The Whirlpool

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Emily. Her life was pretty normal – or she thought so – until one fine day. It, the day, was ordinary, just like any other – which was quite surprising. The day started off by her friends, as usual, teasing her- “Hey Emily, stop hiding from us. Everyone knows you’re such an ant.” Emily was sad and irritated-even though she was used to being the shortest, of leaving aside the fifth graders, but even the second graders. She started swimming in the swimming pool alone; trying to beat her own world record of staying underwater without breathing, for 36 minutes. She had this unusual talent of holding her breath even though she was quite sure both her parents didn’t have it. She had been careful not to tell this to anyone, afraid she would be the spotlight at school, home, or anywhere else-being more noticed than usual was her main weakness. She also had a photographic memory –another thing she had been hiding. So, after being underwater for 40 minutes, and breaking her world record, she saw some type of whirlpool being formed at the deepest part of the pool.

Chapter 2

Emily was amused, scared, surprised and happy at the same time! But her main emotion was a surprise. She wanted to investigate it, and at the same time, wanted to jump out and scream for help. Overcoming all of this, she went inside it. Everything inside her felt squeezed. After 10 endless seconds, she saw something she couldn’t explain- a new world, full of new surprises.

Just when Emily was trying to analyze and take in the things she had seen, a short-mini-human-like creature appeared from out of the ground. Emily hardly a second to realize that he/she – Emily took it as a she- was as tall as her! It made her feel happy, and she was no longer scared. The ‘She’, as Emily had named her, started talking, “Welcome to our world, or to say, ‘your world’. We, if you’re wondering, are dwarves. Everyone is going to be happy to meet you”.

Emily stood there, started.

Chapter 3

The dwarf said, “Hey, don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be alright. By the way, I’m Diana. If you are wondering, yes it is a human name. Even I was raised by humans. I know how it is to be around those coconut trees who don’t know anything besides bullying”.

Emily’s shoulders relaxed.

She managed to mumble a few words like, “How…Why…What…I”

Diana answered, “These will be answered, first follow my footsteps to your magical world.” Emily reluctantly followed her.

It was fascinating. She had never seen such a place in all her life, with a photographic memory. Covered in jewels, gleaming in the light where the buildings and the rest of the landscape covered in beautiful trees, in millions of different colors and changing color at any angle possible. She would have never thought that her new home will be so… I think no word will be suitable. But the best thing was – all of them were (on average) the same height as her! She wouldn’t waste her whole life being teased on the bases of height. The talking and murmuring of the dwarves distracted her. The people were as beautiful as their buildings – irrespective of gender. They were covered in a fabric that couldn’t be described and in colors that couldn’t have even been imagined wearing.

Diana caught her eyes and said. “You are so like me. Even I did the same thing when I saw this world for the first time.”

Emily answered, “Really?”

“Yes”

Chapter 4

After some serious thinking, Emily asked, “Where will I live?”

“In that house over there.” Diana answered, “You are living in the block that I am. That way we can meet each other.”

Emily yawned.

Diana said, “Why don’t you sleep in your new home. You look exhausted.”

Emily asked, “So is this really my new home?”

Diana said, “Yes, it is. Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”

Emily said, “So what about my family? I can’t possibly live here without them.”

Diana said, “That is up to you. You have a choice.”

Emily said after a few long minutes, “I want to live here.”

Diana said, “Okay then, your parents’ memories will be altered.”

 “Can’t I live with them here?”

Diana reluctantly said, “No, that is not possible.”

Chapter 5

“But why,” Emily said, with disappointment

“All that will be explained tomorrow. Now you most certainly need some rest. You look exhausted and worn out.”

Diana saying that Emily really felt how tired she really was. After that, Emily did not know what had happened.

When Emily woke up, she was sleeping on a soft comfy bed. “So it wasn’t a dream”, Emily thought. She had thought that she would wake up realizing this was all, nothing but one of her stupid over imaginary dreams. But it wasn’t. She didn’t know what to do with that information. And also how to face the consequences she had to deal with because of it. And not even the fact that what she was supposed to do next. Or what to decide. In fact, Emily didn’t want to do anything now except lie down in her new bed. Yep, nothing- even though she knew that she was starving. Before she could think of anything else, there was a subtle knock on the door.

Look out for the next book in the series: The dwarven land