A Peculiar String of Bizarre Dreams

Chapter 14: Flying Just Fine

Pollen turns out to be a resourceful realm-guide.

Right at the start, it offers to aid with transportation through Grassland. So, I sit on Pollen's head, which serves as a nice fluffy cushion seat. It's almost like a unicorn in this realm, it flies and it's white, except it's not much of a unicorn but I still want to pretend it is.

Every few moments, I hear the grass around me singing.

"Now there tiny human being, Agatia lives in the temperate lands. To get to her, we'll need someone who can fly."

"You can call me Jemma. And you seem to be flying just fine." I point out.

"Oh that's a nice name, Jemma. Jemma from Grassland. I like the sound of that. Maybe you should stay with us. We have enough food, the clouds give us aplenty. You can live with us forever. We'll teach you how to sing and sway. You can be a Grass if you like!"

"I don't think I can be a grass, Pollen. And I certainly don't think I can survive on cloud food." I tell the fluff.

"Everyone can survive on what the clouds give us. They rain and give us water! They make the grass grow, they make flowers, they give all the pollen a reason to live! And from all this greenery, you get oxygen. I remember Agatia telling us, oxygen is everything. And Agatia is never wrong, Jemma!"

I smile, amused. Pollen seems knowledgeable for a white fluff. Its praise for the clouds is quite refreshing, if you'll kindly pardon the pun.

"Okay, Agatia is right about that. But why do we need someone else to fly us there? You're doing great!" I encourage it.

"It's seasons apart, you see. We have to cross the autumnal grass, the arctic grass and only then we'll reach the temperate. That's where Agatia is," Pollen explains.

This worries me. "So technically, we need to cross continents. And based on how tiny I am, I'm guessing that's far. No, it's not far, it's insurmountable. We'll probably reach Agatia after several months!" I panic out loud.

"Do not be ailed, Jemma. This is Grassland. And in Grassland, every patch has a different season. Where you found us, that was the summery patch! We're the happiest lot and it's a good thing you met us first, we're good grass if I dare say so myself."

"Hmm, if grass patches represent seasons and Agatia is in the temperate one, then I guess getting to her is achievable," I mull over and Pollen bounces with excitement. It's such an odd thing riding on a pollen that bounces, because unlike a horse, I don't topple over when Pollen gallops.

"Could you please request dust bunny to relax? I am being additionally crushed here," Sachelle rasps from my pocket and I chuckle, but do nothing about his plea.

After a little while, Pollen stops floating over a tree top in the same grass patch, and calls out, "Spaarroow, we have a friend from human realms!"

Sparrow appears immediately, and is what it is. It's a sparrow. It has soft brown feathers mixed with gray and white specks, a tiny black beak and a small body.

"Hello friend! Welcome to Grassland!" It calls out in a quiet chirp and I mumble a quick hello back awkwardly.

I'm in a land of grass, pollen and sparrows, I mentally remind myself again, what is this madness. But I find myself looking forward to meeting Agatia. My biology teachers would be so thrilled to see these marvels.

Soon after, Pollen and I plop over Sparrow's back and then, we take off.