The Secret Place

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, lived a little girl named Georgina. She was very nice, had pretty brown hair and loved to wear her blue dress that matches her eyes.

One day, her mother came to her and say, “Georgina, today we are going on a trip.”

“Where to mommy?” Asked Georgina.

“Some place very special.” Her mother answered.

“Where is that?” Asked Georgina.

“A wonderful place you have never been before, but it is hard to explain. You will have to trust me.” Her mother said.

So they got dressed and ready, packed a nice lunch, and left their home and took the road that led towards the mountains.

After a while they came to a small trail that led off the road. Sharp rocks and boulders lined the trail. Mother started down the train, but Georgina was unsure and a little scared.

“Are you sure we are supposed to go down there mommy?” Asked Georgina.

Mother smiled. “Yes dear. This is the way. Trust me.”

“Yes mommy.” Said Georgina. And they took the trail together.

The trail was full of rocks and very steep, but they went up together. At the top of the trail was a big flat rock. From the rock they could see the whole valley below. It was so pretty and wonderful. Mother showed Georgina their town and their house. They seemed so small from up here, like little toys she could play with, but they were also so pretty.

“Thank you mommy.” Said Georgina.

“You are welcome.” Said her mother, “But there is still more to see. It is not even noon yet.”

Mother took Georgina to another trail and they started down it. After a while they came to a rope bridge that went over a deep gorge. Far below Georgina could hear the sound of a river, but she it was so far down, that she could not see it. Georgina was unsure and a kind of scared.

Mother started across the bridge.

“Are you sure we are supposed to go down there mommy?” Asked Georgina.

Mother smiled. “Yes dear. This is the way. Trust me.”

“Yes mommy.” Said Georgina. And held onto her mother as they crossed the bridge.

From the bridge Georgina could hear the sound of rushing water and thousands of birds singing. It was very pretty. When they got to the other side, Georgina was no longer scared of the long rope bridge.

The trial on the other side went for a little bit further and then entered a deep dark forest. Georgina was unsure and a little scared.

“Are you sure we are supposed to go down there mommy?” Asked Georgina.

Mother smiled. “Yes dear. This is the way. Trust me.”

“Yes mommy.” Said Georgina. And they took the trail together.

As they wonder in the forest, mother took a barely used side trail and showed Georgina a wonderful patch of berries. Together they picked and ate berries, climbed treed and laughed and were happy.

“Thank you mommy.” Said Georgina.

“You are welcome.” Said her mother, “But there is still more to see. It is almost noon and we are not there yet.”

So they walked down the trail together for a bit longer and the forest opened up into a beautiful valley filled with flowers and butterflies. Georgina was amazed that such a beautiful place could ever exist.

“Is this the place mommy?” Asked Georgina.

Mother smiled at Georgina. “We are almost there. Just a little further. Trust me.”

“Yes mommy.” Replied Georgina.

Mother took Georgina into the field of flowers. Near the center was a big flat rock and a beautiful stream. Flowers were all around them. Georgina thought she was in heaven. Mother took out their lunch and they ate lunch together. Mother then showed Georgina how to make crowns out of flowers and the both wore them as they played in the stream. They then went and picked flowers until their baskets were full.

Finally mother told Georgina it was time to go.

“Are you sure?” Asked Georgina?

“Yes dear. Trust me.” Said mother with a smile.

So they gathered up their baskets full of flowers and headed for the woods. This time, instead of being scary, the woods were a wonderful place filled with mossy trees to climb and yummy berries to eat.

Then they came to the rope bridge. And instead of being afraid, Georgina listed all the way across to the sound of the beautiful birds below.

Finally they came to the big flat rock. The sun was setting in the distance and other people were up here now. They all watched together as the sun turned the sky golden red as it set behind the hills on the other side of the valley. It was so beautiful. Besides the field of flowers, Georgina had never seen anything so beautiful before.

Then they headed down the trail, this time not alone but with other people who had come to see the sunset as well.

Finally they were back to the road and walked home. As they walked mother told Georgina how her mother used to take her there so that they could spend special time together. Georgina was happy that she had spent special time with her mother as well.

That night Georgina dreamt of their special day together and each place she heard her mother say trust me, and knew that she could trust her with anything, no matter what.

The Little Princess and the Puppy

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom lived a little princess. She had long dark pretty hair and a smile that was happy like sunshine.

One day she put on her pretty pink dress and her little crown and went for a walk in the tall grass that grew behind the castle.

As she wondered around she came upon a beautiful pond, filled with pretty purple water lilies. A silly frog croaked his songs and jumped from lily pad to lily pad until he missed and fell into the water. The little princess laughed at the silly frog and wondered some more in the tall grass.

