Once upon a time there was a girl...
"A what?"
"A girl!"
"Oh, that is what I thought you said, okay continue."
There was a girl, who lived in a small village in a valley beneath the shadow of a very large mountain. Her whole life she had heard the villagers call the mountain the Imagination. She often wondered what they meant by that, but grown-ups often did not like to explain things to the little ones. The mountain towered over everything around it but no one ever ventured past the lower slopes, but no one could tell you why. It was just the way it was and had always been.
Every day when the girl awoke she would stare with wonder at the mountain. Although her life was happy and carefree she often day dreamed about exploring the mountain and often wondered what was truly there. She would ride her horse around the foot of the mountain outside the village, but never venturing far from the known tracks. She had been warned that there may be evil that lurks upon the Imagination.
"Whoa, this story is taking a turn and I'm not sure..."
"Okay, just settle down and listen."
"Alright"
One day the girl while out riding early in the morning she came to a split in the trail that she had somehow always missed before. The normal trail continued straight ahead but on this morning she could see an almost hidden trail that circled around the trunk of a giant tree and then disappeared deeper into the forest. After hesistating for only a moment she quickly spurred her pony and started down the new path. It quickly began to climb and a small voice inside her head whispered this may not be a good thing. But her heart knew this path of Imagination she was on was the right one.
Because of that choice to follow her heart and not her head she was lead higher up the mountain. The terrain got more rocky and even, but her sure footed pony had no problem. Around mid-day she stopped for a snack of chips and chocolate that she always brought along on her rides. She also shared an apple with her horse as they rested by a small clear brook. Shortly she continued on down the trail steadily climbing higher and higher towards the sky. She could not see the top of the mountain due to the thickness of the forest around her so had no idea how high she and her pony had climbed.
Because of that she suddenly found herself exiting the forest of trees into an large open meadow just below the summit of the mountain, still covered lightly in snow. The meadow was covered with wild flowers of every color and on the far side stood a castle in the sun with flags streaming above in the gentle breeze. She heard what sounded like a small stream and also spotted a tree with brilliant orange-brown leaves next to the castle. She quickly spurred her pony and they galloped across the meadow and up to the tree. It was at that moment that she realized the trees leaves where actually barbeque potato chips and around the trunk ran a small stream of chocolate milk! She was astonished, until she heard a voice speak from the window high up on a castle turret. "Child, help yourself and you are always welcome here!" The voice dispelled any fear and apprehension she had felt and she quickly picked chips from the tree and filled her saddle bags. She also filled her canteen with chocolate milk and settled back in the cool grass to rest. She wished she could stay her forever.
Until finally, the voice spoke again calmly but with authority, "Child you must return now" and she knew her parents would be worried if she did not return soon. She slowly started down the mountain sad that she must leave, but promised herself that she would return soon and often to what she now considered her mountain. Knowing that her Imagination could always take her there and would forever be right where she left it.
©Maleko 2012
(The above was written for Free Write Friday using what is called stream of consciousness writing, no editing, no proofing just write! The story was prompted by the image below, please check out Kellie Elmore's blog for more information on Free Write Friday's, twitter hashtag #FWF)
