Rachel looked around the room feverishly. Another nightmare had come and awoke her. Slowly she came back to reality.
Fuck! Another goddamn nightmare! I can’t stand these anymore!
She began to cry and cradle her head. “I just wish I could have a good dream for once.” And she slowly closed her eyes and fell to sleep.
********************************************************************
Fields of green surrounded Rachel.
“Where am I?” She asked.
“You’re in the 8th dimension.” A young man with curly brown hair said.
“What? The 8th dimension. How did I get here? “
“You wished for no more nightmares. Didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I did. But I still don’t understand why I am here.”
“Well, here we have no nightmares. Only wondrous dreams and real-life fantasies. All are happy and content, and all want to please each other.”
“I’m so confused!”
“We all get confused at first. But soon you will become acclimated to this place, and your confusion will pass.”
“If you say so.”
The boy reached out his hand to Rachel and she took hold of it and stood up.
“My name is Domhnall.”
“My name is Rachel.”
“I know. I know all about you.” He responded with a smile.
“Are you an angel?”
Domhnall laughed. “No, I’m something, but not an angel. Soon you will see how we are connected.”
“Okay. “Rachel said woozily.” I feel strange.”
“It’s just the euphoria. All feel that way when they first arrive. You probably just aren’t used to such amazing joy.”
“I guess. “
Domhnall and Rachel began their trek into the village.
“Hello!” “Welcome” “So glad to have you here at last Rachel”, the townsfolk proclaimed as Rachel made her way through the village.
“Wow! All of these people know me?” Rachel asked.
“Yes. They are all here to make your stay as pleasant and enjoyable as possible” Domhnall responded.
“Cool!”
“Cool indeed.”
Suddenly a gigantic stone castle appeared before Rachel.
“What the hell!?” Rachel exclaimed as she jumped back and grabbed onto Domhnall.
“Its okay. This is where you will live.” Domhnall explained as he moved closer to Rachel.
“But it just appeared out of nowhere.”
“Yes, things have a habit of doing that here. But no worries, nothing can harm you here. Come with me”
Rachel followed Domhnall as they entered the castle. There were magnificent paintings adorning the walls and the ceiling was covered in fresco paintings that told a story about a Queen and her King and a great romance.
“Right this way Milady.” Domhnall gestured for Rachel to enter this magnificent bedroom with a gigantic bed, a beautiful balcony with overlooked the mountains and hills, and a great wardrobe filled with gowns and robes.
“I don’t understand. Why am I here?” Rachel asked, overwhelmed by the grandeur of all around her.
“You are here, the same reason I am here.” Domhnall responded, “The old world was not right for us, we were never meant to be there. So we were brought here by the force that guides us all.”
Rachel began to cry, “What about my friends? My family? Everything I left behind?”
Domhnall put his arm around Rachel. “None of that exists anymore for you. As far as your family and friends go, they don’t remember a Rachel. It’s as if you never existed on that plane. You only exist here… and now.”
Rachel began to sob uncontrollable and ran over to the wardrobe. She threw the gowns and robes on the ground and tossed the empty wardrobe over. “I don’t want any of this! I don’t want to be here! I want my old life! I want to be back there!”
Suddenly the world around Rachel began to dissolve and melt, like paint being stripped from a grand oil painting.
********************************************************************
Rachel looked around the room feverishly. Another nightmare had come and awoke her. “Where am I?” Rachel asked herself.
Slowly she came back to reality.
“Fuck! Another goddamn nightmare! I can’t stand these anymore!”
She began to cry and cradle her head. “I just wish I could have a good dream for once.” And she slowly closed her eyes and fell to sleep.