After a while she came to a tall dark forest. It was a bit dark, so she didn’t go in, but picked up a nice stick she saw laying on the ground.

She wandered some more in the tall grass until she came upon some ands carrying food to their house. They made a long line through the grass and carried leaves and berries into their hole in the ground. They must be getting ready for a great feast she thought.

The little princess noticed a patch of flowers in the grass and ran over to pick some. They were so pretty. Not too far away she saw some bunnies eating the clover flowers. They seemed so happy hopping around and eating the pretty white and purple flowers.

She went to put the flowers into her crown, as she liked to do, and noticed that it was missing. She was so upset! It must have fallen off somewhere in the tall grass!

She grabbed her flowers and ran off to where the ants where and looked around. The ants were still taking berries and leaves into their house in the ground. The crown couldn’t fit inside so she knew they didn’t take it.

She ran over to the pond where the silly frog was and looked around. The frog was now swimming in the water, but wasn’t wearing the crown, so she was sure he didn’t take it.

Off in the distance she heard a little puppy woofing happily.

She ran over and found the puppy playing with her crown! It sparkled on the ground and the little puppy would run up to it, bark and run to the other side. She laughed and the puppy looked up at her and wagged his tail happily.

The little princess smiled. “Would you like a nice stick to play with little puppy?” she asked

The puppy wagged his tail and barked in reply.

The little princess threw the stick and the little puppy chased after it

The little princess picked up her crown and put it on her head where it belonged.

Then the little puppy returned, setting the stick down and barking, asking for her to throw the stick again.

The little princess and the puppy played together till it started getting dark. She has so much fun with her new friend, the little puppy, playing fetch, chase and all kinds of other things. But she knew it was time to go home and have dinner.

She said good bye to the little puppy and started off to the castle. Behind her, the little puppy followed, the stick in his mouth. She laughed and ran. The little puppy ran after her.

When she got to the castle, the little puppy was still with her. She showed him to her parents and they said she could keep him. She was so happy! That night the princess and the puppy had dinner together at the table. Well, the puppy was on the floor but she shared her dinner with him.

Many years have passed since the princess found her puppy and she is all grown up and the puppy is too, but they are still together, exploring the tall grass and other places together and are still best of friends.

The Maiden and the Prince

He stood at the mouth of the great cavern, smoke and steam oozing out from the top and into the clean air.

Scars streaked the body and face of the aged troll yet he still held himself with honor and dignity seldom found in his lesser kin.

Is intelligent keen eyes peered into the cavern spotting several traps and alarms, warning the dragon within of his presence or to kill him outright.

A local maiden had been recently taken by the dragon for whatever foul purposes the beast could think up. As prince, it was his duty to rescue her.

He entered the cave, simply avoiding some traps and disarming others.

Soon he was in the dragon’s lair.

Chained against the far wall was the maiden, stained with soot, cooking over a fire. In the center of the room lay the dragon, asleep on a pile of gold and treasure.

The troll prince quietly took out his bow and notched a special arrow intended to battle the dragon.

He coughed

The dragon quickly awoke from his sleep and stared the troll prince in the eyes. Another warrior to roast. This would be too easy.

The dragon opened his great toothy mouth, fire burning deep inside


The troll prince fired his arrow into the dragon’s gaping maw.

The dragon breathed out his fire

But not with the results he intended

As the fire hit the arrow, it exploded with great force knocking the dragon to the floor

The troll prince went down and quickly severed the dragon’s head, killing his unconscious foe.

The maid was shaken by her odd savior.

Here was a troll, a fierce and ugly monster killing the dragon. What could he want with her.

The troll cleaned his sword and bowed. “I am sorry for you to be troubled like this miss. Let’s get you home to safety.”

He then went over and unlocked the shackles that held the still shocked maiden.

Her bright blue eyes shined beneath her soot stained hair and face.

“When you get home you will need some new clothes and such.” The Troll prince said, and he grabbed a bag and filled it full of gold and gems.

He smiled as he looked at the treasure and picked out a finely wrought tiara encrusted with diamonds and sapphires and placed it on her head.

“A beautiful girl like you should have the crown of a princess.” He laughed.

He took the princess by the hand and safely led her out of the dragon’s cave.

Outside, he set her on his massive Clydesdale and quietly walked her through the forest to a quiet stream that fed into a stone pond.

“You should clean yourself my, my lady.” He said, lifting her down. “If you need anything, I will be over here.” He said pointing to a place not too far away that ensured her privacy.

