I went upstairs to get ready for bed. I needed to relax. I grabbed my Pjs and went to the bathroom. I took a long hot shower to relax my muscles, making sure to use my pomegranate soap. I love the smell of it. After I showered I dried off and put on my Pjs. I turned the bathroom light off as I exited into my bedroom. I normally live with my cousin, but he won’t be getting back until tomorrow, he was currently visiting our grandma, I wasn’t allowed to go since I have school tomorrow. I crawled into bed and looked at the clock, 10:00Pm, perfect. I fell into a deep sleep, not even bothering to stay awake to read my book.

“Hi Annabelle! It’s me! Remember?” A little girl I didn’t even know jumped into my arms, fitting perfectly.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” I asked, her laughter was amazing, it was like music.

“Oh silly! I’m you!” Now that I think about it she did kind of look like me. Just younger by about thirteen years. I was confused at how I could possibly be holding a younger version of me when she seemed to understand.

“This is a dream silly. Anything can happen here. Except scary things, I banished them a long time ago.” She spoke like she was so much older than I am. It was freaky. I wanted to see if she was telling the truth about anything, so I closed my eyes and pictured what I needed. I opened my eyes to find them here with me.

“…Mom, dad…” I couldn’t believe it, my parents were right there! I reached out to touch them when suddenly they vanished. It felt like a part of me left with them. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore and I crumbled to the ground, hugging the younger version of myself tightly. She hugged me back, and wiped a stray traitorous tear from my eye. She suddenly looked sad.

“I know how you feel. I see them every day, and all I want is for them to even look at me. They used to be here just like in real life, but now they aren’t. I can’t talk or hug them anymore. The lost can’t be interacted with. Watch.” She closed her eyes and suddenly a bark rang in the empty space. I looked up to find us in a field, and a familiar looking golden retriever in front of us.

“Sparks! Here boy!” I called, but he wouldn’t even look at me. He chased after a butterfly happily, and vanished right as he caught it in his mouth. I felt a poke on my cheek and looked down. She was crying. I then realized I had been calling her “the small version of me” and “her” when I should call her Annie, that’s what, my parents called me when I was young.

“Annie, it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.” I sighed into the familiar smell of her hair, pomegranate. She sniffled, no longer crying, but she was still upset.

“You know what makes things worse? You’re the first person that’s been able to hold me since that day, the day they left me. I was sobbing and clutching to her. She was all I had at that one moment, and I wouldn’t forget it.

I soon felt like I was drifting, and everything became fuzzy. I couldn’t see and the last thing I heard before I woke up was Annie’s goodbye. I couldn’t even respond before I was awake, and Lucy was jumping on my bed.

“WAKE UPP! SCHOOL STARTS IN TWENTY MINUTES YOU LAZY BUMM!!” She screamed at me. I jolted up and fell out of bed, scrambling to grab clean clothes, and get to my shower. I showered quickly, not needing to shave my legs since I did yesterday. I jumped out and dried off, and got dressed in record time. I threw my hair in a ponytail, and put on a little makeup. I ran out of my bathroom and Lucy ran up to me with a granola bar. I grabbed it from her and picked my bag up off the floor. I ran to her car, since it was already running. I hopped in and she was right behind me. While she drove the short drive to school I ate and drank a bottle of water I found waiting for me. As we pulled into the parking lot the bell rang. We had five minutes to get to class.

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