The sun reflected off the serene ocean in front of him. Waves crashed against the jagged rocks that lined the shore. The scorching sand punished those without proper footwear. Lioan was lying down in his sun chair, free from the world's shenanigans. The beach was his place of comfort, a place of seclusion from the others. His thoughts slowed, and his heart followed. The breeze carried his struggles to distant lands. As he was drifting to sleep, he heard his mom call for him in the distance, "Lioan, come over here for a second". Naturally, this irritated him.
Why, out of all times, was it now that he was needed? He slowly got up from his chair and started walking to his house. He walked the path he always would, through the thick foliage and lush plants of the forest that inhabited the island. He'd walked this path several times, nothing out of the ordinary. The distinct calls of various species echoed throughout the forest, though familiar, the noises seemed strangely louder today. Finally, he saw the side of the house; he had made it home. He walked around it to enter through the front door, but when he got there, he stood in shock. His body immediately tensed, and a chill ran through his spine, as his eyes started to water. Instead of the entrance, he found a wall. The wall had a hydrangea, about 6 inches in length with unblossomed flowers, growing from where the doorknob would be. Lioan didn't know what to do. What kind of situation was this? Was this not his house? Though he was sure it was. He thought maybe someone was pulling a prank on him, but this thought left as quickly as it came; this seemed paranormal.
After standing dumbfounded by what he found, he slowly approached the hydrangea. The recluse flower was at its healthiest, with verdant green leaves protruding from its stalk. He grabbed its stalk and tried ripping it out of the door, though to no avail. The flower was firmly attached and oddly durable for a flower. Lioan was at a loss; he had no idea what to do. A loud screech abruptly explodes behind him. Lioan swiftly turns around. There is nothing in sight, just lush forest. Lioan contemplates whether to explore the sound. After a moment's decision, he decides it isn't worth it and shifts his focus back on the door. He tried breaking the door down, knocking, and yelling, but nothing worked. He was sure that his mom was home, so why wouldn't she open the door? His mind raced, thinking the worst.
Footsteps slowly lurked behind him, causing Lioan to stiffen. He slowly turned around and saw an inexplicable horror. A beast, comprised of a tiger's body and the head of a monkey. White feathers nested on each of its limbs, with occasional red feathers intercepting its symmetrical pattern. The paws had sharp claws on their soles; the beast was standing on its claws. The instant Lioan saw it, a suspicion was instantly confirmed in his mind. Wherever he was, it wasn't Earth. The beast encircled him multiple times. Lioan, afraid to make a single sound, stood there with his breath held. Eventually, the beast walked back into the dense forest, its wails slowly fading away. Lioan fell to his knees, mind bank of thoughts, he felt helpless. What was he supposed to do? He had to find a way back to his world. He wanted to see his mom, his friend. An unfathomable feeling of despair encompassed his heart, choking him. Lioan's breath was getting less and less fulfilling, ultimately passing out on the grass beneath him.