Contradicting Worlds

I jump back, landing loudly on my b.u.t.t, as an enormous creature appears in front of me. Its body towering over me with such height. I gasp out loud as I devour this amazing creature before me. It looks down on me with authority as if one wrong move then I would be stamped at. It bows down on one knee, waiting for an invitation for I don"t know what. My hand trembles as I reach out and I gasp again as it leans its head in my extended hand. I upright myself, then run my hand over its soft, silky face. I place my other hand on the other side of its face then stand up straighter while travelling my hands on its elegant face. I let our foreheads touch and I close my eyes to savour the moment of peace. I open my eyes just in time to see its large brown eyes flutter open. I felt my own heart flits just by the sight alone. The more I stare at its eyes the more I am being drawn into this world like this has been my home ever since and I don"t want to leave. I felt a connection pa.s.s between us or maybe an understanding--but of what?

As if it can read my mind, it bows lower, its knee sinking deeper into the dirt, it feels like it"s encouraging me to mount on him. I walk to his side with shaky legs and take a tentative step forward. I grip its body for balance, with enough force I push my hands against him and then hoist myself up so that I am sitting on top of him. I shift slightly so that I can be comfortable but as I begin to feel a little bit comfortable it charges ahead. I was shocked by the sudden strength being put upon me that I almost lose hold of my balance and let the wind push me to my back but luckily, daily training makes my senses agile. I grip its neck like I am holding for my life while lying flat on my chest. I curse inwardly for being such a coward. This is just a ride, like riding a motorcycle or a car, but as I begin to steady myself I immediately regret it. This is not so like riding anything. Yet as this creature gains speed, I find myself wanting to sit up and just enjoy the moment.

So I did, I search for stability then very slowly, I move my body from him and my face was greeted with the sweet taste of the wind. I close my eyes and let this exhilarating feeling overwhelms me. I spread my arms wide open then look up, my eyes are trying so hard to remember every detail they can see, my nose sniffing every fragrant smell, my skin is feasting over the roughness and softness of everything that my hand touches, my tongue sticking out to taste the sweetness of the wind. I want this moment not to end but unfortunately, all G.o.ds love me, this creature suddenly skids to a halt. I look around, hunting for any threat, preparing to lunge at any source of action. However, I can see nothing but lovely creatures and a tree stood in the middle of the forest, like a heart that is not beating but alive, so alive that I must have imagined that it moves.

"Here we are," a voice whispers.

"You can talk?" I gape at this lovely creature beneath me.

"No, but you can hear us. Our thoughts, our wishes, and our hearts. That is why I can connect with you." The biggest mistake I"ve ever make is that I expected this creature to be a man but SHE"S not. As though it can hear my thoughts, it laughs.

"Yes, your royalty, we can also hear your thoughts as it is the very reason why we"re connected and why I can be able to reach you out from your world and talk with you right now in your dream." Wait, What? Your Royalty? And of course, she can hear my thoughts. "Yes, we call someone a royalty if he/she can hear us. And if he/she can help us. As of now, you are the probably the 1025th royalty."

"That many?" I didn"t mean to shout but such a large number. She lowers herself to the ground and I begin to dismount her. As my bare feet hit the ground and I feel the earth under my feet I realize that I am not wearing the same clothes I wore when I fell asleep. I wore a white plain dress, the idea of wearing this as I picture it makes a ridiculous image in my mind. I"ve never worn a dress before or even a colourful one.

"You look beautiful really," said by a beautiful voice to me. I laugh nervously, I probably look hideous enough.

"Where are you taking me anyway?" I ask in an innocent tone.

"We"re already here. We just wait," I follow the direction of her eyes and mine fell on the tree earlier. I watch the tree too, waiting patiently for something to happen. When none happen I start to turn to her.

"Maybe--"

"Your Royal Highness," She bows on one knee and dips her head forward, her eyes found mine and she motions with them for me to do the same. I inclined my head, stay rooted on the ground and questioning her with my eyes. I am a royalty not a royal highness so there is likely something in front of us that is so powerful that I can feel its eyes penetrating through my skin causing my gut to shrink. I oblige myself to look upfront and nearly stumble when a pair of warm gold magnificent large eyes burned into mine. I was suddenly enthralled by this another scary yet amazing creature. My heart is beating so fast that I am afraid that it might actually run out of me. The creature stands to its full height and again I find it hard to breathe as I intake the ma.s.sive creature in front of me. He"s actually taller than any other creatures, and when I say taller I meant a lot taller, it feels like he can swallow the whole forest for his own if I thought that the being beside me is large enough, she actually looks like a joke now because it seems like this enormous body of his can reach the sky, his feet can crush us if he wants to, and if he needs to, he can eat all of us.

Its hair is sprawled all around its face-matching its golden eyes, it looks like the sun itself, setting everything around us shining and burning with the intensity of its authority radiating all over us. I take a step back, unable to take my eyes off of him, and he stares me down, I gulp loudly, sweat dripping on my body. His tail wags behind him, the one that I thought was the tree is actually his freaking tail.

"Irish," said by a deep raspy voice.

"Yes, your highness." Answered by my friend beside me. So her name is Irish.

"Rise," he says in command and she slowly obeys.

"Is she the next Royalty?" he turns his eyes to me and I feel the sudden urge to bury myself underground.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Does she know why she"s here? Have you given her a quick preview? Does she what happened to us?"

"Err--not yet, your highness."

"Not yet?" I can feel Irish getting queasy so I intervene.

