She sat there. Simply existing. Existing in a world that she knew and didn’t know all at the same time. She knew who she was and who she loved. She also knew where she came from and her roots. Where she grew up and both her parents name and the shape of their faces. She knew the way she looked and that everyone had their own way that they looked. There was no judgement between her and others, but yet there was always judgement between others and her. Not based on the goodness in her or the how much kindness she exudes, but rather the way she looked and who she loved. A world like this made days hard to just exist.
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Laura Dern
Today I had a dream. As odd as it may seem it was one of the most vivid dreams I have ever felt. Just like most dreams I have I had a purpose for where I was and what I was doing there. This dream was no exception. Therefore, let me begin…I was walking into The Great Mall (which is an actual mall in San Jose, California that is 1,366,123 square feet and has 179 stores and services included inside. So, basically it lives up to it’s name.) to kill time before meeting my partner for a dinner date. As I was walking up to the side of the mall I parked at there was an brand new experience there called Jurassic. Already, this intrigued me as I am a HUGE Dinosaur fanatic and would not miss the opportunity to walk through to check it out. However, this was something very different from any other experience I would ever encounter. As I approached the giant doors of this experience there was a massive Velociraptor bust hanging above the doors that should have made me terrified, but alas, it only made me more intrigued. As I opened the doors I was hit with a smell of strong Mahogany wood mixed with damp leaves. It felt very much like I had entered the rainforest, or the Rainforest Cafe if you’ve ever been. Not only was the smell enticing but it felt almost humid inside as well. Either way I walked into the lobby which was very dimely lit with plants and vines covering the walls and a gentleman standing in front of more doors. As I approached him he asked “Are you ready for the experience of a lifetime?”, to which I replied “Yes. Born ready.” In dreams, I believe we always feel very much more ready for danger than we would in a more real state or at least I do. I become this explorer and rebel that even to myself I don’t always recognize. Either way, that’s what I did reply to him and he gave me back the biggest grin I have ever seen. He then replied “Excellent. May you find your way through this experience and beyond that you will enter the mall.” I, of course, didn’t even think to ask how much it was or what do I do. He held the door open for me and I entered the darkness of the next room. Immediately upon me entering this room I felt my equilibrium being tested and my legs felt wobbly underneath me. It felt as if someone was shifting the floor beneath me and almost like each step I was taking into more darkness was an uphill battle. As I walked further into the abyss I could see a light coming at the end of the tunnel. I approached the end finally to find a room filled with smoke as far as the eye could see. At my feet all around me was water and I could see a path of rocks that lead to what looked like the entrance to the mall. However, in each direction along the path of rocks there were individuals on my left and right submerged about chest deep. I began to panick as I realized that I was not ready for a dip in a pool today and due to the clothing that the individuals had on, it would seem that they were not ready either. I immediately thought I should turn back but the path behind me was so dark and my equilibrium was still off that I felt it was better to just push on. I knew that if I could see the exit to this place I had a chance. I then tried my footing at the first damp rock in front of me, when I heard the screech of a very loud creature. I knew from the sound that it was not something of this world, or at least not the world we currently live in. I immediately became nauseous and I could feel my legs become wobbly again, but my strive to get across with very little water on me was pushing me on. As I made my way onto the next rock I could vaguely see the people around me through the smokey air trying to help the others move through the water to the exit as well. I began to think maybe I could help some people and they help me to get us all out of this. I started to call out to them saying “Hey! I just entered this room and if you can hear me come to my voice. I have a plan to get us out of here.” Just like that I saw people coming towards the rock path I was on and looking up at me. Instantly, I felt regret for doing that as it began to feel like I was in a Night of the Living Dead movie. However, I began to take deep breaths and calm myself to say “I can see a path. If I can get a hand on either side of me I can walk this path and lead you out.” I began to think how many others could be in this place with me and then said “If you also want to get out. Hold onto the people that I am leading to get out as well.” Then just like that without much hesitation I felt the hands of two individuals grab onto me. I began to walk with much more ease the uneaven rock path with the hands still holding onto me. In a strange way they kept my balance as I stayed somewhat crouched down to the floor. I was almost to the last rocks when I could hear a heavy breathing coming from the sides of the end of the pathway. As I began to get to the end I started to help pull each person on the sides of me out of the water. To my surprise I had helped about six people out with me. They all began to thank me for helping them out when we all heard a very deep loud rumbling sound. Then everything went deathly silent. I could hear my heart thumping in my chest and feel a ball rising up in my throat. The group of us turned around to a massive Tyrannosaurus breathing down on us. It felt so lifelike that I got chills down my spin and the hairs raised on the back of my neck. Then, in traditional scary movie fashion I yelled, “Run!”