Lalaou

Trring---Trrrring-----Trrrrring. For the umpteenth time Gareth snoozed his alarm on his shiny new phone and it felt like it had been ringing a million times. He fought waking up so hard this morning because, one, he was getting to sleep for this long, after long and two, because he was having the best dream about Trisha and himself. The girl in question was someone he'd been infatuated with for two years. She worked in his office six months ago as an intern and although he had not seen her since, he had been content with stalking her Facebook page first thing in the morning and other times in the day.Gareth smiled, his cheeks reddening at the thought of her gorgeous face and never ending long legs as he jumped out of bed.

He ran a cold shower, gobbled a measly coffee and muffin-from-last-week and rushed to work in his new shiny car. He was crossing a signal and before he could turn left; which was his everyday route, he went right as he had suddenly, as if it was a dream, spotted Trisha. He felt an overwhelming surge of love sear his throat and his heart started pounding madly in his chest. She was walking her pug Demeritus and looking as gorgeous as she could ever have looked before in her simple jogging tracks and high ponytail. Gareth learnt from experience how important it was to grab opportunities when they came; that's how he was so successful financially, and so did not hesitate to ask her if she needed a lift.

Luckily, she consented and there Gareth sat driving his car with the woman he was so in love with. He wasn't familiar with this route but to seem knowledgeable, he kept going straight on that road while Trisha grooved to the music that was playing in his car. Suddenly, they reached a dead end and before Gareth realized it; he was sneaking long glances at Trisha; the car was flung midair and in an instant they were transported into a new world. The car landed with a loud thud on the lilac coloured ground. Gareth sprang into consciousness and carrying Trisha out of the car, gasped in horror at the sight before him.

Sixteen werelions lay in the vast lilac field before him. Some of these half lion, half human creatures were snoring in deep slumber and some started approaching the strange new visitors of their land in a slow menacing stride. Trisha screamed and clutched her pug Demetrius tightly around her as Gareth positioned himself in front of her looking like he'd froze. "Do not fear us, humans! For we are not going to hurt you," said one of the approaching werelions who introduced himself as Appa; all the while baring his lilac coloured teeth. Gareth touched Trisha's palm in reassurance and she looked at him; her eyes full of fear.

The vast landscape was dotted with myriad variety of flowers, all in the shades of lilac. The sky seemed to reflect the colour of the land and although there was no sun in sight, this strange land  seemed brightly lit. Appa continued, his voice deep, slow, and sonorous. "We have lived in Lalaou for centuries. We are the safe guarders and eternal watchers. All lesser beings are nurtured by us. The organisms in the soil worship us and we are fabled to have hearts of pure sapphire. This I cannot vouch for as I have not seen thus. Also, we hate DOGS!" Saying this, Appa and five of his kind leaped at the pug Demetrius, and in a blink of an eye he was swallowed whole.

Trisha wailed in pain and Gareth held her, as they entered the car and thinking that taking the car in reverse would bring them back to their own world, did just that, and it worked. And then, like all great stories end, Trisha and Gareth lived happily ever after, after Gareth consoled her enough about the tragic loss of Demetrius, the pug.