I’ve kept to myself since boarding the Vulcania on the 14th. Since I’d already spent several days on the Island I took the opportunity to acquire my ’sea-legs’ on the ship and get settled into my cabin. I’m still learning my way around, there are so many interesting places and activities aboard. I did take a day to cultivate a picture seed, and I was pleased with the results. And there is a coffeemaker in my cabin! How excited am I?! Maybe once I get out and meet my neighbors they will come join me for a cup. A few of my neighbors stopped by to comment on the growth of my picture seed and for that I am very thankful. I feel welcome already and I am eager to see where we will go this year. In the meantime, I’ve been trying out some of the chocolates I found in my cabin. We will see what comes of these.
Witchcatchers
From the picture grew a story…
There once was a little girl named Brenda Lee. She lived in a big beautiful house. She had two wonderful parents who always took care of her, but Brenda was very afraid of witches, goblins, and monsters. She was especially afraid of witches.
She heard them at night calling from the vents in her room. She would ask her father every night to please cover the vents with heavy boards so that they could not come and take her away in the middle of the night.
One night little Brenda Lee fell asleep watching TV and her father took her to bed without covering the vents.
She woke up in the middle of the night, startled to discover that the vents were open. She began to cry and wanted to call out for her father, but she was afraid that it may cause the creatures to come for her.
She heard a rustling in her closet and pulled the covers up under her chin.
“Who’s there?” she whispered.
Just then one of her sweaters began to crawl from the closet and Brenda Lee began to cry harder.
“Don’t cry Brenda, it’s just me.” A small voice called out from beneath the sweater. A curious Brenda stopped crying and crawled to the edge of her bed peering at the moving sweater. She watched as a fuzzy bear wiggled his way from beneath the sweater.
“It’s me, Snuggles.”
Brenda gasped and reached out to grab her stuffed teddy bear.
“You can talk?” Brenda momentarily forgot all about the witches, and monsters.
“Of course I can talk silly, I just can’t talk in front of adults.” Brenda nodded, that made sense. Then she remembered the vents and she pulled Snuggles close and got beneath the covers.
“We have to be quiet, the vents are open.”
“What do you mean?” Snuggles asked.
“The vents aren’t covered. The witches and monsters can get out.” Snuggles laughed and jumped out from under the covers.
“No silly, the vents are traps. When monsters and witches try to come through the windows they get sucked in and they can’t get out.”
“Oh,” Brenda said. She thought about this for a minute. “So that’s why I can hear them in there? They are trying to get out.”
“Right!” Snuggles exclaimed. The door opened and snuggles froze, falling back onto the sheets.
“Brenda?” Her dad stuck his head in, “Who are you talking to?”
Brenda looked at Snuggles who now lay lifeless on the bed and smiled. “No one.”
He walked in and sat on the edge of the bed, “Do I need to cover the vents?”
“No Daddy!” She smiled. “They are traps, the witches can’t get out.” Brenda’s dad laughed and nodded. “Ok.” He walked out and closed the door behind him.
Brenda looked at Snuggles who lifted his head and winked. She pulled him up close and laid her head back down. She could hear the witches and monsters wailing, but she wasn’t scared anymore.
The next morning when she woke up, Brenda Lee walked over to the open vent. She found a pair of black pointy-toed shoes stuck in the vent and smiled. She’d caught a witch.
Waiting…
Early last week as I sat with my morning coffee I felt lost and discouraged. I found myself praying for wisdom and inspiration. Without warning I found myself on a beautiful Island with beautiful foliage and amazing waterfalls. For a few days I simply explored the Island, finding all the special places and learning lessons from the behaviors of all my forest friends. Two nights ago as I sat at the campfire waiting for my coffee to brew a beautiful White Owl came and sat across from me. I did not move, afraid that if I startled him he may leave. He was magnificent, and looked straight towards me. When my coffee was ready I made very careful movements to pour myself a cup. He tilted his head as though to request a cup for himself. After some careful consideration, would coffee be harmful for this creature? Would it spook him and make him fly away? I poured a second cup and placed it before him. He nodded to me as though to express approval. He dipped his face to the cup and closed his eyes, much as I do when I’m enjoying the strong aroma of a fresh pot, then looked directly at me before flying away. As I watched the sunset that evening I pondered the Owl. I’d heard before that gaining the trust of an Owl was a great honor, and while I slept that evening I dreamt of the magnificent creature. He spoke to me in an unfamiliar language, but I understood him just the same. He told me that this was White Owl Island, and I’d been brought here to discover wonderful things about myself and others who were like me. He then told me of a wonderful ship, the SS Vulcania, that would be coming for me this weekend, to take me on the adventure of a lifetime. When I woke I found a walnut shell in the palm of my hand. Next to my hand was a piece of twine that I used to fashion a chain so that I could wear the shell around me neck. Today I’ve gathered my belongings and come to the gorgeous shoreline of this Island. I have found things in myself that surprise me, and now I’m patiently waiting for a glimpse of the SS Vulcania. I only hope that I have a coffeepot in my cabin.
