Testing For Hope

Chapter 10 - Sweet Dreams, I guess?

The mask in front of her was by far her favourite she ever tried to make. The only problem was that she didn't go through with it because she no longer had a reason to use masks. There were no nearby villages she could run off into and explore or some close fairly populated area that she could watch from afar. There was nobody around, so she just gave up making it. Plus, there was no one to laugh at the mask if it turned out weird.

It has been hanging over her desk for the past 10 years, untouched by anything, except a thin layer of dust. If Hysteria was to fix it, she would have to make it special. A testimony, perhaps? Or should it be used for its intended purpose, to be shown off to the world? Can I even remember how to make them? Do I remember the design? Wait-!

Hysteria rushed away from her desk and back down the stairs with the speed of sound following her track. She stopped just in front of a weirdly designed section of the bookcase where all her journals were kept. The reason it was enchanted to have all written pages on its shelves was right in front of her, but which one was it in?

For the rest of the day, she was going through all her notebooks. She only got through half of them by the time she fell asleep, the wolf snuggled next to her and carried her through her dreams.

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In Hysteria's dream palace

Hysteria opened her eyes to see a place she remembers being in, but has never seen before. All around her was a blinding light, the hall she was in was tall enough to reach the stars, with pillars all the way to the ceiling every few feet. "What is this place?"

"You seriously don't remember this place? Do you at least remember me?" A voice spoke softly from somewhere around her, but she couldn't tell where. The acoustics in the hall was too strong to pinpoint a direction.

"Where are you?" Hysteria asked. She decided that the mystery voice would be upset if she said that she didn't remember anything about this place, so she kept that little fact to herself.

"Do you still strive to make others happy?" The voice calmly said, seeming closer now. "Is others' smiles still that important to you, or have you given up on that foolish dream now?"

The light then suddenly dimmed and a figure appeared in front of Hysteria. Wait- is that? "Sofia? Is that you?"

The figure giggles silently and the echoes of it sounded like jingling bells. "Who else would be silly?" she said as she twirled around one of the nearby pillars. The girl was still just as short as always. In fact, she looked like she hadn't aged a bit since she last saw her like this. Her long, blonde hair swaying behind her and her blue dress still unique as always. "So, what is your answer?"

Hysteria stood herself up and replied back with a swift, "There is no one around to please anyway, so why try." Sofia stood in front of her, stiffened up quickly, took a deep breath, and relaxed just as soon as it started.

"And why is that?" Sofia said, now sitting in chairs that weren't there a second ago. There was a chair across a table from where she was sitting, waiting for Hysteria. The table was set with all types of accessories meant for a tea party. It must be her then. I know no one else that sets up tea parties like that out of the blue.

As she was taking a seat in the chair clearly meant for her, the child named Sofia was putting sugar cubes in her tea. Does she still do that? Make her tea so sweet on purpose?

"Are you real?"

Sofia stopped for the second time since this place appeared. Shrugging it off, she said, "Of course I am silly, why wouldn't I be, Witch?" There it is. Taking her own cup, Hysteria said, "Well, of course you would know, Princess Sofia. You always know what is going on anyway." She then took a sip of the tea.

"How do you know about that? I never told anyone." Sofia stood up and pointed her finger at me. Suddenly, I felt myself shrink to my childhood self. I knew how this went so I played my part like a good little kid.

"Guess you should have watched your back better." A deep breath, then the rest came out without warning. "Why are you friends with me?! Your family is the reason I'm in hiding! My mother is dead because of you!" I shouted until my throat went sore. Then I just started feeling wet spots on my cheeks. I wiped it off and looked at my hand, surprised to see that I was crying. Why am I crying? I should be over this by now!

Sofia was still in front of me, but she looked weird. She looked older. Why does she get to grow up? I still feel so young! She moved closer. I thought she was going to hug me, a child in her arms. My first best friend hugging me and ridding me of my troubles. But then she turned heel and left me alone on the grass outside under our favourite tree.

I clutched onto my personal diary of that time period and cried my heart out.

Why does it always have to end the same way? Why can't I be... Happy?