Dreams

I sat, swinging my legs casually over the water. The log I was sitting on creaked precariously, but I didn't notice. My gaze swept over the river and the surrounding forest. This had been my home for the past fifteen years. My dad hadn't liked the hustle and bustle of city life so he built a small cabin in the Alaskan wilderness and we have lived here together since my mother died. I can't say I didn't love living here, but there wasn't much adventure to be had living in the same place for fifteen years. I wanted to see the world, but we didn't have the money for travel and the nearest town was a six hour walk to the south. I was just waiting for someone to come and sweep me off my feet.

The sun glinted off the running water beneath me. The rocks glistened, slippery and wet from the constant flow of the river. Leaves rustled in the trees around me, stirring in the soft, cool breeze. Snow-capped mountains in the distance, stoic but welcoming in the morning light. The day was serene, quiet and peaceful, just like it was every day. 'Most people would kill to live here,' I thought, closing my eyes and soaking in the calm, 'I would kill to live anywhere but here.' I clambered down off of the log and stretched over the damp rocks that were starting to warm up in the sun. I dozed off and a few hours passed.

A shadow fell over my face and awoke me from my nap. My eyelids flickered open and I yawned. My vision focused and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I sat up, stretching. A boy was standing in front of me, staring at me. His eyes were an interesting green colour that changed in the light. Brown curls flopped down over his pale face. Despite it being cold outside he was wearing very few layers, something that I wouldn't wear even in summer in Alaska.

 I stared back at him, puzzlement written across my face. "Can I help you? Wait, how did you get here anyway?" The only way to this part of Alaska was trekking through mountains or forests, unless he had a helicopter. I stared at him, he didn't look rich, maybe stupid, but rich, no. He obviously didn't have a helicopter.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed again. His brow creased into a frown as he thought of what to say. I rolled my eyes and lay back down. I was starting to fall back to sleep again when I heard his voice.

 "Would you mind telling me where I am? You see, I find myself quite lost at the moment," his voice was quite posh as he spoke but it held a foreign accent that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"You're in the Alaskan wilderness, six hours from the nearest town," I stated matter-of-factly. How could he not know where he was, he must of come here by himself. You don't just appear in a place like this, that only happens in spy movies and fantasy novels.

"That can't be right. I should be in California, I know it isn't accurate but really, almost a whole continent." He was mumbling to himself and I deigned to ignore him. I couldn't help him. He got himself into this mess, he can get himself out of it.

"Do you live here?" His questioning gaze was on my face.

"Not here, here. I live about a mile that way." I pointed to the north. An idea popped into my head, not a very smart one, but an idea nonetheless. "If you're that far out of your way you could stay with me and my dad." 'Wait why did I just say that? He could be a weirdo for all I know.' I thought my mind spiralling downwards with worry.

"If it's OK with you, then I would love to." He smiled at me, offering me a hand to get up. 

I led him back to my house and gave him a tour of my very humble abode. He seemed to be feigning interest so I made it short and showed him the interesting part. I pulled back the curtain that covered a whole wall. Instead of a wall there was a window that had a breathtaking view. I saw him gasp and smirked. No one could resist a view like that. It stretched over the valley and the forest with the lake glistening in the middle. I sat down and patted the seat next to me. He came over and perched on the cushion, his eyes never leaving the window.

"You know, in all the excitement, you never told me your name," I pressed knowing if I let him stare long enough he might want to live here.

"It's Xavier Scaletti, and you?"

"Josephine Cota. I know I have a strange name, but I like it." I started to ramble on about my life while he stared at me, seeming to listen.

"Do you want to go on an adventure?" He had interrupted me and I just looked at him, not comprehending.

"An adventure?" He had peaked my interest with the words I had been longing to hear for a long time.

"Yeah, through time and space. You see, I can travel like that, it isn't always accurate as you can see." He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"I don't believe you." I made my voice sound stuck-up and stubborn. He smiled back at me.

"Come with me, and I'll show you things that you will never forget." His hand was outstretched towards me, there was a question on his face. I looked at him for a second then took his hand and smiled.

As we ran out of my house I thought, 'What if he is lying, will he kidnap me? If he tries anything I will beat him up. This is my turf.' I grinned, laughing stupidly to myself.

He set off sprinting down the hill, pulling me along with him. The world started to blur around us, soon we were travelling so fast that I couldn't make out any light at all, just streaks of blue light. The wind that had tugged at my face was so much slower than us. I laughed in joy, somehow still breathing despite the lack of air. Our speed slowed down, my heart pounded in my ears and I looked around the foreign place we had ended up in.