I can show you. I can show you the beauty of this city. Just open your eyes, and follow me. See this building? It used to be a school. People sat at these desks and learned so they could make their dreams come true. And see this window? Look out. That hill used to be covered with grass, and that sky used to be blue. It isn’t now, but it was. Come on, there are more things I want to show you.
This used to be where musicians played. They would practice and practice and then come and play in front of lots of people to make them happy. Shh, quiet. If you listen, you can hear some music they left behind in the air.
Come on, we have another place to go. This place used to have books, and anyone could borrow them if they just had a card. What’s a book? Humans left words in them, so that others could learn. There were also stories. They were like music, to make people happy. One more place, follow me.
Careful on the steps. Here we are. Look up. You see those little lights? The humans called them stars. Isn’t that a pretty word? They were only here half the time, though. Now they’re here all the time.
Why am I here? I’m the keeper of this city. This is the place where all the forgotten dreams gathered when everyone went away. Do you have a dream you forgot? Try to remember it now. Call out to it, it should come back to you. There, see that little bit of light? That’s your dream.
Here, I’ll try to show you what this place looks like with all the dreams in it.
You said this was a dead city, didn’t you? Except it isn’t dead. It’s just forgotten. See how pretty it is, with all the dreams in it? Like all the stars fell here. Does it make you sad, this forgotten city? It’s not really forgotten, though. That’s why I’m here, to take care of it until someone remembers.
You should go back now, you’ll be waking up soon. You’ll forget this city too, but don’t worry. You can always come back, even if you forget when you wake up. I’ll be here.
Does this city have a name? It used to, but it doesn’t need a name anymore.
Goodbye. When you come back, I’ll show you something new. How do I know you’ll come back? That’s simple. You came back last time.
I’m not to sure what made me write this. I’ve just been having this insubstantial idea for a story for a while, as if I’ve been chasing it in my mind and can’t quite catch it. Like when you’re on the verge of remembering something, except you can’t. I finally just sat down and ran with whatever I thought of, which was… well… this.
-Mara
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