Paper Flowers

Chapter Three

I'm dreaming.

That makes more sense than sleepwalking to a random city. I can't believe it didn't cross my mind, it just feels... real.

I looked up to meet October's gaze. They gently squeezed my hand and flashed a reassuring smile.

"Sorry, I should have given you a warning, huh?"

They helped me up and I dusted myself off. I stared off into the field of daffodils as the wind gently grazed my face. It's so beautiful.

October's hand broke my trance by suddenly waving in my face.

I looked over at October, a bit flustered.

"I'm so sorry! I... I'm just-"

"Overwhelmed?"

"Yeah... This is just... Breathtaking."

October chuckled.

"I can imagine. I would be freaked out too!"

I raised my eyebrow.

"Are... are you real or just a dream..?"

I held my breath, waiting for October to answer.
They scrunched their face and pondered on the question for a moment that felt like ages.

"I... am an anomaly. I am a construct. I am... October!" They shrugged and smiled.

"Is anyone really real or a dream? Maybe it's not a binary."

I nodded, though still confused.

"So, did you bring us here or did I?"

October took my hand and led me through the daffodil fields.

"You brought us here!" They proclaimed.

"That's why I was guiding you to imagine what you wanted to see."

"So, we can just create whatever we want?"

"It IS your dream, Lavender!"

They smiled.

Their smile made me feel at ease and relaxed.

I stopped and let go of October's hand. They turned and looked at me, giving me a questionable look.

"So, I could make, say, a cotton candy machine appear by thinking about it?"

October relaxed a little, sighing.

"Yeah, just picture it and then... enjoy it."

I closed my eyes and started focusing. I pictured a cotton candy machine that you would see at a fair, only I wanted it to have glow sticks instead of the paper cones to make the cotton candy and I wanted the cotton candy to be yellow and in the shape of daffodils. I slowly opened my eyes and in front of me and October, bright particles began to form into shapes and then a burst of light that caused me to throw my arm over my face. I glanced at October, who had the same idea as me, and then we turned our attention to where the particles were.
In front of us was a big, pin striped cotton candy machine that you would see at a fair. It had a side table filled with cotton candy in the shape of daffodils and glow sticks instead of the paper cones.

Just as I had pictured.

It was not in front of us.

Filled with excitement, I jumped up and down and squealed, then rushed to the cart of treats. I picked up the fluffy flower shaped delicacy and then handed one to October. They gladly accepted it and the two of us toasted our sweet clouds before biting into the petals. The cotton candy melted in my mouth almost immediately and flooded my taste buds with sugar. I haven't had cotton candy in so long. I haven't gone out and done a lot in so long. I'm usually working on so many little projects and have been looking for better opportunities just trying to make something worth doing.