Thud. Thud. My boots were sirens screaming out to the world as they hit the sidewalk, “Here I am! Look at me!” I quickly shuffled onto our doorstep before anyone else could stare.

Winter had only just begun, but already I was sick of it. I longed for shorts, swimming pools, no school. . .

“Nicole!” yelled a voice across the street, pulling me out of my daydream. Sigh.

The voice belonged to my best friend Levonn. We had known each other since pre-school, and she was the only friend I could truly trust.

“Yes?” I replied as she made her way slowly across the slippery, ice-covered street.

“I was wondering if you could come over to my house and spend the night. It is Friday after all. I figured you would want to celebrate a much needed weekend.” She smiled.

A slumber party. I moaned internally. Of all nights, tonight simply had to be the night that I babysat my nine year-old sister Taylor while my parents went out to some sort of gala or banquet.

“It’s tempting, but I can’t. I have to watch my sis tonight.”

“Oh. That stinks.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, I’d better get on home. I’ve been having some trouble in math and my dad promised to help me out. Maybe you can come over tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, maybe.” I turned around and trudged inside.

“Mom, I’m home!” I hollered as I hung up my bloated winter jacket.

My mom walked down the stairs in evening attire. It was odd to see her wear such, but I knew that if she could, she would wear jeans and a t-shirt to the event. My guess was that she wasn’t looking forward to the long hours of mindless chatter at the party. She and dad only went because of dad’s job.

“Hey sweetie,” she gave me one of those mom smiles that say I’ll always love you no matter what you do: good or bad. “Does this look alright?”

She did a 360 degree turn for me. The dark green dress and striped sweater flattered her olive skin tone wonderfully.

“It looks fabulous, Mom.”

“Thanks. Your father and I are almost ready to leave.” she said, just as my dad walked down the stairs.

“Nicole, don’t forget ---“my dad began just as I cut him off.

“Don’t worry Dad. I have all the numbers on the fridge, my cell is on loud, supper is already fixed, and if anything goes wrong I’m supposed to call 911 and go over to Levonn’s house. Okay?”

He laughed and replied “Okay, it looks like you have everything under control.”

Five minutes later Mom and Dad were gone and I was sitting on the couch watching TV with my sister. Taylor and I look almost exactly alike, despite the four year difference. However, we are almost the exact opposite as well. She is outgoing and fun to be around, while I’m shy and tend to stay to myself, with the exception of Levonn, that is. I often found myself wishing I could be more like her---

“Nicole, could you get me my dinner? I’m starving.” she said, pulling me back to reality.

“Sure.”

I walked into the kitchen to retrieve her plate when I heard a groan.

“Taylor, what’s wrong?”

“The reception went out on the TV again! Ugh, I wish we had satellite.”

“Hold on, maybe the cord just became unplugged again.” I walked over to the TV and knelt down; using my hand to feel for the outlet when I felt a spark of electricity surging through my body, and all went black.

After what felt like hours later, I awoke in a familiar room it was not anywhere in my house. In fact, I was certain that I’d never been here before in my life. I looked around, disoriented.

The room was brightly colored with funky designs. There was a bed in the corner with zebra print sheets, and there was a hot pink fuzzy rug on the floor.

I realized that I had seen this room before, just not in person. I had seen it on a . . . a . . . on a TV show.

I knew I was dreaming. How else could I have ended up on the sitcom Drama Queen? Oddly enough, it was the show that I and my sister had been watching before the reception went out. I expected to see sound crews and camera men at the end of the room, but nothing was there except more wall.

Female voices sounded from the hallway. I panicked, and looked around for a place to hide in this strange dream. Finally, I hid behind the long drapes beside the bed, just as they walked in.

It was Cara and Stacy, the two stars of the show. The dumped their stuff on the floor and sat on the bed. They then started to chatter mindlessly about boys, hair, and the whole he-said, she-said thing.

I rolled my eyes. What airheads, I thought to myself. My legs were staring to get stiff. Pretty soon, I’d have to move, and they’d discover me for sure.

Shortly after, I heard the rustling of sheets as the two girls got up and left.

Good riddance, I thought as I stepped out of my hiding place.

Suddenly, my vision started to fade, and I began to hear what sounded like the shrieking of wild animals.

I was now in a tropical rain forest. Now I was getting scared. Naturally, it was raining, and I was getting soaked. That was what scared me. I’ve never been able to feel, much less smell, anything in my dreams.

The bushes rustled. My eyes automatically searched for the source of the sound. I turned around.

A leopard was stalking me.

I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. It was wagging its tail, getting closer every second. I snapped out of it and looked around frantically for a weapon of some sort, a big stick, or maybe a rock.

The cat coiled its muscles to pounce. With a fierce growl, it sprang.

And all was black.

I knew I wasn’t dead, (not yet anyway) because I could feel a throb of pain on my arm. The leopard must have gotten a swipe in before I vanished. I opened my eyes and found myself strapped to a gurney being rushed through hospital doors. I glanced up at a female nurse and thought she looked awfully familiar.

“She’ll need immediate surgery with a cut like that.”

“She’s going to need some transfusions as well.”

“Honey, can you hear me? Everything’s going to be alright.” said the female nurse.

Then it hit me. That face, that voice belonged to one of nurses off ER on TV. How peculiar, I thought. I keep ending up on different TV shows.

They wheeled me into the room, where I guessed, they would perform surgery on my arm. No way was I sticking around for that. I tried in vain to get up, but due to the pain pills, I was getting drowsier every second. Then the room disappeared before me.

“Barney is a dinosaur from our imagination!”

Arrgh! No! Not this show! Please no!

But is that show. I see that stupid purple dinosaur right in front of me, surrounded by singing children. This is, by far, my worst nightmare.

I look around frantically for someplace to hide. I quickly crawl underneath one of those plastic playhouse type-things.

“Hello, how are you?” a sickening happy voice asks me.

“Ugh, just go away.” I hissed.

“Uh oh, someone’s mad. Let’s sing a song to make you feel better. I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family. . .” he droned on and on.

He’s almost right. Just substitute hate for love, and happy for furious, and it will be perfect.

Ah, thank the Lord. The room is fading into black, and already I can see the faint outlines of the next scene. It’s almost like someone switched the channel on TV.

Now I’m in a western, a saloon it looks like, with dancing girls and ten gallon hats.

But before I get a chance to explore, the scene changes yet again. I’m now in a dark alley, with a man dressed in black approaching me with a knife.

I scream in terror, and try to run for it, but he grabs hold of my collar. I brace myself for death, and I open my eyes.

I’m on the beach.

I’m in a forest.

The scenes, or shows if you prefer, are changing so rapidly that I can’t see where I am.

“Just let me out of here! Please make it stop!” I sob, with tears streaking down my face.

And all is black.

I wake up in my living room with my mom staring down at me in concern.

“Nicole? Nicky? Oh, thank goodness you’re alright. I thought we would have to take you to the ER.”

No, not again, I think.

“Mom,” I mumble, trying to form coherent words, “What happened?”

“It seems as though you were shocked when you tried to put that cord back in, and it knocked you unconscious. When you didn’t wake up, Taylor called us back home, to see what was wrong with you.”

“I was out this whole time? Wow.”

“What is it, sweetie?” she asked, concerned again.

“Well, I just had the weirdest dream that seemed to last forever. But never mind. You guys had better get going or you’re going to be late.”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay home with you?”

“No, I’ll be fine.”

“Okay then, well, I love you.” She said, as she walked out the door.

“Love you too.”

I sighed in relief. Just a dream, I told myself. Then I glanced down at my arm and saw a long, jagged scar.