Whims of a Quiet Dreamer

Chapter 13: A New Sense of Belonging

Sithu returned to the real world, waking up with a newfound lightness in her heart. She went to the school that morning, a bright smile on her face. The usual snide remarks from the other teachers didn't bother her anymore; their gossip and judgments slid off her like water. She had something they would never understand—a secret world, a place where she truly belonged.

As an assistant teacher, she had the chance to talk privately with Finn, the shy boy she often worried about. She knelt beside him, her voice soft and encouraging. "You know, Finn, you don't have to take what the bullies say to heart. They don't define who you are."

Finn glanced up at her with wide, uncertain eyes. "But how do you ignore it when they say things all the time?"

Sithu smiled gently, remembering the pain she once felt so deeply. "You remind yourself of who you really are. You're not what they say. You have a strength they can't see, but you know it's there." Finn nodded slowly, a flicker of hope sparking in his eyes.

Later that day, Sithu spent time with Jaren, her best friend. The secret of Nymbrelis buzzed inside her, making her want to tell him everything about the key and the other world. But the queen's words echoed in her mind—Jaren would understand when the time was right. Though she was eager to share, she held back, choosing instead to enjoy their time together as they talked and laughed.

That evening, she couldn't resist the pull of Nymbrelis. As soon as she got home, she hurried to her reading nook. The wall glowed faintly, and with a gentle turn of the key, the door opened again, revealing the magical world beyond. Her heart raced with anticipation as she stepped through.

This time, she met even more new friends—children and young Nymbrelans from all over the world, from places as far as Brazil, Japan, and Kenya. They all spoke in that strange, magical language that felt like it was part of her. They laughed together, sharing stories about their lives on Earth, but none of them seemed burdened by the hardships they had left behind.

"They give you what you wanted the most on Earth," explained Ravi, a boy from India, his voice filled with warmth. "Here, it's like everything you missed, you finally get. It's like magic fills in the holes."

In Nymbrelis, Sithu found parental figures who had always lived in this world. These older Nymbrelans were nurturing, gentle souls, guiding and caring for the younger ones who came from Earth, like Sithu. They were unlike any adults she had known on Earth—completely patient, loving, and never too busy to listen. They offered support and comfort, making sure no child felt alone.

One of them, a woman named Elara, often came by to check on Sithu and her friends. She had soft, kind eyes, and her mere presence seemed to calm everyone around her. "How are you today, little one?" Elara asked, ruffling Sithu's hair gently. Sithu grinned up at her, feeling the warmth of being truly seen and cared for. Elara wasn't like the distant, preoccupied adults from Earth. Here, the Nymbrelan parents were always there, always willing to share a smile or a reassuring word.

Under their watchful care, Sithu felt freer than ever to be herself. She and her friends played games that stretched across the vast, enchanted landscapes of Nymbrelis. They ran through meadows filled with flowers that changed colors when you touched them, climbed trees whose branches seemed to twist and grow just to support them, and swam in lakes that sparkled like liquid gems. The air was alive with laughter, and for once, Sithu let herself be a carefree child, feeling no pressure to grow up or be something she wasn't.

Her favorite game was hide-and-seek, but not like the one she played as a kid on Earth. Here, the game was magical. The trees themselves would shift to hide the seekers, and the clouds would lower themselves like a misty veil to conceal those who sought refuge. When she was hiding, her heart raced with excitement, not fear, as her friends called out to find her.

At one point, she climbed up into a large tree whose branches wound around her like a cocoon. The leaves whispered softly in her ear, comforting her as she waited to be found. And when she was finally discovered, the burst of laughter that followed was pure joy, a reminder of how deeply she belonged here.

For the first time in her life, Sithu played without guilt, without feeling like she had to be somewhere else or do something else. She was allowed to just exist, as her nine-year-old self, free from the weight of Earth's expectations. She didn't have to pretend to be an adult or prove herself to anyone. Here, she was simply Sithu, and that was enough.

As the day came to an end, Sithu felt a warmth inside her, knowing that she had found a place where she truly belonged. She knew she could return to this magical world whenever she needed it, and that thought made her heart swell with happiness.