If Only

Dreams

28th November, 1990

The doctor sighed as he stroked the newborn's head. "If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow, we'll turn off the life support.", He sighed, before leading the two parents out. The newborn in the cradle whimpered as she was left alone, and turned uneasily in her sleep.

The window blew open ever so slightly, and a short, sandy-looking man blew in, his smile sad. He pressed his hand to the baby's head, and the girl's eyes opened, revealing the brightest green anyone had ever seen. Her chubby, pale face was framed with, what was starting to become, dark locks, and a toothless grin added to her perfect features.

The man smiled, and blew on his palm. Fairies formed out of sand, and the baby laughed as she reached up, trying to grab at the creatures. Their dainty wings fluttered in the air, and, as the lights outside flickered off, they began to glow. A stubby finger brushed a sandy foot, and the image faded. Tears welled up in those green eyes, and the sandy man swiftly formed a butterfly, which fluttered around the baby's head, lulling her into a warm, cosy sleep.

18th June, 1998

"I wish I had friends…", The tiny baby had grown into a bouncing child, with long, wavy hair and an inquisitive nature.

But, every day, she was teased for being deaf. Pushed, abandoned, left alone, she felt pain every day.

But, she couldn't wait for night to come.

Because that's when he came.

Sandman.

And, like every other night, the window was open, and the chubby man floated in on a familiar puff of sand. "Sandman!", She smiled, and he smiled in return, before blowing the familiar dreams around the room. Fairies danced with people, unicorns and pegasi raced around the room, mermaids swimming below the bed. She laughed, and Sandman smiled a sad smile.

Her laugh was beautiful, sweet, like sugar, yet she couldn't hear it.

That hurt more than anything.

26th August, 2005

"Why can't I get this done!?", The frazzled teen yelled, and Sandy wrapped his chubby arms around her. "I know, I know, I need to calm down." Over the 15 years of friendship, the pair had found a way to communicate, Sandy using dream sand instead of words. "But, how can I write a story that's magical and sad? There are no stories like that!", She snapped, and Sandy rolled his eyes. "What?"

He smiled a sweet smile, and blew on his palm. Sand fluttered in the air, before forming two familiar figures.

"Us?", She breathed, before shaking her head. "I want to try something different, Sandy. I know, I thought of that before…", She pouted, and the figures changed. Instead of the legend and the teen, it was a woman with dainty wings and feathers, who was walking with an old man in a fur-trimmed outfit. "Santa Claus and a fairy? Honestly Sandy, the teacher won't believe me!", She laughed, and Sandy pouted, efore waving his hand a final time.

Sanda and the Tooth Fairy vanished, and in their place was a flower. It slowly wilted away, and revealed a girl in a frilly dress. "That's very Thumbelina…", She breathed, then the girl turned to face her. Her face was blank, empty. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Sandy grinned before grabbing the paper and writing,'Sometimes the most beautiful things have a fault.'

She looked at the sheet, then at him,"Really?" There was about thirty seconds fo silence before she grinned, "Thank you, Sandy, you saved my skin!" She kissed his head before beginning to write.

She got an A for that story.

29th March, 2010

She didn't hear the car.

The faint beeping of the machines reminded Sandy that no, the beautiful woman wasn't asleep.

She was dying.

"Sandy…", The woman croaked, "Can you show me that dream again?" He nodded, and blew on his palm. The dream sand formed a man and a woman, dancing to a silent tune. THe woman had hair pulled up into a bun, but a few curls escaped and tumbled down her back, covering parts of her elegant dress. The man was in a suit, and a small smile decorated his cheeks.

It was so happy, so perfect.

And reality wasn't.

"Sandy… come closer…", She breathed, and the man floated beside her head, hand on her forehead. "I'm glad we were friends…", She smiled softly, before the beeping stopped, and her chest became still.

That was the first time Sandman cried.

When he lost his only friend.

Samantha Jones.