Looking from the other side

Fast movement

As Maya realized that the sound she heard was neither laughter nor a cry, Maya found herself in the bed listening to the alarm clock go tick tock tick, which is unusual for an alarm clock. Usually, a clock would sound like "ehh...ehh...ehh" or even "bip bip bip bip" but never tick tock tick. Maya started to settle in a new mindset of being awake, her body began to move, slowly awakening from its slumber. When she felt comfortable enough to think, she tried to recall her dream. 

Maya didn't consider herself a girl of many skills but creativity was the one skill she took pride in. To pursue this quality, Maya kept a sketchbook in which she could draw and record dreams. After Maya recollected the pieces of dreams, all she could remember now was a wheat field, a young girl and an old man wearing a uniform. Maya could not understand why, but something bothered her. It was almost as if something was missing from the dream.

Saved by the one letter difference, Maya realised she was no longer in her warm bed but in a classroom with a teacher asking a question. As her mind settled into this new reality, she began to process what was asked. The replay in her mind repeated after the teacher, "Kaya can you solve for X". For this new information, Maya understood two major things. One she is in math class, two, Kaya, her best friend yet the world's champion for sleeping in class, was even more reactive than she was. Maya did not remember going from home to school, eating breakfast or any other of the morning activities. Then again, Maya did not mind forgetting about doing the dishes or cleaning her war zone room. All Maya could be sure of now was that she was in school, yet she still could not shake what irritated her in the dream. 

Before Maya realised it, the bell rang and the math class was over. Kaya quickly approached Maya and with an annoyed grinned smile asked "What's up sleepyhead, you usually cover for me in math class". Maya in a mood for a friendly fight replied dramatically with "Well, I don't know why, but my mind is stuck on some thought which I have no clue what it is. Until I can figure that out, you will have to learn for yourself". Kaya sank to the ground screaming in a high voice, "Noooooo, my only weakness". Kaya stood up and they both laughed. Kaya calmed down from the laughter and quickly replied, "What do you mean that something is on your mind? today is the last day of school, don't tell me you forgot our plans for the summer". Maya sighed and said, "Yeah, maybe that's it."

Kaya was a tall thin girl with black silky hair and dark green eyes. Overall Kaya was considered a good-looking girl, but not the same could be said for Maya. Maya was not bad-looking, but she was not thin nor had silky hair. She was a short girl with curly brown hair that seemed to not understand the definition of the word, "Tidy".

From the similarities in their names, Kaya and Maya were pushed by society to be natural friends. From their parents to the kids in the classroom always treated them as if they were in an arranged wedding between two neighbouring kingdoms. Nevertheless, both girls had long ago decided to enjoy this situation. It was very common to see them together so Maya didn't mind that she was walking with Kaya to her home. However, what Maya did mind was the fact that she did not remember leaving school nor that the school day had ended.

Before Maya could fathom to the situation in which she found herself, in front of her house, hearing Kaya saying "Bye Maya, see you later. Goodbye Mr.Winemaker". Maya looked behind to find her father, Jacob in the door waving to Kaya and saying "Now don't just stand there, either enter or run to catch Kaya for some of my famous tea." Maya looked one last time at Kaya and entered the house to find Jacob holding a suitcase. The only other thing Maya could spot was tea on the table across.

Maya, eldest of three sisters and one brother accepted that the house she lives in was never going to be quiet, found it suspicious that the house was silent. Maya opened up and asked, "where is everyone". Jacob with a smile replied with "They're out with your mom grocery shopping". Maya took another look at the suitcase and asked Jacob as if he was a suspect of thievery "Where are you going with that suitcase?".His smile grew wider

"I'm not going anywhere- You are, " he answered, " My brother, I mean, your uncle is out taking care of your grandmother in Paris and he needs someone to watch over the house." "What?" Maya quickly replied, but before Maya could continue Jacob advanced. "Now now, I know that's a lot to handle, but let me explain. I know you have never met your uncle but that's because he lives a very private life. Your 12th birthday is coming up soon and that trip you planned with your friend is way out of our family budget. However, your uncle offered to pay for half of this trip, if you take care of the house. Anyway, I think you will like the outdoors in Alberta".

Maya was not keen on going on a 14-hour ride from Oregon to a small farm in Canada. Then again, the parents she lived with never missed an opportunity to teach her about life and economics. Maya knew there was no arguing, but still, a rebellious moment passed in her mind for a few seconds. Later in life, Maya decided that this was the beginning of her maturing. But for now, the trip wasn't what bothered her. Maya could have been bothered by 99 other problems that came from this new predicament; from the plans, Maya had, to the fact she was going more than a thousand kilometres from home. But ever since she tried to recall the dream this morning, her mind could not get off something that annoyed her.

It wasn't until Maya looked at the uncle's house that something finally settled in her mind. This time she did remember the ride, she did remember waking up early and she did remember asking Jacob two questions she could not recall now. Although, Maya did feel as if she wasn't really present at any of those moments.

Maya glanced up at the house. It was an old white wooden house with brick siding which Maya has decided from the tools hanging on the walls to be the barn. With the enormous flower field surrounding the house, it looked so small in comparison. Though after another glance, it was really just a small house.

Looking at the distance, everything felt so familiar, maybe too familiar. After all, Maya had never been in this area, nor had she seen any resemblance to anything she remembered. Maya lived near to the beach so the landscape here was so different from what she knew. The only thing Maya recognized as the small wheat field she had seen in her dream by the horizon. Though Maya quickly dismissed the thought since it was a dry cornfield she was looking at. Maya could not understand any of this. She turned around to do the only thing she could. Maya hugged her exhausted father, said goodbye and saw him drive away into the background.

Maya headed towards the house with a mind overflowing with thoughts and yet, a feeling of mysterious comfort. Surprisingly the house was bigger on the inside. Every item was placed in a compact way that it created the illusion of a palace of efficiency. Maya, with a perfectionist attitude, was intrigued by the house yet did not understand it. From what she observed, it almost felt like every room had its own language, full of paintings, so many paintings. One drawing, in particular, caught the eye. It had a child in a brown dress within a humongous wheat field, running away from something.

After Maya got acquainted with the house, she decided it was time to sleep. Finally, after finding a bedroom, Maya unpacked and started to review the events of the last two days. Maya went over to settle at the foot of the bed, sat down, slowly reclining, until she was finally horizontal on the bed, Maya fell asleep. Woken up to the sound of tick tock tick, Maya again found herself in the same field of the dream from the morning, lying on the ground. When Maya looked up to find an antique-looking soldier with a nutcracker uniform greeting her with a gentle tone by asking "Are you well, mate?". Looking around Maya found what was missing in the dream.