There once was a girl who lived in a tiny dark apartment. Her father was a dark angry shadow that made life uneasy, her mother nowhere to be found. Living through hardships made her stronger, however many nights she felt weak as her father stumbled around drunk. The sound of Sirens was her lullaby on the long and cold winter nights. One night she lay upon her lumpy mattress shivering in attempts to get warm. Her father stumbled through the door. The girl’s sad grey eyes flew open as she heard a shuffling of footsteps behind him. Quickly she scrambled to the closet where she could not be seen. She heard voices outside and only saw the Silhouettes. The voices yelled profanities towards each other, punches were thrown. The girl held closely to the thin blanket that covered her earlier that night. She closed her eyes and wished to get away.
Moment’s later silence surrounded the little girl. Wind softly blew her hair out of its ratty pony tail. She opened her eyes in shock, and found herself in a never ending meadow. Ten yards away from her lay a bright blue pond, with a miniature waterfall that was perfect to slide on. Behind her was a sweet cabin with a large welcome map by the door. She got up slowly, wiping the tears off of her face. And cautiously walked toward the cabin, noticing the door was locked she stepped back for a second, however she felt something cold on her leg. Reaching into her pocket she found a large brass key. Taking it out her placed it cautiously into the doorknob. Walking in the girl was surrounded by warmth. The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies surrounded her. She ran around to look at this magical place that had been set before her, taking not of the giant bathtub that could have been a pool, the kitchen full of her favorite food, the giant comfy feather down bed, even a room that was full of toys that she never once dreamed of owning. Picking up a beautiful Barbie doll she noticed its Dark black hair, and bright blue eyes. She picked it up and brushed its hair, holding it close she got up and walked into the bedroom. She saw her reflection in a mirror and was shocked. Her once mangy tangled black hair was now brushed and it was beautiful, her face once dirty was now freshly cleaned. Her eyes once grey with sadness seemed to have found a bit of hope, a single speck of blue dotted each sea of grey.
The whole day the young girl ran freely through the field, joyfully leaping and twirling with the new open space. Munching on cookies and eating the most delicious meal that had ever been placed before her. However the sun began to fall upon the horizon. Yawns could not stay off of the girls mind, and she crawled in to her giant bed. She held the Barbie close to her as she fell into a pleasant slumber.
The next morning she woke to rustling, opening her eyes she found that she was in the closet of her apartment. A mouse scurried over her foot causing her to shriek and tumble out of the closet. The little girl jumped up noticing that no one was in the apartment. She put her hand to her hair and noticed that it was once again ratted, her face could feel the caked on dirt from the lack of fresh water. Falling to her knees the girl began to sob, wishing she was back in her Neverland, wishing to be rid of the dark room that gave her nightmares. She looked towards the closet when a soft glimmer caught her eye. Slowly crawling towards it she saw that it was a music box, opening it she saw a small ballerina, with beautiful dark hair and bright blue eyes. Above the ballerina she saw her own reflection. Her hair ratted still, but her eyes still held the bright blue spark. Turning the key a melody began to play, it was beautiful and slow. The young girl got up slowly closing her eyes letting the beautiful music, as the music rose and fell the girl’s heart moved with it. She imagined oceans tides rolling in, only to be pulled back out as each wave clung to the shore not wishing to go back. The child thought of how the tides of slumber pulled her away from her own personal heaven. She swayed back and forth to the music, and then began to dance. Her eyes flew open, looking down at her legs as the twirled and spun and stretched just as a ballerina’s legs would do. Her arms magically knew each movement to take, and she danced around the small apartment. Although her environment had not changed, the room no longer felt like it was suffocating her. The air had a crisper feel to it. Her legs magically strong threw her into the air as she leapt gracefully landing on one foot while the other extended beautifully behind her. What was this give that had been bestowed upon her? The tears dried on her cheeks as she spun around the room, she danced and danced, and continued to do so even after the music had stopped. She danced until the sun had fallen tired and laid its head down to rest. She continued even when the wearing animals in the park had crawled into their burrows. A loud knock sounded in the apartment waking her from her trance. She turned toward the door as it shook with