the light and making the space feel even more open, while the contrasting dark furniture grounded the look. Clean. Uncluttered. Rustic, but with a modern edge.

"If this is a dream and I'm aware of it..." I muttered, inspecting my hands. "Then this should be a lucid dream, right?"

The realization opened a floodgate of ideas. If I was lucid dreaming, that meant I could control the dream world. Superpowers? Magic? Bending reality sounded pretty darn rad, all right?

And so, I decided to give it a try.

"Sword," I commanded loudly, stretching my arm out with my palm open.

To my surprise—and delight—a misty purple energy swirled in front of me, slowly solidifying into the shape of a sword. Within seconds, the mist faded, leaving behind a standard sword, hovering mid-air.

"Holy shit," I whispered, my mind racing with sheer number of possibilities. It was my first time lucid dreaming, and I couldn't help but grin as idea after idea popped into my head.

Unfortunately, my excitement didn't last long.

"Huh?" My head snapped toward the window as a strange noise broke the silence.

What greeted me was nothing short of a nightmare.

Floating outside was a grotesque, giant head with six muscular arms protruding from its sides. Its hollow eye sockets dripped with some kind of green liquid, and its nose was horrifyingly absent, replaced by a jagged cavity. The thing's gaping mouth hung open, emitting a noise that sounded like a deep, distorted owl hoot.

"What the fu—" I started to say, but before I could finish, two of its massive arms smashed through the glass, shattering it effortlessly.

Instinct kicked in as my hand shot toward the sword. Gripping its hilt, I pointed the blade at the creature.

A whirlwind of thoughts stormed through my mind: This is a dream, right? If I die, I'll just wake up. But it's my first lucid dream—I don't want to wake up. I have to fight. I've got nothing to lose. Can I just... erase this thing? Make it drop dead? Turn it into a harmless lamb or something?

I tried every idea that popped into my head, but nothing worked. Instead of disappearing, dying, or becoming a lamb, the abomination did the unthinkable—it attacked.

Adrenaline surged through me as I dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding a blow from one of its enormous fists, each the size of a punching bag.

"What the fuck are you?!" I shouted, heart pounding, trying to figure out my next move.

It was very clear this thing would not go down easily. At least, not by the damned sword I had in my hand. Injure it? Sure. Kill it? Probably not.