The child looked intently into my eyes br And to my surprise started uttering words of despair br Words which sent a chill down my spine br Showed me memories containing my terrible wrongdoings br br My greatest fears and regrets reminded sadistically br Mistakes which I had tried long and hard to forget br I saw a church, ran into it, hoping to take refuge in gods outstretched arms br Only to see all divine and saintly statues replaced by ugly gargoyles br br Their jeers ringing in my ears, their sights piercing through my heart br My vision blurred by irregular symbols and unrecognizable people. br “Show me some mercy, it’s all my fault, give me one more chance” br I cried, but words never came out of my mouth br br The feeling of regret had undeniably extinguished my voice br But then I saw light, which blinded me and brought me down to my knees br I woke up, with sweat on my forehead, tears trickling down my eyes br “O God! But when did I fall asleep? ”I thought br br Sleep is the ultimate seductress br She comes to us and embraces us, br We have no option but to let it engulf us br She then takes us to a world so different from ours br br A place where our dreams and fears come true br A world where we have no disguises and are at our true selves br The brain forgets many things, but the soul suffers from the very same br I lay awake, thinking of what I had seen for a minute br br “Who was that child? Was it my innocent younger self? br Have I turned into such a selfish and greedy monster br Like the gargoyles I had seen? But is this dream a wake up call? br Is it a second chance for redemption or a warning of retribution? ” br br We all make mistakes, to stay afloat in this bitter world br Struggling to continue on with our insignificant lives br Had it been a dream, it would have long faded out of my memory br But the nightmare lingered to turn me back to the child that I was.