"Her condition is getting worse, you heard the doctor," I could hear the maids talking through my bedroom door.
I knew I didn't have much time. My fate was sealed the moment I was put on bed rest. Death was inevitable. It was written in the stars.
I look out of my window at the starry sky, watching as they slowly crept across the indigo darkness beyond.
As I gazed at the sky beyond, I saw a glimpse of light flash across the sky. A white flame careening into the void beyond.
"A shooting star," I whisper in excitement.
Mother once told me that if you wish for a shooting star, your wish will come true. Head bowed, eyes closed, hands together, I kneel on the edge of my bed and wish.
I wish to be whisked away from this world, for someone to come and take me to worlds beyond this sickness.
A tear escapes my eyes as I look back up to the sky, pain searing through my body, my lungs seized and my vision goes spotty as the strength leaves my muscles. I land on the bed with a heavy thump. I've reached the point where even sitting up on my own takes a major toll on my body.
I let out a strangled scream which was abruptly cut off as my throat closed completely. I could just barely make out the sound of my door banging open and multiple people shouting and swarming my tiny attic bedroom.
Darkness crept at the edge of my vision, slowly consuming my view. I stared at the open sketchbook on my nightstand, until all I could see was black as I slowly fell out of consciousness. Looking for stars within the burning void I fell into.
Pain and disease ebbed from my body as I opened my eyes to see a small, fiery-haired girl staring at me from the edge of my bed.
I stared at her for a moment, "Ah! What in the world?!" I exclaimed, startled.
I look at the closed window and the locked door, "actually, out of this world," the girl remarked, opening a tattered brown sketchbook.
Confusion knits my brows as I watch her flip to a beautifully drawn picture of a kingdom floating above the clouds.
"You asked for someone to get you out of this world, so here I am," she said with a bright smile.
A stream of golden light shot out of the book, turning into what looked like a small thread hovering above the pages. As if she had, somehow, torn through the fabric of the universe.
"You coming?" the girl's American drawl broke me out of my trance.
I nodded and grabbed the hand she had extended to me. Her warmth seeped into my cold fingers. I lurched forward as she yanked me towards the golden rip in the fabrics of reality.
Blinding light consumed me for a moment, and it felt as if I were floating through a golden sky. Neither flying nor falling, simply existing in golden white warmth. Until someone grabbed both my wrists and dragged me up. That same blinding light engulfed me once more as I fell ungracefully onto a patch of lush, green grass.
"Woah, I thought I might've lost ya there!" the firey-haired girl laughs, collapsing on the grass beside me.
"That was, I mean," I was struck speechless, still dazed by the experience.
"I know, sometimes I just sit between worlds," she nudges my shoulder and points at the golden sky that seemed identical to the void, "I call it Heaven's Void, the place between worlds."
"It was as if the universe had peeled away," I remark, staring up at the golden sky.
A small chuckle sounded from the redhead as she rose to her feet, pulling me up with her.
"Welcome to The Kingdom Above the Sky," my eyes followed her and over to where she gestured.
A tall structure glowed golden as the sky's light bounced off the pale stone. My gaze danced over the entrance to the massive castle, snagging on every perfectly chiselled design and colourful stained window.
"Oh my gosh, I haven't introduced myself!" the girl exclaims with a bow, "I am Princess Cecily, the second youngest daughter of King Alfonzo."
"It's very nice to meet you," I bow deeply, "my name is Bridgette."
"CECILY!" a deep voice bellowed from within the castle.
I could've sworn the ground shook beneath us as both our eyes widened in shock. We both stood frozen in place, as the massive entrance doors swung open to reveal a towering figure standing against the warm light flowing out of the castle.
"Hello, father," Cecily muttered, not making eye contact.
The King's steel grey eyes bore into Cecily and then myself. A shiver shot down my spine, and, almost instinctively, I bowed deeply.
"Cecily, what have I said about using that sketchbook without permission?" he scolded before pointing one of his large fingers at me, "Also, who is that?"
"Dad, this is Bridgette, she's the girl I saw in my dream."
I look over to Cecily, eyebrow raised as if saying, you what? I move my gaze up to the king's, slowly moving out of my bow to stand before him. His grey eyes raked over me, sizing me up.
"Are you sure this is the girl?"
"One hundred percent!" Cecily exclaimed, beaming in confidence.
"Wait, what do you mean I'm the girl?" I asked as both the King and Cecily looked at me.
"Didn't Cecily explain your role to you?" the King asked with furrowed brows turning to his daughter, "You did explain, didn't you?"
