Since Kindergarten

It’s 3am and me and my best friend Patrick, who is also my neighbor, have decided to go to the supermarket across the street. The wind is roaring and it almost swept us off our feet, but it’s nothing unusual for a chilly winter night. I’m writing this to my future myself, so that you can read it next time you get lost.

We walk in and I go to the sweets district, while Patrick gets the actual food. He’s always been more serious than me, ever since we were kids. I remember when I was five or six and my mom had sent me to the supermarket by myself for the first time and when I got there I forgot what I was supposed to get, so I just bought two ice creams. As I was going home I saw Patrick lying on the ground in front of his house, we were like the same age, and he looked sad, so I sat next to him without saying a word and gave him the other ice cream. We both started laughing and we’ve been best friends ever since. We’re both sixteen now.

Hello again. I don’t know what’s happening but there’s a huge storm outside and I can’t find Patrick anywhere and it’s been almost ten minutes and there’s no one else in here. I’m terrified.

WHERE THE HELL IS PATRICK?!

I should probably tell you some things about yourself. First of all, your best friend in the whole word is Patrick, so remember that. Also, I really wish I knew where he was right now.

I want to leave.

A baby started crying from the other side of the store and it scared the living daylights out of me! Poor thing, he was freezing. Maybe his parents disappeared just like Patrick did.

He’s sleeping now.

I’m still here.

It’s 4am.

I’ve tried calling my parents, Patrick, Patrick’s parents, Patrick’s grandma. Nothing. The entrance bell rang. Maybe someone’s here for the baby. Maybe they’re looking for me. I don’t see anyone.

“Hello? Is someone there?” Nothing. “I heard you come in.” I’m shaking like a leaf. I turn around and this old lady is staring at me. When I tell you, Future Me, that my heart literally skipped a beat! It’s a miracle I’m still standing. I try talking to her but she doesn’t answer. Maybe she just came in because of the blizzard.

“The baby will guide you to your destiny.” she says. And then she’s gone. THE BABY! I go check on him and find him crying. I hold him in my arms while sitting on the floor. What did she mean, “my destiny”? It’s just a sweet little baby. I'm sleepy.

I was really confused when I woke up so it’s a good thing I wrote down what happened. I remember now the old lady, wearing a torn black dress. She was missing her teeth, her hair was thin and white like silk and her eyes were dark and tired. I tpick up the baby and go outside to see what is going on.

Good news is, the storm is over. Bad news – I have no idea where I am.

I must have traveled to the past somehow because the supermarket has transformed into a tavern, which is also empty, and the streets are quiet. A few people pass by but they only look straight ahead.

This is not my city. I suddenly see a big sign saying “WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM”. Well, if that’s not a good sign, I don’t know what is. There has to be someone who can help me.

A little girl came to me. She told me to follow her, so that’s what I’m doing. Everyone looks the same here. My phone is useless, but at least I can still type. I have to save my battery, but I’ll keep you updated, Future Me.

I’m now looking at the most glorious castle I could possibly dream of. I’ve asked this girl so many questions but I don’t think she understands me. All she said was “SHH.” She took the baby, and pushed me towards the castle, so I go in. Another girl smiles and takes my hand. We walk through the huge halls until we’ve reached the stairs. A young gentleman makes a sign to follow him upstairs. The whole palace is lit only by candles, and it is so quiet I feel like if I breath too heavy everything will collapse. I try to remain calm and not think about the fact that maybe I’m going crazy. I remember what the old lady said, that the baby will guide me to my destiny. Well, I don’t think it’s the baby who's guiding me now, but I’ve always been a curious person, and I’m not going to stop now.

We arrive at the top of the stairs. He knocks three times, then goes back downstairs. Do they always do is? Is this their job? Why doesn’t anyone talk? No one opens the door, so I knock again.

A tall beautiful woman opens the door and smiles so sweet, that suddenly every muscle in my body relaxes. I smile back. She closes the door after us.

“Tea?” she asks. “Um...” I was so happy to be asked a question, even if it was just tea, or at least I was excited to hear someone talk to me. “Yes, thank you.” I finally say, trying to keep my calm. “May I ask where I am?”

She doesn’t talk again until she brings the tea and we sit down.

“You don’t know already?”  

Then it hit me. I did know where I was. But it was not possible. How could it be?

“The lost town.” I said.

“Yes, dear. You have created this place when you were just a baby. You are the lost princess.”

“I don’t understand.” I look around me and I know this place. I used to come here when I was sleeping. Every night, until I was twelve and I got diagnosed with this rare condition that basically meant I wasn’t going to lose my memories, but it would be very difficult to remember recent ones. “Who are you? And how do I get home?” I ask the lady and completely ignore the fact that she just called me a ‘ lost princess’.

“You know who I am. You came here every night for twelve years and I took care of you. You can call me Pim.” She inhales and exhales deeply. “You were brought here when you held the baby. He comes here too, when he sleeps, just like you used to. He brought you with him.”

“Am I asleep now?”

