Masked Features

Where am I?

It's warm here, but it's snowing. I must be dreaming again. Biting my lip I sat up from the white frosted ground, looking around I could only see the bark of aspen trees and the light breeze that carried flakes of snow.

"It's beautiful here." I whispered as I hung my head to look at the ground

"Indeed" the familiar voice of my dream stalker said, "Hello Aniyah"

Aniyah shot her head up and sighed "When did you get here?"

"Just a moment ago, I was curious about what kind of dream you were dreaming up." She then chuckled, laughing at her own joke.

She was wearing the same long black cape that she always wore, and she had a melodic voice. I always imagined her to be a beauty. The only part of her body that shown under the robe was a long white strand of hair that appeared to almost be shifting colors.

I looked back at the ground and wondered "I don't get it. Who are you? Why won't you tell me? I feel like I know you" I paused thinking about how ridiculous I must sound talking to a figment of my imagination. I closed my eyes as I felt a snowflake drop on my eyelash, smiling hesitantly I said "never mind you aren't even real so what would you have to say."

"And what makes you think I'm not real?" The masked figure said,

I thought about the question a bit before answering it. "Well, this IS my dream and from what we know humans are not capable of entering another persons dream right?" I said looking up at the cloaked figure in front of me and smiled.

"You're right," she said

"What?"

"Indeed humans have never found away to communicate with someone in the dream realm much less visit them in solid form however I am very much a real being."

"Hmm, I'm not convinced" I said nonchalantly sighing I stand up and face the masked figure. I look into the black of her hood trying once more to see what's underneath. Failing I shrug it off and turn away "I'm probably gonna be late again if I keep talking to you so I'm gonna wake up now so bye." I closed my eyes and pinched myself slowly earning back consciousness the last of the snow was fading as I heard her say one last thing

"How peculiar you are, Aniyah Asteri."

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I opened my eyes to the bright sunlight crawling through my window. I sat up and looked around at my familiar humble room before deciding to get up. I walked to bathroom brushed my teeth and put my hair in a quick bun, I then got a random outfit from off of my floor and grabbed my backpack and started to head to school. Closing the door to my small apartment I looked back and for a moment my eyes shown sadness. I live alone with no family, I thought to myself. How depressing. Sighing I close the door and look to the rising sun. I tiredly smiled to myself and went off.

I'm so hungry, ugh, is aunt Mary trying the starve me or something? As I walked down main street I passed a bakery and sulked.

"Aniyah!" An angry voice shouted my way

I shiver went up my spine and I decided it was time to peace out.

I ran like hell to try to escape him but my lack of hard work in physical education has gotten the best of me. I'm basically dying of breath and sweating like a priest in preschool when I feel him push me hard against the wall of an alleyway.

I whimpered from the pain from my back hitting the bricks. I looked up at the man in front of me. "What do you want?" I said trying not to be a wuss. Kaden was a handsome man with a bad temper and unfortunately he had his eyes on me.

"You know what I want." He said placing both of his hands on either side of me so I couldn't escape. The boy was two years older than me and frankly standing next to him made me look like a mouse in comparison.

"Well the drug dealers are over there" I said smirking trying to find a way to escape. I spot his shin and oops I kicked it not so accidentally "hahahaha" I said running as he withered in pain "sucks to be you goodbye" I tried to break for it but he grabbed the back of my hoodie and pinned me on the hard cold ground.

"You're going to pay for that Aniyah. Any other girl would gladly have me so why won't you?"

"Because you're egotistical, narcissistic, overbearing, and rude?" I said turning my head to the side as his face came closer

The snow, It's so cold here I thought I closed my eyes trying to find peace. But I felt the presence of someone watching us. I shot my eyes open and looked around spotting a boy my age in the entrance to the alleyway. He was tall and lean with brilliant white hair like I've never seen before and turquoise eyes that held may emotions. My eyes widened looking at his beauty.

"What do you think you're doing?"