Celia looked at her science professor and wound up her fingers. She recharged her batteries and set the controls on auto. To the untrained observer, she was paying close attention to the lecture, taking careful notes. But there was a faraway look in her dazzling green eyes. I f you could open the door to her mind you would see what she saw--and go with her on the wildest adventure you had ever been.
Three bubbles were suspended in the purple air, and Celia knew that she could do with them as she pleased.
One held a desert. Millions of grains of meaningless things. Things she would never need. she popped the bubble and it disappeared.
She looked at the next bubble--a river of dreams. The bubble grew until she was inside basking in the beautiful blue waters of the river.
She swallowed a drop of water and was immediately transported to a room of crystal. Light came through the walls, and everything in it was made of pure, clear crystal.
Celia saw her reflection in one of the walls and spoke to it. "How are you today?" The reflection answered, simply enough, "As well as you are."
Another reflection caught her eye, this one clothed in black. "Celia's talking to herself. Look at that--Celia's going crazy! Celia's so stupid!"
"I don't have to listen to this," Celia replied, and with a crystal mallet, smashed the wall.
The professor was on the other side! "And our answer Celia?"
The dream world faded. "Could you repeat the question, please?"
Return to the Reading Room.
Return to home.