The Staircase

With each step he took, Kejedon felt more and more excitement... but what was this other feeling? It felt a bit like... fear? Regret? But that couldn't be possible - Kejedon couldn't feel happier to have the opportunity to see his mother again! He aggressively shook his head and continued to walk down the stairs.

As Kejedon continued to tread down the stairs, he heard a faint sound behind him. He tried his best to ignore it, but he couldn't help but try to figure out what it was. He went up the stairs a little, to see what he can make out of the sound.

Kejedon heard what sounded like a child weeping. The sound must've been the child he left behind crying. He began to feel a great deal of remorse, but for some odd reason, his body didn't allow him to climb back up to comfort the child - to tell them it'd all be alright.

Kejedon felt a tremendous amount of guilt, yet he didn't go up the stairs. He remained where he was stood, thinking of a way out of his situation for what felt like an eternity. On one hand, he was incredibly eager to finally see his mother, to hear her voice again and to feel her warmth again. On the other hand, he couldn't just leave a crying child behind him, even if it was just a dream.

Ultimately, Kejedon's anticipation outweighed his will to help a distressed child. 'It's just a dream, after all, it's not like there's an actual child suffering...' he thought, nodding his head. With one final glance towards the child, he shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and finally began to continue to walk down the stairs.

* * *

Kejedon finally started to see the final few steps. He paused. His mother was just a few strides away. He firmly closed his eyes once again and inhaled deeply.

'I'm going to do this - let's keep going.'

As Kejedon reached the final step, he hesitated. He wondered how the child was doing and looked behind him. The child could barely be seen - they were the size of a speck of sand from this distance. Kejedon, curious why the child would still be stood there, considered climbing back up the stairs for a split second.

'What am I thinking?! I've made it all this way, who cares about a fake child. I'm so close to my mother: I just need to turn to the left and enter the kitchen.' Kejedon reasoned with himself, shaking his head. 'I can care for the child after I finally see her... and apologise for last time.' He looked remorseful.

He braced himself, shutting his eyes and holding his breath as he took the final step. As his foot landed, he exhaled and opened his eyes, smiling.

His wide grin soon faded as he realised what had occurred before him. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, he just couldn't believe the sight that lay before him: more stairs had appeared ahead of him! In a panic, Kejedon turned behind him, confirming that he'd descended the set of the stairs in the first place.

He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, "This can't... this can't be true!" He called out, at nobody in particular. Desperate, Kejedon sped up, hurrying down the stairs.

* * *

Kejedon had reached the final step once again. He hesitated for a second, thinking back to when he had failed to exit the staircase.

'This time, I'll jump a little further. Maybe I just can't land right in front of the stairs.' He reflected on the event, considering methods of avoiding it.

Kejedon held his breath, closed his eyes and jumped. He opened an eye, afraid to see what lay ahead of him.

More stairs.

He felt like he could start bawling at any time.

'Is turning back even an option anymore? The top of the staircase is so far away...' Kejedon began to feel hopeless. 'Why are even my dreams so cruel... was it not enough to take my mother? Must you torture me like this as well?!'

"What sort of a punishment is this?!!" Kejedon unconsciously said that last part audibly. "Ugh, what am I even doing... it's not like anybody can hear me anyway..."

As a method to hold back his tears, Kejedon gave up on rationality and ran down the stairs as quickly as he possibly could.

* * *

He reached the last step once again. This time, Kejedon didn't even pause, and just launched himself onto the floor.

Once again, a new set of stairs appeared in front of him. Kejedon fell to his knees, hopeless. He began to cry.

He sat on the stairs for at least an hour, bawling. 'This is the longest... and the most torturous dream I've ever experienced.' He thought, rubbing his eyes as they finally ran out of tears.

Kejedon finally stood himself up again. He turned, facing the summit of the stairs. He couldn't see the top, but he started to make his way up towards it. He couldn't bear this suffering any longer.

'I wish I had remained with that kid instead...' Throughout his entire descent, he constantly thought about the child that had left the bathroom. 'Well, I guess I'll see them again once I get back up there.'

* * *

Exhausted, Kejedon finally reached the top of the stairs again. He looked around, trying to spot the child again, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.

'Well it's not like he'd stay up here forever... but I am still a little disappointed...' Kejedon thought to himself. 'Phew... I don't know why I'm so tired though, you'd think I'd have infinite stamina in a dream, but then again this dream is probably the most torturous dream I've ever experienced. I guess I'll have a short rest.'

As Kejedon entered his room, ready to collapse onto his bed, he saw something on it. No... he saw someONE.

It was the child...

No.

It was a different child!