I first saw it in a dream.
I’d refer to it as an out of body experience. It felt almost too real to be a dream. I was groggy—my head felt like it was about to split open. As time went on, I began to recover and my vision started to adjust. The blinding sun was pressing down on me like a heavy weight, keeping me disoriented and making me feel trapped. As time went on, the sun began to retreat and the spinning feeling in my head began to recede. I can’t say I really opened my eyes—throughout the whole thing I never felt like I really had a say. Finally able to process the surroundings, I looked at the world I was put in.
The first thing that stood out to me was a single large tree, up a small hill rather close to me. It’s leaves were shining with a heavenly glow, almost golden with the light of the sun piercing through them from behind. It’s trunk stood sturdy and thick upon its small hill, serving as a notable landmark among the large plateau of grass that stretched out around me. The rolling grassy fields that extended far out had no end in sight, reaching past what one would see as the horizon to go outwards endlessly. The only other thing that stood out was a small wooden cottage that lay dormant, a ways away from the hill the tree was on.
As if on cue, the door to the cottage opened, a small light spilling out from the inside. Small voices could be heard from the door, and I could see someone hesitating before they left the house. I tried to move closer, but I still was without the feeling of an actual body. My consciousness just floated there on the side, waiting as the voices finally stopped. Someone stepped out of the house, wrapping a bright red scarf around their neck as they closed the door behind them. They stepped slowly yet elegantly towards the large tree, planting each step firmly after the next.
I could tell she was a rather young girl. The first thing I noted was her bright green hair, long and glowing. It fell well past her shoulders and to her arms, where the vibrant green faded into a dull silver and stopped before her hands. The hair’s radiant color made her stand out among the empty landscape, flowing behind her as a light yet sinister breeze began to pick up. With determined steps, she continued to walk forwards towards the tree.
She wore a loose long sleeved shirt patterned with white and black stripes, which extended past her hands in a feeble effort to cover them. I could see her hands balled up into fists, still walking strong as the wind began to grow stronger. Her steps became slower as she lifted an arm to cover her eyes, trying to move forward as the breeze changed into a powerful gale. I could hear the leaves of the tree rustling as the wind became stronger and stronger.
The girl slipped, falling to her hands and knees as she lost her footing on the hill. I could see her trying to stand up again, but the gale threatened to push her back down to the bottom of the hill. She stayed there for a brief moment, regaining her composure while the wind continued its assault. With vigor, she stood back up, brushing the dirt off her jeans and continuing to step forwards.
Finally, as she crested the hill and made it to the base of the tree, the wind stopped. Her hair fell back delicately onto her shoulders as she looked up at the large tree. Slowly taking off the red scarf she had on, she held onto it tightly for a brief moment before looking up towards the sky. Slowly and gracefully, a pair of bright green wings stretched out from behind her. Glowing and almost translucent, the wings stretched out farther than her arms and almost threatened the glow that came from the light in the tree. Despite being adorned with what seemed like feathers, they looked like one cohesive shape—almost as if crafted from a pure form of bright light.
As gracefully as they were released, the wings flapped delicately and slowly to lift her off the ground, helping raise her up and level to the closest branch, which leaned down almost as if awaiting her. She steadily took the scarf and wrapped it carefully around the branch, letting it drape down and flap in the calm and gentle breeze that had since replaced the windy storm. As slowly as she had ascended, she elegantly floated down to the base of the tree.
Looking up longingly at the scarf, I found it hard to judge how she felt. Whatever that scarf was—whatever it meant to her—was left a mystery to me. After what felt like an eternity, she closed her eyes and showed a small smile. Then, as if she knew the whole time, turned towards me and looked at my nonexistent form. The sun started shining brighter and brighter as her eyes were glowing a beautiful green. The last thing I saw were her piercing green eyes, soft and warm as I felt the rays of the sun beat down on me.
–
Soon after, I woke up in my bed, golden rays of sun peeking out of my window. I couldn’t recall anything else that had happened, and my entire body felt sore. I slowly got out of my bed and dragged myself to the kitchen, making a cup of coffee in a feeble attempt to wake myself up. Slowly, I got energy and went through my day normally. I always assumed that would be the end of it, but the dream still always stuck with me. I suppose that story is what started it all. That dream was the thing that created “Celeste” in my mind. However, something always bothered me. There was a nagging feeling I never could shake away.
Did I “make” Celeste like I thought, or did she always exist?