[ TT ] `` Please do n't wake up . I do n't want to die . ''

When I was little, Marzia was my best friend. We met up every night for excursions into the great unknown. With her at my side, I saw the Great Wall, the Eiffel Tower, all the locations I had only ever seen or heard about in books. After sightseeing, we sallied forth into town to sample the local cuisine. It always left me with an appetite for more. 
 
 When I was little, Marzia was my best friend. Older and wiser than I, she knew of many places my conscious brain dared not dream of; and when I got too curious, she would offer to take me upon her back and fly me to these fantastic places. In this way, I discovered that floating islands with mermaids and elves and minotaurs really did exist; and even better, they were always within reach, for Marzia was both a well-traveled and generous soul. 
 
 For years, this was our routine. I would find her at night and we would fly into a new mini-epoch of discovery. Afterwards, I recorded each journey into a little notebook I kept at my side at all times. Flipping back through its pages never fails to fill me with wonder, for within those youthfully scrawled black lines is preserved my childhood, a truer record than that which is stored inside my head. I took to reading these stories at nighttime, so that when I fell asleep, I would see my dear Marzia once more. 
 
 One day when I laid down, I saw her standing before me, a pained expression on her face. Sorrow didn ’ t suit her; she had only worn the expression once before when we lacked the money for us both to have a snack. Confused, I went to her. 
 
 “ Marzia, what ’ s wrong? ” 
 
 Slowly, she lifted her head to face me. I could see the places where tears had dripped down her face. “ Paulie, ” she said, addressing me by a name I had n't heard since I was young. “ I beseech you. Please, don ’ t wake up. 
 
 I don ’ t want to die. ” 
 
 For Marzia is a dragon, and in the real world, dragons don ’ t exist. 
 
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 I instantly thought of imaginary friends when I read this, but I was trying not to give it away in the beginning.
