The Lost Dimension

"Today is going to be glorious," I thought to myself as I skipped up the smooth, varnished wooden stairs towards my brightly lit, cozy bedroom to continue to read a thick book. As I opened it, the scent of the musty book spread through the air as I pursued the story. My eyes were glued to the book as the words flowed gently like a stream through my mind; I was lost in thoughts based on the tale. As soon as I heard my parents greeting my friends' parents, I jolted off my bed, tossing my book aside. I landed on my fluffy green carpet beside my bed; the mat brushed my feet as I rushed to exit my room. I swiftly raced through the top floor and then rushed down the stairs. As soon as I got down, Brian darted for the game room, and I tailed behind him. Brian flopped onto the gray, bouncy couch as I reached for the console. I got out the smooth, highly decorated controllers and turned on the PC. As soon as this happened, we started to play. We enjoyed playing games as the vibrant TV colors attracted our eyes. Our eyes darted side to side, looking for enemies, while our hands rapidly engaged with the controller. We were both locked in... The slashes, punches, and smashes all bounced through our ears. We smiled victoriously over the monster. Then the aroma of cooked food wafted through the air, the sound of the pan sizzling wildly. Suddenly, the TV opened up in a flash; the round portal in front of the TV was a deep black abyss, and we were sucked into the never-ending darkness and landed in a pixelated, cartoonish place. Bright colors hit our eyes, jazzy music echoed throughout our ears, and the air's odor smells different, more artificial. It took me only a few minutes to realize that we were sucked into our own game, and I was fascinated. Meanwhile, Brian was screaming, running around in circles, and he hellishly shrieked, “AHHHHHH, WE’RE GONNA DIE!” He was frantically running in circles against the brick floor with a horrendous face. I, being the hero, walked up to him and calmly retorted, “We're not gonna die.” Just then, a brown, furry, buff, manlike beast emerged from the trees, attempting to slash us with its long, shining silver claws. We barely managed to avoid it, and I, being the heroic man, drew my sword and slayed the beast. What do you mean I ran away...? Fine, I will tell you the true version—I used my magical powers. You do not believe it? I will prove... HIII YAH! Okay, fine, if this is how you like it, Brian and I ran away from the magical beast as it chased us down; it hunted us ferociously. Its red eyes darted as it pursued us. We swooped left and right, avoiding the beast's massive claws from striking. Finally losing the beast as we vanished into the forest, we ventured far and near until we came across a stone bridge, and then a large goblin appeared with its terrifying odor, mushroom spores growing on his back. I caught a whiff of the putrid odor. It informed us that there was a riddle we would have to answer in order to pass: “What goes up but never comes down?”

The goblin's riddle hung in the air, a puzzle that seemed to hold the key to our fate as we stood before the towering figure, its presence both menacing and intriguing. With a surge of determination, we shouted out the answer, "age," the word echoing through the chamber. With a hatred growl, the goblin stepped aside, granting us passage through the portal to who knows what. Stepping through, we found ourselves in a grand hall adorned with shimmering crystals and ancient tapestries that told stories of forgotten times. Golden embellished artifacts hung on the sides, and a fancy red carpet was rolled smoothly under us. At the center of the hall levitated a crystal shining like the sun, looking majestic like royalty. In a voice that resonated through the chamber, it claimed that we had completed the story and that we may now pass. It presented us with a mystic portal beaming in front of us. As we ventured forth into the unknown, we were transported back home, thrown on the couch. I never thought I would be this happy to be home—just in time for dinner.