Wake Up by Bhavya Raman {Inklings Book Contest 2024 Finalist}

Today, we are featuring Inklings Book Contest 2024 finalist Bhavya Raman! She finished 10th grade this past school year and wrote a deep and enthralling fantasy story titled “Wake Up.” Our judges praised Bhavya’s poem for being dreamlike, clever, and real. Continue below to enjoy her work in digital book or plain text form.

Dad, I’m too old for this.

Aw, come on. You’re never too old for a story!

Yes. I am.

Not for the one I’m about to tell you.

Oh my god, Dad! Leave me alone. Please

Would it be worse if I told you that I think you need to hear it?

Yes. Now please go.

You’re being very temperamental.

Dad, stop! I’m just not in the mood.

And that, darling, is the exact reason I have to tell you this story.

*    *    *

If you see a tiger in the jungle, you will wallow away in fear. If you see a tiger in a cage at a circus, you will watch in amusement. If you see a tiger on a raft in the middle of the ocean? You will do nothing but stare. Welcome to my life.

I could roar as loud as thunder on a rainy night, just like my father, making everyone and everything around me stop. But that wouldn’t help. People would only run faster, keeping their distance from a tiger like me. It is a funny thought, though, because I could never roar that loud even if I wanted to. And I want to. As a cub, I never even attempted the roar, because I didn’t want to be laughed at if I failed.

*    *    *

Dad, what is this?

It’s a story.

Dad please, I’m not a kid. And… this is just silly, I’m sorry.

It’ll get better, I promise.

*    *    *

But I grew older and the same pieces in my father clicked in me. I became a hunter instead of a sleeper. I began to creep out of my habitat, slowly and carefully, to watch the humans in their routine. Until one day I was caught.

I’ve heard of it, every tiger has. It happened to my uncle and my cousin. It happened to my mother’s mother, my grandmother. To my friends and their friends. Because we tigers are scary, and we don’t have hearts. And for us tigers, a second of carelessness and we could lose our lives. We may be hunters, but there are hunters far worse, and far more damaging because, for all we do, tigers do not disrupt the cycle of life. Humans can kill us, and everything else in its wake. 

I was taught to run and hide at the sound of a hunter’s footsteps. Even as a child, my life was always in danger and my mother would never fail to remind me. But this time I was slow, and within seconds I hit the ground.

I awoke in the back of a truck caged in–not even bothering to thrash around–either on the way to a center or a circus, who knows. To my not complete surprise, I ended up on a ship. I

supposed it would make sense that by the end of this journey I would end far, far away from my home. During the transition from the truck, they had to drug me. Why? Because I hate water. I 

hate water, I hate rain. I’ve given up, yes. I don’t plan to put up a fight. But still. At the sight of water, I can’t help but embrace my animal instinct. Funny right? 

I didn’t wake up on the ship. No. I woke up on a raft. A small little raft in the middle of the sea. 

So here I am. Alone and terrified, and slowly beginning to notice the stabbing pains in my stomach. I suppose I haven’t eaten in a while. I will probably sustain a good amount of time, but eventually, I would do anything for some food. Even if it had to be some rabbit or roadkill. Though, I would love to eat some human food. But there’s no food here, and probably none in miles. I’m hungry and scared, and seeing no other choice, I force myself to close my eyes and even begin dreaming. 

I see myself in a field of butterflies, or back in the jungle with my family. I see myself floating in the sky, sitting on a cloud without any worries or fears. I see myself with a small girl standing next to me with big wide eyes. But after that, the dream doesn’t shift. The girl just stands there looking straight at me as if I wasn’t a tiger. I laugh in my head. What a ridiculous dream. Yet, a part of my heart breaks as it sinks in how much I’d want this reality. With a little friend who doesn’t see me as scary and violent. This pain isn’t worth it. I try to wake myself up, but I can’t.

The scene doesn’t change, and I’m still looking at this small girl. I feel the irritation clawing at my chest. Why won’t I wake up? Why can’t I end this torture?

I stand up on my minuscule raft and stare the small girl down. How did she get here? She doesn’t scream or blink. She lowers herself down on the raft and lays down. With one last glance at me, she closes her eyes. I pinch myself. Ow. 

Okay. Okay, it’s just a human. Who reached my raft in the middle of this specific body of water. It’s possible, right? I mean, you tell me because if you’re hearing this, you must be human.

*  *  *

Of course that’s not possible. A person can’t just appear like that.

I see you’re beginning to enjoy the story.

I mean I wouldn’t necessarily say that…

*  *  *

Tiny Girl shifts gently on the raft every few moments. I crouch down into a sitting position and just watch her. I must admit that I get startled each time she moves, but other than that she seems to be quite a gentle creature. Just as I’m about to look away, Tiny Girl’s eyes pop open. Wide and brown there is not a hint of fear. She crawls over to me after a few moments of silence. 

“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Tiny Girl whispers. Her voice is small, but her words… they mean the world. She is calm, not erratic, not scared to be in this situation. Doesn’t she have a family to get home to? Soon, she speaks again, “I thought I was dreaming, but you’re real.”

This girl somehow doesn’t sound like a child. She has made me feel a thousand things I have never felt before. I wish I could respond to her, but what would I even say? Not to mention she will never understand my words. Her eyebrows crease as she looks at me closer. 

