I wake up not knowing where I am or who I am. I look down at my clothes- they have rips all over them. What happened to me? I keep asking myself. I try to get up but it feels like gravity has different plans for me. I look around to see if I recognize anything, but I don’t. All I hear is a clock, and from the looks of it, it’s 7:24- not sure if it’s the morning or the afternoon. To my right is a window that looks over a view of a city. To my left is a door and a kitchen that only has three cabinets, a microwave and a small fridge. I’m just going to rest my eyes for a little bit because there’s nothing else I can do. 

I wake up the next morning feeling like I actually could get out of bed. I leave my room and see many more rooms, but the weird thing is that none of them have a roof. I’ve always wanted apartments to have no roofs so there would be more fresh air. It’s wonderful! The apartment building is completely open. The doors also have three handles instead of one, all in unusual colors, shapes and sizes. Everything else looks how a normal apartment would look, with just a little change. I look at my room number, which is 456456. Strange. My favorite numbers. I choose not to think anything of it. There isn’t an elevator so I have to take the stairs. But the stairs are off, too! To the right of them, a slide that goes all the way down to the lobby suddenly materializes. I’ve always dreamed of having a slide instead of stairs. I smile as I zoom down the slide, landing me straight outside.

I walk outside, and it’s the most beautiful view I have ever seen- the prettiest ocean with the bluest and clearest water. When I turn to see what’s behind me, there’s a beautiful city that looks exactly like Italy, which is where I have dreamed to live my whole life. This feels so unreal. There’s a brand-new Porsche to the left of me. I glance down at my hands, and the keys to car are right there. There is also a nice surfboard with a cute bike right next to it! I hop onto the bike and start for the city.

On my way, I run into the craziest parade going on. I hurry and grab a random costume, then gleefully join them. It was the funniest thing I have ever done- just going through all these small villages goofing off and having the time of my life. All the sudden, I see a boy with the prettiest green eyes and dark brown, curly hair walking towards me. He says his name is Garbi. He takes my hand and we go through the parade together, laughing and getting to know each other. I never want this to end. After the parade ends, he asks if I want to get food, and of course, I agree. We go to the best pasta restaurant in town. As the sun starts to come down, he takes me home, and I couldn’t be more sad.  

Because I know I’ll wake up and it will all go away. It happens every night, the same slide and roofless apartment and parade, but it always fades away. It always ends. I don’t know how I keep getting here, but things seem to come more naturally. I’m good at everything I try, and I’m happy. I need to keep that feeling. I need to find a way to stay.

Garbi smiles wisely, as if he hears my thoughts. “I think I can help with that.”

Read our next issue for the second part to this dreamy tale…