Flies

“Welcome home, dear.” I was presented with a tray of cookies. No one held them. It was just a tray in the air accompanied by a disembodied voice. I looked at them, longing to taste the sugary delights. For some reason, I couldn’t identify the type of cookie. I reached for one anyway, but my emotions overpowered me. An overwhelming sadness embraced me and held me tight as if to comfort me. I was not comforted. I was saddened. The cookies faded away, and the feeling I had became stronger, but eventually melted away. I missed them. I longed for them, but I was no longer sad.

Soon after the cookies disappeared, I walked to a school. It came so fast, but I thought nothing of it. At the school, I got in on some rumors of a magic book. This piqued my interest, so I listened for more. A man named Dimitri was in possession of the book. A magic man! This, I knew, would be great. I searched for more rumors and asked questions all over the place. The man was well known for his magic, and the book could aid him in his ambitions. The only downside is the book being able to corrupt one who uses it. I must find Dimitri and warn him. Does he not know? He must have known if he had known of the book’s magical properties in the first place.

I searched for Dimitri only to end up at the school once more. Dimitri was taking refuge inside. I approached him. In his hands was the book. He gracefully flipped the book open with his hands. His wrinkles showed his experience with magic. He was much younger than he appeared. Strange words exited his mouth as he read a passage from the book. I understood not any word, but a meaning. His tone turned darker as he read, and his wrinkles faded away. His posture was fixed and his hair regained its natural brown colour. This was it. I was too late. The book had him now. Dimitri has turned evil, and there was no saving him.

A woman appeared beside him. She was older. She was likely in her thirties. So was Dimitri. A lover of his had appeared to make her debut. He spoke to her, but not a word could be heard. She vanished soon after he silenced himself, and the school began to shift.

Magic coursed through the walls and altered everything to Dimitri’s desire. No student was harmed, but they were certainly confused. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran. I ran and ran until I found a way out, but there was a pool near the exit. I stopped to look at what his magic had done, and I saw joy. Was he truly evil? Dimitri was somehow there too. A boy asked him if he could swim and Dimitri allowed him in the room with the pool. Perhaps the magic had made this school a better place. Perhaps more will be inclined to succeed.

The boy goes to jump in the pool. The lifeguard watches. He is pleased with the boy’s running. Why? The boy jumps on to his stomach and slides across the pool. Was it truly a pool? Was the boy magic? Only now do I realize the “pool” is two inches deep. The boy leaves, and the pool becomes normal. One could swim in it now. The lifeguard enters the pool. He’s taking a break. The strangest part about this all is the fact that no one seemed to see me. I watched the lifeguard swim about until he plunged underwater. This was not his doing. I watched as he thrashed and thrashed, but I could do nothing. I was frozen with no body, and Dimitri smiled, pleased with his work of drowning the lifeguard.

Finally, I was able to move, so I ran and ran until I, quite literally, ran into a boy. He nearly fell, but righted himself. I hit the ground. Why me? Why must I fall? His friends stood around me menacingly. I looked up. I begged them for help. I nearly cried, but they did not change. The boy looked at me with sympathy. He quieted his friends. Suddenly, I found myself rejoicing. The boy was against Dimitri!

After our greetings and introductions, all of us headed to the boy’s house. It seemed I already could not remember his name. I was saddened by this, but his home brought me cheer. It was disguised as a castle with much delightful furniture. We didn’t stay long in the nice part of his home. We walked to the back, which was an ordinary home. It was cute.

Sadly, shouting filled the air. Dimitri had sent goons to find us and take us out. We had to go! I had just barely escaped after the boy handed me a note. The house was raided and destroyed, and my new friends were taken back to the school by force. I read the not and decided to go find the old man the boy told me about. I must hurry.

Upon my arrival to the school, Dimitri announced he had snipers surrounding the school. No one seems frightened. Why? Students continued to swim. I was confused, but all I could do was approach Dimitri and ask the depth of the pool. He told me it was eight feet deep. I did not trust him. I told him I didn’t trust him several times. Kids continued to swim. One jumped in to the pool, but noting happened. All was well. I told him I didn’t trust him once more.

Upon this statement, he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and threatened me. He told me he’d kill me if I went to visit an old man at the end of the school. That was my plan. I noticed I was soaked then. I questioned nothing, dried off, and hung with a friend. We chatted until she gave me a blending stub and a deck of cards. The stub was magical, and the deck was missing five cards. This could be useful.

Dimitri began pat-downs of every student he was suspicious of. I was one of them due to the things the girl gave me. He somehow didn’t find the stub I shoved, quite obviously, into my pocket. A kid next to me handed over five playing cards. On top, was a card that was half king, half queen. The rest had strange symbols on them. Dimitri came back and glared at me, but passed off my attempt at reasoning when he saw the cards. I placed the cards in the deck.

After Dimitri walked away, I looked to see I was no longer wearing a coat. I had a sweater on and no more pockets. The stub was gone as well. Dimitri was fooling with me. He must’ve known! I stuck the note I had into my sweater and under my shirt. Thankfully, Dimitri went outside, and I was able to sneak away. Despite this, I never met the old man in the school.

Eventually, I made it to some woods and tripped. Dimitri’s goons saw this and laughed. They laughed and laughed, so I got up and ran. As I looked back, the waved at me. I ran faster, and to a farm I went. At the edge, I met two farmers and bagged for help. They refused to, as it wasn’t the time yet. I continued to run and nearly fell off a cliff. Nothing was making sense. Why do I only now realize this? Thoughts ran throughout my head. Nothing was right.

I carried on to find the farmers again. No. One had disappeared. There was only one farmer to help me then. I followed him into his home. I gazed around his home only to discover this farmer had disappeared as well. I attempted to sit in his fridge to surprise him when her came back, but I did not fit. Instead, I found him in a different room. He eyed me with a look of curiosity until I slammed the note on his table. He was the old man, and he agreed to help.

Cries were heard in the distance. Goons were going to storm the place. The poor farmer can't run. I attempt to escape via a large cat. Success was mine as it ran off, but I see no future for the old farmer. Dimitri himself and some man named James storm the building with goons. How did I know the other was named was James? I rode away, confused and afraid, until I reached a mountain.

From atop the peak, I watched the farmer's home burn. The farmer has died, and I was full of sorrow. The large cat that was my steed carried on back down the mountain. No longer, would I see the school. The feline brought me back to the castle house. It was still in ruins. My head span and everything began to make sense. I entered the house after stepping off the cat.

Inside, I saw a computer. It was on and waiting for me. I approached it slowly, knowing to be cautious. On the screen was a small window. "Would you like to reopen this file?" it asked me. I reached for the mouse and slid it over the yes button. I readied myself for greatness.

I hit the button.

I woke up.