So everyone near the zone for the solar eclipse is getting pretty excited, myself included because I’ve never seen one in person (and I’ll be in a city that is in the path of “totality” plus I mean, come on, this is the first time it’s going to cross the continental U.S. from coast to coast in about 100 years!). I’m lucky enough to be front and center for it all and the whole ancient mystery around it has me intrigued. (Okay fine it’s just basic science but play along, will ya?) 

My friend and I will be taking a little drive to the coast and staying in a very old town full of ghosts, pirates, and long lost tales to witness the solar eclipse and as someone who reads a LOT of books (particularly anything fantasy) my imagination decided to have some fun. I mean, I know in reality I’ll be sweating in the humid summer coastal climate, wearing dorky cardboard sunglasses, surrounded by ridiculous tourists, and watching the sky go dark for but a moment in a totally natural phenomenon, but what if…

If I were a character in a book then I imagine that this seemingly exciting, but mundane, moment would be the point where my whole life changed. As the moon blocks the sun magic will rise, vampires will roam, werewolves will howl, witches will dance, fairies will play, pirates will sing, and worlds of ink and paper will come to life. The sound of the Hogwarts train will howl in the distance, Aslan’s roar will shake my wardrobe, Prythian’s battle will pierce through the veil, Ravka’s freedom will slice through the wind, whispers of Harry, Clary, Mare, Kaz, Katniss, Mia, Juliette, Feyre, Todd, Laia, Tally, Puck, Lada, Adelina, Celaena, Frodo, Anne, Lucy, Aurora, and others will brush past my cheek, tousle my hair, and raise a chill upon my arms…calling me to them.

If I were a character in a book, then this would be the moment I could choose whether to stay or to step into another world. If I were a character in a book perhaps curiosity would pull me across the veil, or perhaps I would be reasonable and afraid and choose to stay…but if I were a character in a book, adventure would have its way and one way or another I’d find myself falling falling falling until I woke up to a world unlike anything I’d ever known and yet I’d feel an odd sense of familiarity. For every strange creature that startled me, for every challenge I faced, for every fantasy that swept me away, for every death I evaded, I’d feel a sense of belonging and destiny and I’d finally gain a sense of purpose and understanding for who I am and what I am meant to be.

…But a piece of my heart would always tug gently to remind me of home. Perhaps like with Narnia, one could live a whole life of adventure then return to their own world and live out those years with all the stories and what if’s tucked away in their dreams.

(Or maybe this will just be the moment all us foolish humans are made vulnerable for an alien invasion, chaos will ensue, and most of the human population will die, several with cardboard sunglasses clutched in their sweaty hands…)

So, I know that this solar eclipse is going to be pretty cool even if it doesn’t live up to the crazy hype. But the whole time as I stand there, sweat dripping down my back in the horrible heat and anticipation tingling my bones, as the moon gracefully shifts between us and the sun, I will be wondering what if…

Well, I know I’m a romantic and that my imagination can be difficult to rein in at times, but I still think that this is a fun scenario to think about. So, what about you? If during the solar eclipse, some magic portal opened that could take you to any fictional world you wanted to see, where would it take you and would you choose to go? (Or do you imagine a catastrophe happening like aliens or zombies or something? lol)

I can’t wait to read all of your answers!