Characters of Artis Grove

“And the winner of best book of the year is ‘The dragon’s den’. The presenter announces and the audience erupts into applause. I stuff my face with grilled cheese sandwich as I involuntarily clap for the happiest person in the room, without realizing that it’s me. My book just won the award?

“Toni! Congratulations!!” My publicist yells at me as everyone giddily cheers me on to go on the stage to receive the award. I wipe the crumbs from my cheap suit as I walk toward the podium. This is a surreal moment. I guess all the tips and tricks worked, even though it’s the most ridiculous piece I’ve written.

“Thank you, everyone. This book means so much to me. I was an imaginative child; I used to paint dragons and fairies. My mum would call it rubbish and threw away my drawings. So, I took to writing. This is a genre that I always wanted to explore. I always wanted to write a fantasy novel that could spark everyone’s imagination. And I’m glad everyone was able to connect to that. So, thank you mum for throwing away my drawing book because it made me pick up the pen and write. Thanks everyone. Cheers.” I say and walk down back to my table as everyone cheers on and some start walking out as this was the last award of the night.

I just lied through the entire acceptance speech. But that’s what you have to do. Tug at people’s heart strings and make them believe there’s a greater reason for your madness when there isn’t one.

“Let’s get in the car and go to the after party. You have a lot of socializing to do.” Samantha, my publicist, informs me smiling.

The after party was nothing short of boring. Few quips about esteemed authors and half-hearted conversations about how hard it is to be author. But this after party was better compared to the previous ones since I was able to bask in the glory of my best-selling novel which made me an overnight success and today got me an award.

“Mr. Toni Gregory?” A young man in his early 20s calls out to me.

“Yes?” I say.

He smiles and gives me a quick hello. He’s a fan of my books. He starts raving about my last book, which was the closest to my heart. Not a single thing about the dragon’s den though. So, I curiously ask him how he feels about my latest work.

“It’s very different. It’s good. I just think I liked the last one with the inner demons stuff. It was dope.” He says. There’s an awkward silence and then he asks for a picture, which I happily oblige with and then he leaves.

The dragon’s den is not the real me. And the real fans know that it’s not me. It’s very cookie cutter and built for an award. I have a moment of sadness which quickly dissolves as I get greeted by Mark Derano, the God of Sci-Fi novels.

He pulls me in his group of other big-league authors. “Amazing work Toni. Congrats!” One of them says.

“Thank you.” I say.

The conversation is very productive as they give me practical advice. One of them even tells me how his buddy could turn my fictional novel in to a movie, which is a dream come true.

After all the ego boost and some booze, I come face to face with my archnemesis, Tamara. “Congratulations Toni.” She says half-heartedly. “You’re a sellout.” She adds.

“Some of us are a bit more practical and write about what the world needs. Unlike you who’d rather fulfil her own desires and fantasies through writing.” I retort back. Tamara and I briefly had a fling in college before she started dating my best friend.

“You wrote your book thinking of me, didn’t you? That character Amara?” She asks.

Amara is the villain of my book. She’s a brat and her dragon causes chaos which the four powerful mages have to control. The book ends with the four mages killing the dragon, who I may or may not have based on my best friend.

“It’s a lame story anyway. I don’t care.” She continues.

“You seem pretty bothered by it though. Perhaps you found some similarities with that insufferable woman from my book.” I tease her.

I feel a tug at my shoulder and turn back to see a man standing there. He looks a bit serious but his face quickly turns to a smile. He hands me a poster. “I made a digital art. I printed and turned it into a poster. Big fan.” He says warmly.

I thank him but before I could get back to my conversation with Tamara I get pulled away by my publicist.

“You’re too drunk. You should go home Toni.” She says and motions for the driver to back the car for me to get in.

*****************

I drink some more beer in an attempt to blur out all the fake interactions I’ve had with people today. So much feigning just to win a stupid award.

I walk in the bedroom which is a complete mess from the unfolded laundry and cluttered desk. My eyes land on the poster in my hand. Maybe I should hang it up.

I open up the poster which is a scenic waterfall from my book, with all the characters standing at the base of the waterfall. Amara is stood off on top of a cliff with her pet dragon. What a mesmerizing work of art, makes my lame story look so picturesque.

