The Void by Vincess Alcat

Chapter 8

I see Daisy, Fern, Ivy, Dandelion, and Sunflower leaning against a green rebel 4-door wagon. They turn their heads towards us as Mrs. Dreamer parks and turns off the car. The engine's hum fades away, replaced by the distant sound of a guitar and the faint aroma of barbecue wafting through the air. Mr. Dreamer opens the door for me, his hand a gentle but firm presence. As I step out onto the gravel, the warmth of the sun kisses my skin, and I feel a sense of peace that's been missing since I arrived in this place.

The siblings wave and break into smiles, their eyes lighting up. Daisy is quickly by my side and takes my hand in theirs and leads me to the water. "Daisy, I don't have my swimsuit on or with me." I whisper, a hint of panic creeping into my voice. "Don't worry, Miss Dreamer," they say with a wink. Before I know it, my clothes have transformed into a one piece striped purple and yellow swimsuit, perfect for a day at the lake.

The siblings look at me with wide eyes and smiles, as if they had known this would happen. "Oh," I murmur, still trying to grasp the magic of it all. We walk closer to the water's edge, the coolness of the sand underfoot a stark contrast to the warmth of the sun above. Lake Corr stretches out before us, its surface shimmering like a giant sapphire mirror. Small waves lap at the shore, and the sound of them is hypnotic, drawing me closer.

Daisy lets go of my hand and runs ahead, their laughter echoing across the water. The others follow suit, and soon we're all splashing and giggling like kids on a summer holiday. Daisy dunks their head under the waves and stands back up and turns to me, their pink petals dripping wet and a big grin on their face. I run towards them and stop once I've reached them and without any warning Daisy grabs me and bends my back and dunks me under the water and I push Daisy away and come back up while sputtering for air. "Thanks for the surprise!" I say, trying to keep a straight face despite the cold shock.

Fern, Ivy, Dandelion, and Sunflower are already swimming in the lake, their laughter bouncing off the water's surface. They're all so graceful, their bodies moving as if they're part of the water itself. I take a moment to appreciate their beauty before diving in. The coolness wraps around me like a blanket, and I feel alive, the water's embrace washing away the weight of the dream world's mysteries. We spend hours playing in the lake, the water's temperature a perfect balance of refreshing and warm.

We play games that I remember from my childhood, but with a twist. Instead of Marco Polo, we play "Flower Power," where we have to find and tag each other based on the names of different flowers. The siblings' laughter is music to my ears, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I feel truly happy. As we take a break to sit on the shore, the siblings begin to share stories of their adventures in the Void. Each tale is more fantastical than the last, filled with creatures and lands that sound like they've been plucked straight from the pages of a fairytale. They speak of battles won, friendships formed, and lessons learned in a way that makes me feel like I've missed out on something incredible.

I look out as Fern starts an argument with Sunflower and watch the waves reflect the sun's reflection. Daisy gets up and leaves to go to Mr. Dreamer who is in swim trunks and sitting on the sand while Mrs. Dreamer is sun tanning. Eventually Fern and Sunflower stop arguing and all goes quiet with the exception of the background noises. The smell of BBQ becomes more intense as Mr. Dreamer calls us over for lunch. We all make our way to a picnic table covered in a red and white checkered tablecloth, piled high with food that seems too good to be real.

There's a grill sizzling with burgers and hot dogs, a bowl of potato salad, a platter of watermelon slices, and a pitcher of lemonade that's sweating in the heat. I pick up a plate and grab a hot dog, slice of watermelon, a bit of potato salad and sit down next to Daisy. They've got a burger in one hand and a guitar in the other, playing a tune that sounds like it's been carried here on the lake's own breeze. "So, Miss Dreamer," Mr. Dreamer says as he takes a seat across from me, "how do you like our little slice of reality?" I look over at him wide eyed. "Slice of reality? This isn't real. None of this is real!" I say to Mr. Dreamer.