In a dazed, mounting understanding of the world around her, she stood up. Right foot forward. Left foot forward. Right. Left. Walking. Running. She was running, running towards the edge of the grass. Blindly she raced into the depths of the forest as some creatures scattered in fright or annoyance while others stood in shock or interest. The deeper she went, more unusual and exquisite fauna and flora appeared. The sight of the fantastical animals and otherworldly verdure both excited and alarmed her. This couldn’t be real, and yet, she could feel the air whisking about her face and the dappled light that sent flashes of warmth across her body. The scent of the forest was intoxicating. It was purer than pure, fresher than fresh, lovelier than any air she had ever breathed. It was wilderness. It was an orchard. A field of flowers. The most magnificent botanical garden set free. No whiff of decay. No sogginess in the air; no humidity.

And the best part? There were no pesky, teeny bugs slapping her face. Now don’t get her wrong, she doesn’t hate insects or anything, only the annoying ones that bite people. Now butterflies, those she liked. Ladybugs and fireflies, dragonflies, they were cute in her eyes. If there were truly no gnats or mosquitoes or ticks or god forbid, centipedes, in this place, then by golly this world was perfect.

But realizing that she had no idea where she was going, her pace slowed, and she came to a leisurely plod. She stopped deep into the forest, gazing in wonder at its breathtaking splendor. She scrutinized the nearby foliage, noting the fascinating leafage and alluring blooms.

Peering down at one particular plant, she was in awe at the intricacy of its stalks and blades. The thin petioles formed lattices interweaved with adjoining mini leaves and florets. The spiderweb-like structures drooped from a sturdy stem, the entirety resembling that of weeping willow with wings. The whole plant seemed to shimmer as if it was covered in a veil of glistening water. She tentatively prodded one of the mesh structures and was surprised at its durability.

From the corner of her eye, a nearby bush on the right caught her attention. The plump berries looked almost iridescent, ranging from ultramarine blue to cyan and violet. Light orchid colored blossoms carried miniature berries in their centers; their silky petals curled slightly backwards to reveal the growing fruits. Just beyond the bush, golden leaves graced ecru dappled, caramel bark. The slender trees boasted luxuriant branches, and the sunlight coruscating through its foliage casted gold streams upon the forest floor.

In the verdant grasses that layered the ground, larger and more complex plants were scattered in between. Plants with leaves like fire wisps rose above the grass tops. Silky ferns were draped over tree roots, and wide palm plants with flowered-tipped stalks at their centers made their appearance in the near distance. Fallen logs and flat boulders peeked out from beneath the cover of rich, deep malachite green moss that was dotted with small multi-colored flowers. The edges of the moss melded into the soil beneath the bordering domain of the grass below.

She walked over to an especially large rock blanketed in moss and intermixed with milk, rose, and cerise colored baby flowers and thin, silvery grasses. The way the sunlight hit this flora-veiled boulder was distinctly striking. It was as if the light danced above it, casting flecks of light beyond the boulder’s borders. Awed, she waved her hand airily in the frolicking light, watching it coruscate. Letting her hand fall, she touched the soft blossoms and ran her fingers through the satiny grass. Instantly, the rock quivered, causing the girl to recoil backwards on her behind in surprise. Slowly, the rock emerged out of the soil and walked away, scattering downy white plant tufts in its wake.

The girl blinked. There in front of her, was a wolf. It was several times the size of ordinary wolves and had plants growing all over its silvery white fur. The wolf gazed indolently from the corners of its emerald edged, golden eyes as it ambled its way into the forest depths out of sight.

Still in shock, she sat there at the exposed mat of flattened grass where the wolf had rested. While regaining her composure, a creature flitted near her right cheek. She whipped her head in the direction of the disturbance and came face to face with a dragonfly. A real dragonfly. This was no insect, but rather, it was a small, elongated dragon with iridescent scales of jade and shamrock green. Its triangular tail blades were flashing shades of blue outlined in rich periwinkle that matched the color of its wings. The belly and head were celadon, and the creature examined the girl with curious, ocean blue eyes. As she took in the vividness of its colors, a low rumble resonated in her throat and amplified to a higher pitch as she opened her mouth.

“Aww,” she crooned, stretching out her hand to the adorable creature.

The little dragon stared at her hand for a second before seeming to smile and plop itself merrily on her palm, evoking further soft squeals of adoration from the girl. They gazed into each others eyes, the dragonfly tilting its head inquisitively at her. Their transient connection lasted a few moments before the creature fluttered away into the brush.