And Your Name Is..?

I stared in shock and awe, I felt the cool winds gently flowing through my hair. It all felt so.. real. Was I dead? Was this heaven? I stared at my surroundings, but one specific thing caught my eye- her. A beautiful girl stood amidst the other side of what appeared to be a large river. She had luscious blonde hair running down her back. Her skin glistened far greater than the river reflection. I was petrified at her stunning beauty. It seemed almost as if though she was confused about the situation, too. She peered around at her surrounds subtly. I attempted to grab her attention by waving her down, I felt my heart pounding. She soon spotted me from across the river, and slowly we both brought ourselves to the river.

I stared at her- she got more beautiful in every step she took towards me. We both came to a stop, now looking to one another in confusion. " Hello, what is this place?" I asked. I don't think I would have cared what place we were in as long as it was with her. She tilted her head in confusion, and spoke out loudly- but no words could be heard. I stared in confusion, is she okay? I looked down at the river- perhaps I could cross it. The river was not deep- so I attempted to walk across to get to her side of the river. As I placed my foot above the water, a stone rose from the river. I eyed down in confusion. I placed my foot down on it, then rose my other foot above the water. Another stone appeared below it.

At this point I was guessing that this was a dream of sorts- a lucid dream. That would explain a lot. I slowly brought myself towards the center of the river where I began to approach her. Then, suddenly, as I reached the center of the river, I banged my head on something. It felt like walking into a concrete wall. I fell sideways into the river, holding my head. Drenched and cold, my head just felt like it took a beating. But how? There was nothing there? I brought myself up to my feet, staring forward back to the girl who was now approaching the center of the river after having seen me walking across. She became cautious after seeing me fall, and placed her hands out. She looked like a mime as she moved her hands across what looked like an invisible wall.

I placed my hands on this 'invisible wall.' We then both looked at each other. Her eyes held a vibrant azure color that locked me in place. I tried to speak again, " Can you hear me?" I asked. She looked at me, mouthing something. I couldn't understand. I looked around, for something, anything. Then suddenly, a flash of light came from the other side of the wall. I turned back, and the girl was holding a notebook. Where did that come from? I looked at her, she seemed just as confused as I was about the notebook. She suddenly rose her other open hand up, and I saw before my eyes as light formed to.. make a pencil? I stared in shock.

She quickly began jotting into her notebook, and she suddenly flipped the notebook over to face the wall. " Can you hear me?" Even her handwriting was elegant. I shook my head, now trying to communicate to her. I pointed to the notebook and pencil in her hands and tried to spell in the air for her. That didn't exactly work. She quickly began jotting down again, then flipped the notebook over. " Use your imagination." I rose an eyebrow, what the hell did that mean? I quickly looked down into my own hands. I looked back up to her, she nodded. I stared back down to my hands- closing my eyes.

This felt stupid. I imagined a notebook and pencil in my hands. Suddenly, what I could only describe as heavenly warmth surrounded me. I opened my eyes, and saw as light formed into a notebook and pencil. I stared back up to her, she was still confused, too. I quickly began to jot down onto the notebook and flipped it over. " You can't hear me, either?" She shook her head. This form of communication was going to be most annoying. At this point, I knew this had to be a dream. Either that or.. heaven? What kind of heaven would restrict talking? I shook my head furiously, in anger of the annoying situation at hand.

She now went back to writing in her notebook. She flipped it over towards me, " Are you real?" I couldn't help myself but chuckle a little bit. I wrote down, "Yes, are you?" I couldn't help but notice that the sun was moving much more quickly across the skies of this little world. Was time moving faster? I looked back to her, she responded with " Yes, I am." She had a cute little blush over cheeks. She wrote down in her notebook and asked, " What is your name?" I responded, " My name is Tanigawa, and your name is?" I saw her writing up in her notebook. Within a moment's notice, though, I heard the large chime of what sounded like a bell. Both of us, startled by this loud sound, looked up into the sky. As suddenly, everything turned into white.

I shot straight up out of my bed, gasping for air. I stared around in confusion, my mom was knocking on the door. What time was it? I stared to my alarm clock.. it had only been an hour since I had gotten home. My mom entered my room, staring at me. I was completely confused and in shock- that dream felt so real. " Your father just brought home your cake, come downstairs. We're ready to sing Happy Birthday." I rubbed my eyes, " Okay, mom." She closed the door, going down the staircase. What just happened?

Was that all just a dream? I remembered every detail of the dream- every distinct color and gust of air that had blown across my face. I quickly brought myself off my bed, and slowly went down to greet everyone. My siblings were in the living room while everyone else was waiting around the table. As I went down the stairs, my parents called out to my siblings, " Your brother's here! It's time, come on over." She motioned with her hands to the two. They hurried over, everyone was looking at me. My grandpa asked me in Japanese, " Are you feeling well?" I nodded, " Hai.." I spoke softly. I brought myself towards my seat at the table.

" Did you stay up late last night?" my Dad asked me. He was still in his work clothes, he must have just gotten home on time for my birthday. " I'm fine," I said softly. I couldn't have cared less about the birthday party.. I pondered over the dream I had. After the happy birthday wishes and cut into the cake, I could not bring myself to eat. Even though my mother had made some of my favorite sushi, my stomach felt horrible. I was able to stay around for the talking and festivities of the party, but did not feel like actively participating. I stayed quiet and reviewed the dream. Could lucid dreams even be that real? Can you feel in lucid dreams?

My grandfather looked at me sitting quietly, and spoke to me, " You should eat, or you will just be skin and bones." I looked up to him, lightly holding my stomach, " I don't feel well right now, Grandpa," I said. He looked over to my parents, who shrugged at him. My grandpa eyed back to me, a suspicious look over his face. I don't know what that was about, though. My stomach continued to sicken me, and I could no longer stand it. " May I be excused and go to sleep?" I asked. My wish was granted, my parents disappointedly waved me off as I went back up. I was just glad that no word of my grades were brought up.

I brought myself into my room to fall asleep once again. I couldn't stop thinking of the dream. Was I ever going to see that dream again? Was I ever going to see that beautiful girl again? I turned off the lights and brought myself onto my bed, where I stared to my clock. It was only about 6:30 PM. I placed my arm over my eyes again, and said softly, " Maybe we'll meet again." I gave a light chuckle, before turning on my side. Within a flash, I now stared into the skies once more. The same light breeze that had gently greeted me the first time was still here. I brought myself onto my feet, staring forward. She was still there, getting up, too. We looked to one another. The two of us walked back towards the center of the river.

I held the notebook in my hands, as well as the pencil. I smiled. bringing up the notebook again and facing it towards her. " And your name is?"