A Princess from the Clouds

The Stravanian Princess sat on the stoop of the tree. She brushed her black hair and placed it in a ponytail, with a pipe in her mouth puffing weed in the air; her calm grey eyes still examined me as I lay on a pile of roses, making sure I was safe. She then continued to look over my infant self and a pit bull puppy playing with one another; she lit up her pipe once more and exhaled the sweet smell of Mary Jane. This peculiar earthy scent danced and twirled as if it were a ballerina, spinning its sweet flowery scent in the air then flowing straight into my nose. This ballerina managed to awaken me from my slumber.

"Wha... What happened?" I questioned.

With the pipe remaining in her mouth she responded in her posh accent, "You fainted, but don't worry. I caught you before you bashed your head into the ground."

"Where is the baby?"

"She's playing with the puppy."

The sound of the puppy barking made my body jump up; it was a pit bull with a peculiar fur coat, white mixed with brindle. My infant self continued to laugh contagiously as the puppy kept licking her face, and my heart began to crack a smile a bit which made Rena notice, "I can see that. I'm glad to see that smile on your face." I walked next to the princess. My mind couldn't believe how real she looked, but I couldn't tell if my eyes were deceiving me... after all... Ballerina Mary Jane tickled my nose. And so I did what my mind told me to do. I placed my hand on her hair and yanked it back.

She swiftly hit my arm away as she looked at me with a confused but angry look. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

I jumped back in shock, the only words I could say was, "Holy shit, you're real!"

"Well, of course I'm fucking real. You created me!"

"I'm sorry. It's just I thought I was dreaming."

"Well, you are dreaming. Because of the state you're in, this forest does not exist. Your mind is letting this place become a false imagination."

I continued to look around in confusion. I turned to the princess and asked, "What about that maze I was in?" Her serene grey eyes continued to gaze upon my infant self and the puppy playing with one another. She puffed the weed once more, and replied, "I'm afraid that maze is real. You let it become real. It's depression... You have it, don't you?"

"Excuse me?" I questioned.

"Depression." the princess replied. The word created a lump in my throat, I couldn't look at my creation in the eyes. It was something I didn't want to face. "You don't have to hide it, K, I know how you feel."

"Do you, Rena?"

"Why, yes. I lived sixteen years without my brother."

The fiery flames began to build within my heart then rushed like race cars throughout my veins. I looked into her eyes, not caring that my anger was boiling immensely within my weak body. "After sixteen years, you two were reunited, right?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

I placed my hand in front of her face. With my jaw clenched, my mind let my mouth run without limitations. "I don't want to hear any of your bullshit."

I quickly turned to walk away from my creation. My eyes started to burn from the tears forming. Rena got up as she tried calling out for me, "K! Please don't be like this!"

"Why not!? You have your sibling back and I don't! So if you can do me a favor and stop acting like you understand."

I walked over to where my infant self and the puppy were still playing. While drying my tears, I noticed that the puppy was running towards a German Sheppard; as they both disappeared into the woods, my infant self smiled as she waved back. As soon as I picked her up, she started to get fussy. I paid no mind until I realized she was acting up; Rena watched us with concern but I quickly walked passed her without saying a word.

"K... She's crying really badly."

"I know."

"K... She doesn't look so good. She's looking very pale."

"I know, Rena."

"Listen, why don't I take the baby to my castle? My doctor does an excellent job with helping infants. I can make sure she'll be alright."

"No, thank you. I can handle her myself. After all, she is me."

"Handle yourself? Seriously? Coming from someone who doesn't want to admit she has Depression."

I quickly turned with my dark eyes flaming with fury, not listening to my infant self who continued to cry in agony. "Since you're my creation, I don't have a problem erasing you for eternity if you keep pestering me. So if you would be so kind to keep your mouth shut, and leave us alone!"

"Go ahead!" Rena raised her arms with her with her cold stone eyes staring back at me. I couldn't move. "Go ahead, K... Erase everything that you loved, erase everything that you created, erase everything that your sister supported and believed in. Erase everything that makes you a 'Storyteller.' Go ahead and see what the outcome is. I'm aware of what your outcome would be... Your sister will be looking down from above with a weeping heart. And what is going to hurt her more is seeing you creating a sickness to that baby, which is what you're doing right now. So go ahead... I dare you to erase me."

Tears continued to flow down like a waterfall. I fell upon my knees as I continued to hold my infant self whose throat was becoming hoarse after all the screaming and crying. The princess knelt before me while placing her hand on my shoulder. With a calm tone she replied, "The baby needs medical help. I promise you, she will feel better. Do you trust me?"

I nodded without saying a word and gave my infant self to the princess. The baby started to calm down once she was nestled into Rena's arms. She got up and walked towards the forest until she stopped and turned to discover that I was still on the ground. My body was done, my mind was done, my heart is dark, and my soul had disappeared. She was right... I do have that invisible disease. I raised my head up to see her concerned grey eyes. I replied softly, "I'm not going. It's best that I am separated from the baby for a while." Rena stood silent as I continued, "Please, it's better that way. I need to be alone." The princess knew that if she tried to convince me to go with her, it would never work, and so she simply nodded and walked away in silence. As I lay down on the floor, the colorful walls appeared once again, more vibrant than ever before. I gazed upon the false colors and realized it was starting to consume me; but I didn't mind. I am what I am... a Depressed Story Teller.... Nothing more...