I don’t know what happened after I passed out, but I was glad to escape the horror movie my reality had become. I spent some time drifting in wonderful unconsciousness, most likely reassessing my future relationship with dear old Quincy. My sleep zen-state was interrupted when I had another dream, and even there I couldn’t catch a break. It felt like Matias had introduced Bessie to my skull.

Is it even possible to have a migraine in a dream? I’ll have to look that up later.

At the start of the dream, I found myself in the middle of a “mixed woodland-grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close,” - which Google defines as a savannah. There was nothing around me for miles except for scorched, dry grass and a few barren trees interspersed around the open plain.

I watched as a babbling brook appeared from somewhere in the distance, flowing gently between the trees. It snaked along, traveling from one side of the horizon where the sun rose to the other where it set. Wherever the river passed new life sprang forth. Soon, the grass turned greener, and the trees were filled with beautiful flowers and fruits, many of which I have never seen before. In no time, the once empty, almost desolate space became “a lush garden amid a desert or desert-like area” - which Google tells me is an oasis.

The sun shone brilliantly, bearing down intensely on the oasis but even so, I didn’t feel hot, thanks to a cool breeze that blew in from somewhere beyond the river's origin. It wasn't long before animals began to appear, emerging from the same place as the wind and the river. I saw a Lion, a Snake, an Elephant, a Crow, and a Wolf amongst many others; they all surrounded me. Normally, I would have run away as fast as I could, but this time, I didn’t. Somehow, I knew they meant me no harm. The Lion approached and nuzzled its head against me, much like a house cat would do.

Everything was peaceful; it was just me and the animals chilling in the serenity of the oasis. But day after day, as I continued my walk through this paradise, I grew increasingly curious about where the river began and where it went after it passed the boundary of our home. I was tempted to find this out, but the animals always warned me not to. It was forbidden, they said, and I listened. I quelled my curiosity. But each day the process would repeat, the temptation, the warning, the resignation.

Until one day, I could no longer stand it. Despite the protests of my animal friends, I followed the river downstream and crossed the threshold of the oasis. I immediately regretted it. The land outside looked like it had before the river’s appearance - desolate and barren. The whole place reminded me of the outlands from the Lion King movie, so I’m going to call it the Badlands. The river still existed of course, bringing forth life wherever it passed but its potency seemed to grow weaker the further it went from the oasis. It felt as though something was pushing against it, inhibiting its life-giving force which resulted in the disjointed savage nature of the badlands.

As I journeyed, I began to feel hungry and cold; this was a new feeling for me. In the oasis I never experienced anything as unpleasant as hunger, I had always been nourished by the river’s cool waters. But the further I went the less sustaining the river became. One day as I was drinking from the river’s water, I saw my butt-naked reflection staring back at me. I didn’t know that I had been naked all this time. What had once felt natural now felt wrong. And before any rumors start flying around I, Deshawn Dale, am not a nudist nor am I advocating for that lifestyle. Please keep your clothes on people!

As my journey continued, my hunger became far too unbearable. I did the unthinkable - I killed and ate. In my defense, I would have wasted away had I not done so but still, I felt an incredible amount of guilt after. I felt as though I had crossed yet another line. I used the pelt of whatever I killed to make myself a coat and doing so filled me with renewed strength and warmth to continue on.

No matter how far I traveled, I could never seem to reach my destination. I knew my answer lay at the end of the river, but it stretched endlessly into the distance. I did see that I was getting closer to something though. Out on the horizon, it seemed that a storm had begun to brew or maybe it had always been brewing and I was finally close enough to notice. It twisted maliciously, tearing through everything in its path. Fearing I could never reach my destination or that I would die in the storm, I gave up and returned to the oasis.

Upon arriving the animals viewed me with suspicion and contempt. I knew why of course; I could feel that I had changed. I was different from who I was before my ill-advised journey. I was clothed in the dead skin of one of my prey, my eyes were sunken and feral, my mouth was blood stained and I now brandished a stick with a really pointy stone at its tip. Simply put, I looked terrifying. I had become a creature of the badlands and an alien to the oasis.

The animals no longer gathered around me or treated me with any kindness, they did everything to avoid me whenever possible. The only ones who still tolerated me were the Lion, the Snake, the Elephant, the Crow, and the Wolf - they remained my friends. With them, as time passed, I was able to somewhat return to the peace I knew before. That peace, however, did not last, because when I returned, I brought something else with me.

One day, as we reclined at the river's edge my friends suddenly rose from their rest. Out in the distance, in the horizon I could never seem to reach, the storm had gotten closer. The mass of swirling darkness, almost like shadows, touched down from the sky, and where it passed everything withered and was absorbed within it. The storm pushed forward, consuming everything as it approached us.