While she bathed, the troll wrote and recited poetry, mostly for himself, but loud enough that the maid could hear. She was taken by this odd creature, this ugly troll that was somehow refined and intelligent.

She heard him leave for a while and then come back.

After washing herself and her clothes she went back to the troll who had started cooking a dinner of roast deer, veggies and some apples he had found. The food was amazing, seasoned perfectly.

They sat and talked long into the night, the fire warming them, and then fell fast asleep.

The next day they walked and rode through the forest towards the girl’s home. They talked and joked along the way, and the troll created poems and stories for her off the top of his head. Soon a deep friendship and love developed between them.

They finally arrived at the girl’s home late in the evening. Her parents were so happy to see here that they barely even noticed that their daughter’s savior was in fact a troll.

Over dinner and after the girl, her family and the troll talked late into the night telling them of the maid’s long weeks serving the dragon of her savior the troll, the family and the town in general.

The family offered the troll a room in the house, but he declined for he didn’t want to take the bed of anyone who lived there, so he went to the stable and set himself up for the night.

In the middle of the night, the maid snuck out of the house, curled up next to the troll and fell fast asleep in his sleeping arms, knowing that here she would be safe forever.

Morning came and the girl snuck back into her bed and no one was the wiser.

Breakfast was served and the troll took the girl into town to buy her new clothes with the gold they had gained.

Again they talked and joked and grew closer than before.

In town, people were amazed to find the beautiful maiden walking with the troll.

At the dress shop the troll helped her pick out several new outfits as they talked more.

The maiden looked amazing with her long blonde hair and stunning blue eyes.

The troll smiled and put the newly cleaned tiara on her head and she looked just like a princess in a story book.

She smiled back at him, and kissed him on the cheek.

They took some time to pick up additional supplies for the family, talking the entire time and then as it started to get late they left for her home.

They walked back to her home, the horse carrying the new bundles of clothes, food and wine.

Their talk had changed from that of close friends to that of two people deeply in love.

When they got back to her home, the troll prince had made a decision.

Over dinner the troll prince asked her father if he could have his daughter’s hand in marriage.

Unsure what to say, the father took his daughter aside and asked her what she wanted.

In days past she had had several suitors, none of whom she had really wanted. Now this ugly old troll asked. He was unsure what to say.

But the girl answered her father telling him that she was deeply in love with the troll prince and would be happy to live her life with him.

He looked into her eyes and saw the love and knew that they were meant for one another. Beauty and the beast as the saying went.

The father smiled and told the prince that it would be OK with him if his daughter so desired.

The troll bent down on his knee and offered her a ring, asking her hand in marriage.

She ran up and hugged him with a yes and kissed his face as she said yes.

That night and the ones after were magical ones.

Soon they were married and the prince took her away to live in his palace.

The parents moved to the town where the troll prince ruled and they all lived happily ever after.

Elysium

Lazy clouds swept the mountain peaks against a brilliant blue sky. An old man in tatter clothes sad on the ground, his back against a massive bolder, his head turned to the sky so he could watch the clouds silently pass by.

Jack breathed in the fresh air and exhaled a peaceful sigh of relief. It had been nearly two years since he had left the rat race behind. In a previous life, his life had been as a corporate lawyer, but long hours and the heavy pressure of near impossible deadlines got to him and he finally broke. In one day he cashed out everything he owned, quit his job and left to live life as a wonderer, to see and experience the great vastness of life rather than the bleak existence of a corporate office.

Birds sang in the distance while bees buzzed from flower to flower in the field where he sat. Jack closed his eyes to hear them better, to hear what they had to say; Freedom, joy, love of life were the words he heard. Jack quietly drifted off to sleep amongst the flowers, birds and bees. It was a good sleep; peaceful, restful and good.

A couple of hours later, Jack woke up. He stood up slowly, stretching bit by bit as he did. He looked over the field where he had slept, taking it all in; the field, the flowers, the forest and mountain peaks, the birds with their songs and the smell of fresh clean air. With a smile he grabbed his pack and started walking to the forest trail that had led him to this wonderful peaceful place, Elysium.

Dream Rain

Nameless dreams fell from the sky like mournful tears onto the darkened streets of Shanty Town. A group of peasants huddled together under a leaky roof, keeping themselves away from the graying drops and closer to a smoldering fire of damp logs and rotted furniture. Around the room sat all manner of containers from pots and bowls to cubs, each set in a strategic location to gather the spent grey dreams as they dripped and drizzled into the dirty hovel.

