Sand

Jan 17, 2026

"I found myself in a sprawling, ancient library with ceilings that vanished into shadow. I was searching desperately for a book I knew contained the secret to my future, but every time I reached for a spine, the shelf would stretch further away. The silence was heavy, like a physical weight. Suddenly, water started seeping from the floorboards. At first it was just a trickle, but within seconds, the aisles were rushing rivers. I wasn’t afraid of drowning, but I was terrified of the books being ruined. The scene shifted abruptly—I was now swimming in a vast, calm ocean under a twilight sky. In the distance, a solitary island rose up, topped by a massive clock tower that wasn’t ticking. I swam with a strength I don’t possess in waking life. When I reached the shore, the sand was made of crushed gemstones. I climbed the tower’s winding stairs, which felt endless. At the top, there was no clock face, only a giant mirror. When I looked into it, I didn’t see myself. I saw a younger version of my father, but he was wearing my clothes and looking at me with a mix of pity and pride. He handed me a key that was burning hot, but I took it anyway. I woke up just as the heat became unbearable."