text: There were three core items, I was sure of it. Music, lights... a setting! Tampering with the touch screen, it appeared that the settings came with characters (and I did not feel the need to customise them). Unless, of course, it was the 'never-changing monster' and 'burning desert' set. I now had a new vengeance against it. As before, I had three choices.
  
  > A medieval castle, with... Dancing seahorses?
  An old, majestic castle rose on a hill, and a dozen seahorses dressed as guards greeted Jasper.
  
  "Welcome, sir. I suppose you've arrived at Seahorse Castle due to your interest in castles?"
  
  "Um...castles are not my favourite thing," Jasper replied. "Neither are seahorses. But they're fine, I 'spose."
  
  "Right, so a random dream then?"
  
  "Guess so. Dreams are always random anyway."
  
  With that, they entered the castle. Jasper seemed to have a good time, exploring every nook and cranny of the building. He was served delectable seafood treats that made my mouth water (and how I wished they were real). The seahorses attended to his every whim. All in all, I guess it was not the best dream, but nor was it the worse dream either. After all, dreams were about the small memories. Besides, this was my first attempt at creating a dream despite what I may have made the strange man believe.
  
  § Your choice did not improve the dream, nor did it make it worse §
  
  The dream came to a close, and I smiled. That was a great way to spend the night. Resting my head on the pillow, I teleported back to Dreams HQ... only to find out that the night was far from over.
  
  > Continue
  The chilly air, the sparkling white walls, the ever shifting scenery...I was back. The atmosphere seemed to be calming and soothing, and at the same time, refreshing. I was filled with energy, but was calm. A strange mood, to be sure. The Dreams HQ was certainly a gem of a place, but I had to wake up and get to work. Was there any way to gain consciousness points? (And by that, I did not mean the dreampower).
  
  As I wandered along a cloudy corridor, I heard a voice in a room - the same voice I heard on the same night.
  
  "Yup, Luke Dramer. He is no longer in his assigned dreamstage, and judging by what happened the previous night, it is safe to assume he's found out a bit more than he should have."
  
  Another person spoke, this time with a sharp and commanding tone. "And you believe that he's here." It seemed more of a statement than a question.
  
  The woman's nerves seemed to get the better of her. "Um, sir... I, er, guess so. I mean, this place is vast, and dynamic, and if he, well, he took the spare uniform. And the pillow has his... the shape of his head-"
  
  "Enough." I heard the doorknob rattle, and wasted no time in jumping into the nearest room.
  
  'Dream Corps was founded in the late 1980s, and has underwent many changes to become the company it is today. While they still project the wrong messages about dreams and the dreamworld, it acts as a great cover for what dreams actually are.'
  
  "Wha-" Apparently, I stumbled into a room where a laptop was left on, and in it a video of Dream Corps? I continued listening.
  
  'Just like any other company founded and led by Unknowings, the truth is still far from being revealed. Yet, several of their experiments on lucid dreaming and pillows designed to retain memories of dreams have come pretty close to tipping the balance of the real and dream world. Therefore, further inspection ought to be conducted, as well as only the most experienced dream directors being in charge of directing the dreams of the members of Dream Corps and any personnel involved in their experiments.'
  
  With that, the computer shut off. I went over to get a better look at it, and that was when I saw the files. They had locations of the dreamstages of every person working in Dream Corps, including me. I reached out for one of these.
  
  > Mrs. Riley C. Lunar
  Riley C. Lunar
  
  Age: 54
  
  Gender: Female
  
  Dream purpose: Riley, also known as Mrs Lunar, has recently been the victim of blackmail in an effort to protect her son's illegal habits. She has been in denial and her dreams are meant to reflect her life in order to help her accept the harsh reality.
  
  Things she likes:
  
  Her son
  
  Puns
  
  Lighthearted comedies
  
  Coffee
  
  Things she hates:
  
  Mr. Reeter (Head of Dream Corps, see file)
  
  Drugs
  
  Violence
  
  Horror and mysteries
  
  > look up from the file
  When I tore my eyes away from the file, I was sure the look on my face was priceless. A shock so great when in reality, the shocking events should have meant I ought to have expected something like this to happen. I was no longer in the strange room in Dreams HQ. I was in darkness, utter and complete darkness. Slowly, I walked a lonely path in the lands which knew no light. There seemed to be no way out, nowhere to go. Was I sleeping all this time? Was it only a minute though it felt like hours? Only time could tell. Then I felt a familiar fabric on my face, something where my eyes told me there was none. A curtain. I was entering a dream.
  
