Chosen Successor

Nightmares

Entering Caitlyn's room was nightmare inducing.

The amount of triangles in one space should be criminal. Every decoration resembled a triangle, the yellow rug was a triangle, the bed was a triangle, the damn TV was a triangle. You didn't know they made triangle TVs.

"You have got to be kidding me." You mutter, face strained and eyes bouncing from triangle to triangle. This was overkill. The hallway was bad, but this? Who could live like this every day? Who could feasibly watch a triangle TV??

Finding your bags neatly stacked near the triangular dresser, you take them and unzip the largest one, pulling out a small, thin fluffy blanket that you have no trouble sleeping with, and a small stuffed animal. It was a round, plush animal creature, a gift from your friend back at college from your birthday. You settle onto the floor, not wanting to touch the bed out of respect for boundaries and whisk off into a forceful sleep.

"Ah, and you good sir, what would you like in your smoothie?" You ask, holding up a medium cup with the logo of a skateboarding lemon on it. Another day at work, wonderful. "Would you like lemon, or lemon?"

The dog creature scratches at his neck with his foot, body twisting in unnatural way to do so. Fur flies from his neck and lands on your face, but you ignore it to respect the customer. He barks once, twice, and it has you shaking your head in disappointment.

"I told you already, we do not serve raspberry. Do not make me get your wife to come get you again." On cue, a dolphin comes walking forward with its small tail fins, taking a hold of her husband's paw and dragging him away in short steps. You shake your head at the display and look to the other inhabitants of the mall that day. Oh! The kraken was here! She was a delight to talk to. A triangle floats up to the counter, it was transparent, only having a yellow outline of an eye, arms and legs.

"Welcome to lemons, lemons, and lemonade, what can I get you?"

The triangle puts a hand under its eye and looks up to the menu, though it does not say anything for a couple of moments.

"Ain't got much here, do ya?"

It snickers, and floats past the counter, rotating around your head and making you look this was an that. Even the dog had better behavior than this floating object. You scowl at its words and pick up a lemon, taking a bite out of the fruit and smiling at the taste. "And it's all delicious!"

"And you're allergic!"

The sudden sting on your tongue forces you to spit the lemon out and throw the rest to the ground in disgust. You glare as it rolls away and explodes into a cloud of confetti. You turn back to the triangle and tilt your head at it. What a strange thing. The walking dolphin made more sense than this.

Leaning against the cash register, you adjust your lemon hat. "Did you want anything? I got a line of people waiting. Move it or buy something."

Laughter greets you after you finish speaking, shrill and loud, almost reminding you of your aunt's own voice. The triangle stops to float in front of the register, regarding you with a lidded eye.

"Kid, this dream of yours is one of the more boring ones. But- the gal over at that table?"

The mention of the kraken makes you look past him and to the red beaut it was pointing at. She waves a tentacle in his direction and he lights up with a growl. You cringe and grip the cash register.

Its words made no sense to you. Dream? Yeah, right. If it was a dream, you wouldn't be working your shift and lemons, lemons, lemons, more lemons and... lemons...? Did you even work at a lemonade stand in the mall? It sounded like a show you used to watch when you were little. You turn to the menu and try to read it, only noticing the menu made no sense whatsoever. A 'lemonswamp?' You didn't even want to know what that was.