by Rebecca Williams

Created on: June 10, 2009

Sitting alone, my fingers caressing the keyboard and mouse-pad of my laptop, listening to love songs play on a randomized YouTube playlist, I yearn with all my heart to be caressing him. The sun sets slowly and the glow of my screen becomes the only light in my room as I sit there, waiting. I keep checking my email, hoping against hope for something, anything, that proves I am not as alone as I feel.

But who am I? And what have I ever done to deserve honor? I am unimportant.

Even now, I am struggling, as I have for so many months, with the conflict between my emotions and my principles. I want to tell him I love him. I want him to be the pursuer.

Enough! Enough!

This is what I shout to myself, over and over, until the shouting drowns out all the other thoughts. Then, in the newfound silence, as I raise my head from where I had fallen to the floor, crouching, kneeling, clutching my midsection as the emotional pain manifests itself in physical pain, I notice a glow pervading my room. The computer screen has gone black, my glow-in-the-dark decorations are dark. Where is the source of this light? I glance around, climbing shakily to my feet and grabbing a sword from beneath the bed, scared but ready to confront any evil.

As I turn slowly in a circle, I notice that one of my decorations has indeed continued to glow, and has begun to grow. I watch incredulously as a wizard steps off my wall. (That pointy hat uniform always gives them away.) He fills the small room, and I raise my weapon cautiously, not wishing to attack needlessly nor be caught unawares.

He smiles kindly down at me from what seems to me a great height, and his voice booms out.

"Good! I didn't quite believe the council when they said we needed you, a young maiden from this time. I've heard terrible things about the youth here, and strong women are fairly scarce in my homeland. But you look fit to take on a dragon."

"You want me to fight a dragon? What kind?"

"No! Heavens, no. That's merely an expression."

"And here you had my hopes all up," I say, lowering my sword, but keeping it in my hand. "What is it you want?"

"All business, aren't you? We need you to rescue the prince."

"Okay, several questions. Why me? Isn't the prince supposed to be the rescuer? Wouldn't a princess fit the role better? Does this mean I'll have to marry the prince and live in his world forever? I seem to have already given my heart to someone."

"Well, the marriage is something that would be your decision, though

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>