The waves crashed loudly against a lone rock. Ophelia watched the complex patterns of the water as it swirled, the wind blowing her simple silk sundress softly against her skin. This ocean seemed to stretch out on forever, and she sat right above it, suspended in the air that blew around her. She blinked. “Wait, where am I?” She sat up on the invisible platform that seemed to hold her up. She glanced at the surroundings that just a moment ago seemed to have her in a trance. “Let’s think back. What’s the last thing I remember? Ok so... I was at home... mama was reminding me to do my English project, then I went to sleep... oh. I’m dreaming.” She leaned down and stuck her hand in the water, which jolted her arm to the side, its icy force almost ripping her from the platform. “Wow, that feels really real. I love those realistic dreams. Wait. If I know I’m dreaming, can’t I do whatever I want?” She imagined the platform rising, and it did so, lifting her into the chilly wind. The harsh sunlight made her skin start to sting. “First thing first, I need some shade.” And a moment later she had a parasol. “This is pretty fun! So what’s next, only so much time until I wake up...” She contemplated, twirling her parasol. “Ooh... What if I... oh OH YES!” She jumped excitedly. “I’m gonna make an island! With people! And... dragons!” She sat down and formed an image of the island. A large mountain in the center, with snow capping its peak, rolling hills with lush grass, cherry trees in bloom spreading in a forest, a small lake... and of course, the village. Three small cottages, with all the necessities, a well, and a stable. Perfect. The waves rolled back, and the island took its place. Then came the dragons. Water dragons, fire dragons, air dragons, big, small, and everything in between. She smiled as they dived into the ocean, catching the fish that she moved right under them. Now it was time for the people. She decided to just make three teenagers for now, one for each house. There were two guys and one girl, the guys being Henop and Syrbe, and the girl being Fabi. Those names didn’t mean anything, she just thought they sounded nice, plus, this was a dream. It didn’t need to make sense. She dumped them on a beach. She decided to go say hi. She lowered herself onto the sand beside them, grains sticking to her soaked feet. “Heyo! Welcome to the front line seat in my dream!” However, they didn’t seem to hear her. Fabi stood up, rubbing her head, and looked at her surroundings, then at the two guys close by. Fabi rushed over to help them up. “Are you guys ok?” Henop took his arm out of hers and stood up, brushing off the sand. “Yep, I’m good.” Syrbe accepted the help with a nod of thanks. “Maybe I’m invisible?” Ophelia muttered to herself. She willed herself to become visible, but something seemed to block her. She grappled with this invisible force, eyes squeezed shut, and after a few moments suddenly burst through, staggering forward slightly. Henop, the closest one to Ophelia, suddenly whipped around, grabbing a seashell that lashed across her arm as he got into a defensive pose. “OUCH!” She recoiled. For a moment she was in shock, then one thought came to her. That HURT! How could that hurt? she was dreaming... right? She stumbled back, falling into a sitting position in the soft sand. The waves crashed against the shore, but they seemed different somehow. More... real. She noticed the smell of salt in the air, her crusty eyes, and a bajillion other things, but most of all, the now fading pain from the scratch on her arm. Fabi and Syrbe rushed over to her, Syrbe holding out a hand to help Ophelia up while Fabi admonished Henop for hurting someone so quickly. Ophelia rubbed her head and coughed, letting Syrbe help her up. Her shaky legs almost gave out under her when she was back up. Was this still a dream? How long has it been since she went to sleep? Did she die? Disappear? Go into a coma? She steadied her breaths, and picked up her parasol. She needed to check something. With a thought, she was holding a pop tart. She breathed a sigh of relief. At least she still had control. “...You ok?” Fabi’s voice snapped her back to what she assumed to now be reality. “Yeah, I guess. I’m just... I don’t know.” She leaned against Syrbe’s shoulder. “We should really find some shelter.” Henop butted in, pointing to the sky. A silhouette of a large winged creature circled overhead. Ophelia glanced at them. She would be okay, but what about them. “I know a place.” She grabbed Fabi and Syrbe, and led them into the cherry forest, Henop following behind. Her feet padded against the soft soil, the dewy grass washed some of the sand off her feet. The trees rustled a couple of times as they walked, startling Ophelia. Eventually they arrived in front of the houses. Fabi rushes forward, occasionally glancing at the sky. “Wow! How did you know about this place?” She wondered. Ophelia paused. “I... scouted it out beforehand. Now let’s get inside.” They ran to the nearest house. Everyone split up to check out the house. Ophelia sat down hard on the couch, adrenaline wearing off, when the reality of the situation hit her like a truck. She was stuck here. In this world of her own. She felt pain, so her physical body was here. It was strange... but as she thought about it, it was oddly exciting. Her own world, with her as the greatest power, bending it however she wished. Her mind wandered, thinking about wizards, carnivorous plants, and civilizations, when Henop sat down beside her. “So, should we head out soon, y’know, get some food?” That’s right, for now, she would start with the basics. This might actually turn out to be better than anything she thought.
