Everything you’ve missed in ITWD
Hidden easter eggs and references in the In The Wildest Dimensions storyline
“In The Wildest Dimensions” is a mystery/thriller novel, fueled by dark fantasy and romance, by Dewan Mukto under the pseudonym of his mascot, Distil. The tale begins with a detective on vacation who discovers a strange set of events that leads him to ultimately question his entire existence. ITWD is a story of memory loss and trust, and how truth is often warped in ways we don’t understand.
This article explores some of the interesting references hidden in plain sight along the lines of the story.
⚠️ Be warned that there are a few shallow spoilers.
Prologue: Here’s Where The People Are
1. Inspiration from Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit’s (2010) “Exotic” Car Tier
Even in the shimmering haze of rainfall, the stock rims of the Bentley Continental SS automobile shone as smoothly and perfectly as the day today. The license plate proudly displayed an alphanumeric combination that an informed individual could subconsciously deduce as being registered relatively recently.
2. Inspiration from the anime trope in Baka and Test (2010)
‘Ha, to recognize me?’ Adam’s egoistic miniature (chibi) commented within his mental chambers. ‘I doubt it.’
Chp 1: A Key To Her Heart
1. Inspiration from the Catherine and Lucas scene from Nowhere (2008)
The woman standing at the doorway of her apartment remained surprised, simultaneously freezing with intrigue by the expressions of the man she’d just met.
2. Inspiration from Lucas remembering Emily’s name from Nowhere (2008)
Noiselessly walking across the array of doors, his eyes glimpsed a name and number of the unit he just passed: “Radiyana D., 206”
For a reason unknown, Adam’s mind summoned an uneasy feeling in conjunction with the name.
Indeed, hardly a month had passed since he lost his wife bearing the same first name.
Chp 2: Her Strange Habits
1. Superstition about 3 am
3:00 am. The hour of the devil, as certain religious researchers would ruse.
2. Reference to the popular lyrics of Heat Waves by Glass Animals
‘By any case, I’d be quite interested in exploring that woman’s “strange habits”.’
…
Heat waves from the dawning sunrise evoked a poetic response from the world outside the Leafy Lodgings.
…
Yawning like the Homo sapien he is, Adam Jucas gazed at the calendar perched atop the flat inner membrane of the building. Printed text mentioned the name of the month: June.
3. Inspiration from Max’s nightmare in Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003)
A white square object had been slipped under the front door overnight.
…
It was a photograph.
Chp 3: Trapped By Her Voice
1. Popular quote in Bengali culture
“Ah, that’s alright. Human nature is about making mistakes,” Adam japed along, as he stirred his cappuccino. The foamy liquid danced around the edges of the exquisite porcelain cup. “And learning to mend them.”
2. Inspiration from the Jack-eye Café in Nowhere (2008)
The photograph was of another person whose resemblance matched that of his with utmost accuracy. Spotted at the Café Eve-Jack, during a typical work shift as a waitress.
3. Inspiration from Michael and his factory in Nowhere (2008)
“Oh, a mechanic. Is that what you’re seeking?” her blue eyes lit up like gemstones, vibrant with a sparkle of interest. “You could try asking my uncle, Michael. He runs a factory in the south. Not a mechanic by trade, but I’m sure he has sufficient knowledge about cars.”
Chp 4: Who Is She?
1. Inspiration from John waking up in the wooden hut in Nowhere (2008)
Adam Jucas found himself in a new location, foggy with uncertainty. A wooden cabin, his first impressions noted. Spruce logs composed the sturdy walls decorated with natural lines of xylem and brittle bark.
2. Inspiration from the diary John finds in the wooden hut in Nowhere (2008)
“June 16th,” he murmured the words aloud from the two pages currently facing the ceiling. “Today I found a man stranded on the highway. His attire highlights his importance. He smells so nice and his face drives the butterflies in my heart crazy! I hope he wakes up soon. He seems to be in a deep state of sleep. Can’t wait to talk to him!!”
3. Inspiration from the forest in Nowhere (2008)
A forest sprawled outside the cabin. The air was sour with a contaminant he couldn’t recognize. Sunlight collided on the forest floor, rich with humus from fallen leaves. As for the trees…
No leaves, no branches.
4. Inspiration from the highway in Nowhere (2008)
He began to walk towards the east, where the abundance and density of trees seemed to wane.
‘What’s this? A highway?’
5. Inspiration from John’s first encounter with Sophia at the Jack-eye Café in Nowhere (2008)
“Hi there! Welcome to Café Eve-Jack,” a blonde waitress merrily greeted him from behind the cashier’s desk. “How may I help ya?”
…
“Sure thing! A shot of espresso coming right up! Oh, and I’m Sophia, by the way.”
