Charlie reached out to touch the door, and as he did, he felt himself waking up. He was back in his bed, the room around him familiar. But the memory of the dream lingered, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had learned something profound.
The woman didn't respond. Instead, she beckoned him to follow her. Charlie did, and as they walked, the landscape around them began to change. The plain gave way to a dense forest, and then to a mountain range that seemed to stretch up to the sky.
"This is the end of the journey," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Or perhaps it's just the beginning."