Drabble: To Find A Home

Johannes is a very strange bird. Damn it, I just had to fall in love with the guy.

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I dream of mom. I dream of how she held me and sung to me. How she loved me. I dream of how dad took her away. I dream of pain. Of fear. Of the screaming and the bruises and and the panic. My panic. My suffering.

I dream of my life. I dream of my misery. I am content in my misery.

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"Miranda," he says, shaking me gently, his weird sense of stately grace evident even in waking me up before my alarm goes off. I should have decked him right then and there. But I couldn't do that to him. I blink to clear my vision, cleaning the cobwebs from my mind. "Johannes? What's up?"

"I can finally open a portal to my homeland," he whispers urgently. "You have five minutes to get ready."

I don't quite register at first. Maybe I'm still asleep. "Say again?," I slur.

"I'm going home, Miranda. I know you've always wanted to come," he says tenderly. "So come. There is so much more than this mundane plane. Get ready."

Silence passes over 4 seconds. "...Johannes, what the fuck?"

"I kid you not, Miranda. All of your dreams will flourish where I am from. Everything you ever wanted, every beautiful daydream. Everything is possible," he explains softly yet with passion, his smile beaming with excitement.

I can't stay pissed at him with a smile like that. "Johannes... how far is this joke gonna go?"

"It is no joke," he says, his eyes deadly serious. I sigh quietly; I don't know what he'll show me. Maybe this is his way of telling me we're going on a road trip? "Johannes," I start gently, not wanting to hurt him. "I got work tomorrow. I don't wanna get fired."

"You'll never have to work a day again. You'll be treated as a princess."

Is... is he telling me he likes me? I sputter for a little, trying to get my words together as I sit up. "Look, Johannes, didn't you say you were banished?," I ask, playing along.

"Unfairly!," he exclaims, edging into a shout. "I was not banished by my parents! It was my sister--!"

"Johannes, quiet down..." He sighs, visibly pissed. "I apologize," he then says, straightening up. "But the terms of my banishment are of no relevance. Now, will you come or not?"

"Dude, how far is this 'kingdom'?"

"Tis only a step through a door."

Shit, he probably made his room up to look like some sort of kingdom. Or made up a model of some sort. He woke me up for this? Fine. Whatever. I get up out of bed and follow him to his room. He opens the door.

What the fuck?

Hole in wall. Wait. Portal. Wait. Fuck. Fucking. Portal. What? I... what? You fucking-- what?! I...

Impossible.

"...J-Johannes..."

"Are you ready?"

"H-how...?"

"Miranda, we must go!," he shouts over the loud grating sound of a hole in space.

"Johannes, will we be able to come back?!"

"I... I'm unsure!"

God fucking damn it.

"Johannes!" He takes a step towards me, placing his soft hands on my shoulders. "Miranda! I know how unhappy you are here! I know how alone you feel! You are all I have!," he screams over the forceful wind shooting at us from the portal. "Please! I cannot leave you behind!"

All this time, he meant all he said. The realm, kingdom, the castle... it was true... holy shit.

He's royalty. And... he wants me with him.

"J-Johannes! Why me?!"

"Why you?! Why not?!"

"I'm... I'm a fucking mess! I'm certainly not royalty!"

He goes silent a moment. "Miranda... you are strong," he speaks firmly. "You have lost so much! You have been abused at the hands of those with power over you your entire life! All this time, I've seen you and known you deserved greater! Far greater!"

"What?!"

"Miranda, I love you! I am deeply and madly in love with you! I want you by my side!"

It's hard to describe this feeling. This feels like a dream, I guess? The man of my dreams seeking to whisk me off to a magical kingdom. Maybe I'm still asleep. Maybe I've been asleep the whole time I've known him. I don't know. But I know what I want.

I take one thing; the picture of my mom and I on my nightstand. Would she want this for me? I look up into Johannes's eyes. His eyes that promise I'll finally be happy.

Yeah. She'd want this.

I take his hand, tears welling up in my eyes. He pulls me through. The portal closes just as we pass through.

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The songbirds sing. The sun shines like it wouldn't in the city. Blue sky. Peace. I hold mom's photo close to my chest, my heart pounding. It's been so dark... but I made it, mom.

I made it.

- Evelyn Racynski