Into the Oven

Awaken from a Dream

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
- J.K. Rowling

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She woke up with a jolt and gripped at the edges of her blankets.

It's not real.

She bit her lip, pulling some of the skin off.

It was a dream.

Tears flooded her vision and she pulled herself into a hug, looking for warmth.

Warmth. There was warmth in that dream. She closed her eyes, remembering the fear of seeing her best friend again. She feared being judged, she feared not being good enough, she feared being misunderstood. But when her friend looked at her and smiled, all her fears melted away. She was understood. She was accepted. She didn't need to worry.

But it was a dream.

Here, no one understood her. No one accepted her. No one would smile at her for existing.

She buried her face deep into her blankets.

Here, she was alone.

~Cookie 🍪

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He flailed around wildly in panic, nearly falling off the bed.

Relax. She isn't here.

His breathing was rapid as he stared up at the ceiling. It started to swirl around and around, just like his thoughts.

I haven't seen her in years but seeing her now just brought all the memories back. I was so different back then. I'm not proud of it but I've changed.

He threw the covers off him in frustration and sat up.

Seeing her just...hurt. But there was a brief moment of happiness and hope that maybe she wouldn't judge me for who I used to be.

He shook his head, wishing he could shake off the feeling and the memory of her.

Maybe some things were meant to stay in the past.

~ Crumb

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Hey everyone! Here's a little explanation connecting the picture to the story~

The sailboat is symbolic of the two friends sailing away. They want different things, and their outlook on life is different. The real sailboat shows how one of them lives in the present and focus on how things are real, whereas the reflection illustrates how another lives in the past.

Hope you enjoyed this lil' explanation and story, and see you next time!

~Cookie 🍪