My five friends immediately fled, and I, not knowing what to do, followed them. After a while, a cave appeared in the distance. It looked like the same one Quincy and Pseudo Davos ventured into in my earlier dream.

Oh also, Davos is real? Forget the super-powered teens wearing animal masks or the creepy shadows that possess people. Davos has got to be the absolute craziest part of all of this!

Anyway, as we ran toward the cave, it became evident that it was the river’s source. In fact, everything seemed to originally come from this place. There was a bright white light coming from somewhere within the cave and the animals plunged in towards it. I hesitated. I’m not sure if it's because of what I had seen and done in the badlands, but all my instincts warned me not to enter. Then again, the super scary storm of darkness behind me was super scary so I dove in after the animals.

Instantly, I regretted the decision. A piercing ringing and pain shot through my head, trying to rip my skull apart. Despite that, I stumbled forward. I knew that no matter how bad the pain was it’ll be 100 times worse if I let myself be consumed by the storm. I managed to reach the end of the cave where a cliff led straight down into a bright white void. The storm rushed to meet me so I did the only thing I could do, I plunged into the void.

The light, the sound, the wind, the fall; everything was overwhelming. After a few moments the light dimmed, and the noise quieted. I found myself on the floor of a cavern, a void, empty except for the five animals and a tree that stood at its center. The whole thing was weird, but I’ll do my best to explain.

The tree looked as if it was split in three. One side had flowers still in their buds ready to bloom, while on the other side had wilted flowers that were falling off their stalks. The middle part of the tree had flowers in full bloom, bursting with vibrant colorful petals. The bright light, the strong wind, and even the river, the tree seemed to be the source of it all.

Then as if this entire situation couldn’t get any weirder the tree spoke. Yup, you heard that right. The tree spoke.

“Are you six the only ones left?” the Tree asked.

“Yes,” the Lion said. “I fear we are the only ones that remain.”

“Though it may not be for long. The storm grows stronger,” the Snake hissed.

Above us the shadows howled and swirled but it was kept at bay by the light of the tree.

“Worry not. It cannot enter this sacred grove,” the crow assured as it circled the grove before landing on the back of the elephant.

“But now we can no longer leave,” the elephant added.

“So are we to remain here, trapped while that thing tarnishes the world you have created. And all because of this one,” snarled the wolf, glaring at me.

“Man,” the Tree said. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

All the animals turned to me.

I didn’t know what to say. The wolf was right; it was all my fault. I was a half measure, too arrogant and curious to obey the rules of the oasis yet too weak and frightened to accomplish anything after I broke the rules. I had left and returned, bringing the storm with me. I had destroyed everything and there was nothing I could say. Still, I tried.

“I’m sorry,” I said, and I meant it too.

“He destroys everything and all he can say is ‘I’m sorry?’” the Wolf snarled again. “We should never have let him return. Let’s cast him out into what he has caused.” The Wolf stalked back and forth. It looked ready to attack me with the Snake ready to join it. The Lion and Elephant stood by me flanking both my left and right sides, ready to intervene. The Crow did pick a side but instead flew above watching everything.

My instincts told me to grab my spear and fight back but I didn’t. Against my better judgment, I let it drop to the ground. I found myself unable to act because I agreed with the Wolf, I deserved to be cast out. I deserved to suffer through the destruction I had caused.

“Stop,” the Tree ordered with a flash of brilliant light. All the animals stopped and bowed low to the ground.

Somehow though I felt as if that command was meant for me rather than them.

“If Man caused this problem then Man will fix this problem,” the Tree declared. In another flash of light, pieces of its branches fell to the ground. “Create six masks using my branches before you. Five in the likeness of the five creatures here and one in your own image.”

I did as I was told; using the stone tip of my spear I created six masks. A golden lion mask, which the tree gave the properties of light and fire. A blue snake mask which was imbued with powers over the waters of sky and seas. A green elephant mask with all the powers of the fertile earth. A black crow mask with control over the air and the void and finally a silver wolf mask with abilities antithetical to the lion mask - ice and darkness.

“Take the five masks in the images of the five creatures and leave this groove. In your banishment you are to go into the world and use the powers of the mask to fix the mess you have created,” the Tree commanded. “The mask of Man you must leave behind. It will serve as the final bastion if you prove unsuccessful in your mission.”

I looked at the last mask and stared back at my own likeness - the monster known as Man. This mask was half black - half white and imbued with powers representing my dual natures - creation and destruction. It was the most powerful of all the masks made and if I should fail, this mask would be all life’s last hope.

I placed it at the base of the tree, left the groove, and ventured into the storm. With my five masks, I was determined to take back the world I had destroyed.