This story is really short. I had it in my head a long time ago. A dreamer, a little girl, who has to grow up the worst abrupt way... but she does...

Shattered Dream
By, Ana F. Meléndez

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There was a time when I believed that there were other beings out there. The enchanted creatures that would watch me sleep in the night, protecting me from the evil ones. It’s a fantasy in which any child believes and eventually grows out of. No one ever recalls how exactly they discovered the difference between fantasy and reality. Then again there are some who do. I know I do.

It was a Saturday night and I was stuck in my room drawing pictures of faeries in my journal. My mom, as usual, was stuck in a book waiting for my dad to get home. My dad was an angel, he was a doctor! Saving the lives of people who had been attacked by the demon’s who creep in the silence of the night. That’s why he always comes home late, I understood. I looked at the watch on my desk. It was a quarter past eleven. I looked outside and decided to open the sliding doors to my balcony. The wind was a little chilly, but I paid no mind to it. I looked at the moon. It was a crescent moon with gray spots around. I remember how I used to call the moon, ‘Lady Moon’ and spoke to her like if she could hear me and the wind carried her response. I searched the sky for the brightest star and smiled victorious when I found it. Then with that one star my dream began. I saw one of the stars dancing around, and then fading.

It faded and appeared right behind me, taking the form of a young prince. We weren’t in my room anymore, but a ballroom in the clouds. I wasn’t wearing my Eeyore pajamas anymore, but a beautiful white dress like Cinderella. He offered his hand to me and invited me to dance. We needed no words; he was my prince asking me to be his princess. It’s such a common childhood fantasy. To be in love and in my dreams there was always love. The stars danced around us, exploding above us, throwing glitter on us. My hair, once black as the darkest night now lived among the shinning colors of the stars. He was different than me, so alive, my skin was pale, my eyes were dark, but not him. His hair rivaled the color of the sun, his eyes were the windows to a cloudless sky and his skin seemed to shine like soft caramel. How could a dream be so sweet, but be fated to end? I didn’t understand then, but I do now. We stopped dancing, but he never let go of my hand. “Marry me princess, and I will be yours forever” he said, his voice was like the soft sound of a flute to me, how could I refuse? “But my parents-” “Your parents will bless our union, we’ll take care of them and I’ll take care of you” he said. I smiled; such a dream was too perfect for words.

Then I woke up, by the sound of reality calling. I was still in the balcony, my skin almost frozen. I closed the doors and sat beside the fire. I heard that sound again. My ears were too good sometimes and picked up the tiniest sounds. I took the candle plate mom had bought me. It had the shape of a heart and the candle had a cinnamon scent. I tiptoed outside my room hoping mom wouldn’t hear me. Then I heard it again. My face was glowing with excitement. Could it be my prince? Or maybe the faeries I drew had been brought to life! Oh, how exciting! I was now downstairs in front of my dad’s study. I heard the sounds again. There were giggles, a growl then a yelp. Oh no! My faeries were being attacked by trolls! I put my hand on the door handle, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. It was my mom.

I forgot she had the same good ears I did, since I got it from her. “Zoe, what are you doing awake?” she asked, looking tired and sleepy wearing a white long nightgown. “Trolls are attacking my faeries, mommy!” I whispered. “Trolls? Honey,-” she said, but she paused upon hearing the sounds. “See? Look mom, they have the lights on, we can see them! Even if they turn off the light, I have my candle!” I said, anxious and ready for adventure. My mom didn’t say a word as she reached for the doorknob. Right then my candle plate dropped and broke in half, just like my heart.

There weren’t any faeries or trolls or even my prince. There was my father and the maid in a very indecent position. My mom shut the door violently and looked at me, then at my feet. One of the pieces of glass must’ve fallen on my foot and cut me because I was bleeding. For some reason, I hadn’t really noticed. My mom picked me up without a word and took me to her room locking the door and making me stand in the bathtub to clean my cut. Neither of us spoke, the shock was too much for me. My mom began to sob; I realized she felt it too. I brushed her hair with my fingers. “Don’t worry mom, we’ll be fine, won’t we? We can go live with grandma; I’ll go to school there. I never really liked home schooling anyway” I said. It was a surprise even to me, of how much I grew in that brief moment. But I had to. I had to help mom fight this harsh reality and my dreams wouldn’t help in anything. That is how I woke up from the dream that I’d never have again. My prince was gone, goodbye to the faeries and hello to my reality.