6. Inspiration from John finding a key in the café’s washroom in Nowhere (2008)
Adam dived horizontally into the male washrooms, and found a row of urinals lined along the length and a mirror conquering the area of the opposite wall, beveled with faucets. The messy and grimy tiles on the floor complained about the lack of maintenance. Reflections of the circular lamps of the ceiling glistened.
…
In a ceramic urinal on the other wall, a key rested at the bottom of the bowl.
Chp 5: She Is Everywhere
1. Popular meme from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
Standing here, he realized that he was being deceived. No, not a simple form of deception; this was beyond the average limits of lying and gaslighting psychological techniques. This was the most convoluted and esoteric case to have ever landed in Adam Jucas’ hands.
2. Newfoundland/Canadian courtesy catchphrase
“Ah, no sweat at all, sir!” her fingers delicately lifted the glass and landed it onto the glamorous surface of the nearest table, right next to a miniature bonsai plantation serving as decoration. “Enjoy!”
3. Religious skepticism
Adam stood up, compiling a list of excuses to apply for casually cancelling his decisions. He knew that there wouldn’t be an easy way out of this right now. That coffee was cursed, even if a divine messenger of God would convince him that it’s not.
4. Islamic prayer (Basmalah)
“In the name of God, the most merciful,” his lips autonomously chanted while his hands gripped the steering wheel and injected the key into the ignition chamber hole. For a fraction of time unspeakable, he prayed.
5. Popular meme on Instagram
Adam knew better. A racecar spelt backwards is still racecar, but a girlfriend spelt backwards is dneirflirg, which made no sense.
6. “500 horsepower” personified
His strong legs caressed the accelerator pedal, whipping the reins of more than a five hundred imaginary horses.
Chp 6: Where Is She?
1. Scientific fact about “rigor mortis”
…
Her soft fingers were curling inwards, growing ever stiffer and colder by the minute. The doe lips he had hoped to kiss one day were now forever tainted in blood.
…
2. Knowledge from the Holy Quran [5:32]
He was worse than the entirety of the Earth’s population. Killing just one person burdened his mind to believe that he had slain all of the humans at once.
3. Reference to the author’s previous novel, Dead Man Alive
Transitioning from a warm-hearted detective to a cold-blooded killer, Adam Jucas began to feel more like a dead man alive.
4. Knowledge from the Holy Quran [114:4]
Whispers from an entity foreign to human perception. A being from a different dimension and race. A spirit, more like.
“It’s not your fault,” it consoled him, resting on his shoulder, alive, ancient and invisible. “You only did what’s right. She deserved it. She was the one trying to trick you. To manipulate you.”
5. Knowledge from the Holy Quran [16:98] and [2:156]
Adam tried to shake the demon off. But it was useless by his own attempts, he knew.
“I seek refuge from this devilry, dear God,” he prayed solemnly. “Please forgive me. Whatever You’ve created certainly returns back to You.”
6. Reference to the name of the apartment Catalie lived in
He placed her in between the bushes, the only leafy things in sight. Her organic leafy lodgings for the everlasting night.
Chp 7: Missing Her Already
1. Inspiration from the Prologue of A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
‘I wonder if dead people cry,’ Adam thought sarcastically. ‘I wonder if he will ever understand. It wasn’t my fault for acting in a way so suspicious.’
2. Reference to the lyrics of The Struggle by Blacklite District
“Yes,” Adam hated bringing up the memories of his previous wife. But to win the friendship and trust, he had to keep the conveyor belt of words and anecdotes running. “I married the queen of my life a year ago. Radiyana was her name. Just like the radiance of the sun and all the stars of the celestial sea, she shone brightly into my life. Alas, nigh a month ago, a tragedy tapped on her shoulder.”
Chp 8: Wanting To Meet Her
Reference to the lyrics of Dragonhearted by CaptainSparklez
Adam ignored the threats bluntly and continued approaching the massive crack in the ground. The highway continued perfectly on the other side. Based on his mental pantry of knowledge cakes, one crumb narrated that the hundred-meter-wide horizontal hole was a faultline. Atleast a thousand feet deep. A fatal fall, but not for the dragon-hearted.
Adam was determined to see the sun rise up again.
Chp 9: She Is Here
1. Inspiration from the second time John wakes up in the wooden hut in Nowhere (2008)
“June 17th”, the pages of the journal stated on the following morning. “The man is still asleep. I’m not sure if he’s reached the wilder dimensions. But surely something is wrong. I found a vehicle crashed near the southern pole. No bodies were traceable. This man might be quite important, for having people trying to find him. And the part that ticks me the most is his face. He looks just like my dear Jack.”