"Uhm,err--sir--err your highness? Sorry to be rude but I think I can deal with the history subject later? How about you tell me just the first question? Hmm? What do you think?"

Irish"s upper right foot stamps on the ground sending me her dismay of me for being so nosy. I look up and he"s staring right into me and I shiver. I shift my footing then bite my lower lip, silently cursing myself for interfering.

"What"s your name midget?" The nickname is a bit of an insult but I brush it off, afraid of getting on his bad side and we certainly don"t want that so I carefully pick the right words for every question.

"Ellie err-your highness." I dip my head slightly.

"How old are you?"

"I don"t know, your highness."

"You don"t know? Hmm, perhaps young. Young enough to know the cruelty of humans and the devious aura surrounding your world?" There"s no menace in his voice just complete curiosity.

"Yes, I guess?"

"Tell me, Ellie. What does the world look like?" His question somewhat makes me feel uncomfortable but I have to deal with it. I don"t know why I"m here or why I am answering these questions but my gut feeling tells me to answer them honestly. I really don"t like my gut-feeling but I think this is the time where I should listen and kick my instincts aside that"s telling me to wake up and force myself to forget about this.

What does the world look like? I don"t really know the answer to that question because all I see is cruelty and beauty in its own darkness. I let the images of the world I live in filters through my mind. The dancing black trees withered through the dry weather, the symphonies of gunshots from another warrior killing another whimpering exile, the eerie feeling of silence in the woods as the wind hushes every move I make, the orchestra of screams of people dying at the hands of government because they don"t care about us. The silence of the forests remind me of what us, humans did to its inhabitants when we were starving, or what the riches did to them when they want to make their own clothes, accessories or weapons or to show off how they kill a defenceless creature and now we are suffering from unbalanced ecosystem, soon enough, we, humans will begin to extinct. But it"s our fault because we are rotten selfish people, only hungry for wealth and what the world may give us. The government push aside our cries when we said that the animals are beginning to fade away, they were slowly dying, a plague has broken through and all animals were infected and unfortunately, us, exiles, we couldn"t eat, we had to dig under the dirt to search for any sign of food, sometime when desperate times come, we were forced to eat earth, to drink from the greyish river. If I can describe what the world looks like, just arduous.

My eyes snap open as I realize that I said the last word out loud. The right corner of his lips turn upward and I thought that he"s smirking at me. "I like how you described your world. Arduous. I think it"s going to add up to my favourite words. It"s true though. Your world is tiring and it requires a lot of effort in order to survive in a world like that unlike here," he lifts his upper right paw to indicate our neighbourhood, "all of your needs are laid out in front of you. You can eat anytime without worrying if your resources would eventually run out. You will not need to hide, everyone here will treat you like what a real royalty needs to be treated like." The unspoken question hangs in the air between us. He eyes me intently, patiently waiting for my answer. I close my eyes once again wondering how many time I"ve closed my eyes today or tonight. Images of Chelsey immediately flashes through my mind, my arms carrying her lifeless body while I cry and beg for someone to take me too. Chelsey"s eyes were open but there"s no spark in there anymore, just empty and void. A sob threatens to come out but I force it down, I promise her and there"s no way I will go back on my promise especially the one that concerns her. I open my eyes, stare right into his, never blinking while keeping my voice steady as I answer.

"You"re right. This--" I gesture around us---" if this is all true then I agree with you. Your world is nothing like mine, it"s not even close. This is simply heaven, paradise and a nirvana. But I"ve made a promise, a promise that I am not willing to break, a promise that I will fulfil and nothing will stop me from keeping that promise. So yes, this may be the best world but I prefer mine. I am not going to enjoy the luxury here while the people I love die because of the injustice the government gives us. I may be called an idiot or dumb to turn down an offer but I don"t want to be bloated, I prefer myself as a skinny person and that requires a lot of movements." My knees are literally shaking by the time I finish speaking but I continue to hold my ground and his unnerving gaze. He watches me a few more seconds before taking a step back and roar. That roar was a happy roar I think something that may resemble a laugh. His laugh reverberates through the whole forest, making the trees quake a little, then small b.u.t.terflies come out of the leaves as if woken from a good-night sleep. The scene is so beautiful I might want to take back my answer. But, of course, everything has to end so before I get to enjoy the light flutter in my heart it quickly fades away as the low rumble of the enormous creature talking to me is near my ear. I look at his face, so close I can feel his breath on my face.

"I"ve heard that answer in advance, all royalties answered the same but what I like about you is your boldness and the intensity of your goal is burning like fire. I can see it but I want to make sure that we"ve made the right choice this time or else everything will fall apart and I don"t want to wait another millennium again. So before you go, I will ask you a question. What is true royalty? Take your time in finding the answer. I will know if you deserve the t.i.tle by the time we meet again. Until then, let your heart speak, let your goal walk, let your sorrow be free and let the world know your fear."

I sit up so sudden that my head starts spinning, my vision blackens for a second then clears off right away. Morning light is waving at me through the windows and I hear light snores beside me. I angle to my right to see Raven sleeping peacefully. His right arm is draped over his eyes while the other is spread out beside him. I sigh silently, taking in his perfect figure even when he sleeps. I lie back down again, resting my head on his chest, my hand wrapping around his waist, then I feel his arm tighten around me. I press my lips together to hide a smile. I snuggle closer and he holds me tighter. He smells so good and I take advantage of it. I close my eyes, silently saying thanks to no one in particular. Finally, I am not alone anymore.