Page 23 - San Diego Woman Magazine

INCREDIBLE KIDS OF SAN DIEGO

Dream

Catchers

By Laya Grace Aichle, 14

Amalea woke up with a jolt and began
to cry. Her aunt ran into the room to com-
fort the baby when her uncle discovered
two picture books on the floor. After care-
fully looking through them, he concluded
that they were retelling the events in the
baby girl's dreams. The title of each book
was different, but the subtitle had the same
strange message printed in golden letters:
The tale is false, yet the events are
true. Like every good storyteller, what you
imagine is up to you. I jogged out the door and walked
I woke up to the sound of my alarm across the street to where my best friend
clock, kicking the books off my bed. Five lived. He was the only other person who
different dreams last night. Great. I shut knew about the books. We were walk-
off the alarm and gathered the books qui- ing together when Oliver asked, "What's
etly, opening my closet to reveal nothing the occasion, Amalea?" I looked at him,
but the biggest bookshelf in all of Upregon confused at first. But then he nodded to
City. I took a Sharpie® and wrote the date my dress, my headband, my fancy shoes.
and number of dreams I had that night And then it hit me. He, like everyone else,
on the inside of each book, placing them was wearing everyday clothing. Today was
carefully on the last open shelf. nothing special. But me? I looked like I
Uncle John likes to say I've created I closed the closet door and glided was prepared to meet the Royal Family of
quite the collection. All my dreams, or over to my dresser, picking out a ruffly, Hovality! I felt my face turn hot when Ol-
books, or whatever they are, all have a bit pale purple dress to wear to school. My iver tried to reassure me, telling me that I
of truth in them. It's still unclear to my very first dream last night was about meet- looked fine and that I would go unnoticed.
family whether I tell the future or some- ing new people, making lots of friends, "Did your books not warn you that
how create it! But my aunt and uncle treat and overall, just having a great first day you might make a fool of yourself today?"
the books as warnings. When they look of seventh grade. I brushed my soft, black he asked with false sincerity. The glint in
through them, they search for all the bad hair and placed a purple headband on his eye did not pass me by! I sighed and
things that could possibly happen. Aunt my head as my aunt entered the room, shook my head. Of course, my dreams
Cassie has kept a book of her own, jotting itching for the five books that appeared. warn me about meteors headed toward
down what may happen and what age I She was flipping through them as I pulled earth, and not something so simple as
looked during the event so they could on my black slip-ons. "Watch out for food making a fashion error on my first day of
get some sort of timeframe. Sometimes fights," she said, flipping through the third school! As we neared the entrance, he said,
I dream years into the future, and some- book where I dreamt of meteors crashing "Don't worry, I won't let you go unaccom-
times it's years in the past. Aunt Cassie towards earth, "Or maybe... Dodge ball?" panied." Lucky me, I thought. He looked
likes to say that I can see all the different I laughed, flinging my backpack over my much paler than usual, and I had the
futures that can come true, or would have shoulder. "Anything else?" I asked before feeling he probably felt more nervous than
come true. But it makes me feel like there's turning to leave. She shrugged, shaking I was. We both took a deep breath and
some sort of pressure to make me only see her head. "Thankfully, it's all in the past," headed into the sea of kids who would
good futures, to only have good dreams. she said with a wink. never understand us.

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