In dreams

(excerpt)    

           “How did you get out?” Her tone was accusatory. It didn’t matter that no one had actually locked Evangeline in this time. “It doesn’t matter. Off to bed with you now.”

            The nurse took hold of Evangeline just above the elbow and steered her away down the corridor. Moments later, she heard the scraping of a key in the lock, a click, and footsteps leading away from her door. The old iron bed squeaked in protest as she attempted to make herself comfortable on the lumpy mattress. She stared at the wall, pulling the scratchy woolen blanket up to her chin. The texture of the limestone began to roll like ocean waves as she allowed her eyes to unfocus. Waves began to form themselves into little whipped peaks of mountains and she flew over them with ease, making her way to a patch that looked liked tiny broccoli. As she descended, they grew larger and larger, until she landed in the middle of a vast forest. Even as she craned her neck back, she could not see the tops of the trees. The magnificent giants slumbered around her. Soft moss cushioned her feet. She had never been here before. She took one step forward, then another.

            With each step she shed her skin. Here, in this world, she was not Evangeline, defined by the men in her life and the status of her family, destined to be judged by whom she married, and the children she would bear. Here, she was Evan, a pirate, an adventurer, a warrior queen. She unwound her hair from its tight braid, reveling in the freedom of the act. Never would she be a damsel in distress here. She inhaled the smells of the forest; damp dirt, fresh pine, and something sweetly floral. A silent vibration thrummed through the woods. If she listened hard enough, she was sure she could hear the plants growing. A rustle to her left and suddenly a fox, bright against the sea of green, bound out of the ferns. Without a thought, Evan took off after the fox at a dead sprint. They effortlessly wound through the massive trees, leaping over their fallen brethren and great boulders in an intricate dance.