another part of my day. The unreal, dream-like parts are the in-between, morphing between two time changes, dark limbo wrapping around my body and catapulting me through space—that will take some getting used to.
My aimless examining tires me to the point that I can no longer think. Finally, I shut down and succumb to a deep slumber.
I find myself in the most glorious dream. It’s night, not a cloud in the sky. A zillion stars trail across the far reaches of the heavens. They kiss the edges of each horizon.
The cool, dry landscape of undulating earth sits void of any human structure. Hearing a rustle in the light breeze, I turn. A field, as far as I can see, stretches behind me. When I turn and step forward, my foot presses upon cool sand. Grains sift between my toes. I look to my left and then right. I’m standing on the line between contrasting environments: a field and a desert. I can’t help thinking that one is my past and one is future.
I inhale a large breath. My nostrils flare, pulling in the scent of mint. The breeze swirls around my white cotton dress, billowing in the breeze. I smooth it down flat with my palms onto my bare legs.
Farther away, an alluring light grows from the under reaches of a long trench. Its beams dance around and spread far into the sky like the Northern Lights. They’re beautiful, glowing in yellows and greens. Fascinated, I walk on to look closer.
Crickets chirp at my bare feet. Dry plants scrape my ankles. These details reminds me that this is a dream because if I were awake, I know that walking barefoot through nature would bother me, but here it doesn’t. It feels natural, like something I’ve done a million times before.
The long trench makes me wonder what could be making the magnificent lighting display. I have to know, so I walk closer to the edge of the cliff. I stop, remembering I’m afraid of heights. Looking over means that I will have to look over the edge and down into the canyon. Uncomfortable tingles race up my arms.
I want to see more, but I can’t. I’m too scared. Finally, I talk myself into taking baby steps. Closer and closer, inch by inch, my heart and breathing tighten. I can do this. I want to see more. Then I hold my breath. I imagine my toes curling over the edge. Tingles shoot down my legs with anxiety, and I close my eyes for a moment. I inhale deeply and reason with myself. The spot where I stand now is no different than ten paces ago.
Finally, when I look down into the trench, my vision is overtaken by a haze of intense light as blinding as the sun. The light cools as my eyes adapt. The trench is long but only a few feet deep. I chuckle at my stupidity. I had imagined it as deep as the Grand Canyon. I always make things worse than they really are. When I’m brave enough to face my fears, they’re never as bad as I imagine.
As I step down into the trench, the light ripples away like water. It’s not just one source of light, but millions that make the whole, many acting as one.
Kneeling down, I touch the light again, but the illuminated beings recoil. They lift into the air and swirl around my body, separating into a million little lights. Raising my arms into the sky, I feel them. Fireflies skim the edges of my skin as they envelop me in a vortex of shimmering sparkles. They surge off into the night sky, melding with the stars. Beautiful. A million fireflies. A million beautiful possibilities.
•
“Seraphina!”
I’m already on my way down the stairs when Mona calls for me. Because I’m so tired, I don’t respond. Instead of yelling back, I just stomp down the final staircase to alarm her of my arrival. Yelling might make my headache worse.
“Didn’t you sleep well?” she asks when she sees me at the top of the stairs.
“What gave it away? The huge purple bags under my eyes, or the fact that you informed me that I can time travel?” My hand slides down the banister with each step. “Just so you know, that information isn’t
My aimless examining tires me to the point that I can no longer think. Finally, I shut down and succumb to a deep slumber.
I find myself in the most glorious dream. It’s night, not a cloud in the sky. A zillion stars trail across the far reaches of the heavens. They kiss the edges of each horizon.
The cool, dry landscape of undulating earth sits void of any human structure. Hearing a rustle in the light breeze, I turn. A field, as far as I can see, stretches behind me. When I turn and step forward, my foot presses upon cool sand. Grains sift between my toes. I look to my left and then right. I’m standing on the line between contrasting environments: a field and a desert. I can’t help thinking that one is my past and one is future.
I inhale a large breath. My nostrils flare, pulling in the scent of mint. The breeze swirls around my white cotton dress, billowing in the breeze. I smooth it down flat with my palms onto my bare legs.
Farther away, an alluring light grows from the under reaches of a long trench. Its beams dance around and spread far into the sky like the Northern Lights. They’re beautiful, glowing in yellows and greens. Fascinated, I walk on to look closer.
Crickets chirp at my bare feet. Dry plants scrape my ankles. These details reminds me that this is a dream because if I were awake, I know that walking barefoot through nature would bother me, but here it doesn’t. It feels natural, like something I’ve done a million times before.
The long trench makes me wonder what could be making the magnificent lighting display. I have to know, so I walk closer to the edge of the cliff. I stop, remembering I’m afraid of heights. Looking over means that I will have to look over the edge and down into the canyon. Uncomfortable tingles race up my arms.
I want to see more, but I can’t. I’m too scared. Finally, I talk myself into taking baby steps. Closer and closer, inch by inch, my heart and breathing tighten. I can do this. I want to see more. Then I hold my breath. I imagine my toes curling over the edge. Tingles shoot down my legs with anxiety, and I close my eyes for a moment. I inhale deeply and reason with myself. The spot where I stand now is no different than ten paces ago.
Finally, when I look down into the trench, my vision is overtaken by a haze of intense light as blinding as the sun. The light cools as my eyes adapt. The trench is long but only a few feet deep. I chuckle at my stupidity. I had imagined it as deep as the Grand Canyon. I always make things worse than they really are. When I’m brave enough to face my fears, they’re never as bad as I imagine.
As I step down into the trench, the light ripples away like water. It’s not just one source of light, but millions that make the whole, many acting as one.
Kneeling down, I touch the light again, but the illuminated beings recoil. They lift into the air and swirl around my body, separating into a million little lights. Raising my arms into the sky, I feel them. Fireflies skim the edges of my skin as they envelop me in a vortex of shimmering sparkles. They surge off into the night sky, melding with the stars. Beautiful. A million fireflies. A million beautiful possibilities.
•
“Seraphina!”
I’m already on my way down the stairs when Mona calls for me. Because I’m so tired, I don’t respond. Instead of yelling back, I just stomp down the final staircase to alarm her of my arrival. Yelling might make my headache worse.
“Didn’t you sleep well?” she asks when she sees me at the top of the stairs.
“What gave it away? The huge purple bags under my eyes, or the fact that you informed me that I can time travel?” My hand slides down the banister with each step. “Just so you know, that information isn’t
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