Reality
#4 of Stories From the Castle of the Immortals
_As I sit before the computer screen, I cannot help but wonder about the perplexity of the things around me. Observation is the key to unlocking many of nature's secret doors. The window of opportunity is small but accessible. So, how does one enter that window? How do we unlock Nature's secrets and bring about such great change in ourselves? Observation.
Sometimes even the smallest things can be the largest. Children are known for their uncanny habit of seeing things others cannot. A child knows no racism, no prejudice, no colour. A child knows only that we exist. A child's mind can bring forth monsters and creatures known to no mere mortal man. Why is that?
What causes a child to see things adults cannot? Once adults have reached the age of maturity, the imagination is lost to us. Time changes a person. No matter how much we believe in dragons, we never see one. And that belief slowly fades into hopefulness, which then fades to unbelief in said thing.
A child's amazement of the world is pure, innocent. They look at the world as a mystery. Something to be explored. They take in everything around them and their curiosity leads them to adventures and journeys unimaginable and unattainable by adults.
I pray to never lose that sense of wonder. For the world cannot possibly exist without it..._
~Snowy Majick, AKA the Black Widow
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The child sat upon the bed. A stuffed grey wolf in one hand and a black and white cat in the other. She mimicked the voices of the two animals. "Yes, I am!" she said, mocking a masculine voice.
"No, you're not!" she taunted back in a deep feminine voice.
She argued back and forth in her mock play of two animals arguing over whether the wolf was going to eat another plate of food or not. But, soon, the play ended. After all, her mother was calling her to dinner and she was indeed hungry.
She placed her stuffed animals back in their spots and hurried out to the kitchen. She was fascinated by the smells of food and couldn't help but wonder what delicious surprise waited for her in her plate. She sat at the table and smacked her lips as she dug her fork into the sausage jambalaya. She munched her food in silence, letting her previous play act out in her mind.
Her mother took the child's silence for what it was. She knew her daughter preferred to be in her room. Locked in her fantasies of dashing princes and amazing dragons. Still, the child was but 9 years old. And with little friends. The mother sighed and silently weighed the consequences of her next words. Thinking them to be too few as opposed to her daughter's need for more important matters, she let the words flow out, "I want you to go outside today and try to make some friends."
The child looked at her incredulously. Did her mother really mean to put her out there? The stern look of resignation in her mother's eyes, confirm the answer to the needless question. The girl's face contorted in protest. "I don't want to go outside, Momma. There's nothin' but boys out there 'n they don't like to play wit' me."
"Amy, I want you outside. You don't have to play with the boys. There are plenty of girls around here to play with," the mother said.
Amy snorted, "Which are worse than the boys. I tell ya, Jamie stole my Lion King Soundtrack and my Ace of Base CD. I saw 'em in her room the other day. Course, she claims her mother bought them for her."
Her mother looked at her curiously, "Well, how do you know they are not hers?"
"'Cause the Lion King tape's got a red dot on it. I put that dot to make sure it didn't get stolen! She stole my tape, Momma, 'n I don't wanna play wit' her. Please, lemme go to my room!" the child begged.
The mother's mind was made up, however. She knew what lurked in her daughter's room and she preferred her daughter to be outside. To make friends. "Just don't invite Jamie to your room anymore. That'll settle her from stealing any more of your stuff."
"Momma, that's bologna and you know it! I cain't go to her house 'n then not invite her to mine! 'N I cain't go outside wit'out her 'spectin' to come over. I don't wanna go outside," she whined.
Despite Amy's many protests, her mother ushered her outside. The child sat on the porch for a good while. Not wanted to venture onto the front lawn and unable to return to her room. She contemplated on crawling through her window, but dismissed the idea immediately. After all, her window was locked from the inside. There was no escape from the outside. And she did not wish to converse with the local children.
Instead, she looked to the shallow woods a block from her house. Smiling, she stood up and walked towards the woods.
"Amy!" came the call from a local boy. "Hey, Amy! Wanna come play basketball?"
The girl shook her head and continued down her designated path. She called upon her imagination to help her along. Soon enough, a large male lion walked beside her. She smiled and patted the lion on the head. "Hi, Mufusa," she said, naming the lion after one of the many Disney characters she knew of.
"Where are you going?" the lion asked, oblivious to the fact that lions are not supposed to talk.
"I'm goin' into the woods. Wanna come wit' me?" Amy answered, stepping under a tall oak tree.
The lion nodded his acceptance and the two started their journey into the woods. The woods thickened as they entered. Amy giggling idly and talking about her day at school. Mufusa listened with great interest, keeping his eyes and ears alert for anything that might be about.
The woods darkened with the progression of the sun's decent from the sky. The lion looked to the little girl, who was now sitting upon a fallen log. "Do you think it wise to stay here?" he asked.
Amy smiled. "You aren't afraid of the dark, are you?" she giggled, pulling the lion's tail.
"No, I am not," Mufusa protested. "I just worry about your safety, that's all. You are just a child, Amy. You shouldn't be out here this far. Your mother will be looking for you soon."
"Let her look," Amy sneered. "I didn't wanna come out here in the first place. I would've been happier in my room with my toys and all. 'Stead she sent me out here."
"She's just trying to encourage you to make friends," he responded, placing a large paw in the child's lap for comfort.
"I already got friends," she replied, stubbornly.