“He is asleep. You are awake, like me. Like everyone else here, except for that baby. We knew he was our only chance of bringing you here. When you stopped coming, everyone else did too. But three months ago, this baby was born. And now here you are.”

“I still don’t understand. What does this have to do with me?”

“You have very powerful magic. When you were born, this world came to life too. Your joy was giving it strength, until you got sick. Everyone who was already here is now stuck. You are the only one who can free this land again. This is your destiny.”

“I don’t know how to do that.” I tell her.

I spend the night in this room. I feel like I am dreaming again, just like I was when I was little. But I always knew there was something off about those dreams. Maybe Pim and the old lady were right. I feel connected to this place. And I also feel like it’s dying. I need to do something. Today Pim is going to teach me how to use my magic.

Future me, I hope I’m not losing my mind. Talk to you soon.

I’ve been here for three days. My parents must be worried sick. And Patrick too. Pim is very nice to me and she has taught me a lot these last couple of days. Next days I keep on training. I had no idea I could use my mind to control things. Pim said I only have magic here.

As I was going upstairs, I heard Pim talking. “I love you so much. I promise to always love you. I’m sorry for this.” I heard someone crying, so I walked in. I saw Pim kill the baby.

“NO! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? Get away from him!” I yell at her and run to hold the baby.

“I am very sorry, please, you have to believe me. He was my son. Your little brother. I had to. His destiny was to get you here, and he did.”

I run out of there, crying, and I don’t stop until I’m out of the castle and far away.

My battery is almost down, Future Me. I’ve been here for almost two weeks now. I keep trying to get home, but I can’t. I don’t know how. I miss my home. This land is growing stronger. People are coming in their sleep again. It’s weird because everyone thinks they are just dreaming, when this is an actual world. Something doesn’t feel right. How can this place be connected to me? How can Pim be my mother? I haven’t seen her since that night. I found an old man who says he can help me. I don’t really have another option, so I’m meeting him tonight.

“You came.” he says.

He invites me in and his house smells like freshly baked bread. We sit down. “I suppose you have many questions.” he tells me. “Let me tell you the story from the beginning. This land existed long before humans did, and your connection with it is even older. However, it only came to life when you were born. It became a dream land, and you were the gate to it. Then the gate closed. Everyone here woke up and realized they were locked in. No one could enter it either. Pim, your mother, she knew about your destiny, but she wanted to protect you, so she gave you away when you were a baby. That still didn't changed anything, so when the gate closed, she was worried about you. She missed you. But she became obsessed. Everyone kept going on with their lives, but Pim kept looking for a way to find you. And she did. She had another child, one that was only meant to bring you here. She had no other choice but to kill him once he was done, to sacrifice her own child in order to save everyone.”

He stopped for a while. I didn’t say anything. Then he went on.

“Now I’ll tell you my story. I first started coming here while I was asleep, but I wanted more. I wanted to be awake. So I had decided to close the gate using dark magic. I didn’t really know what that would mean until afterwards when your mother told me you would die if the gate was kept close. I wanted to help her, and you. We fell in love, you know. Your mother was still trying to save you. After four years, we knew we only had one option. Create a baby using dark magic, so that it could travel back to your world and bring you here. But that wasn’t enough, because you were dying either way. So killing him was the only solution to save you.” He paused. “You call that a solution?” I ask him. “You should have let me stay at home, I had a family!”

“What about the people locked here? You are the key to their salvation.” he says.

“I did not ask for any of this, and you are the one responsible for it!”

“I know, and I am sorry!” he starts crying. “I love your mother and I hate to be the one who hurt her.”

We stay quiet for a while. I don’t know what I am supposed to say, or if I am supposed to be angry. I am not angry. I feel lost, but for the first time in my life, it’s not because I don’t know where I am. It’s because I don’t know what to do.

“Then help me make it right.” I say.

“The only way this land can exist is if you are in it. If you leave, you die in the other world, and so does everyone in here.”

“There has to be another way!”

“I am so sorry.” He steps back and starts whispering a spell.

Future me, I was under a sleeping curse. I was woken up by the true love kiss, the only weapon powerful enough to break any curse. It was Patrick. It’s always been him.

It’s always been him!

I wake up again. I am in the hospital. Patrick is sleeping besides me, holding my hand. He gets up and our eyes meet. His messy hair gets into his sleepy eyes, and suddenly I come closer and kiss him. He kisses me back, but stops with a huge smile on his face.

“No way Anne Moore, MY CRUSH FOR LIKE TEN YEARS, just kissed me! I must have hit my head too.” Patrick teased me.

“That’s funny.” I say, matching his big smile.

“How are you feeling?”

“I had the weirdest dream EVER. But I’m glad I did.”

“I’m glad you woke up. You’ve been in a coma for almost two weeks. We were really worried. I should call your parents. I told them they could go home, and that I would stay with you.”

“Thank you.” I smile, and he kisses me again. I could get used to this.

“I’ll be right back. Then you can tell me all about your dream.”

“I love you, Patrick.”

“I love you too. Since kindergarten.”