Outside, an old man cackled and cooed his eyes bright with color, his mind filled with the pieces of a thousand dreams, fragmented and broken against one another. He stretched out his arms and turned his face to the sky to catch as many of the falling dreams as he could. Then with a great booming laugh, he turned and lurched his way down another muddy alley.

He and those like him were the dreamers. They filled their minds with the falling dreams to ease the pain of the waking world only to end up broken and mad in the end.

Once there were great buildings to house and care for the dreamers and help them come back and live productive lives in the waking world. Then a great travesty occurred when the caretakers themselves sought the escape, the way from pain, found in the world of falling dreams. Now there were more dreamers than those who lived in the waking world and all the cities were shanty towns, vast in size and poor in spirit. Only those who could keep themselves from the falling dreams could keep themselves alive, whatever that meant anymore. In dreams one could escape from reality and live a peaceful life filled with success, happiness and bliss. In the waking world, one had to deal with the unfortunately realities of the way things were, things that needed to be done, occasionally suffering pain, rejection and failure.

Finally the rains stopped, at least for awhile, and the streets, houses and alleys were filled with the shrieks and moans of the dreamers, temporarily deprived of their falling sustenance.

In a tall bright tower, in a far off land, mighty wizards awoke from their dreams. The reason, they know of course, was that the dream rains had stopped again. The wizards gathered together in a frantic race to pull together the pieces of magic so they could recast the spell that caused the rain of dreams to fall from the sky.

In the cities, people started to adjust to their wakeful state and the unfortunately necessities that reality dictated. Long processions of people wound their way to the once magnificent fields and orchards to gather what food could be found. Others tended their homes, patched roofs and sold stale dream water to those who had money or supplies to barter with. A week went by and the shanty towns of the world became metropolises filled with industrious people working at a frantic pace.

Finally the long awaited signs came: Pastel colored clouds gathered while brilliant, multi-colored cars of lightening lit up the sky. Great cheers could be heard from cities around the world. Soon the rains would come again. Soon there would be blissful peace.

People quickly worked to complete their final preparations for the dreams that were to come: Wakers placed ops, pots, bowls, cups and other containers in strategic locations while dreamers set themselves in comfortable places where they could receive the best supply of dreams.

Shortly thereafter, a few hours at most, the dream rains came.

Nameless dreams fell from the sky like mournful tears onto the darkened streets of Shanty Town. Outside, an old man cackled and cooed his eyes bright with color, his mind filled with the pieces of a thousand dreams, fragmented and broken against one another. The dreams were warm and pleasant, filled with joy, humor and good deeds. With a great booming laugh, he stretched out his arms and turned his face to the sky to catch as many of the falling dreams as he could.

Trek to Aeloropolas

The sun broke cold
Thought the whistling winds
Another day begun

His grey leather cloak was old
That wrapped him-self in against the harsh winds
Soon it would be time to run

From the Dazeroth and his wyvern steed
To hide in a cryptic land
Far from home and friends

The mission he partook was one of great need
As well of one of great demand
This time the means justified the ends

He grabbed his gear
And quietly snuck
Behind a low rocky ridge

The quelled his fear
And trusted to luck
And ran to the other side of a bridge

Soon he’d be in the city
Where he could hide himself for awhile
And perhaps find himself a drink and a friend

He heard the place was pretty
He though with a smile
But for now he had Dazeroth to attend

He hid himself again
In the thick bushes that ran on the other side of road
And took an animal trail

He didn’t know when
This ordeal would be done or how much longer he could carry the load
All he knew is that he could not fail

The sun was getting higher now
But the cold wind still blew
At least the noise of the wind would obscure his movements and his scent

He moved as quickly as conditions would allow
Above Dazeroth and his wyvern flew
Quickly and almost quietly, through the animal trail he went.

For many hours he played duck and weave
Trying to stay out of sight
Till he spied the city, with windows alight

Soon he would take his leave
And he would sleep in a bed if only a night
Things would seem almost alright

A wailing shriek from above startled him out of his day dream
And he saw the giant wings flap not too far above him
The sick smell of wyvern nearly made him heave

Then another great shriek as he heard Dazeroth scream
Things looked very grim
Another shriek and the wyvern took off; it was all too much to believe

In the distance a cow ran for its life
To be picked-up by the wyvern in claw
And they circled off to feed for the day

He put back his knife
Still filled with awe
That Dazeroth and the wyvern had gone away

He quickly made his way to the city gate
The guards were shook as well
A black rider on a wyvern is something that fills even the mightiest of men with fear

Although it was getting late
They let him in then bid him farewell
It was time for him to disappear

In the city of Aeloropolas
It was as easily said as done
A few easy coins
And you could be anyone