A Girl Can Dream, Can't She?

         Wake up.

         Elizabeth clung to herself as if the world was at end. She was sweating intensely giving her short, dirty blonde hair and long blue silk nightgown a static cling effect. For again, she had experienced what her psych. friends called "a crossing of the real world and the fantasy", a problem that had consisted from Elizabeth's grade school days. Now that she was twenty-two, she hoped they'd passed. However, she could still feel the cold biting into her skin...still hear the chilling scream from the currently unidentified girl reverberate in her memory. Yet, there was one thing she looked forward to.
         That yellow light, shining amidst the dark, forbidding but enchanted forest...to which the screaming urged her.

One Week Later

         "So, Liz..."
         "How'd it go?" Elizabeth finished. It was a classic question. All of her friends, especially Kelesy, were always probing in her version of "The Dating Game"; except there was no end to the guys, and the lovely bachelorette always chose the wrong bachelor. She couldn't see why they still thought she'd ever have a chance with a guy. Maybe it was that they cared, or maybe they just liked to see how long she could last. Elizabeth tried to ignore the question, hoping a new subject would tumble along for conversation. Once again, however, the plan backfired and she was expected to give the full story.
         Taking a seat at a comfortable outside cafe, Elizabeth turned to look at Kelesy's expectant face. She always thought that Kelesy was blessed with an enticing look. Sky blue eyes and long, layered, forest brown locks. What guy wouldn't want that? But Kelesy was one hundred percent single...and proud of it. So she claimed.
         "Comfortable?" Elizabeth asked, trying to stall.
         "Very, now, how about last night? David, was it..."
         Elizabeth sighed, then prepared to talk. "Well, everything was going fine until..."
         Kelesy was becoming very impatient. "Until?" she was practically standing on the table.
         "Until...well...I...thought I saw his hands sprout claws and I freaked. I left right away, and thankfully, he hasn't called yet."
         Kelesy was fighting the urge to laugh, but it was useless. She started laughing as she tried to explain. "Lizzie, I told you that hallucinating of yours was going to dig you a hole. You know every time this happens that hole gets bigger and bigger, right? And if you don't stop, you're going to ruin your reputation...not to mention your whole life."
         "And that's funny?"
         "Not really, but kind of... You thought his hand was growing claws? Let me get this straight: claws as in long nails or the furry hands that bears possess?"
         Elizabeth stared hard at her friend, hoping that if she stared long enough, maybe she could bore a hole through that thick head of hers. She might be a psychology student, top of her class, but she sure knew how to act in a state of total stupor when need be.
         "Kelesy, are you in there? I mean the long razorblade claws, of course. Sorry, but my best friend would have known that even before I said it," she joked. Kelesy rolled her eyes, a slight smirk perched upon her lips.
         "Better be glad I chose psychology over becoming a licensed hypnotist. Especially when that two-sided humor of yours takes place."
         Elizabeth returned the smirk and responded, "Welcome back, Kelesy."
         In twin motion, the two women flipped thier sunglasses over their forest green and crystal blue eyes, perfected the sitting of thier neutral colored suits, and approached the busy New York street.

*

         As Elizabeth was making her way home on Broadway, she noticed how the once busy streets were becoming desolate. She wondered why. It wasn't normal for New York. Checking her watch, eight o'clock, she figured out why. Everyone at this time was either at home with their families or at a late job working for their families. But Liz was neither. She had just bombed an interview at one of the top firms in the city. And she had no one to come home to and lean on for support. Kelesy and the others were out at some party, something Liz had lost interest in since she passed out after seeing something floating in the punch bowl. Turns out it was only fruit, but Elizabeth's wild imagination had told her different.
         Liz turned on 16th street and hugged her herself, trying to keep the cool night from creeping up on her. It didn't really help, however.
         A few blocks from her apartment, Liz caught glimpse of something shining on her porch. As she got closer it seemed to glow more. Liz slowed down as to not surprise whatever it was. She crept up the stairs and when she reached the top, she saw and realized what it was: her new shipment of hair and makeup supplies.
         Liz sighed and bent down, picking up the four-pound package along with her spare key, hidden under the tacky "Welcome" mat her mother had given her.
         She stepped confidently into her death-silent house, placing her keys on the hook hung by the door and her jacket in her hall closet, then strode into the kitchen for a refreshing drink of water.
         As she was reaching into her cup cabinet over the counter she heard the familiar creak of her front door, then the click as it shut.
         Who in the world could that be? And what do they want?Liz wondered, her heart about ready to burst from her chest. She grabbed a butcher knife from the stove, just in case.
         Cautiously, she crept up beside the doorway seperating her and whoever had just come in. Taking a big gulp, Liz turned to corner to confront them. Whoever it was was sitting upon her blue leather sofa and didn't notice as she calmly approached them from behind. Right as she was about to attack, Liz saw her face and immediately recognized those innocent blue eyes...
         "Kelesy! Are you just trying to get yourself killed?" She took down her knife from defense position and stared coldly at her friend.
         "Sorry, I didn't expect you to be so jumpy," Kelesy replied.
         "I'm sorry too," Liz explained. "I don't know what's up with me lately. The littlest things freak me out. I can't keep a distinction between the real and the fantasy."
         Kelesy stood up. "Maybe it's just another one of your phases. You seem to be going back to high school when you couldn't leave your room without having an episode. You just have too much on your mind; you need to loosen up."
         "How, though?"
         "I know this guy..." Kelesy started.
         Elizabeth stopped her. "Kelse, I know you're trying to help, but I really don't think a guy would do any good right now."
         "Just trust me with this one. He's a keeper!" She giggled and rushed down the hall towards Liz's bedroom phone.
         Liz slouched down onto the couch, wondering what exactly Kelesy had in mind this time.