I slowly reached out my hand.
"YES."
The entire room burst into light, and then everything dissolved into darkness.
I fell asleep… but I knew the morning would never be the same again.
When I opened my eyes… I was in the real world. I'm not riven anymore.
The clock beside my bed — only fifteen minutes had passed.
I froze.
So much happened in just fifteen minutes?
Karim Uncle, the river, old Neil, the soldiers…
Was it all just a dream?
Morning light slipped through the window, and the smell of freshly made tea drifted from the kitchen.
My head felt a little heavy.
Dream or not, honestly — it was one incredible dream.
Just then, Mom pushed open the door.
"Hey, won't you wake up? I brought breakfast."
I got up from the bed.
She placed the food on the dining table — roti, eggs, and tea.
My sister and I sat down together, and Mom stood beside us, smiling.
"Hurry up, you have school today."
After breakfast, we both started getting ready.
I was in eighth grade, and my sister was in sixth.
Dad would drop us off on his way to the office.
Even after getting into the car, it felt like I still wasn't fully awake.
Dust floated along the roadside, buses, rickshaws, crowded shops — everything looked familiar.
Dad stopped the car in front of the school gate.
"Come on, get down."
We got out, and Dad drove away.
Classes started at nine.
Everyone was listening to the teacher with full attention.
I kept staring out the window.
The river in that village, Karim Uncle, the fire in old Neil's eyes… everything kept flashing in my mind.
The teacher was calling roll, but I wasn't paying attention.
Suddenly he snapped, "Riven— I mean— hey you! Which world are you in?"
The whole class burst into laughter.
I jolted upright and said,
"Sorry, sir…"
Even after sitting down, my mind refused to settle.
Every minute felt like another world was pulling me in.
After class, my friends were chatting, laughing, eating snacks — but I just stood at a distance.
It felt like I wasn't like them anymore, like something inside me had changed.
When my sister's class ended, we took a rickshaw home.
Mom had cooked rice, so we ate lunch and I turned on the TV.
Watched some football highlights.
I took a shower.
Cold water on my head finally gave me a little relief, but my mind still felt heavy.
In the afternoon, my tutor came.
Books and notebooks were arranged on the table.
"Come on, let's start today's math," he said.
I opened the book, but instead of looking at the numbers, I kept thinking —
What will happen to the Greenaries now?
The tutor stared at me.
"What's wrong with you? No focus today?"
I stayed quiet for a moment.
"It's nothing, sir," I said softly.
He looked at me again and sighed.
"Alright, that's it for today."
Then he left.
I leaned back on the sofa.
The sky outside had turned orange.
Evening settled in, the breeze cooled, and sleep slowly pulled my eyes shut.
When I opened them again — silence.
A blue sky above me, birds chirping, the distant sound of a waterfall.
I was lying in the middle of a mountain.
For a second, I thought it was another dream.
But no — dust on my skin, scratches on my hands, sweat on my forehead…
Everything was real.
A faint flashback rushed into my mind —
The country collapsing, people dying, hundreds like Karim Uncle killed, Old lady's tears…
I had made a decision.
I would become stronger.
This war would end — by my hands.
So I left my family behind and came here —
To Greenwood Mountain.