Many people in this world believe in unknown figures of folklore, such as angels or demons. But what about humans? We're such fragile beings, waiting to emerge from our cocoons called life and become the butterflies known as angels, or become ugly moths called demons.

However, I don't believe in those folktales anymore, ever since my mother died five years ago. She was gravely ill, and before her illness, we would play the guitar for hours, playing hymns. Every day, I prayed countless empty, unheard prayers for her and played many of her favorite songs to give her solace from her stress. I longed for someone to reassure me that she was improving and would return to our daily lives. But instead, I witnessed the heart monitor slowly diminish as she slept, yet I was too paralyzed with disbelief to call for help. When I finally mustered the courage, it was already too late. "To cope with the reality, I tried to recall the story she told me when I was about six years old - about how people die peacefully in their sleep."

I clung to the belief that the angels were taking her home, which was the only thing preventing me from plunging into complete despair. Still, I couldn't help but feel deeply saddened that she was taken from me before her time. I questioned why she was taken prematurely. Why were my prayers ignored? Eventually, I concluded that all forms of religion are merely mechanisms for us humans to blindly follow before being consumed by the eternal abyss.

However, everything changed on that fateful night when I awoke to find an unknown creature staring at me with its numerous eyes and vibrant wings, reminiscent of eagles as if it were intently observing me. Instinctively, I screamed, causing the creature to retreat. After ensuring it was no longer present, I realized that I was no longer in my room.

To clear my mind, I convinced myself that this was merely a dream, and none of it was real. Armed with this notion, I embarked on an exploration of this unfamiliar realm. It was adorned with golden trees and water embellished with golden accents, reminiscent of the stories my mother used to tell me. The water flowed northward.

Unquestionably, I felt compelled to explore this place further. Thus, I followed the currents that led me to a bridge constructed of colorful feathers, bearing a striking resemblance to the feathers of the creature I had encountered earlier. Against my better judgment, I took two bold steps onto the bridge, only to discover that it held my weight without budging. Consumed by curiosity, I leaped to test its stability, but it remained steadfast.

Curiosity piqued, I squatted down to examine what made this bridge so resilient. Plucking one of its feathers, to my astonishment, the bridge sprang to life, as if it were a living entity. It began to divide, and I sprinted as fast as I could, but I couldn't reach safety in time. Yet, one of the creatures came to my rescue, carrying me to the other side. Before I could utter a word, the creatures regrouped, reconstructing the bridge once again. With renewed determination, I resumed my expedition through the dream world until the enchanting sound of a female voice singing beckoned from the east of the forest.

Driven by curiosity, I sprinted toward the source of the captivating singing. As I followed its melodic trail, I noticed the landscape gradually transforming. The lush abundance of trees and water dwindled, giving way to abstract human-like structures that aroused my curiosity as I continued my pursuit.

Abruptly, the singing ceased as I reached a wide road resembling stained glass. It stretched as far as a football field and boasted murals depicting four majestic beings evoking ancient mythology. One had the head of a white lion, another the head of a goat with spiral horns forming a helix, the third the head of a blue eagle, and the last the head of a female human.

As I marveled at the mural, I felt a human-like touch on my shoulders, triggering my fight-or-flight response. There hadn't been any creatures in this place so far that seemed to possess hands, and I wasn't willing to take any chances.

 Clenching my fist tightly, I swiftly swung, but my punch failed to connect. I closed my eyes, believing it was all over, only to open them and find a young brown-skinned woman, approximately my age, whose hand I had missed. She had hazel brown amber eyes and long braided hair. Furrowing her eyebrows, the woman exclaimed, "Do you just try to hit anybody who's behind you!?" Desperately, I attempted to explain the situation, but she was too consumed by anger to listen, hurling a barrage of insults at me.

As we stood there, engaged in our verbal confrontation, a sudden, resounding creak emanated from the mural, capturing both of our attention. The mural swung open, emitting a bright light that obscured its contents. While we remained transfixed, the woman asked, "So, who's going in first?" I glared at her, calmly responding, "Do you think I'll go first after what just happened?" She retorted, "You were just inches away from breaking my nose. How am I supposed to feel?"

Realizing we were getting nowhere, I pondered,

 "How about we settle this with a game of rock-paper-scissors? If you win, you don't have to enter the door first."

 The woman replied skeptically, "You want me to stake my life on a game of rock-paper-scissors?" 

Exasperated, I thought, "Well, do you have any better ideas?" 

"Ugh, fine, I’ll play along," the woman said begrudgingly. "On the count of three, we shoot," she added

. The woman couldn't help but notice that the man hadn't even re-positioned himself away from the door, giving her an advantage. If she were to lose, she could easily push him.As the two began to play, the man swiftly grabbed the woman's arm before she could swing on the second count. The woman cried out,  

"What are you doing?!" 

The man, with a smug expression, replied, "Making things fair." As he pulled both the woman and himself into the door.

As the both of them traveled through the door the both of them felt a weird tingling sensation as if they were being transported through a vortex of energy. The sensation was disorienting as if their bodies were being pulled in different directions simultaneously. It lasted only for a few moments, but it felt like an eternity.

When the tingling subsided, they found themselves in a vast, open space filled with an otherworldly radiance. The surroundings were ethereal, with soft hues of blue and gold blending together in a mesmerizing display. The air was filled with a soothing warmth, and a gentle breeze carried delicate whispers that seemed to beckon them further.

The man staggered to his feet, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. As he glanced around, a sense of regret washed over him, and he couldn't help but groan, "That was a dumb idea." However, before he could fully register his words, a sharp, stinging slap landed across the side of his head.

"Ya, it was, you dumb-ass!" the woman exclaimed, her frustration evident. "Shut up! You were gonna push me out the door the moment you lost," he accused, his voice laced with anger.

The man rubbed his head. She stammered, desperately denying her accusation, "N-no, I wasn't. What makes you think I would do that?"

"First off, you agreed to the game way too easily!" the man retorted, his tone filled with exasperation. "Secondly, I noticed you looking at the door before you threw your hand." Lastly, you made sure you went first.

The woman crossed her arms, visibly flustered. "Well, maybe I did plan on pushing you out, but you ruined that with your little stunt. So, thanks for nothing."

The man let out a weary sigh, realizing that their argument was fruitless in their current situation. "You know what? We're stuck here together, and arguing won't solve anything. Let's call a truce and focus on finding a way back home."

The woman hesitated for a moment, contemplating his words. After a brief pause, she nodded and said, "Yeah, you're right. Truce."

A sense of relief washed over them as they both acknowledged the need to work together. They put their differences aside and redirected their attention to their surroundings, determined to unravel the mysteries of this place.