1 PROLOGUE

“Good Yeshdog,” I said with such amusement while rubbing the side head of this creature that is obviously not a dog. Well, it doesn’t matter what kind of creature this is, I’m beginning to enjoy his company and it saves me from getting tired of walking as I can ride on its back.

The eye of this creature though sized is like an over-sized ball, and it seems like he is enjoying it with me as its eyes curved with joy. It’s a full moon tonight, and as the twilight shone on us. I jerk when I look back and see the image of a dinosaur forming in a shadow behind us from the moonlight beam. I thought we were being tailed by some scary monster, it was just the shadow of Yeshdog after all. What a relief. But why did I start calling him Yeshdog? Hmmm. But it’s a good name, alright I’ll call him from now on.

These creatures often come to our rivers and drink some water and sometimes approach us to be fed. But there are a lot of them so it’s hard to feed them. They are so huge with different features, some stand by their two feet like a standing dog, some walk on 4 legs, some with giant horns and fangs. Such a weird creature, some with big legs yet with tiny arms like a twig that is so funny. But they are harmless, they always curve their eyes and wag their tails as they want someone to play with. But after that, they are going to beg with an annoying moan to be fed. How annoying to think sometimes that with such huge creatures they are helpless, they can't feed themselves. When father found out that some of them were eating our livestock he got really so upset he beat them all and any one of them he could notice. That’s why these poor creatures who just wanted to be pet and fed got scared and never showed up to our village nearby.

That’s why I’m so glad that I found this one here in the mountains. He was alone, so I approached it, and this one seems like a boy and like a funny standing dog, so Yeshdog would be a perfect name!

But I can’t bring this one to our village, father would scold me, and perhaps beat him to pulp and drive him away. I better make a house for him here in the Rocky Mountains.

I’m not really familiar where I am now though, it’s dark and it’s late evening, I got so excited to ride on its back as I wanted in the first place. And now we have wandered too far. Well, I’ll find my way back home in the morning.

I started training right quick if this will follow my command, “Halt Yeshdooog,” I said with an echoing command like father always used to command his men.

It halted, and wagged his spiky tail. Wow, it worked!

“Sit Yeshdoooog I command Youuuu,” he squatted right then, this is a very obedient pet!

I dismounted from his back and stood before him with my hands in my waist just for him to see how awesome his owner is, I gave him a smile exposing my teeth. His eyes gleamed with joy, it caught what I wanted him to capture, very good!

The wind blew into my back and I shivered from the sharp cold. It’s really getting late at night, I look at the surroundings to see if we can take shelter for the night. The wind is getting colder, my silk suit is helpless, though it’s long up to my wrist and the wind is just passing through my shirt. This is only good for morning attire indeed as it absorbs the light and keeps cool with the air going to our muscles. Father told me that this is an ancient garment that our clan always wear for generations, and we should not change this. Alright thank you father for reminding me, I’m sorry for commenting on this garment.

I look at the creature again, he even got taller as he sits on the ground, “Smile Yeshdooog.” He grinned and I saw bars of his teeth that seem all fangs as its sharpness are exposing with its whiteness like bones. His head is big and sharp just like his kin and his entire body is white pale and there are some brown dots. The creature stood up with its four legs. And behold Yeshdog is not really a dinosaur at all, only a dog, but way weirder and bigger than a usual one. It’s 10 ft tall, he’s wagging his tail with bliss and acting like a puppy indeed. But his bark is loud and sharp like a roaring of thunder.

“Now, now, where are we?” I muttered as I placed my hand above my head and squinted around with a narrow look in the darkness with a little view of the twilight. I stretched my rectangle sized eyes and focused on the dot of my eyeball. Then I remembered how I was being bullied when I was a little kid about my rectangle eyes. Nah! This isn’t a time to reminisce about some nasty memories, I gotta find a shelter here.

I got a little frustrated with a little vision that I can grasp with the surrounding. I pulled my hair, then I remembered what father said that these creatures don't sleep, so they can sleep while still walking. So my eyes and beam with an idea. But before I proceed, I touch my hair with care, and rearrange it by dividing it into half of my head. I remember the words of father again, “Your hair is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in this world . . . as no man has ever had an orange hair!” Father is right, my air is indeed cool.

Another that I noticed that I should be grateful for is the jogger pants that I’m wearing and these rubber shoes on my feet. They are now protecting me from getting my lower body cold. I would just have to endure my upper body, well I’m strong, I can persevere until morning. Now let’s begin with my brilliant idea. I’ll be able to go home without stress and effort.

“Yeshdoog, let’s ride back hoome, I will sleep in your baack, and you sleep and keep on walking back hoome!” I exclaimed with a deep voice, I know he’s a genius pet, he understood me earlier, he will ride me home easily.

He responds with a weird groan, curved his eyes with joy, and wags his tail. I got, alright Yeshdog thank you. Once we get back in the morning, I’ll beg father and the whole village to keep you and pet you with all I can. And we will show them our demonstration that you are indeed a genius among your kin. Alright.

So I climb on his back and check some flat spots so that I can lay down. And there was indeed a shallowing part on his back in a little lower near his butt, as long as he doesn’t fart I’m okay with that. So I positioned myself to see if I’ll be comfortable, and indeed, this part on his back doesn’t have bones, it’s soft and warm, perfect to sleep.

“Yeshdog, let’s go my boy,” and he started walking. Phew, what a relief. I dozed off quickly and had a deep sleep.

I opened my eyes with a yawn, stretched my eyes, and found myself smiling as I saw the blue sky, it’s a wonderful morning indeed for me. I’m lying on this comfortable back of my boy Yeshdog.

A yawn is coming through from my mouth, I opened my mouth wide and released the comforting yawn . . . when wind blew, I swallowed instead of yawning!

And a metal thing is floating above me, and it’s moving and it’s blasting a strong air with an unpleasant smell, and it’s destroying my hair with its wind blow. So I pulled myself up, and I saw above more of those flying things! I look around, and I’m in an open muddy field with trees that have been but from its stand.

When I turned to the right side I saw a lot of people with costumes, but they were flying with their capes! Superheroes?! On the left side, I saw a giant man with an abnormal shoulder with a big sword leading a lot of barbarians! And something surprises me when I saw the kin of Yeshdog, it’s indeed them! But what are they doing? They are charging forward meeting those weird men with costumes! Are they fighting over food? I caught men falling down from those things that were flying! What are they? They are weirdly clad in white, is this a fiesta?

I kicked on the back of Yeshdog, but he wasn’t budging. I check on him and his feet are soaked beneath the mud, he’s stuck! This is a bad dream if this is a dream! I need to wake up, these weird people wearing weird costumes are part of this nightmare, I’ve never seen them before. I gotta think of what father said about dreams, come on, remember! Remember! Remember!

Aha! I remember father said, “Philemon my son, if ever you find yourself in a nightmare, there is only one way to escape, it’s a secret weapon passed on from generation to generation by our ancestors. And I have found them effective and powerful in my life, and to our entire clan, as you know I always had bad dreams about those cockroaches and others more scary than them. So now listen carefully my dear Philemon my son! If you are in a nightmare, the only way to escape that cruel illusion and evil dream is . . . you . . . should . . . pee!!! Just pee, and you will be free in an instant!!! Remember that my beloved son.”

I felt warm under my legs, warmer than the coffee that I always drink every morning! I hold my pants and it’s indeed wet!

“This isn’t a dream! Where am I!!!???”