One.

CHAPTER THREE

It was the evening of my birthday. The clock had just struck twelve and my mom had lingered around all night waiting just to tell me how much she cared for me on my special day. I laid in bed curled up under the blankets while she laid beside me caressing my hair. The excitement of having her near me again after weeks of her ignoring me felt valuable. It was the first time she'd actually read to me after almost a month. She'd laid beside me stroking my hair while she began to tell me an imaginary story:

                  { DEEP SEA }
" Down the railroad side, where the people took on the sea.
A girl laid waiting, picking up dust on her feet.
She could hear it's whispers when she closed her eyes.
She could sense it's fresh blue light.
In the mist of missing the ocean waves.
She gave her mother such a fright.
The ocean called her home, and so did her ma.
She could feel the water in her throat at night.
Begging for a taste of the salt.
Her mother begged her to stay away from the wide-open sea.
Hoping she'd stay on land.
But the daughter she once knew craved more excitement than she had on hand.
The girl knew what to do she must leave in plain sight.
She could not bear to see the pain her mothers eyes as she drifted away.
On to the morning sun.
She'd arrived at the ocean. Right before the sun began to rise.
There she saw her mother. Ready to give her goodbyes.
" I understand now. " she softly spoke.
" The tides call you home. Out there they praise you but I love you more. "
" Go into the deep. Follow your dreams. "
" But always remember you have a home. Right at the edge. I'll be waiting. When you're done chasing your dreams. "
The mother of a child who wanted to go into the deep sea. "

After she finished the story I stared at her with excitement.

" So what happened to the little girl? Did she ever come back? Did she get lost at sea? Did her mama wait for her? Did she go looking for her? I have so many questions! " I stated.

She laughed & she hugged me.

" There is no definite ending. Everyone interprets the ending and the story in their own ways. So in a way, there's no right way to end it. That's why I stopped it at that moment. "

I yawned. " You're so talented mama. "

She smiled and began to tuck me into bed.
" Get some rest Amani, you have a big day tomorrow. "

" I love you, mama. " I slowly closed my eyes drifting off to bed.

" I love you more, Nani. " She whispered leaving my room slowly cracking the little brown door behind her.

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                                           3 AM

The night carried on. I laid in my bed asleep letting my imagination take full hold. The concept of real and fake didn't exist anymore. I was in my own realm I created. This unique location wasn't necessarily my home, but it felt very close to it. I was always here when I dreamt. Lately, I've been here more than usual. It was almost always me when I came to this private spot and that was the way I liked it. I would stay in this house for hours singing, dancing, while fulfilling everything my heart desired. It was my home away from home.

But tonight was different.

I felt a brush of wind sending trembles down my spine.

Suddenly I wasn't in my private thoughts anymore. I was actually at home.

" Uh... What's happening? " I thought quietly.

Unexpectedly I stopped. Looking into the doorway for my mom's room. She was in bed asleep. I walked over beside her. She had a dreary light surrounding her body. At that point, I didn't understand if I was still asleep or not so I attempted to wake her. Reaching my hands out to rock her body back and forth hopefully getting her attention my body suddenly went into shock. The images around me deliberately becoming a daze once again.

I was now outside. Encircled by trees that went on for hours, the noise of birds talking amongst each other in their own meaningful ways. The familiar feeling of warmth and peace. This place gave me the same feeling my private space gave me but I knew something was off. Glancing down looking at my hands they weren't mines. They were tinier and chubbier while being darker than mines. I was no longer in my body. I noticed a basket laying in the front of me along with pictures that looked as if it was drawn by a child while all of it sat on a small blanket.

" Juliana! I told you to wait until I came back! " Hearing someone shout from the distance. " We were gonna draw together! "

Identifying my face & body. I began to discover I was now in fact my mom as a child only this time rather than observing I was actually her and this place was her special area.

" Hello? Juliana? " The person snapping their fingers gaining my attention. " Are you there? "

" Yes. " I answered back. " I'm here. "

She picked up picture laying on the blanket and pointed to it. " I asked you to wait! We were all gonna paint. Me, you, & your father. "

" Father? " I speculated. " She'd always told me how they used to love the outdoors before he died. This is a memory. Her special place is her favorite moment with her family. "

" Come on Baby let me tell you a story while we wait on Ya father? " She asked slowly picking my tiny body up.

" Okay. " She laughed sitting me in her lap. " This is a story I created. I call it deep sea. "

I smiled. " This is the story mom told me. "

Suddenly I felt a familiar vibration run through my body.

The portrayals around me began to vanish once more.

Suddenly everything was dark.

Waking up soon after looking around my room to see everything still in its place.

" Amani! " My mom came sprinting into my room. "Were you just in my room? "

" No! " I exclaimed. " I've been asleep the whole time. "

" Huh... Weird. " She began to scratch her head. " I had the weirdest dream. You came into my room hovering over me. "

" Do you remember anything else? " I questioned.

" No. It's almost like you disappeared but after you did I couldn't remember anything else. " She explained.

" Are you sure you're alright? " I asked anxiously.

She chuckled walking towards me planting a kiss on my forehead. " I'm fine Nani. It was just an odd dream that's all. Go back to bed okay? "

Discomfort still clear as day on my face I nodded and began to lay back down.

She tucked me back into bed and walked towards the door.

" Good night Nani. Sweet dreams. " She smiled.

" Good night mama. " I said.

She waved one last time and began to crack the door slightly on her way out.

As the door closed I could still see the dreary light vibrating from her body.