2. Inspiration from the factory key found by John near Lucas’s corpse in Nowhere (2008)
‘Good thing I didn’t give the key back to that bullock,’ he turned it over to reveal a new word on the opposing side. ‘Factory.’
Chp 10: Is It Really Her?
1. Inspiration from Aria’s personality (an online friend)
“Um… I’m not Sophia,” her doe lips trembled. Her personality surely concluded that she wasn’t the person whom the ex-detective had been acquainted with. However, her appearance couldn’t fool him. “I… I was worried that you were, um, sleeping for too long. I’m happy to see that… you’re… awake, sir.”
2. Reference to the Uno card game
Adam’s suspicions yelled “one” in Spanish to his table of a card game of a mental gallery of hints.
3. Inspiration from fan-made content about Alex from Minecraft
Sadly, Eve developed a disease that limited her ability to retain memories of the present for too long. Thankfully, she trafficked logs from a lumberjack’s mill till she had a roof over her head and a place for refuge, out in the bowels of untamed forests. She built her own furniture, and manufactured her own paper.
Out of desperation, she had become the only lonely wise woman. But an independent woman.
Chp 11: Remembering Her
1. Reference to a anthropomorphized deer girl avatar found in VRChat
‘That must be Eve, aye. Such a cutie. Who else could it be? That slight stutter. That deerlina appearance,’ he quietly recapitulated. ‘That innocent sign of forgetting who I am. Of all the conversations we had gone through last night.’
2. Reference to a popular creepypasta meme
At his words, Eve forced her hand over Adam’s mouth and held him by the elbow, immediately dragging him into the backrooms.
Chp 12: Her Name
Among Us
‘Now, the real difficulty would be to assimilate ourselves with the regular residents among us,’ the detective-on-vacation closed the door behind him. A taxi cab sped past, along the ordinary road outside. ‘And to stay away from the landlord, as per Evelyn’s knowledge.’
Chp 13: She Is A Beauty
1. Science > superstition
He extracted the photograph from his pocket to take a look. Empirical evidence always beat theoretical assumptions. Nearly a week in this strange town and he had already learnt a lot of lessons.
2. Scientific fact about the actual loudness of gunfire
He pulled the trigger.
Gunshots send out astonishingly high decibels of sound radially. Adam’s ears rung once more.
3. Scientific fact about different types of tears produced under different circumstances
Eve’s twin’s body lay lifelessly on the floor, the same doe eyes glittered with tear crystals corresponding to suffering emotions, the pupils no longer responsive to changes in the brightness of light. Her head was slightly angled up, resting on the wall of her bedroom.
4. Scientific fact about delayed cellular death
He wondered if he could bring her back to life. Her body cells were still alive, he knew. Still buzzing with respiration. The individual units of life. The entire motherland, however, was clinically dead.
5. Inspiration from Max getting shot by Winterson in Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne (2003)
A flash. A loud gunshot.
“Nooo! AAAAAAaaaah,” the detective fell backwards, losing his balance and foothold. Clutching the area of the bullet wound inflicted upon him, he relentlessly crawled forward. “Radiyana! If that’s you… Please wait!”
Chp 14: A Myth Busted
1. Inspiration from the Queen’s birthday cake scene from Holmes And Watson (2018)
“Congratulations!” the Russian-surnamed woman held it out in front of the detective, sitting against the windowside wall. “It’s your birthday. Have some cake.”
…
Among the sticky crumbling mess of the confectionery, a piece of meat rested in the middle.
It was a disembodied human hand.
2. Common anime trope for a Dommy Mommy-type of woman
“Ara ara~,” his pretend-wife brought her fingers near her mouth. “Don’t wanna leave out any curiousity for dessert? Hahaha…”
Chp 15: Barely Known Her Yet
1. Reference to Mockingbird by Eminem
“Hush, little detective, don’t you cry,” she smacked Adam’s nose with her hand. “I may not be your wife, but you can call me Mommy. Haha~”
2. Inspiration from industrial boots available at Mark’s®️
His steel-toed boot collided with Radiyana’s elegant right-hand fingers. Momentarily, her knuckles crunched under the pressure as she let out an inhumanely scream of torment.
Chp 16: Her Deterministic Mind
1. Gyatt
“Gods be amazed!” Michael nearly jumped out of his seat in surprise. “Y-you mean to tell me that Vicilia is fake? All of this is jus’ some big corporation pulling our strings to do their bidding? Gyattdamn, those people must be insane!”
2. Reference to Bumble Bee by Bambee
“Ah, my dear bumble bee,” Radiyana brought her face forward, resting her chin on her hands, with their respective elbows touching the table vertically. “I wonder what you want from me.”
The remaining chapters in volume 1 of In The Wildest Dimensions bears no external references to anything. As such, this article concludes itself.
