Lani woke up, gasping for air.
What’s going on? She thought desperately, searching the room for what had woken her but she saw nothing. It was still night time so she switched her light on, and she screamed when it revealed what was in her room.
A dark shadowy beast was crouched in the corner of her room. It was on all fours and its head reached about six feet in the air. It didn’t have a definite edge where it finished and the air began, just flickering shadows. But it had large claws. It looked like a cross between a bear and a lizard.
It snarled at her before lunging at her. Lani screamed again but before the beast attacked her she was pulled back into a dream.
“Lani, you need to listen very closely. That is a Nocturne and you cannot wake up right now, okay?” He said seriously and calmly to her.
She nodded weakly, but already felt the dream drifting away.
“Lani, don’t you dare leave this dream!”
But it was too late. She was back in her room and the beast was still there. It saw her awaken again and pounced on her again, but Missalea dragged her back into the dream just in time.
“Lani, concentrate on me. Concentrate on my voice, my marks, my face. Anything. You cannot leave this dream. Listen to me Lani, you can’t leave this dream.” Missalea exclaimed.
“How am I meant to stay here?! I don’t even know what’s pulling me out of the dream!” Lani replied, terror making her voice an octave higher than it should have been.
“Just focus on me. Come on, let’s have some fun. Don’t think about that beast, think about right now.”
Lani was starting to hyperventilate.
“I don’t know how! I can’t do this!” Lani cried, tears creeping into her eyes.
Missalea grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips.
“You can do this Lani.” He whispered softly.
Then he launched into the sky, towing her with him. Her heart skipped a beat and her skin was tingling where his hand touched her. They were in the clouds and he spun her towards him. Grasping her tightly to his body, he started to dance.
Lani had never danced before but his expertise easily overpowered her lack of knowledge. He never missed a beat, twirling her around in the clouds like she weighed nothing.
“So, Lani. Where is your favourite place in the whole world?” Missalea whispered against her hair.
Lani’s voice shook when she spoke, wrapped in Missalea’s arms.
“England…the country side of it that is.” She whispered.
“Then that’s where we’ll go.”
The clouds underneath them gave way to the beautiful country of England, Missalea never stopping his graceful dancing.
“Is this better?” He whispered again.
“It’s beautiful Missalea.” Her mind flashed back to the beast in her room and she stopped dancing.
“I don’t even know what’s going on right now.” Lani glanced down at her hands, head hurting just trying to understand the situation.
“It’s morning. The beast is gone now sweetheart, and so must I be. I will see you tonight though. Try not to worry yourself.” He kissed her forehead and before she could say anything, she was in her room alone.
“Oh sure, there’s nothing to worry about at all.” Lani muttered to herself, feeling anything but rested from her night’s ‘sleep’.