  This time, pushing back the curtains revealed another strange pair of dream directors. There was a robot with extremely long legs working with a unicorn with two horns. Both seemed to be intensely focused on their tasks, but that did not stop them from noticing me.
  
  The robot was the first to speak. "You. Human detected. State your purpose here."
  
  "I'm... just checking to see if everything's going well! And it is! Ok, just pass that pillow and I'll be on my way-"
  
  "Your heart rate is increased, sweetie! And you're on the verge of sweating. Could that mean you're lying?"
  
  "I- I'm not. It's just that I get nervous around unicorns, and this pyjamas are not the best for this weather." I could not believe how many lies I told in just one night.
  
  "Facial scan...detecting..."
  
  I hurried to run away from the robot. If he identified me and notified the people who believed I was in the HQ, I could imagine that they would not give me a pat on the back and allow me to wake up peacefully. So I dashed onto the dreamstage, completely unprepared for what - or rather who - I saw.
  
  "Mrs. Lunar?"
  
  The elderly woman hurried to my side. "PLEASE, MR. DRAMER. DON'T LET THEM TAKE HIM!"
  
  I quickly explained the truth. "Calm down, no one's taking your son. It's a dream, it's all a dream. We are currently in a dream right now. And that guy, he's not really your son. Probably a paid lookalike. This place which looks like Dream Corps? A very realistic imitation, probably a custom made backdrop. Everything's fake, after all."
  
  Distraught, Mrs. Lunar only said one word. Softly, in the quietest voice she had ever used. "R-R-Reeter?"
  
  Before our incoherent conversation could be continued, the unicorn and the robot started chasing us. "Suspect identified - Luke Dramer."
  
  "Wh- How? I left! You can't identify someone's face after they're gone! That's- what- agh, I've given up making sense of all this."
  
  I grabbed the Mrs Lunar and dashed away. We ran past into darkness, then past the curtains, then out to the land between different dreams. If I were to describe this place, I would be able to do it in one word - nothing. Nothing existed, not light, not the ceiling, not a single thing to tell us how far we've ran. For all I knew, in the blinding darkness, I could have been running at the same spot for ages, and that would have made no difference from running ten miles in this area of nothingness. I only felt a slight consolation knowing that it'll be almost impossible for us to be found. Eventually, Mrs. Lunar was unable to run, and we stopped to sit in the darkness.
  
  "Dramer?" Somehow, it was as if the chase stole all the volume from her voice, deeming it barely recognizable. Considering she just had the shock of her life, I decided to be kind and spare her the crazy details.
  
  "Yes, Mrs. Lunar?"
  
  "Oh, dear boy, it's you. Even in this dream, you have that distinctly horrid smell. At least I know it's you, though you ought to have taken a better shower. Why were those animals after you?"
  
  I ignored her cutting remark and replied. "I... um... found out a bit of information that was not supposed to be discovered. "
  
  "What information? I can keep a secret."
  
  "Err... How about we make a deal? You tell me your secret and I'll tell you mine."
  
  "My secret?"
  
  "Your son."
  
  She nodded, then took out something. A perfume? She sprayed it on me, saying "A LONG TIME AGO, MY SON..."
  
  Suddenly, her voice seemed to fade. Everything did. And was that... water? On my foot? With a start, I realized that I was gaining consciousness. The perfume! She always sprayed it when she was nervous. It contained consciousness points... and I woke up to find out that my air conditioner was leaking.
  
  > Real world again
  Fortunately, I had waken up seconds before my alarm rang. The whole night's journey had merely been a seven hour sleep. For the second day in a long time, I arrived at my job early... only for the first person I met to be a superior.
  
  "Ah, Dramer. You're on garden duty."
  
  Garden duty? I didn't even know we had a garden. Going over to the list of names, I realized that the new 'Dream Garden' project referred to an actual garden, which was said to stimulate the brain and produce a better sleeping experience. These people really spent way too much time in their heads.
  
  I spent most of the day plucking weeds, scattering seeds, and getting rid of centipedes. The flaming sun above reminded me of the scorching sun in my nightmare, and all around me, everyone seemed to work tirelessly. As I watched the idle chatter go on, the daily conversations about 'how have you been' and 'done anything interesting lately' interspersed in the air, I had further proof of how everyone lived in the same Earth but on different planets. These people were going about their day as if nothing of significance occurred - in fact, most seemed to think that the Dream Garden was the most exciting thing in their lives. However, all I could think about was the dreamworld, and what dreadful monster lay in wait for me.
  