. The group of us bolted to the doors that lead to the mall just in time to fall out onto the floor of the mall entrance. I could see people flying beside me onto the floor and heavy breathing of terror coming from every angle. As I hit the floor I had enough time to turn around and see the doors close behind me and nothing but darkness beyond that. I was just relieved to be out of that “experience” and finally onto flat ground. As I stood up I could still feel the uneasiness of my legs and the weakness in my body from whatever it was that I had just experienced. I looked around at some of the others that made it out with me and most of them couldn’t even stand on their own feet. I wondered how long had they been stuck in there and wanted to ask what experience they had in there as well. Right as I began to speak to a lady that was on the floor, my eyes caught a familiar yet unfamiliar face. It took me about five seconds to realize that it was the one and only, Laura Dern. Apologies to my readers who are not as obsessed as I am with Dinosaurs, and films of that nature as I am. However, to sum it up for you she is an iconic character in the original Jurassic Park film and an icon for me in movie making history because of it. Immediately, I forgot about the people around me and what I had just been through and with all my energy I had left rushed over to her. All I could muster up to say to her was “You’re Laura Dern! You are incredible in Jurassic Park and such an icon to me.” You would think with me telling her what her name was would have sent her running away, but instead she laughed and began to smile at me and said “Thank you so much. That’s an incredible thing to say about a person.” I was so star struck that I began to just smile and she walked with me for a bit and I chatted with her telling her that she made me love Dinosaurs and showed me that girls can love them too. I also told her how she gave so much empowerment to females that I wasn’t even sure she was aware of. As I told her, this look came across her face as though she was half stunned at what I said and also touched. She began to pull me in to embrace me and she came up to my ear and whispered “There is always love for each person and every person is unique and special. Never let anyone tell you that you aren’t as strong or just as important as the next person.” As she pulled away from me smiling I felt a tear run down my cheek. I knew she wasn’t only telling me this because of what I had said to her about female empowerment, but that she knew for me acceptance was even deeper. She knew that with the person that I am and the person I choose to love it was always a battle and that I was accepted and seen. In that moment she made me feel heard and noticed. I got a rush of happiness and just stood there in that moment. As I began to drift off with the thoughts in my head of what she had said she was gone. I turned around to find her entering the experience I had just exited. I began to yell out to her to tell her “No! Wait!” When she opened the doors and entered. I ran over to the opened doors to see her very impressively making her way across the rock path as if it was the simplest thing in the world for her. I yelled out one last thing to her and said “You are amazing! You make me proud to be a woman and keep on inspiring others! You rock!” After I said it I knew how cliche that sounded and how insanely dorky it came out, but I didn’t care. I could barely get a glimpse of her through the smoke filled air to see her wave to me and grin. I began to turn back into the mall and heard her yell back “YOU. ARE. LOVED.” I turned around to see the doors closing and lost her into the darkness. Just as I began to feel all the emotions and almost couldn’t keep it together my partner came up next to me and hugged me. She looked into my eyes and said “Are you okay?” I replied “Never better.” As I woke up from this very vivid emotional dream I realized that I finally felt happiness in my life and acceptance more than I even knew.
By Jacqueline da Silva 2 years ago in Fiction
Whispering Woods Challenge Winners
Congratulations to Morgan Christy Rickards for their winning Whispering Woods story, Guardian at the Gate. Morgan has been a Vocal creator since February 2021, and this is their first time placing in Challenge — well done, starting with a win! Guardian at the Gate draws evocatively from Welsh tales of the Cantre'r Gwaelod, a lost sunken kingdom between the forest and the sea. Heledd’s dangerous adventure pulls her towards the water but her spirit is anchored in the woods: Morgan’s writing is atmospheric and exciting.
By Vocal Curation Team7 days ago in Resources
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