Nightmare

She lived alone, isolated from the rest of the world. A small cottage perched on top of a hill served her. She had coral hair that framed her oval face. She had almond eyes and an olive complexion. She had a slender body and long legs. If anybody ever cared to look, she could normally be seen wearing work clothes stained with grass and mud. Her ways were old - she farmed and sewed her own. That is, she lived that way until Wednesday.

Catherine Jones had walked into town thirty years ago when she was five, in the year 2162. Wednesday afternoon, July 14, '2192', she walked into 'town' again. For the occasion, she had worn an unstained, peacock blue, jeans Capri's with an ivory shirt. What once was, was now not. The town had been replaced with a space dock! Even though Catherine hadn't been to town in thirty years, she knew something was extremely wrong. She walked over to the recycle bin and picked up 'yesterday's' newspaper. The dates read; July 13, 2242. There must have been a typo in the date, reasoned Catherine. She picked up another newspaper, and another, and another. They all read the same date!

At that moment, Catherine Jones realized what had happened. She had been thrown into the year 2242! Catherine decided she was going to tell somebody the horrible mistake. As she stepped up to the space dock door, Catherine realized that there was no handle on the door! She pushed, but the door wouldn't give! Catherine sighed heavily, and leaned against the wall, but her hand pushed a tiny blue button and the door slid open.

Inside the space dock was a whole new world. Milky white marble was the floor and five-inch thick glass made up the walls. The ceiling looked like the same marble as the floor, but Catherine could not tell. The pearly illusion stretched on to her left, while to her right a metallic steel railing helped her descend a flight of stairs. "Hello," Catherine called. She continued to walk along the blank halls calling, "Hello."

Suddenly, a realization hit Catherine... Not only had she been thrown into the future, she was also alone!

Catherine Jones was a farm girl, but she had never wanted to be a farm girl. She had been born into this life and now she had a chance to get out of this life. She began to poke around the gigantic halls of the space dock.

Catherine approached the first door she had seen since she entered the building. The door was glass, just as the front doors had been. Inside was a steel control board with ebony and crimson buttons. To top it all off, was a jet black, leather chair with a silver post that fanned out and connected to the snow floors.

This time Catherine found the azure button easier and the door slid open with silent grace. Catherine put her foot inside the room, turned back and looked behind her.

Suddenly, a small muffled voice, like a clap, sounded behind her. The leather chair and the control-boards had perished. Catherine stared: the fire was spreading. It was scalding so Catherine was panicking. Her hands scrambled against the wall searching for a way out. The air was scarce. Catherine Jones knew this was the end. She felt faint. "Oh well," she thought, "I have nothing to love in this world." She leaned against the wall and, all of a sudden, she was falling, falling....

Catherine awoke. Sweat covered her face, her breathing was harsh. It had been a dream. All a terrible, terrible dream. Relief flooded Catherine. She inhaled deeply. She was still in the same old, boring cottage that had always been her...home?

Now Catherine Jones was in panic... She did not recognize the room she was in.