  I had, without a doubt, been considered a threat to the dreamworld. As soon as I returned, there would be guards to subdue me and... what then? Would they erase my memories? Throw me into dreamjail? Allow me to wander in the darkness for all eternity, while the world believed I was unconscious? The possibilities were vast, but left no room for hope. Then, I decided to do two things: Write about this in the event that my memory was scrubbed, and talk about this with a certain person. A certain person who would be crazy enough to believe me... because I visited their dream.
  
  > The exchange of secrets
  Mrs. Lunar looked at me skeptically, the disbelief clearly painted all over her countenance. She had asked me to repeat my explanation twice, and apart from her shock that I saw her dream, she seemed to think I was quite mad indeed.
  
  "Shh! Not so loud. We don't know who - if anyone - is working for Dreams HQ. After all, they have tabs on our company, something which would be a lot easier if they did have an inside spy."
  
  "Keep your voice down! Please."
  
  "Not last night, apparently. You managed to whisper once we were chased-"
  
  "Because I was there. And you promised me we would exchange secrets. I've fulfilled my end of the bargain, telling you all I've found out about the dreamworld. Now, it's your turn. Tell me about your son."
  
  At the mention of her son, her face went ghastly pale. She muttered a few uninteligible words, then spoke in that soft voice that was so unlike her.
  
  "He was a good boy. A very good boy. Then he took those pills, and became hooked. Just like any other addict. But it isn't the police that's after him, nor the dealers. Instead... it's... it's..."
  
  "Who?" I prompted.
  
  "I can't say," she replied quickly. "Or he'll reveal it to the cops."
  
  "But surely it won't matter since he's not here?" My plan was to keep her talking, to get her to reveal more information. Even though things may not go well in the dreamworld, I wanted to help Mrs. Lunar. I could only do that if she gave me enough information.
  
  She gave a cynical, humourless laugh, yet kept talking quietly. "That guy's a maniac. I won't put it past him to set up hidden cameras all around this place and what not. " Then she looked at me and said in a louder tone "BESIDES, DIDN'T YOU TALK ABOUT AN INNER SPY? FROM A DIFFERENT WORLD? AND YET YOU TRY TO JUDGE ME." The humourous situation seemed to spark her confidence once again.
  
  Remembering the file I read, I asked her "Are you being blackmailed?"
  
  She sighed. Her expression darkened once more, and a sign of irritation flickered across her face. If I was not so sympathetic, I would have felt angry. I was just trying to help her, after all. "Yes, but not me. Now, please, let me leave. Hasn't this old woman told you enough?"
  
  With that cryptic response, she left the room. I did not have the heart to chase after her. The remainder of the day was spent working, pondering about the dreamworld, and trying to guess who blackmailed Mrs. Lunar. Ending the day with a heavy heart and heavy head, I tried to stay up and watch the television. Tried to read a book. Despite my best efforts, I fell into a not-so-peaceful slumber.
  
  > The Dreamcourt
  The second I arrived, I immediately knew something was wrong. The cool air, the chilly breeze... was I in Dreams HQ? A sudden yell shook me to the core.
  
  "The court would commence in exactly three minutes. Has the accused arrived?"
  
  "The accused?" Immediately, a large group of people, animals and other sentient creatures all dressed in the same blue pyjamas lifted their fingers and pointed right at me. I was definitely feeling accused.
  
  "His dressing. Has he got the proper attire?"
  
  Looking down, I took notice of the fact that I was wearing a pair of dark blue silk pyjamas, with a silk tie.
  
  "Yes, sir," someone from within the crowd said.
  
  "The time is up, bring the accused forward!" I was shoved out of the room, down several flights of stairs and through several corridors before reaching a courtroom. Just like the rest of Dreams HQ, the entire place was white. This time, however, the furniture seemed less wispy, and more... marble-like.
  
  I was overwhelmed by the lights that shone on me, the presence of about a thousand living creatures gathered in the hall, and the loud voice coming from the speakers. I closed my eyes to relax, and heard the thunderous voice echo throughout the room.
  
  "Today, we observe the trial of Luke Dramer, a man accused of being a dreamtruder."
  
  Several members of the audience gasped - apparently, this dreamtruding thing did not seem to be taken lightly.
  
  "He began as an Unknowing, and in several ways, still is. However, he does not fall under the protection of being categorized as an Innocent Unknowing because he did not give himself up once he realized his actions were wrong. His memories also prove that he knows a lot more than he should. Now, without further ado, let's call upon the accusers!"
  