a violent knocking. Her heart began to pound, and she found she was out of breath. Carefully she walked to the door, turning the knob slowly she opened it. A tall man stood at the door, his facial features were strong, light stubble lay upon his face. He wore a suit and carried a brief case. The girl stood in shock as she looked up at the stranger, never before had she seen a man dressed in such formal attire. He stood for a moment and then reaching up to adjust his tie he asked to be let in. The child hesitant, the man pulled out a badge to show he was with child protective services. He walked and sat with her on the cold linoleum floor of the apartment. It was an unusual sight to see a grown business man in formal attire sitting criss-cross applesauce. She sat in front of him quizzically looking at his face. The man stated that he was there to take her a better place. Taking her had he told her she was going to have to leave everything behind for evidence purpose. The girl ran and picked up her new music box, tears welling in her eyes she held it close. Shaking her head violently when he told her she had to leave it.
She began to sob holding on to the box. She fell to the ground crying, wishing once again to be whisked away as the man tried to pry the magical music box from her arms. Closing her eyes tighter she found that she was once again surrounded by silence as a comforting wind surrounded her. She opened her eyes to find that she was once again in her meadow. The music box still lay in her arms. She jumped up joyfully, and ran to the water fall, she let her hair fall down and scooped the water up and washed her face and wet her hair. She walked into the cabin and found a hairbrush, as she gently brushed her hair she looked into the mirror. Her complexion had grown even paler than it had before. Her hair lay beautifully fallen past her shoulders. Her eyes were losing the grey sullen look as more and more speckles of blue lit up her eyes. But in all the happiness that she had from the little haven that she had found, she still felt as if something was missing. She walked into a new door that was in the cabin and found that it was a giant dance studio. The piano in the corner played the most intricate and stunning piece that she had ever heard. She went to go dance, her feet dancing in time with the music as it sped up and swayed. The mood of her dance was the dark beautiful of the song that was played for her. However as she danced she found herself unable to let go of the fact that something was wrong. Her stomach growled, yet she continued to dance. Not wanting to stop until the song was done. The song kept going as well as getting faster. The little dancer kept dancing not loosing pace of the dance. Enchanted by the piano her feet would not stop moving. Her stomach groaned for food, her head ached for water, her muscles begged for rest. Her heart pounded, the song would not stop rushing, and her body could only take so much more. Moments later she collapsed on the ground. Her eyes closed with exhaustion.
She woke up moments later to beeping in the background. Opening her eyes she saw nothing but white. She wondered if she was in heaven she turned to her right and saw that she was lying on a bed. The tall man sat next to her holding her hand. A woman stood behind him, she was tall with coal black hair that shone. Her eyes were bright blue. She walked to the girl, and knelt down next to the hospital bed.

“I know you are probably wondering who I am” the woman had tears in her eyes, “your father forced me to leave you when you were a baby, I am your mother”.

The young girl sat up in shock, and her newly found mother gently had her lay back down. “Sweetie, you were very ill these last couple days, you got sick the day the social worker came to bring you to me... You hadn’t eaten in weeks.” The little girl looked over to a nurse that had walked.

“Is this a dream?” she looked around, trying to find out what was real. It only made sense for it to be. Her father had spent many years telling her that her mother had passed away. But as she looked at the woman more things began to make sense. The eyes that looked at her seemed to be recognizable. The girl sat up slowly. “Could you get me a mirror?” Her mother shuffled through a purse and pulled out a powder compact. The girl opened it slowly, her eyes were the brightest blue, her hair as dark as night, with a shimmer of a thousand stars. The girl lay back, unsure of what to think. What was reality? Perception has seemed to deceive her, who and what was real. How would she ever find her way back, and was the life she lived before the meadow eve real? She looked back into the mirror, and the girl before her held the sad grey eyes that she once had. The girl waved good bye and walked away and the blue eyed girl leaned back into her bed. She lay back smiling, thinking to herself of the journey she had. Maybe Reality is not even real. Maybe we are what decides our reality. With that thought she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.