The lion smiled and nodded. He liked these chats with the girl. No matter what went on at school or with the neighborhood children, she was always ready to call upon her real friends. Satisfied, the lion laid on the ground beside the log and watched as the girl balanced herself on it.
She paced back and forth, showing utmost balance and precision. The lion silently applauded her, but also mourned. She reminded him of an animal locked in a zoo. Her hunger for adventure and imaginary things caused her to lock herself behind closed doors, to shut herself up from the world. This confused the lion.
He didn't know what it was like to be an only child. To be misunderstood and mislead in a world that cared very little for him. In his world, he was a king. The topmost of lions. Every animal in that world cared for and loved him. This child that paced before him created his world. Created him. Therefore, he couldn't understand why a world could not love or have a care for someone who wielded the power to create a world.
But then, there was a world who loved her. The world he was from. Her world. In her world, all was right. Animals bowed to her. Worshiped her for the goddess she was. He found her beautiful and toyed with the idea of marrying her one day.
Course, that was a ridiculous thought. In order to do something like that, Mufusa would have to defy all boundaries of reality and make-believe. He would have to become real... The thought terrified the lion. For he knew what awaited real lions. He shuddered involuntarily and brought a concerned look from the girl.
"Are you alright, Mufusa?" she asked, her voice trembling suddenly with the thought that something could be wrong with her lion.
The lion shook his head. "Yes, I am fine. I was just thinking..."
She giggled, "About what?"
"It's getting dark. Do you think your mom will let you back in the house?" he asked, trying to keep his thoughts hidden from the girl. But he knew that was impossible. After all, she created him. She was a goddess.
There was a look of sorrow on her face momentarily. It was replaced suddenly with excitement. "Of course! She cain't make me stay out here in tha dark!"
She jumped off the log and smiled mischievously at the lion. "Race ya home!" she squealed before launching herself in a full run. The lion laughed loudly and bounded after her.
Her mother did let her back in, and, after a quick stop to the bathroom, Amy was back in her room. Safe. Her creative mind brought Mufusa back. Brought all of her friends back.
"Where have you been?" asked a large brown mouse she called Fievel.
"Momma made me go outside," she said, to the displeasure of all.
"We can only hope she does not do that tomorrow," whispered the silvery-belled voice of an ivory unicorn named Princess.
The grey wolf Amy had been holding earlier nodded. "Yes. It wouldn't be good for that to happen."
Curious, Amy tilted her head and questioned the wolf. "Now why would that be, Tramp? Got somethin' planned?"
Another wolf, this one smaller and purple and white, answered, "Of course we do. Tomorrow is Patch's birthday. Can't let your mother ruin that for us."
Amy full-heartedly agreed. "What'cha'll plannin'?"
"Nothing," the dalmatian in question answered quickly. "I don't want to be doted on."
A long-haired black and white cat rolled her eyes. "Iffen it were my idea, we wouln't be doin' nothin'. I mean, come on, he's jus' a dawg. What'a we need to be doin' fer a dawg?"
"Bite me, Sassy," Patch barked.
The cat made a face of disgust. "I don't think so. I'd never git yer nasty taste outta m' mouth!"
The room burst into laughter. "Sassy, Patch, that's enough," Tramp said, stifling his chuckles. He looked to Amy. "If you don't mind, my lady, I would like to get some practicing in. Think we could sing a little?"
Amy was more than happy to oblige and she bid for those who played instruments to get theirs and for those who danced to get in their positions and for those who sang to get ready. She then walked over to Fievel and whispered the first song into his ear. She looked to a woman who was half human and half German Shepherd. "Tracey? You ready?" she asked.
The woman nodded and put the CD into position, to record the song. Amy quickly moved to stand beside Tracey, wanting to dance with the dancers. It was her favourite thing to do. She nodded to Fievel and the song "Cold-Hearted" started.
They continued through the evening, singing, dancing, and playing their instruments, until Amy's mother called through the locked door that it was time for bed and reminding her of school the next morning. Amy grumbled under her breath and turned off her radio.
"Alright, everyone. You heard the party-pooper. Time for bed," she said, half-heartedly.
The animals, while annoyed, were tired and agreed to Amy's wisdom in going to bed. They all quickly found their favourite spots on the floor or on the bed and got ready to fall asleep. Tramp, Mufusa, and Fievel gathered around Amy on the bed. All three determined to protect the small girl from the horrors of the night.
"G'night, guys," she said, as she flipped off her lamplight and brought the covers up around them.
Tramp snuggled into Amy's armpit and fell fast-asleep. Fievel, preferring to not sleep too close to the two males, moved closer to the wall. While, Mufusa let his body fall over Amy's. He was the largest of all three beings, mostly because he did not have a material form. He kissed Amy's cheek and found sleep shortly after.
Amy smiled, but her thoughts lingered on Mufusa's thoughts earlier. He had wished to do the impossible. To cross over from the make-believe world she had created, into the real world she lived in. She was happy that he loved her that much, for in fact, she felt the same towards him. But the idea seemed absurd. There was no place for a make-believe lion in the real world. But perhaps there was a place for her in the make-believe world...
She let her thoughts on that drift into a dream where she would become more than Mufusa's goddess. Where she would become his friend, his lover, his wife. They would have children and live forever in the fantasy that defied reality....