“Speak dear tiger! Speak! Speak!” She calls out to me as if she can read my mind. “I know you want to empty your mind. Tell me,” she pleads. I open my mouth and try to talk, but 

only a soft roar comes out. I feel the blood rushing to my face. I have always tried to hide my weak, puny roar. But instead of laughing, Tiny Girl’s face glows, radiating pure joy. Then she does laugh, but not to make fun of me.

“Again! Again!” Now she sounds like a child, playing with a toy or watching a magic trick. She sounds like a child watching a tiger in a zoo. Any notion of joy I may have had disappeared. I turn away from the girl. A few minutes later, or maybe hours, I feel soft hands stroking my side. 

“I’m sorry,” Tiny Girl says. “I know what you’re thinking. You have to understand I do not find you amusing, I find you magnificent.” Her eyes cloud over and it seems her mind drifts away. Again she takes her sweet time to come back to this reality. My reality. “You… you’ve been captured.” I hang my head, wishing it had all been a dream. Tiny Girl frowns deeply. 

She grabs my paw and does something so horrifically scary that I can’t even begin to say it. Tiny Girl doesn’t even look at me as she drags me into the water. 

*  *  *

I’m confused, how is this possible?

It isn’t.

What? Then why are you telling me this?

I would say he’s living in a fantasy.

The tiger?

Yes. Wouldn’t you agree?

I don’t see how this applies to me though.

Sometimes I think we’re all just like Stripes.

Who?

Stripes.

You named the tiger?

Every being should have a name.

What do you mean, we’re all like… Stripes?

We’re all always trying to escape reality.

*  *  *

Tiny Girl drags me deeper and deeper until my toes graze the bottom. I gasp, instantly regretting the decision as water floods my throat. But the water just drains out. My fur clots together in ugly red-orange clumps. Despite that, I am not missing the obvious. The water around me floats into my nose and then evaporates, allowing me to breathe softly into the currents surrounding me. Tiny Girl seems to be able to breathe as well. She looks at me, and I can now see the mischievous glint in her eyes, the look of a child. She moves to the right and I follow her into a cove. Small fish fly in a school beside us. Tiny girl takes her time to wave at each one and it almost looks like she is personally introducing herself to each. She pokes my side and beckons me nearer. 

She gestures to a small goldfish “This is Sam. He wants to let you know you are always welcome to this cove!” It was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, but again I don’t miss the obvious. Tiny Girl should not be able to talk to me right now. She must see my confusion and 

points at her forehead as if to say, “It’s all in your head!” It rings around my head, tumbling around which makes me realize. I gasp again, this time not worrying about the water that fills my mouth. She is talking to me in my head. Telekamy? Teraphamy? I’ve heard of this before. Which means she should also be able to hear what I’m thinking. To confirm my suspicions, Tiny Girl nods. 

You understand. The words boink around in my head for a bit, my mind grappling for a sense of how this is real. At the same time, I can’t ignore the fact that I am completely surrounded by water. Nor the fact that Tiny Girl seems to be friends with all of these fish which I’d be happy to plop in my mouth. But I would never harm a friend’s friend. I suck in a breath, and my nostrils burn from the touch of the salty water. But… I just called Tiny Girl my friend. I’ve never had a friend before. She’s dancing around with her fish friends, looking crazy and graceful all at once. I nudge Tiny Girl with my palm, and she turns to look at me with her hair sticking out in all directions floating in the water. I point to my forehead and she nods, letting me know that she is listening. Before I can change my mind, I ask Are you, my friend? She looks at me and starts giggling uncontrollably. I sink away in shame, sure blood flushes my entire face in a shade of deep red. Her voice fills my head. 

Of course! I thought that was obvious!

Really? 

Tiny Girl nods. Suddenly everything seems clearer and more beautiful. I never even knew it was foggy before. The water looks fresh and the fish are shimmering in the light. I take a long moment to look at the world I am in. 

You seem sad. Tiny Girl approaches me. I shake my head.

I want the world to look this pretty everywhere. I want it to feel this safe everywhere. I think about the beautiful, yet cruel place my family lives in and make eye contact with her. I want to go back home. My eyes feel wet, and not because of the water I’m in. I close my eyes and the next second I am back on the raft and Tiny Girl looks at me with large worried eyes.

You ask of me the one thing I can’t do. But you understand, don’t you? I shake my head, no. Tiny Girl gives a soft, almost mocking laugh. I can keep you here in a world so perfectly bliss. Or I can return you back to the harsh realities of the world. She looks at me questioningly, and I honestly don’t know how to answer. I think about Tiny Girl’s words. “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she had said. She dove me straight into my fears and drenched me in it until it looked magical. 

But… I can’t live here. Not when my family is still in danger. Not when so many creatures are suffering. I shake my head slowly and dip my chin. Tiny Girl’s eyes glisten, and I know she understands. She nods once and takes my paw. 

Close your eyes, she says. I do and when I open them, I am sitting in the back of a boring gray truck. 

*  *  *

That was good, daddy.

I told you it would be.

You were right.

About?

I’m living in a fantasy. 

Reality is right here waiting for you. 

And all this time, I’ve been trying to escape it.

Wake up, my darling, wake up. 

.