The Secret Life of Mythical Creatures

The Dream

The world is peaceful but also dark and mystical. No one is in sight. Mushrooms light up the dark paths. Riggs continues walking deeper into the woods as snow falls around him. Suddenly he sees a small village. He walks faster hoping to get out of this frigid cold and find warmth. Riggs realizes that there is a community feast. There is a big sign hanging from the trees. The Mystic River Valley it read. A river was close to the village with more glowing mushrooms running alongside it. Riggs looks around realizing that no one is noticing him. Even though he is much bigger than whatever creatures they are. Suddenly a fairy creature notices him. "Where are you? What's taking you so long?"

Riggs wakes up sweating remembering the dark mystery world. His clock reads 3AM. It all felt real. He didn't understand it but he had a gut feeling that it wasn't just a dream. It was a message. It had to be. He got a glass of water and gulped it down. He wished time would move faster so he could tell Anastasia.

Riggs woke up on the couch not realizing he fell asleep watching Mean Girls. He checks his phone at 9AM. He calls Anastasia hoping she is awake. The phone rings three times. "Hello." Anastasia answers sound sleepy.

"Good Morning. Do you have plans today? If so, cancel them." Riggs replies quickly.

"Why? What did you stir up now?" She asks assuming I did something to get in trouble.

"I'll tell you when you get here." Riggs says then hangs up.

***

Anastasia knocks on Riggs' door. "Come in!" She hears. She walks into the kitchen where Riggs is cooking breakfast.

"You won't believe the dream I had." Riggs says immediately. "I was in this beautiful world. I was walking down a path that was lit up by glowing mushrooms. This world was super dark but everything glowed. Anyway I came across this small village that had fairy looking creatures. Maybe they were elves. I'm not really sure." Riggs continues while Anastasia listens. "I walk closer and there is a festival of some sort going on. There are all kinds of meats and fruits. All of a sudden one of the creatures noticed me and asked what's taking so long. It all felt so real. Almost like a message."

"What are you talking about?" Anastasia asks. Forgetting that Riggs always finds meaning in his dreams.

"This place exists. The way that creature looked at me. It's insane. I know but I really do believe it exists..." Riggs trails off in thought. Anastasia looks at him like he is crazy.

"Exists. I doubt it. It was just a dream. You are reading too far into it." She replies laughing.

"Yeah." Riggs says losing his excitement.

***

Later that afternoon Anastasia and Riggs go to the local book store. Riggs was so set that it was real. He looked for books on the creatures that he saw. Suddenly in a dark corner he sees a small light blinking. Looks like a lighting bug. In shock Riggs watches the light turn into a beautiful lady. Red hair and green eyes. She looks up and smiles at him.

"Hello Riggs. It's been awhile." She says in an angelic voice.

Riggs looks around wondering if anyone else has noticed her. Clearly Anastasia has not even though she is only a few feet away.

"It's okay. You don't have to speak. She can't see me right now so you would look insane." She continues. Riggs was right, it wasn't just a dream. That dimension is very real. He looks back at Anastasia not knowing what he should do.

"We need you to come soon before it starts." She says.

"Before what starts?!" Riggs accidentally shouts.

She quickly disappears. "What?" Anastasia asks as others just stare.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking out loud." Riggs says knowing she wouldn't believe what he saw.

He continued looking through the books casually.

***

A few hours later Riggs is back at home watching FRIENDS. When the lady once again appears. "Back to our conversion." She says appearing out of nowhere. Riggs jumps out of his chair throwing the bowl of popcorn everywhere.

"Where do you keep coming from?" Riggs responds in surprise.

"Don't worry about it. I came to continue the conversation earlier." She smiles kindly. "We need you to come back. There is going to be a lot of conflict happening with your parents." She continues.

"Um.. What are you talking about? Come back where? My parents live in Chicago." Riggs replies, super confused.

"Oh honey. You will understand soon enough. I am only here to remind you of your true self and open your mind. In order for you to come back. You need to know where you truly come from. Who you truly are." She says, explaining nothing. Before Riggs can respond she continues.

"We will start with your parents. The humans you presume are your parents now. Are really not yours. They were just put in place to hide you and your sister Anastia from the evil in our world. In fact you are not human at all. You are a Griffin. Your kind is known for guarding treasures and possessions. As well as the protector of evil, slander and wichcraft."

Riggs was too stunned to respond. He wasn't sure if he was still dreaming. The only time he has ever seen a Griffin is in the movies.

The lady continues on, "Griffins are a beautiful mythical creature that is an offspring of a lion and an eagle. They are known to have the back legs, tail and body of a lion. Images have shown them to have wings and often they are seen as guardians of treasure and priceless objects. Griffins are also known to have therapeutic powers. Which later on you will learn to use them."

Riggs continues with his silence. She smiles and disappears as someone knocks on the door.

***