"NOO ! DAAAAAAAAAD ! " I cried as my eyes snapped open. My whole body was covered in sweat, my hands were trembling in fear, the dark images from my dream are still running through my head continuously. My mom came running, opened the room, and ran again to embrace me while repeating the words "Don't worry sweetheart, it wasn't real...It wasn't real".

I was having a lot of nightmares lately but the most memorable one is the one where I push my dad to a really dark hole where a bunch of kids, wearing damaged t-shirts and torn apart jeans, with knives in their hands, stabbing and biting my poor father with no speck of humanity, laughing while searching his jeans for any money left in his pockets. And as I try to reach my dad's hand and rescue him, the darkness swallows him.

My mom tried her best to calm me every time I have a nightmare, but she knew in her fragile heart that no matter what she does, my despair won't end until I finally come to peace with my past which at the time, seemed quite impossible.

My mother, desperate, tried the last card on her sleeve. She called one of my first friends, Saad, one of the scientists that came two years ago.

He was a really weird person, probably the weirdest I've ever met. He was the only one who didn't think it was a waste of my talents to research about 'Jennis', and even encouraged me to pursue my passion. He was known for his bizarre theories and formulas that proved the existence of the supernatural. I didn't feel like talking to him in this pathetic appearance, but my mother insisted so I'll give it a shot. Who knows? Maybe I'll even like it.

The next morning, Saad came early. He opened the door, excused himself, and entered the room. He was looking at me in the same way he was looking since our last meet-up. He was smiling happily like a boy who've never known anything but family warmth, but under that grin on his face, a really dark past was hidden.

Saad was strange but certainly not stupid, so he knew the classic ways won't have any effects on me. The silence filled the room. It wasn't awkward, nor was it uncomfortable. I actually felt more peace than ever. I didn't know what was that, who did that, nor how he have done it. But one thing is for sure, I absolutely liked it.

After some moments, Saad broke the silence joyously "This is the result of my research ! I can share my emotions and let them affect people !" I was in a state of shock, the words wouldn't come out of my mouth," I proved the supernatural, I proved the existence of Magic !" added the mad scientist, another wave of silence fi- "IT'S REAL !" I said ecstatically while jumping madly. "IT'S REAL! IT IS ACTUALLY REAL !"

I knew that this little trick was far from enough to make anyone believe in magic, but still at the time that little hope was the best I could ask for, it was the thing that would make me want to live again. My passion!

My voice reached the neighbors, my mom hurried to the door and opened it. And as soon as she saw me delightedly jumping, her eyes were filled with tears. She ran towards me and started hugging me while crying "Finally... *sob*…*sob*…Finally... You started smiling again, my little kid started smiling again". She hugged me tightly as if I would've escaped the moment she let of my arms while sniffing my clothes as if to check if it was really me. I let her do as she wanted. But I couldn't resist the urge to hug her back. Her warmth, her love, and her affection reached me. I couldn't believe that I was happy again even after that accident.

As if my mother knew what I was thinking, "Don't feel guilty, there is no way your father would've wanted this for his only and favorite child !", she said with determination in her eyes. "Yes, she is right. There is no way that affectionate guy would've wanted his son to throw away his whole life because of his guiltiness. He knew that you were better than this, he knew that you were destined for greatness !". Their words wouldn't normally have done any effect on me, but now with the sudden surprise about the existence of magic, and the warmth that I haven't felt in a long time, the guiltiness started fading away alongside the creepy thoughts that made me escape reality for two years. I felt a huge weight off my shoulders, and I felt relieved for the first time in a while. Suddenly I heard a voice from within me saying wisely "Never escape reality, either accept it or change it !". I don't know if that was within my consciousness, or from an entirely different existence, but what mattered is that I will make this my rule. My absolute rule.