Feelings of wonder shot through her, as she entered The Park. Paintings as high as the sky covered the walls, paintings of mermaids, whales and angels. The hall was hundreds of metres high, and as wide as the sky. Obscure buildings, twisted and stacked, water flowing down their sides and spraying everything in a soothing mist, were filling the halls, yet everything seemed calm and in place. A silent whisper of excited voices echoed amongst the buildings, a neverending chatter of families enjoying their time. From nowhere and everywhere came a quiet melody of pianos, which mixed the bubbling of the water and the voices into a calm, comforting tune.
The first things she saw were the Water Towers. High buildings with pools of water, slides and labyrinths for the kids to discover while their parents took a break in one of the exquisite cafés nearby. Laughter filled the air in a pleasant way. Some dogs were accompanying their young owners, happily splashing around in the water.
She stepped down the few stairs which divided the restaurants from The Park and weaved through the masses of people to join them. She spent hours exploring the Water Towers, and splashing around with the others. She did not get tired. And when she felt hunger she went back up the stairs into the restaurants. Almost immediately the spring-like atmosphere vanished and was replaced by candles, a warm orchestra and dark, luxurious tapestry and cushions. The waiters were walking through the aisles, carrying plates filled with exotic dishes or obscure desserts, drinks in bright colours or weird creations of candy. A few guests were calmy chatting at their tables, separated by wave-like veils, making their conversations private.
She sat down at a table somewhere at the far right, or at least she believed that, as the restaurants seemed to have no beginning and no end. Yet it felt familiar and like home, and she had a strong feeling that if she wanted to leave, the exit would be right beside her. A waiter came and took her order, and what seemed like only seconds brought it to her. It was delicious, exquisite yet so simple. It was just the right amount for her to eat, to not leave her hungry nor too full. She decided on a dessert, a little caramel ice-bonbon, which was even better than the meal before. Just as she started eating and melting to the taste, a group of three men sat down on the table next to her. It was a father with his two sons, one about 18, the other about 25. They chatted for a bit when a waitress came and brought them the menu. The younger son seemed uninterested, and his gaze swayed around the room. It stopped on her. He stood up and sat back down next to her. She was a bit surprised, but not nervous. He was very attractive to say the least, and asked her if she minded his company. She said it was very pleasant. And it was. They started a nice conversation and laughed a lot. She really enjoyed talking to him, and that feeling was mutual. After the meal they stood up and he went to ask his father a question. Then they left and passed through the Water Towers, which now seemed to be very quick to walk through, even though she had spent hours exploring them before and not seeing everything. Behind them long shopping aisles and large outlets spread across the halls, with everything mankind could think of in store. Escalators and lifts of all kinds were connecting the shops, twisted and stacked in a loose, comfortable way. Bushes, trees and flowers framed the picture, and bright, warm sunlight came through the roof made of glass. Water flowed down the sides of the stores, or sprayed mist onto them while splashing upwards in a huge fountain.
They went shopping, enjoying their time with each other and joking around as they tried on formal gowns, costumes or wigs. They danced in a huge ballroom made completely out of glass, which hovered in the middle of the complex. It felt like flying.
And then she woke up. It had been a dream.