Once Upon A Dream

• Maddison True, Grade 9, Keilor Downs Secondary College
• Short Story
• 2016

Finalist in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

Every day was a struggle. I had no friends, my family didn’t care about me. I felt like I had no one… until one faithful night...
It was like any other day, I went to school, I got teased, went to class, got beat up then walked home and did my homework before bed. Usually I don’t dream but that night was different. I woke up on a bed of thornless red roses in a beautiful gown and heels with my hair and makeup done. I didn’t understand what was going on but it didn’t matter because I felt safe. I noticed a tall young man in a suit and slicked back black hair walking over to me. As he approached me he bowed and took my hand and kissed it,
‘Good evening Eloise,’ He said in a soft voice, ‘May I have this dance?’
He smiled and the room lit up, there was a string section in the corner that began to play such sweet music, I couldn’t seem to speak, not that I could find the words to say if I could.
We danced around the room for what seemed like hours. Then suddenly the music began to fade out and we slowed to a stop.
‘It seems that you have to go,’ The boy gestured towards a floating door just behind me, ‘Don’t you worry, I’ll be right here for when you get back.’
Still holding my hand, he walked me to the door and kissed me on the forehead.
After that night every day became a long wait until I got to go back to him and dance and spend time with him. I began sleeping every chance that I got, in class, at lunch, as soon as I got home, in the car, wherever I could.
Something changed after a few months, my parents started to fight a lot more, until one day when I got home they were at each other’s throats screaming and fighting; so much so that I couldn’t handle it anymore so I went into the bathroom, got the sleeping pills out from the cabinet and took all of them, but when I awoke in my dream, the room was dark and cold. He was sitting next to me crying,
‘What have you done?’ I looked over to the door back into reality, it was breaking, ‘No, why have you done this?’
Then the door broke into many pieces and disappeared. When I looked back at him, he began to turn into a large figure with a scythe and glowing red eyes… Death. My skin was drained of colour and became cold and rough.
After many months of waiting I found a boy laying on the roses, as he awoke I approached, I smiled and said,
‘May I have this dance?’