I drift in to sleep while observing the details of the art work.

“Toni? Mr. Toni? Are you alright?” A woman calls out for me.

I open my eyes near a beautiful waterfall under the shimmering night sky and the smell of grass that I’ve not smelled in years.

“This place is…..” I get up from my slumber, sit up straight and look around, it’s Artis grove.

“So you created this, Toni?” Another woman says from behind me and I turn around.

“Amara?” I say. She smirks and walks away.

The polite woman on my side who so kindly woke me up must be Vanessa.

“Vanessa, Can you tell me how I got here?” I ask her, still looking around perplexed yet mesmerized.

“You accepted the art piece Mr. Toni. The beautiful painting came to life from the intense emotions you poured in to it.” She says.

I look at her feeling confused. I felt more intensely for my other books more so than this one. This was just a way to get mainstream. However, Vanessa is an honest character. I knew she wouldn’t hide anything from me.

“Is this a dream?” I ask her.

“No. You’re here in this world in real time.” She says.

“Yeah right.” I say. Clearly, I’m having one of those vivid dreams. Just a few days I listened to a podcast on this topic.

Anyway, if I’m here, why not have some fun.

I spend the next few hours meeting all the characters from my book. I bathe in the waterfall under the moonlight. I party with my favourite people, Vanessa, Duke, Mitch and Sophie. All the main characters who also happen to be mages.

“The sun will rise in few minutes Mr. Toni. You better go with Vanessa. You know about the fire breathing dragon.” Duke tells me. I can’t help but laugh.

“I’ll be fine Duke. It’s my creation.” I say proudly.

“Not really.” I hear Mitch say slowly when suddenly there’s footsteps and crackling of tree branches.

All of us turn around to see Amara confidently walk towards us.

“Toni. Long time no see.” She says, quickly pulling my hand and having me in a chokehold.

“Long time? I just met you.” I tell her. I feel my heart skip a beat. Amara looks exactly like my ex-girlfriend. She acts like her too.

“You were not supposed to come back so quickly.” She tells me.

“This is not the time to talk about this. We can still send him back.” Mitch says walking to the front and pulling me away from her grip, her nails dig in to my arm as I get away.

“Sorry.” Amara says, looking at the injury she caused.

I look at all of them in wonder. It’s like it’s a world of its own narrative. I grow impatient with the vague discussions occurring in front me.

“What exactly is going on here?” I ask.

“You need to return back and do what you’re meant to do. Why would you write about us anyway?” Amara asks.

Duke pushes me back and stands facing Amara. “He doesn’t remember Amara. He didn’t know.” He explains.

“If he didn’t remember then how on earth would he write about us?” Amara questions him, getting increasingly annoyed at my presence.

“Calm down Amara.” Sophie speaks up.

It’s a dream. Yet it feels so real.

“It’s because you belong here, Toni” Vanessa says. “You’re one of us. You’re a powerful mage and exorcist. You decided to go to earth to help humanity with demons, literally and figuratively. We tried to help you blend in but you kept unlocking memories of this place.”

I look at all of them waiting for a better explanation. The sun starts to rise and so does my anxiety. Why am I not waking up?

“We’ll send you back but you can’t bring more light to this. Understood?” Amara asks.

“I wrote you. What do you mean I wrote about you? You’re based on Tamara.” I tell her.

“No. You were attracted someone who looked and acted like me. Now, can we send him back.” She says looking at everyone else. They all nod their head and circle around me.

“One last question. Why is she upset with me anyway?” I ask Vanessa while pointing at Amara.

“You broke her moonstone.” Vanessa replies matter-of-factly.

A portal opens underneath my feet and I wake up in my apartment, the sun rays fall on my eyes. My eyes slowly land on the poster which has now changed in to a fanart of me.

Perhaps it was always that.

The doorbell rings. I get off my bed and walk towards the door, slowly turning the knob and standing face to face with Tamara.

“I made cupcakes as an apology. Sorry for being rude to you yesterday.” I give her a smile and invite her in, while the memories of Artis grove fade away.

Tamara looks at my arm and softly touches at a scar. “How did you get this?” She asks.

“I don’t know. Must’ve hurt myself while sleeping again. You know me.” I say laughing and we both share a warm hug.