Another World

Chapter 1

I am standing in the middle of a big stage. It is just me, my guitar and down below, a crowd full of people. They are all chanting my name and clapping their hands. I look out over the sea of people before me, there are hundred- maybe thousands of faces and small dots of white light from their phones. The chanting goes on.

"Niall, Niall, Niall!"

I feel completely ecstatic, smiling out on the unfamiliar faces of people, whom is trying to get as close to the stage as humanly possible. After a while, I am starting to make out a different sound. It is a beeping noise that starts out very silently, almost unnoticeable, but is gradually racing.

"Beep, Beep, Beep!"

Soon, the noise is almost entirely draining out the crowd, still chanting my name repeatedly in unison. I want to make the beeping stop, but I have no idea where it is coming from. I look around frantically. Since I can't make out the source of it, I try my best to just block it out. This is my moment! Why do it have to be ruined by that hideous noise. This is a disaster. I take my pillow and holds it down over my head, maybe this could help blocking the noise out.

Wait what?

I realize that I am laying in my bed, tangled in my sheets and the noise is nothing else but the alarm clock on my phone. I let out a groan, tossing my pillow to the side and reach over to the side table to turn it off. I want nothing more than to close my eyes and go back to sleep, but I know that I have e few more alarms set and I don't want to be woken up the same way again.

I summon all of my strength to sit up on the bed. I am really not a morning person. After a few moments of just sitting there, I turn around to place my feet on the floor. I lean my elbows on my knees so I can rest my head in my hands. I can almost feel the cold from the floor traveling up from my feet, and a shiver goes through my body. Before standing up I use my hands to rub over my eyes and then over the stubble on my chin.

A let out a long yawn as I walk over my small, one bedroom apartment to the bathroom. I really hate waking up early in the morning, especially when I have the day off. But I have a friend from university coming over from England today for a visit, and I have offered to come and pick him up at the airport. The car ride from Mullingar to Dublin airport is about 1,5 hour, so I got to get ready so I won't be late.

The hot water from the shower feels so good on my cold skin and I dread to get back out in the chill air. I think back to the dream I had before my alarm woke me up. I have had that same dream many times before, yet it has been a while since the last time.

When I was younger, being a singer was my biggest dream. I was eager to make it to the biggest stages, filling enormous arenas and touring the world as a kind of Irish version of Justin Bieber.

I shake my head to the embarrassing memory. It was not popular to be a 15 year old boy with Justin as your idol. I had to keep that as a secret from my friends so I would not be laughed at or made fun of. The other boys my age only cared about football and girls, so I just went along with them. Keeping my passion of music to myself.

I was 9 years old when I got my first guitar and that was one of the happiest days of childhood. I would stand in front of the mirror in my room and pretend that I was playing for a full house. I guess that was when the dreams about me being a star on stage first started.

Eventually I gave up on the idea of ever making it as an artist. I mean, what would be the chance of me becoming a world known artist? Pretty damn slim.

Stepping out the shower somewhat later, I hurry to grab my towel and dry myself before wrapping it around my waist. My little trip down memory lane cost me some time to get ready, and I don't feel like rushing all the way to Dublin.