As my eyes closed, beginning a peaceful sleep, the scent of the salty ocean slowly filled my lungs. The scent was somewhat comforting, so I continued to close my eyes while the noises surrounding me grew louder and became audible. I began to hear growls and arguments coming from raspy, deep voices of old men in the distance as my body constantly swayed back and forth. The random splashes of the frigid ocean water drenchen my clothes and encouraged me to finally open my eyes.

My eyes flickered with flashes of sunlight and gusts of wind until my vision finally became clear. I was frightened to find myself surrounded by a group of at least ten men who wore torn pants and stained button ups. They all stared at me like I was from a different planet, waiting to hear my shaken voice. 

“Where am I?” I asked as I watched the surprised faces fill with even more confusion. 

The men looked at each other in disbelief as a sudden burst of laughter came from the back of the group surrounding me. Once the hysterics died down, the man standing directly in front of me bent down and stared me dead in the eyes stating “That's the same question we should be asking you, Captain!” 

At this moment, all of the vivid smells and noises I had been encountering finally made sense to me. I was on a pirate ship, with me as the captain.

I anxiously jumped up from the ground, frantically trying to find an escape somewhere on the gigantic ship. As I continued to search, I realized one thing, one huge problem I hadn't even thought about before. I looked out to the distance and my eyes met the horizon of the ocean. I was stranded in the middle of the ocean. 

Hours passed and although I was still in a state of confusion, I knew there was nothing to do other than fill my role as captain. The crewmates taught me how to steer the ship, which definitely took some practice before I got the hang of it. As I grabbed the wooden wheel and slightly turned it to the left, I began to feel dizzy. My body felt numb and all I could suddenly see was black. I didn't smell the salt of the ocean anymore, but I smelt the pumpkin spice candle in my bedroom. Instead of feeling soaking wet clothes, I felt the comfort of my blankets wrapped around my body. I heard silence.

I realized I was home. I realized that I was indeed not a captain of a ship, and that it was all a dream.