I open the door to set out for school. I stare at the sight that meets my eyes. Instead of my front yard and driveway, I see a road. Something compels me to walk down it, so I do.
I am walking down this road. A bitumen road. A wide road. The road has two white lines running down the middle. Just two. No more, no less. I discover that I cannot turn around. The road seems to go for eternity, running as far as the eye can see in both directions. On the left side of the road, there is dirt. Red dirt and dust. On the right side of the road is dust. Dust and red dirt. No sign of life stretching as far as the eye can see on both sides of the road. I sigh. Might as well continue walking, since I have no choice.
The sun is getting higher in the sky. Nearly ten, I think. I've been out here for almost two hours. Wait a sec. There! Up ahead! Something is glinting in the sun. Finally! Something besides dirt, dust and sweat. I run towards the gleaming object. I stop in surprise. It's a key! The key is made from brass. Not expensive or extraordinary. I pick it up, wondering who would leave a key in the middle of nowhere. But the key dislikes been picked up. It sprouts feathery, blue wings and flies away. I stand there in shock for a minute. Then I continue walking.
The sun continues to climb. It's nearing eleven o'clock. Nothing has happened since I started upon the flying key roughly an hour ago, and I suspect nothing will happen. But it seems I am wrong. Something is moving up ahead. It appears to be scuttling in my direction. I stay still so if it is dangerous, it will not attack. As it approaches, I jump in surprise. It's a book! A green book that is scurrying towards me on its side. It stops at my feet. It is so close I can see every individual strand of fur on its cover. I bend down to pick it up. I try to cuddle it. The book doesn't seem to appreciate my attempts to be friendly. It snaps at me with its mouth, which I suppose is some sort of clasp, that is situated opposite the spine. Ouch! It bit me! I drop the book and it runs away across the dirt plain. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I'm starting to get thirsty. I keep walking.
The sun continues to beat down. I cast no shadow as the sun is directly overhead. Midday. My arms are starting to turn red. Maybe soon there will be a tree or something to give me shelter for a while. No such thing on the horizon right at the moment. I wonder if trees can grow in these conditions. No water and red dirt. It's too bad we humans don't eat dirt. If we did, I would have all the food I would need. Sadly this is not the case.
My feet start to drag. I concentrate on walking. Left foot, right foot. Left foot, right foot. I continue, single-mindedly concentrated on the road and my feet. I am so consumed in what I am doing; I almost walk right past a tree. I sigh in relief. It appears to be some kind of willow tree. The branches are long and barren. It won't provide much shade due to its lack of leaves, but right now even miniscule shade is a luxury. Maybe my arms will cool a little. I long to just plop down in front of it, but during my time on the road I have seen many strange things. After all, better safe than sorry. I circle the tree. When I have deemed it risk free, I collapse right in front of it, leaning against the gnarled and weatherworn trunk. Wait. Did I just say it was risk free? Oops. A long, whippy branch came out of nowhere and hit me in the stomach. Oomph! I skid along the bitumen skinning my blistering arms and my knees. That's gonna leave a mark. I look back at the tree. Now that the threat had been removed from its territory, it was still, like it couldn't hurt a fly. I give it the finger. I hope the next person to come along this accursed road has an axe. I pick myself up, wincing as I did so. I might want to find another tree to rest under. A NICER tree. Eh, time to keep going. My throat is getting dryer that the dust by the side of the road.
The day is nearly done. I've torn a hole the front of one of my shoes from dragging it along the asphalt. I'm tired. I'm dehydrated. I'm... I think I must be delusional. I see a house. It's a little crooked. Ok. A lot crooked. It must have supports somewhere. It has hens running around the yard, and a severely overgrown garden. It looks rather quaint. I decide to go inside. I pushed the door open and it creaks inward on slightly rusty hinges. In the fading light, I can see that I'm standing in a rather cluttered kitchen. I blink in astonishment. The dishes in the sink are washing themselves and a pair of knitting needles and a ball of wool in the corner are knitting themselves into a scarf. That settles it. I am officially deluded. A glass is standing on top of a stack of books in amongst the jumble of objects. I reach out and grab it before navigating my way through the mess toward the sink. I down a glass of water, wanting more but knowing not to flood my system. A few glasses later, I feel much better. I yawn. I realize that I have been walking all day. I wander through into the living room. I'm so tired, I barely register the huge book self up against one wall. It was all sorts of books. Some fat, some thin. Some old - bound in tattered leather – and some new – contact cover cardboard that reflect the dim light of dusk. One book that was an emerald green colour and that had the air of a much used, much loved book appeared to be titled 'charm your own cheese'. I rub mu eyes and put it down to sleepiness. There is an old overstuffed lounge in the middle of the room, sitting on a threadbare rug. I collapse on the lounge and promptly fall asleep.
When I awake, I think I'm at home. Then I wonder why my bed is so lumpy, and why I slept in my school uniform. I open my eyes. The sun is streaming through the window and the slight wind that had picked up during the night was rattling the loose roof tiles. I feel safe and content. I wish I never had to move. Then suddenly I was wide awake. This house belongs to someone else! I panic. I run from the house as fast I can, my hair streaming out behind me. I'm vaguely aware of the fact that the door slammed shut behind me. I run and run and run. When I stop, I bend over, wheezing, trying to catch my breath. I look up and see something in my path. All thoughts of breathlessness forgotten, I sprint forward, excited to see so9mething ahead. I stop in surprise. It is a wall. A wall that seems to have no top I realize, looking up. I look left. It runs as far as the eye can see. I look right. No end in sight. I step forward and knock on the wall. My fist goes straight through the bricks! I jump back, shocked. Hesitantly, I put my foot through the wall and step forward. I am on the other side. I smile. This side is the polar opposite to the other side.
I appear to be in a garden. The garden is full of beautiful green trees. There are exotic flowers everywhere. Lilies, roses, agapanthus. Their gentle fragrance perfumes the air to smell sweet. Robins where chirping in their nest and the soft song of the nightingale fills the air with a simple, yet inspirational melody. The road has gone and I am standing on lush green grass. My journey is over. I take off my shoes and throw them away. I dig my toes into the mud and squeal. There is a gurgling river running slowly past. I jump in and float alone with it, content and at peace at last.