  The crowd cheered and booed, and I was sure that neither party were in support of me. I had no choice but to watch as several humans and non-humans made their way up the stage. One of them began to speak.
  
  "On the 6th of June, 2020, Dramer caught his first glimpse of the dreamworld. This occurred in the form of his dream directors. The next night, still considered an Unknowing, he tried to look for them once again."
  
  The microphone was passed, and the next person continued the story.
  
  "Despite the most senior members of the dream director group being assigned to him, Luke Dramer still managed to sneak past them and make his way to Dreams HQ. It was almost as if he knew more than what we originally thought..."
  
  The next person was someone I recognized - the man who I managed to trick by saying that I directed twenty dreams. He read out his lines from a script.
  
  "I was deceived by the dreamtruder. I was blinded by the lack of dream directors as most were on the hunt for this man, and in doing so, made a lapse in my judgement. I trusted this man. I allowed him to direct a dream with Madame Tress Sparrow. This perpetrator knocked her unconscious, and after making a mockery of the dreamworld by directing the dream alone, he returned to Dreams HQ."
  
  A little shuffling occured on stage, and the accusations continued.
  
  "Despite all that, Luke Dramer managed to get his hands on his employee's files. Using that, he escaped and tried to flee with his friend, probably an Unknowing sympathiser. They managed to wake up. Later, in the real world, he told the tales of his escapedes to his friend, an Unknowing. For the time being, the Unknowing has been placed in an unescapable dreamstage. Due to the unlikelihood of the Unknowing spreading the word, they have been kept under a close watch but no memory erasing is needed."
  
  The booming voice was heard once more. "That would conclude the accusations. Now, the defense. Accused, if you choose to plead guilty, you would be assigned a guide to help you through whatever punishments the Judge and Jury decide to provide. Yet, you could plead not guilty, which would grant you a chance to defend yourself. Note that the accusations against you are true, and it would be very hard to defend your case."
  
  The accused - that was me. I had to make a choice.
  
  > Plead guilty
  Murmurs of approval rippled throughout the audience. It seemed that being a dreamtruder was a harsher sentence than I would have thought. In fact, no one even seemed remotely surprised by my choice, almost as if they expected me to choose this. But then, why give me a choice? I was almost sure that I was going to be criminalized regardless of what I chose.
  
  The Judge and the entire Jury went into a small room, probably to discuss the important measures that sealed the fate of my future. Once they left, an ordinary looking man in pale blue pyjamas came over, bringing along the pirate who was my dream director one night ago.
  
  "He's going to be your guide," he said. "This pirate used to be a character in dreams, but could not stand the children's consistent questions about where his nemesis, Captain Hook, was. He was transferred to dream directing, but due to his one-eye blindness, he is unable to see what's in front of him clearly without turning his head. This has interferred with his dream directing, and he's volunteered to be your guide."
  
  The pirate threw his hat at me. "Ahoy! Welcome to the crew, matey! We'll make a great team and find the treasure in no time! Blimey! Aren't ya the guy that escaped me?"
  
  "Yes...didn't you know that?"
  
  "I thought ya were my old seadog friend. I ain't be seein' well with my eye. Nevermind, ya probably be walkin' the plank soon enuff."
  
  The conversation went nowhere, and I was glad when it ended. Yet, a new, cold fear gripped my heart in its icy hand.
  
  "The Judge and Jury have made their decision! Order!"
  
  > The verdict
  "After careful consideration, we have made a decision. The accusations and evidence have proven that Luke Dramer is guilty of his crimes as a dreamtruder. This dreamtruding came in the form of playing with an innocent's dream, intruding into the dream of his colleague, and entering Dreams HQ with trickery and deception. Besides, he has revealed the dreamworld to an Unknowing. This threatens our very existence, as some of us exist only in the dimension of dreams and nowhere else. Our world is a closely guarded secret, and if anyone were to get their hands on it, dreams would be used as a form of entertainment, revenge and any other evil the lust for money could bring. Of course, the standard treatment for dreamtruders is a memory wipe. Rest assured that we have highly considered this option."
  
  "But," I said, aware of how squeaky and insignificant my voice sounded. "Isn't there another option?"
  
  The Judge turned to me, and addressed me directly. "The delicate balance between the dream world and the real world is disrupted. You intruded and messed up the dream of an innocent. By talking about this with an Unknowing, the possibility of the dreamstage being unveiled is now greater than ever. The Jury has made a second decision, if your memories truly mean that much to you - we have no choice but to send you to The Jungle..."
  
