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Emotions 365: Dreamland and the Castle Surreal

Pastel clouds puff through beautiful Dreamland where vivid creatures run. All denizens can fly — not only winged unicorns and fairies. Dreamland castles float in air. Willow trees drop sherbet colored leaves. At dusk, Dreamland comes alive with frog song and fairy festival. Everyone visits Dreamland in their sleep. Some ride gently on boats in its winding rivers. Others dock at the ferry and come shore and have adventures. Visitors take bits of Dreamland fluff home with them. Artists spin these into tapestries, paintings, theatre, and story. Engineers turn them into wondrous inventions. Scientists use the fluff to cure diseases. 

“It’s extremely valuable,” says Miss Emeline Traveler. “The most precious substance ever encountered.” 

“It’s our mission to make dreams real,” says the Guide. “For our future depends upon Dreamland.” 

The Castle Surreal floats above. It has infinite towers, entrances, arched doors, and stairways. Moats swim up the Surreal sides and alligators swim down. Dragons perch on the castle turrets and flap their pink and purple-spotted wings. Fanged creatures hiss from the parapets. Visitors fear to enter, but then find themselves in the throne room before the Surreal royalty. The royals have enormous hands, tiny heads, and long draping robes. 

“Perspective is skewed,” says Miss Emeline. “It can take all day to get from the end of one room to another or a second to cross a moat. You can eat whatever you want or nothing at all. It’s delightful, but exhausting. The Surreal lag sickness is no trifle.” 

Visitors often come and go to Castle Surreal without knowing that they’ve been. Caretakers forget that they’ve already trimmed the topiary. The Frog King croaks golden commands. Ponies prance through the courtyard holding up blocky hooves.

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