Dream Journal Vol. 5: The Hidden Expression, an Unfamiliar Place, and the Midnight Vendor

This dream began with me at a mall alongside Dila and Jihan.

At first, I was just walking around the mall by myself until I stumbled upon a vast open field that was being used for some sort of festival. I had no idea what kind of festival it was, but it was incredibly lively, and the things I remember most vividly are the fireworks and confetti filling the sky.

After that, I ran into Dila and Jihan. The three of us started chatting like we usually do, until Dila mentioned that she and Jihan had just come from a store (though I’ve completely forgotten what kind of shop it was). I think I told them that I had visited that same store earlier, and then Dila suddenly asked me, "Do you know what time that store closes?" I answered right away, "Yeah, at 8:00 PM!"

I can still picture Dila’s face crystal clear to this day. She smiled at me, but for some reason, her smile felt different! As if she knew something I didn't. Even within the dream, I felt somewhat small in front of her, like she was keeping a secret or deliberately holding back something she actually wanted to tell me.

After that, the scene abruptly shifted, and I found myself inside a modern indoor market (pasar modern). I walked around trying to find the exit, but the more I looked, the more lost I got. Eventually, I asked a few vendors there for directions, and thankfully, they pointed me toward the exit.

I finally found the door.

But the moment I stepped outside, I realized it was already night. What confused me even more was that the exit led to a completely unfamiliar area, as if I had never been there before in my life. I had absolutely no idea where I was. The street ahead of me was completely deserted, and the vibe was entirely different from the place I had just left.

I stood in front of a gate and tried to order a ride-sharing bike. But for some reason, not a single driver picked up my order. I waited and tried again, but still got nothing, so I finally decided to walk down the road to my right.

The path to the right was pitch black. However, the further I walked, the more food vendors and people I started to notice around the area. Strangely, even though there were people present, I couldn't make out any of their faces clearly.

Since I was already there, I tried to buy some food from one of the vendors. I also asked them a question, but by now I’ve forgotten what it was. All I remember is that it was so incredibly dark that I could barely see a thing.

I then reached out to take the food.

And that was when I brushed against the vendor’s hand. It felt so bizarre.

It didn't feel like a normal human hand at all. The surface was covered in thick hair, yet strangely, it felt somewhat soft when it touched my hand. I couldn't see what the hand actually looked like because it was just too dark, but the moment I realized what it felt like, an unsettling feeling washed over me.

I left immediately.

I just wanted to get as far away as possible from that vendor and that place. Fortunately, after walking for a bit, I finally found a local motorcycle taxi stand.

And right after that, I woke up.

The part that sticks in my mind the most is Dila’s face at the beginning of the dream. Her smile felt like she knew something about me, something that even myself didn't know, and weirdly enough that lingering feeling stayed with me long after I woke up.