I would like to thank I'mOnlyHumanSometimes (me too) and katieyo for being the first ones to review. They are great comments, and I've decided to make it a series of one-shots as suggested. I'm probably not going to update on a regular basis. I'm very organized but my life is hectic. So I'm just going to put in more one-shots randomly.

P.S.:I noticed that in the previous chapter, I made mistakes with the POV. Sometimes I said her instead of my.

Just a Dream

"You'll never amount to anything. You're just a lonely, pathetic manipulator." I knew the words were true. I knew that I would never have anyone by my side.

But what did that matter? I looked up at the faceless girl. She defied gravity as she hung effortlessly by the soles of her shoes on the ceiling.

She looked straight at me, then leaped to the floor. She stretched her stubby legs until she towered over me. She terrified me. And then her body crept into the image of a snake-but she kept her hideous faceless head.

She slithered about the cave, curling around my ankles. She kept curling around my body, tightening her grip even more each time her serpent-like body circled me. She finally stopped at my ribs, tightening more than I could imagine.

She threw her head forward, stopping just inches from mine. My expression grew full of terror. A chuckling sound came from the monster's throat. My face grew onto her head- starting from my nose, spreading outwards. The way it looked reminded me of a match slowly burning paper.

She grinned.

"AAHH!" I threw my covers off and looked around frantically. "Just a dream, you stupid girl." I shook my head and went to the balcony.

Stars shone brightly against the midnight sky. I hate stars.

I climbed to the top of the railing and balanced myself on one foot. I rose to my tip-toe with the slowest of movement. My eyes swept the ground below me. The palace was four stories high, and I was on the top. I wondered what would happen if I just pushed myself forward.

I took a breath, and thrust myself the tiniest bit.

I gasped and caught my toes onto the railing. I hung upside down like a monkey, immediately annoyed at myself for doing something so reckless. "Ugh,"

I grabbed the bars and climbed back up. I exited the room quietly and decided to roam the halls. A piercing scream rang out. I winced, but ran to the sound anyway.

The scream that filled the air reminded me of one I had heard a night very long ago… I squeezed my eyes shut.

No. There is no use in remembering things you don't want to remember.

I stopped at a curtain that led to the Fire Lord's room. I parted the curtains ever so slightly and pressed my eye as far as I could without being seen.

A whip of fire was held in my father's hand.

"Please, spare me!" The woman cried.

I recognized this girl. She was a servant. She was older than me, but not by much.

"You disobeyed the Fire Lord! You will suffer for it."

He cracked the whip on her back and she let out another piercing cry of pain. I squeezed my eyes shut. I knew what would happen next. I ran as her screams were cut off. This happened many nights. In the morning, I would pretend nothing was wrong.

I would tell myself that the night before was just a dream.

But it wasn't. I experienced pain. I never told anyone. My father favored me, but not enough to protect me. Men had snuck in and tried to assassinate me before. I experienced burns.

I ran my hand over my back as I ran to my room. When I got there I shut the door behind me and heaved a sigh.

I padded to the mirror and lifted my robe. I turned around and craned my head to see in the mirror.

A burn went down my back, making me remember forever that there were many people in this world that hated me.

But why did it matter?

After all, this life is just a dream to me.