Dreaming

chapter 1

It was hot that day. The kind of hot that steams up from the damp sidewalk, the humidity making your hair stick to your neck, and your socks become itchy as they tighten around your ankles. The heat that slicks your arms and legs with a slimy condensated film as you wish you put on deodorant before leaving the house. Warm, fat droplets of this mornings rain fall in the middle of my head with a loud plop and make its journey down the side of my face. I try to fan my body with my hand but decide to give up as its doing nothing but blowing more hot air towards me.
As i strut down the street leading to the club, i peer into nearby shops and cafes sprinkled along the walkway, adjusting my eyes to see through the visible heat waves dancing off the ground in front of me. Inside the cooled buildings at which the costumers lounge around, Adults and children alike indulge in conversations which i imagine must be as joyful and lighthearted as their expressions seem to be. I lick the sweat droplets forming over my upper lip, taking notice of how cool the inside of my mouth feels compared to the outside heat, and try to remember being as careless and free. It was kindergarten i believe. The teacher holding up a bright, scrabbled collage of greens, purples, and yellow hues speckled generously with blues and browns. "Well done, Katherine!" The teacher, Ms. McCloud would exclaim trying to sort out in her mind what the scrabbles could possibly be, ultimately failing. "What is it?" she would apprehensively reside, cautiously asking me. "Its ice cream!" i reassured her in a rather proud manner. "Lovely." Ms. Mccleod stated and gestured towards the classroom treasure box with an almost phony smile. I knew what that meant as i got out of my chair and sped to the precious, gleaming container of plastic necklaces, fake bugs, and tiny lollipops; everything a child could only dream of at the tender age of five. My fingers excitedly rummaged through the pile of cheap gifts as i pull out a tiny orange kaleidoscope, deaming it mine as i hold it against my chest. "Why does kate get treasure box?!." A childs voice cuts through the once silent air like a knife. My heart stops. A few snickers arise from the classroom. "Her picture didn't even look like ice cream." My face getting hotter and hotter as i stand in front of the classroom, newfound kaleidoscope in hand. I take a deaep breath, finding my words. "Yeah well SHUT UP!" I scream putting one foot in front of me to walk towards one of the boys, perched in a colorful class chair, face half hidden by a box of crayons on the table. "Kate, please flip your card and sit back down." I open my mouth to protest but decide to obey as the teacher lifts an eyebrow. I shuffle to the dreaded corner by which a peice of fabric is draped along the wall, nametags and paper stock cards of green and a few yellows checkered along the material. "Its not fair I drew a puppy and I didn't get picked!" they continue behind me as I spot the green slip of paper over my nametag, reaching up and flipping the red card over it. I feel the children's gaze follow me as I make my way back to the desk, sinking into my seat, my arms crossed over my chest, embarrassed and mad. Ms. McCleod trying to settle them down as my throat tightens, making it hard to breathe. I stopped liking school as much after that day, i think to myself now in the present, peeling the shirt off my sweaty back, knowing it will just stick back on once released. I used to love school. Later that day, in the parking lot of the elementary school bus loop, i remembered i still had to tell my family about my card being flipped. Great. I clenched my teeth with the thought. Holding the kaleidoscope to my eye, the other eye closed, i imagined it were a portal to another dimension. I tried to make sense of it all, my life up to that point, the cylindrical treasure i had gained that day fragmenting the light and scenery around me, splitting it into thousands of tiny mirrors and intricate designs as i turn and flip it, now my only escape from the real world, in front of me. For a second i forget where i am, looking mesmerized at the millions of minuscule frames until, through my appendage, i see the shimmering of sunfaded red pull up onto the curb. I detach the toy from my face to see none other than my uncles truck. knowing what was in store, I smooth out my shirt and prepare to stand as Ms. Launey, The cheerful announcer of everyones transportation home, called out "Katherine!" unaware of my anxiety to leave school premises. I escape from my memories and find myself, grown once again, walking down the muggy sidewalk, only this time approaching the club. I stand for a second outside the concrete building and prepare myself for the long day ahead of me. finally finding the courage to open the door, a gust of cool air conditioning wraps its icy arms around me, encompassing my body with relief. I walk in, the door shutting behind me.
I am greeted by an ambient coolness in the air as I step inside of the bustling nightclub. My eyes, looking into the almost blinding sun just moments ago, adjust to the dim, smoky space, the only light being the florescent signs above the bar and spread around the walls. Making my way through the ocean of people moving and blending together in the crowd, I find an empty seat by the bar and rest my legs. "What to drink?" The bartender asks, "just water" I manage to say through a dry throat before he half nods and turns away. I stretch and feel the sweat drying on my arms. I inhale the A.C. while holding the clear drink just given to me, I feel the deep bass from the music echo through my core and form multiple ringlets of liquid in my glass, moving from a tight inner circle to the rim, expanding and disappearing into nothingness.