  The gasps were a lot louder now. Someone even shouted "No! Please don't! That's too harsh; he'll die!" As for me, I was not sure how I felt about this. What was the Jungle? Why was that person so sure I'll die? I was ushered out of the room and out to... a park? Dreampark? I wasn't sure. Despite how crowded it was, everyone seemed to keep their distance from me. Of course, I was the dangerous and deceptive criminal, out to dreamtrude or whatever they thought I did. Intermingled with the wary and frightened looks were those of pity. Pity for getting sent to the Jungle, or for being a dreamtruder? I could not tell.
  
  > The briefing
  A holographic wizard with a kind face stood in front of me. "It's possible to make it out alive."
  
  Those words, though lacking evidence, were said with conviction. Somehow, this was exactly what I needed to hear. The wizard passed me a file with the words 'Stages of The Jungle' on it, and gestured to me to sit.
  
  "Read it through," he said. "There'll be six nights, six dreams, and six stages." I took a look at it.
  
  The Seven Stages of The Jungle
  
  1. Justice
  
  The Jungle tests many skills, such as determination, creativity and courage. However, one of the top uses of the Jungle is for justice. According to the words of N. C. Brett, a well known Judge, "If they make it out, they would have learnt the concept of justice. If they die, oh well, justice has been served." Despite this ominous threat, as well as multiple others, the first level of The Jungle is known to be relatively easy. Almost everyone makes it out alive.
  
  2. Understanding
  
  A high degree of thinking, internalizing and putting new knowledge to the test is required for the passing of this level. In comparison to the others, the level of difficulty is not that high. This time, the person sent into The Jungle would face competitors that would work to hinder their progress.
  
  3. Night
  
  Notoriously known for being the most nerve wrecking stage. Almost like multiple scenes from a horror show, this level relies on a person's fear, trying to terrify them past the line of rationality. Most people who make it out alive are usually traumatized, and it is not uncommon for them to lose their minds.
  
  4. Growth
  
  While the official name of this is growth, it is more oftenly referred to as 'change'. This level brings about changes intended to catch the victim off guard, and as quoted by Harvy C. Lennis, "You'll get further by doing the things which seem the most irrational.".
  
  5. Loss
  
  Just like how the 3rd part plays on fears, this level is designed to unhinge victims by crushing them with their own loss. Sadness is a great enemy at this point, and sacrifices would have to be made in order for the journey to continue. Almost everyone who goes through this refuse to share what they sacrificed, but their melancholy mood when this topic is brought up is always apparent.
  
  6. Exit
  
  The last stage. Trying to explain this is like trying to dodge the raindrops - it's impossible. It changes for everyone, and we know nothing about why it is what it is.
  
  Once I had finished reading, the holographic wizard passed me another document. "Sorry for the infodump, but you may feel better knowing that once you are a part of the dreamworld, you no longer need to go through all the stages of the forest."
  
  Looking for a part time job in the dreamworld? Trying to escape from being sentenced to The Jungle? Read on!
  
  Dream director: If you've ever directed a dream and every single choice has been carefully selected to provide an optimum experience, wait for our call. We'll find you as soon as we can.
  
  Dreamcaster: Dreampowers are a rare privilege of being part of the dreamworld. Some higher level ones require years of study and practice. If you have at least three of them, and have completed the 'Justice' stage of The Jungle, you would be able to join!
  
  Dreamediator: If you're a natural diplomat, good at problem solving, or simply a peaceful person, we need you! Dreameadiators help solve some of the world's largest conflicts by 'helping' some of the world's most influential people make peaceful decisions. You would have to complete the 'Understanding' level to attain this, and you would be assessed in your time in the Jungle. If you want to join, make peaceful decisions!
  
  Dreamhero: Enjoy acting? Want to help save the world? By being a dreamhero, you would star in upcoming dreams on the dreamstage. Pass the 'Night' level in The Jungle, and all throughout your Jungle adventure, make heroic and daring choices!
  
  When I was done reading, the wizard took me to a different room. "As you can see, The Jungle is not the only way you can keep your memories," he said. "Anyway, best of luck. Wait in this room until you wake - you might have visitors."
  
  "Visitors? Who would possibly visit me?"
  
  The wizard had left, and I sat waiting in the silent room.
  
  > Unexpected help
  A knock on the door could only mean one thing... a visitor was here. I opened the door to find a young woman with a pair