Dreams are a silly thing. They can be an escape from reality or a wonderful fantasy. Either way my dreams keep me alive. Keep me away from the heartbreak and the pain.

Every night I hook up to the Machine. The _Dream Machine_, they call it. It keeps us sane. Allows us to stay in line and follow rules without question. We get rewarded in good dreams for a day of hard work. But nightmares come as punishments.

Without fail, the Machine brings me back to The Meadow with a _whir_. The Meadow. My happy place.

My family used to got to The Meadow for picnics. We would sit in the long wispy grass for hours telling stories and laughing. Fresh spring air cleansing our lungs. I would pick wild flowers and make a crown for my brother who would then get mad and chase me.

My brother, little Jake. I hadn’t seen him in years. Not since _They_ came. The Meadow was my happy place. It had to be. It reminded me of little Jake. His smile, his laugh, how much fun we had. Before his smile faded, before he begged to see more flowers. Before I went to his room to wake him, but no one was there.

_Whir_. The Dream Machine takes on anoher scene. Me and my best friend Lily lying in The Meadow gazing up at the stars. We are laughing and pointing out constellations. The warm, summer air brings a multitude of lightning bugs. Then we hear a boom in the distance. A firework explodes overhead. How we were so surpised!

That was back when I wasn’t afraid to gaze up at the sky. Before, when I had a friend. A _best_ friend. Lily had gone, shortly after Jake. When the sky had first turned red. With my best friend and my brother gone, I had no one to hang on to. Another moment gone forever.

The Dream Machine changed again. The Meadow was still there. This time it was colder out, leaves falling from the trees. A soft glow came from a crackling bonfire. In this scene I was with Archie. Archie was my first kiss. I remember the feel of his soft lips on mine. And how I felt warm and safe when lying next to him. It had been a beautiful night.

That was before I was scared of fire. The image of burning streets flooded my mind. That was when I had last seen Archie. I saw his eyes flickering among the flames. Too late to do a thing.

_Whir_. Went The Dream Machine. This time there was only The Meadow. Eerily still. Nobody around.

Was there supposed to be someone? I don’t remember.

I dreamt about a meadow I knew nothing about.