Dreaming about dragons

My mother once told me a story that my grandmother had shared with her. It was an experience my grandmother had when she used to live across a tributary of the Mekong River.

It was past noon. After spending the morning doing house chores under the blistering sun, my grandmother decided to take a nap. She soon fell asleep, but after a while, someone woke her up. A man was standing beside her bed, beckoning her to follow him. Without saying a word, he began to move slowly away from the bed and went outside. His way of walking looked a bit odd — it was not the walk of a normal human being.
In Laos, the belief in ghosts and spirits is strong, so my grandmother was familiar with these kinds of occurrences. However, in this case, she didn't feel any fear toward the man who had woken her; his presence didn't seem threatening. She simply felt he meant no harm. Feeling a little more at ease, she asked where they were headed. He remained silent.

Once she was outside, she noticed the sun was still shining brightly. She looked around a bit while following the strange man. On her left, she saw a woman selling fruit on the street. My grandmother knew that woman — she was a neighbor and close friend. As always, when she was working, she wore a green apron. However, this time, my grandmother noticed she was wearing a red one. She thought perhaps her friend had gotten a new apron and decided to stop by on her way back to have a little chat.

The man crossed the road, still walking in the same odd way. My grandma quickly followed and almost bumped into him when he suddenly stopped, standing right in front of the river. Then, he slowly turned around and looked her straight in the eyes. He raised his arm, as if he were an artist proudly presenting a new masterpiece. Without breaking eye contact, the river behind him began to move, parting to reveal a clear path where she could walk through, with giant walls of water rising on both sides. Again, she felt no fear at this strange sight. Slowly, she walked along the cleared path. At a certain point, she entered a bright, golden portal. Without questioning it, she followed the man through the gate. The portal itself was impressive and magical. Yet what lay beyond was so surreal that she couldn't take her eyes off the wonder before her.

Golden temples, shining brighter than the sun ever could. Each temple was set with diamonds and adorned with decorations like lavish ornaments. But what truly left her in awe were the dragons. Great, mystical creatures flying gracefully through the air. All of them were golden as well.
She now stood beside the man and saw him smiling softly. Somehow, my grandmother had ended up in a realm reserved for dragons. Together, they wandered through the city, where every temple emanated majestic grace. As they strolled, she was continually impressed — the next building appeared even more magnificent than the last.

After some time, they arrived back at the gate they had entered through. Until then, the man had not spoken a word. Now, that soft smile returned to his lips, and he quietly told my grandmother that he truly wanted to show her around this place, and that he was very content now that his mission had been fulfilled. My grandmother, still filled with admiration, didn't know what to say, so she simply nodded. Once again, the man raised his arm, pointing toward the portal, making it clear that she had to return on her own. Before she did so, she looked back one last time to absorb the mystical beauty of the city, with its golden temples and graceful dragons. Then, she carefully walked through the portal.

My grandma suddenly woke up in her bed, in the exact same position she had fallen asleep in. At first, she was very confused about what had just happened, for she knew it couldn't have been just a dream. She remembered clearly that a mysterious man had come to show her an otherworldly place. She then decided to go outside and saw that the sun had already set. As she looked around, her eyes fell on a woman selling fruit on the street. Of course, it was her friend, wearing the new red apron! That meant she had really gone outside that day, and it hadn't been a dream.

It truly hadn't been a dream.

Long after the experience, my grandmother often thought about what had happened. Who was that man? Why had he been so eager to show her a place that seemed forbidden to ordinary human beings? No matter how much she pondered, no clear answer ever came to light. The man also never appeared again. Yet in the end, she remained grateful. Grateful for the beauty, the mystery, and the glimpse into something beyond.