Cecily laughed guiltily and began to push me towards the castle doors, "how about we go inside and discuss this over a cup of tea?"
Before I could ascend the front steps, a monstrous shriek tore through the land followed by the thunderous beat of massive wings.
The Earth shook under our feet as a looming shadow engulfed us, casting our shadows into the growing darkness. That monstrous shriek sounded once again, close enough for us to feel the creature's breath on our backs. I glimpsed over quickly to see Cecily standing beside trembling. My hands shook viciously as my mind began running over 100 kilometres an hour, searching for a solution.
Taking a deep breath, I summon up every ounce of courage and face the dragon. I felt my eyes widen as I saw the brilliance before me. Flaming orange eyes like melted amber and giant red scales that shone like rubies at dawn. Magnificent ivory horns bloomed from its head, and wisps of gold-like whiskers flowed gracefully from its snout.
The trembling in my hands stopped, and my heartbeat slowed. Against my better judgment, I slowly reached out toward the giant beast, completely awestruck. I could feel a connection I hadn't experienced with anyone before yet, it felt extremely familiar.
"You understand me," I whispered as my hand rested gently on the dragon's scales.
A low purr rumbled through the dragon. Warmth pulsed rhythmically through the dragon's scales, to the time of my heartbeat.
Instinctively, I ran my fingers down the dragon's neck and side. It dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, urging me to hop on its back. I reached up and attempted to crawl onto the ruby beast's back with no luck.
"Need a hand?"
I spin around to see Cecily smiling and forming a cup out of her hands. I nest my foot in her hands and squeak at the sudden lurch upwards.
Once I make it up onto the dragon's back, I look down at the fiery-haired girl that helped me escape my miserable life, even if it's just for a short while.
I smile brightly and extend my hand down to her, "you're coming, right?"
She gulped loudly and looked at the towering king for permission. He looked from Celily to me and back, giving his daughter a slight nod.
Cecily nervously slides her hand into mine, her cold fingertips cooling my own hand.
"Okay- let's g-go," Cecily mutters as she wraps her arms around me.
I could feel Cecily's arms tighten around my waist as the dragon's wings exploded from its back. With one swift, powerful movement we were shooting into the sky. I was overtaken with awe, I could barely feel Cecily dig her face into my back as I revelled in the strong wind that pushed through my hair and flooded over my body.
My gasp caught in my throat as the dragon broke through the clouds forcing the cold air to make a path up toward the sun and stars. As we broke away from the clouds the bright light of the sun flooded us with golden warmth.
"Cecily, look!" I force Cecily to open her eyes and look at the sea of fluffy white clouds that we soared over.
Light shone in Cecily's eyes as she slowly unwrapped her arms from my waist and spread them wide. Goosebumps appeared on her arms as the breeze danced over the both of us.
A low hum began in my chest, telling me that I needed to go faster, that there was an end approaching.
"Hold on Cecily!" I exclaimed as I urged the dragon to fly faster.
Cecily's grip tightened around me once more as the dragon began speeding across the rolling clouds. Blue melded with back as the sun and stars fought for dominance in the sky. Darkness slowly began to press into my vision and pain began to lance up and down my body.
I stubbornly clung to the dragon urging it to go faster, I'm not ready to leave yet! Not yet! I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK! I could feel the tears rolling down my face so clearly.
"Bridgette, it's not time yet," I could hear Cecily's voice so clearly, even though the wind was roaring around us.
I turned to see her smiling sadly up at me and my tears began to fall quicker. The dragon was gone, we just seemed to be floating, the warring sky raging around us.
"It's okay Bridgette, we'll always be here for you," she squeezed me tightly before the world around me began to fade rapidly, "soon enough, you'll be able to join us."
I wrapped my arms around Cecily's body, hugging her tightly as we began to freefall. Through the blue sky and white clouds, through the night sky and moonlight, we fell together back into reality.
I could hear echoes from my bedroom as Cecily completely disappeared with one last small smile. Pain lanced along my body and my lungs seized as if I had forgotten how to breathe. I could feel my fever and my dream completely shatter, forcing me back to reality.
"Bridgette dear, are you okay?! You were having a fever dream!" My mother's concerned voice sounded from the doorway.
"I-I'm okay mom, I was having a dream," I brushed the tears rolling down my face, "it was a wonderful dream, I wish I didn't have to wake up.
I looked over and barely noticed the hint of sadness that fell over my mother's face. It was pointless to lie to her, we were all miserable. Sometimes, I truly wish someone would just end all the misery and allow me to float away.
Float away from the pain, the misery, and the shame. To just be free among the stars.